Canada’s 21st Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Paul Martin, is celebrating his 88th birthday today. Born in Windsor, he would go on to graduate from the University of Toronto with an undergraduate degree in history and philosophy. He later earned a law degree at the same institution. Mr. Martin then rose through the Canadian business community, becoming president of the storied Canada Steamship lines. He entered politics in 1988, entering the Commons as a Liberal MP under John Napier Turner. Only five-years later he was appointed to the all-important cabinet position of Minister of Finance under Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. Later, in 2003, he succeeded Chrétien as party leader and Prime Minister and would hold Canada’s top political post for three years. A long-time advocate of Canada’s Indigenous Peoples, he has been a tireless champion of Indigenous youth throughout his retirement from politics.
For many years, Mr. Martin has been a great supporter of my work in the field of political history and I owe him a great deal. It is therefore a great personal and professional pleasure to send out birthday greetings to this special Canadian from Art’s History.