Paul Joseph James Martin

The Right Hon. Paul Joseph James Martin, P.C., C.C., Q.C., M.A., LL.M., Hon. LL.D., Hon. DCL, Hon. D.Humanities, often known as Paul Martin, Sr. (June 23, 1903-September 14, 1992) was a noted Canadian politician.

Born in Ottawa, Ontario, to a Franco-Ontarian family, he soon moved to Windsor, Ontario. A member of the Liberal Party of Canada, he was first elected to the House of Commons in 1935 and entered cabinet in 1945. He went on to serve as a noted member of of the cabinets of four Prime Ministers: William Lyon Mackenzie King, Louis St. Laurent, Lester B. Pearson and Pierre Trudeau.

Martin was viewed as one of the most left-wing members of the Liberal cabinet, and as Minister of National Health and Welfare from 1946 to 1957 he played an important role in the fight against polio and overseeing the creation of hospital insurance in Canada. Martin served as Secretary of State for External Affairs in the government of Lester Pearson.

He ran for the Liberal leadership twice, in 1958 and 1968, but was defeated at both Liberal leadership conventions. Trudeau appointed him to the Senate in 1969, where he served as Leader of the Government in the Senate until 1974 when he was appointed High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Paul Joseph James Martin is the father of Paul Edgar Philippe Martin another noted Liberal cabinet minister, who in 2003 became the 21st Prime Minister of Canada.