Canadian lawyer, businessman and politician who served as the 21st prime minister of Canada and the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 2003 to 2006. Martin was defeated by the newly unified Conservative Party led by Stephen Harper, ending over 12 years of Liberal rule. Shortly after, Martin stepped down as leader of the Liberals and declined to seek re-election in 2008.
He was Minister of Finance from 4 November 1993 to 1 June 2002. In addition he was the Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development for Quebec from 4 November 1993 until 24 January 1996.
In the midst of various court rulings in 2003 and 2004 that allowed for the legalization of same-sex marriages in seven provinces and one territory, the Martin government proposed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage across Canada. The House of Commons passed the Civil Marriage Act in late June 2005 in a late-night, last-minute vote before Parliament closed down, the Senate passed it in July 2005, and it received Royal Assent on July 20 of the same year. This made Canada the fourth country in the world to allow same-sex marriages.
Now seen as a global diplomat, Martin continues to contribute on the international arena through a variety of initiatives such as Incentives for Global Health, the not-for-profit behind the Health Impact Fund, where he serves as a member of the advisory board. He also sits as an advisor to Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission.
In November 2005, the Martin government reached a historic consensus with Canada’s provinces, territories, First Nations, Métis and Inuit. Known as the Kelowna Accord, it aimed to eliminate the gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians in health, education, housing and economic opportunity.
Also known as Paul Martin Jr., he is the son of former secretary of state for external affairs Paul Martin Sr. He had one sister, Mary-Anne Bellamy, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at a young age. (She died on 20 July 2011). Martin contracted polio in 1946 at the age of eight (like his father, who contracted the disease in 1907).
He married Sheila Ann Cowan (born 31 July 1943 according to the Canadian Parliament website) on 11 September 1965 and they have three sons: Paul William (born 11 September 1966), James Robert, (born 21 June 1969), and David Patrick (born 13 September 1974).
Martin published his memoirs Hell Or High Water: My Life In And Out of Politics in late 2008.
Link to Wikipedia biography