He majored in field husbandry at the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph, and received his degree in 1942.
[1] McNeil served on the municipal council of South Dorchester from 1946 to 1948, was its reeve from 1949 to 1952, and was a warden of Elgin County in 1952.
He defeated Liberal candidate Ralph Auckland by 3,246 votes, and served in the legislature as a backbench supporter of Leslie Frost's administration.
[10] McNeil was defeated in the 1987 provincial election, losing to Liberal candidate Marietta Roberts by 2,437 votes.
Norm Sterling, speaking in the Ontario legislature on his death, described him as a quiet, respected man who made few legislative speeches.