George Ian MacLean (d. 1939)

George MacLean and his wife came into the Yukon with Commissioner Congdon. McLean was working as a stenographer for the government.¹⁾ He was in several positions in the government between 1906 and 1913, when he was Yukon Comptroller. He was transferred to Ottawa [in 1913] and went to the Treasury Board.²⁾

MacLean was appointed Yukon’s Gold Commissioner and he served from 1928 to 1932. During those years MacLean worked with the federal Department of Labour so Yukoners could receive old age pensions. MacLean was recalled to Ottawa for discussions in the winter of 1932. George Black was lobbying to replace the Liberal MacLean with a Conservative, and he insisted on having Franklin Osborne act as Gold Commissioner during MacLean’s absence. The Depression and a down cycle in mining affected the federal decision to cut the position of Gold Commissioner, and MacLean was out of a job.³⁾