Paul Martin

The Right Honourable Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , MP , LL.B , BA (born August 28, 1938 in Windsor, Ontario) is the Prime Minister of Canada. He is the twenty-first prime minister, having succeeded Jean Chrétien on December 12, 2003. Martin is leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and was elected in his own right with a minority government on June 28, 2004?the first minority government in twenty-four years. The Liberals won 135 of 308 seats in the Canadian House of Commons.

Early life

A businessman and politician, Paul Martin is from a well-connected Roman Catholic Canadian political family. His father, Paul Joseph James Martin, served thirty-three years as a member of the Canadian House of Commons and was a cabinet minister in four Liberal governments. He was raised in an English-speaking environment in Windsor and Ottawa. To give him the opportunity to improve his French, his parents enrolled him in a private French-language middle school, Ecole Garneau in Ottawa, Ontario. He then briefly attended the University of Ottawa.

Related Topics:
Paul Joseph James Martin - Canadian House of Commons - Liberal - Ottawa, Ontario - University of Ottawa

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Martin graduated with a B.A. in history and philosophy from St. Michael's College, University of Toronto, in 1961. He followed his father's path to the University of Toronto Law School where he received his LL.B. in 1965. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1966.

Related Topics:
St. Michael's College - University of Toronto - University of Toronto Law School

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1965, Martin married Sheila Ann Cowan, and they have three sons, Paul, Jamie and David.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Before entering politics, Martin had a long career in the private sector. He served as:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Executive Assistant to Maurice Strong, President of Power Corporation
• Vice-President, Power Corporation
• Vice-President, Consolidated Bathurst Ltd. (A Power Co. subsidiary)
• Vice-President, Planning and Development for Power Corporation
• President and later Chief Executive Officer, CSL Group Inc.
• Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Steamship Lines
• Corporate Director for C.B. Pak Inc, Redpath Industries Ltd., Fednav Ltd., Manufacturers Life Insurance Co., Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering Ltd. and Imasco Corp.

By 1988, he was a successful businessman and a multi-millionaire. His declaration of assets upon entering Parliament included ownership of dozens of companies around the world, thirty-three ships, office buildings, apartment blocks and movie theatres. In 2004 Forbes.com estimated Martin's personal wealth at $225,000,000 (USD). His steamship company, Canada Steamship Lines, is known to have flown foreign flags rather than the Canadian flag to escape Canadian taxes and Canadian environmental laws.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~