Ernest Macdonald 24 Wedgewood Dr. Charlottetown, PEI

C 1A 6C2

Phone; (902) 892-9246 E-mail: ejm@isn.net

Ernie was born in Cardigan P.E.I. May 28, 1928, the fifih child of Andrew Macdonald and Irene Lewis. There were eight children in the family ; seven of them boys. He received his elementary education in Cardigan School and completed his high school at SDU. Thereafter, four more years to complete a BA, also at SDU. While at SDU Ernie completed his training at the Canadian Army RCOC School in Montreal and was granted a Commission in the Canadian Army. In June 1951 with Dunstan Murphy, another classmate, he entered St. Patrick’s College, School of Social Welfare which at that time was affiliated with the University of Ottawa He graduated with a Master's Degree in Social Work in 1953 and was awarded the University’s Gold Medal for research.

During his first year of social work training he worked at a family agency in Detroit and received a scholarship to continue on with his second year of studies. This meant returning to Detroit to work which he did for two years. Then it was on to an agency in London, Ont. where he stayed for eleven years. Then three years in Montreal ( during Expo) followed by five years in Sydney, N.S. After the enjoyable years in Sydney Ernie moved back to P.E.I. to take over the Addiction Foundation

of P.E.I.

Following five years in Addictions he went back to his first love which was family counselling. He and Marie set up Macdonald’s Family Counselling Inc. and with Marie looking after the business aspect and Ernie seeing the clients, this office provided farme counselling to many Islanders during the next fifieen years. During this time Emie also coordinated a social work program on P.E.I. as an Assistant Professor of Dalhousie University.