Educated in Saskatoon, Notre Dame, and St. Francis Xavier University, where he received a Bachelor of Education degree and followed up on this by teaching school in Yorkton & Wilcox, SK.
He represented Milestone from 1964 to 1975 and Qu’Appelle-Wolseley from 1975 to 1982 in the Saskatchewan Legislature.
MacDonald served in the provincial cabinet as Minister of Industry and Commerce and as Minister of Welfare.