Samuel Mayer "Max" Saltsman (29 May 1921 – 28 November 1985) was a Canadian businessman and politician for the social-democratic New Democratic Party, and served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Waterloo South, Waterloo and Waterloo–Cambridge electoral districts from 1964-1979.[1] He resigned from federal politics in 1979 and worked as a policy advisor until shortly before his death in 1985.

Max Saltsman
Member of Parliament
for Waterloo South
(Waterloo—Cambridge; 1974–1979)
(Waterloo; 1968–1974)
In office
9 November 1964 – 21 May 1979
Preceded byGordon Chaplin
Succeeded byRiding abolished
Personal details
Born
Samuel Mayer Saltsman

(1921-05-29)29 May 1921
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died28 November 1985(1985-11-28) (aged 64)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Political partyNew Democratic
Spouse
Dorothy Gellman
(m. 1947)
Children2
Education
Profession
  • Business manager
  • professor
  • businessman
Military service
AllegianceCanada
Branch/serviceRoyal Canadian Air Force
Years of service1940–1945
RankCorporal
Battles/warsWorld War II

Early life and education

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The son of Samuel and Sara (née Krier) Saltsman, he was born Samuel Mayer Saltsman on 29 May 1921 in Toronto, but was known as "Max" since he was a child.[2] Saltsman was educated in Spadina-area schools, finally leaving Central Technical School at 14 to get a job to support his family.[3] He studied part-time after work hours and eventually earned his high school credits.[4] Saltsman never completed university, but took correspondence courses while serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and continued his education sporadically during his years in parliament.[4] Saltsman served in France, the Netherlands, and Germany with the RCAF during World War II.[1] In 1947, he married Dorothy Gellman.[5] He was president of Galt Dry Cleaning Services and Eastern Coin Operated Enterprise.[5]

Career in politics

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He was first elected to the House of Commons in a 1964 by-election held following the death of MP Gordon Chaplin, and was re-elected in the general elections of 1965, 1968, 1972, and 1974. Saltsman was the NDP critic for Finance and National Revenue from 1976 to 1977.[1] Saltsman drafted private member's bill C-249, "An Act Respecting a Proposed Association Between Canada and the Caribbean Turks and Caicos Islands" that proposed that Canada form an association with the Turks and Caicos Islands; however, it was never submitted to a vote.[6]

Prior to federal office, he was an alderman in Galt, Ontario from 1961 to 1964.[6] In 1982, Bill Davis, Premier of Ontario, named him to the province's Inflation Restraint Board.[7] Saltsman planned to return to municipal politics as a councillor-at-large for Cambridge in 1985 but cancelled these plans at a public news conference on 21 October, where he announced he was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer.[8] Saltsman died in Toronto's Wellesley Hospital on 28 November, two weeks after the Cambridge municipal election was held.[2]

Electoral record

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1965 Canadian federal election: Waterloo South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Max Saltsman 13,337 46.15 +1.90
Progressive Conservative Jim Chaplin 9,678 33.49 -2.43
Liberal Reid Menary 5,886 20.37 +0.54
Total valid votes 28,901 100.0
New Democratic hold Swing +2.17
Source(s)
"Waterloo South, Ontario (1867-1968)". History of Federal Ridings Since 1867. Library of Parliament. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
Canadian federal by-election, November 9, 1964: Waterloo South
Death of Gordon Chaplin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Max Saltsman 12,417 44.25 +17.85
Progressive Conservative Jim Chaplin 10,078 35.92 -5.01
Liberal Rod Stewart 5,563 19.83 -11.52
Total valid votes 28,058 100.0
New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +11.43
Source(s)
"Waterloo South, Ontario (1867-1968)". History of Federal Ridings Since 1867. Library of Parliament. Retrieved 6 September 2015.

Archives

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There is a Max Saltsman fonds at Library and Archives Canada.[9] Archival reference number is R3300.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Saltsman, Max (Biography)". Ottawa: Parliament of Canada. Archived from the original on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  2. ^ a b Downey, Donn (29 November 1985). "Max Saltsman: NDP financial critic embraced odd causes, leapt political fences". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. A23.
  3. ^ Scotton, Lindsay (26 October 1985). "Max Saltsman still outspoken: Dying politician is rummaging in memories of his log career". The Toronto Star. Toronto. p. A10.
  4. ^ a b Goar, Carol (29 October 1985). "'Uncalculated honest' was Max Saltsman's trademark". The Toronto Star. Toronto. p. A14.
  5. ^ a b Johnson, J.K. (1968). The Canadian Directory of Parliament 1867-1967. Public Archives of Canada.
  6. ^ a b "Montreal Gazette article".
  7. ^ van Rijn, Nicolaas (29 November 1985). "Ex-MP Max Saltsman, 64 earned name as NDP maverick". The Toronto Star. Toronto. p. A5.
  8. ^ Staff/Canadian Press (23 October 1985). "Ex-MP Saltsman says death is near". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. A2.
  9. ^ "Max Saltsman fonds, Library and Archives Canada". Retrieved 2 June 2020.