7 Gone Without a Chance: Paul Martin’s Vision for a Greater Canada
7 Gone Without a Chance: Paul Martin’s Vision for a Greater Canada
Alexander Washkowsky
Introduction
Paul Martin is one of the shortest serving prime ministers in Canadian memory. The Paul Martin administration was to many Canadians perhaps not even a fond memory as he was not even given the opportunity to serve a full term before losing the job to Stephen Harper in 2006. None the less, Martin and his administration left a lasting impact on Canada’s domestic and foreign affairs, as he was a key contributor to shaping Canada’s economy into what it is today. Paul Martin had a dream for Canada which he outlined through his policy and his speeches, a dream which he had to watch come to fruition as an MP and, later, outside of Parliament in his retirement. Although Paul Martin’s tenure may have not been as long as that of Pierre Trudeau’s, or even that of his immediate predecessor, Jean Chretien, he left a lasting legacy on Canada which will be felt through the decades. Such was the case in particular with his approach to fiscal management of the country and his dreams for a Canada that would build on the legacy of Canada as a caring nation that began with Prime Minister Mackenzie King and his own father, Paul Martin, Sr., in the 1940s.
Paul Martin Jr. was born the son of distinguished Liberal Member of Parliament, Paul Martin Sr., in Windsor, Ontario. Martin Sr. would move the family to Ottawa while Martin Jr. was still young. There, he would send his children to better their French at primary school.1 The Martin family has always had close ties to their Francophone culture. In particular, there was a strong connection between the Martin family and the French Catholic church, which was typical of Franco-Ontarian households for the times. Faith was a key feature to the policy of Martin Sr. and, likewise, for the upbringing of Martin Jr. Growing up Martin Sr. was a devote Catholic, spending ample time at mass, and even growing up himself in a home rented from the local bishop.2 These close ties to Catholicism helped shaped Martin Sr. and later the policies and outlook of his son. Perhaps more important in shaping his outlook was the fact that his father contracted polio as a child and was left unable to walk for several years.3 Young Paul sometimes campaigned at his father’s side when Martin Sr. was the Minister of Health and Welfare in King’s government and a strong advocate of the welfare state. Martin attended St. Michael’s College, a Catholic college at the University of Toronto, where he also earned a law degree before pursuing a career in the private sector.4
Although Paul Martin Jr. only led the country for exceptionally short period of time, he still had a remarkable political career. Attempting to fulfil his father’s lost dream of becoming Prime Minister, losing the Liberal Leadership on three separate occasions, Martin Jr became involved with Canadian politics quite early,5 and being the son of a well-established Liberal member of parliament