He was born in Melita, Manitoba, the son of John McLeod (1860-1938) and Sarah Hannah Harding (1866-1952).

He left to study at the University of Manitoba writing his summer thesis "Souris Valley Bridge" in 1912.

[14] In Edmonton Alberta on July 2, 1924, Norman McLeod married Minerva Jean Johnston at a private home.

They honeymooned on a cross-country trip as far east as Quebec City before returning to Estevan and then to Unity.

[1] He first ran for the Saskatchewan Legislature for the riding of Estevan in a by-election held on December 23, 1930 after Eleazer William Garner resigned his seat.

[18] At the last moment Mr. McKnight changed his mind on the arranged agreement leading to his legal counsel resigning.

[20] The appeal court allowed that the unqualified voters may have voted for McKnight and left open a further action by the legislature to appoint Mr. McLeod.

[22] He later represented the combined riding of Souris-Estevan after winning in the 1938 provincial general election when fellow Liberal MLA Jesse Pichard Tripp did not run again.