Martha Hall Findlay
Encyclopedia
Martha Hall Findlay is a Canadian
lawyer
, businesswoman and politician. She was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
as the Liberal Party of Canada
's candidate in the Toronto riding of Willowdale
in a federal by-election
held on March 17, 2008 to fill a vacancy created by former Liberal MP Jim Peterson
's resignation. She was reelected in the 2008 general election
but lost her seat in the 2011 election.
She had previously been the party's candidate for Newmarket—Aurora
in the 2004 federal election
, losing narrowly to Conservative
candidate Belinda Stronach
, and the first declared candidate for the Liberal Party leadership election to succeed Paul Martin
in 2006.
, Hall Findlay lived in York Mills, attending the Toronto French School
until Grade 8 when she was 13 and her parents separated. She moved with her mother to Thornbury, at the base of the Blue Mountains, east of Owen Sound. She skipped three grades (9, 10 and 11) to enter Grade 12 at Georgian Bay Secondary School in Meaford, and graduated from high school at 15.
Hall Findlay was overall silver medallist in the 1976 Canadian Ski
Championship, and was named to the national training squad before retiring from competition to concentrate on her education. She graduated in international relations
from the University of Toronto
, and in law from Osgoode Hall Law School
at York University
. Through university, she worked as a waitress, carpenter
and ski race coach
; while completing law school, she co-owned and operated two retail stores, living above the Yonge St. store.
While in the International Relations Program she married Doug Findlay and, in her second year in 1981, gave birth to her first child, Katie. At Osgoode Hall Law School, she had two more children, Everett in '83 and Patrick in '85, receiving her LL.B. in 1987. At the same time her mother went back for her university degree at age 60.
In Hall Findlay's professional career she worked for six years practicing corporate
and commercial law
at the Toronto
offices of international law firm Baker & McKenzie
, served as general counsel
and executive for Bell Mobility
and Mobility Canada, and later served as vice-president and general counsel for The Rider Group. After moving to Collingwood, Ontario
in 1996, she founded The General Counsel Group, a legal and management consulting
firm working primarily in the high-tech and telecommunications fields in Canada and Europe.
In 2007, she joined the law firm of Gowlings Lafleur Henderson LLP as counsel.
, the presumptive Liberal Party candidate in the Newmarket—Aurora
riding
bowed out, not wanting to run against Conservative candidate Belinda Stronach
, a wealthy local executive nationally famous for her candidacy in the federal Conservative leadership election
earlier that year. Hall Findlay, still residing in Collingwood, was parachuted into the riding at a relatively late date. She came within 689 votes of defeating Stronach.
Hoping to defeat Stronach in the next election, Hall Findlay moved to Newmarket—Aurora and became active in the Liberal party and the local community.
On May 17, 2005, Stronach crossed the floor
to join the Liberal Party caucus, and Hall Findlay, who had already been nominated as the Liberal candidate, stepped down from this post to allow Stronach to run under the Liberal banner. In December 2005, she moved to Toronto
during the 2006 election
and assisted in the successful Toronto campaigns of Michael Ignatieff
, John Godfrey
and Carolyn Bennett
.
On February 8, 2006, Hall Findlay became the first declared candidate for the Liberal Party leadership election to succeed Paul Martin
. During the convention she was eliminated from the first ballot, and threw her support behind the eventual winner Stéphane Dion
. Her support was more influential than simply her number of delegates, due to her status as the only remaining woman in the race, being fully bilingual, and a perception that she represented a growing liberal grassroots. She was also one of only two candidates, along with Dion, to gain significantly more support percentage-wise on that ballot than she had in committed delegates going into the convention.
On December 18, 2006, Hall Findlay became the party's platform outreach chair, appointed by Stéphane Dion
to travel across the country engaging Canadians on ideas for the upcoming electoral platform.
, following the retirement of Jim Peterson
. However a by-election was called before the 2008 federal election
. Findlay faced Conservative lawyer Maureen Harquail, NDP candidate Rini Ghosh, and Green candidate Lou Carcasole. On by-election night, Hall Findlay garnered nearly 60% of the vote. In the 2008 federal election
a few months later Hall-Findlay was re-elected with 23,889 votes to runner up Conservative, Jake Karns' 15,931 votes. However, she lost her seat in 2011.
radio network CKUA
, the Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs
, and the Georgian Bay Association. She is a past president of the Pointe au Baril
Islanders' Association and the Georgian Peaks Club, and an active member of the York Region Community Foundation.
|-
|Martha Hall Findlay
|align=right|13,524
|align=right|59.3
|-
|Maureen Harquail
|align=right|6,864
|align=right|30.1
|-
|Lou Carcasole
|align=right|1,325
|align=right|5.8
|-
|Rini Ghosh
|align=right|1,084
|align=right|4.8
|-
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, businesswoman and politician. She was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
as the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
's candidate in the Toronto riding of Willowdale
Willowdale (electoral district)
Willowdale is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979.The riding was created in 1976 from part of Eglinton....
in a federal by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held on March 17, 2008 to fill a vacancy created by former Liberal MP Jim Peterson
Jim Peterson
James Scott "Jim" Peterson, PC is a retired Canadian politician and former Minister of International Trade.Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he has a DCL from McGill University, a Master of Laws from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Ontario...
's resignation. She was reelected in the 2008 general election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
but lost her seat in the 2011 election.
She had previously been the party's candidate for Newmarket—Aurora
Newmarket—Aurora
Newmarket—Aurora is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004.The district contains the towns of Newmarket and Aurora....
in the 2004 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
, losing narrowly to Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
candidate Belinda Stronach
Belinda Stronach
Belinda Caroline Stronach, PC is a Canadian businessperson, philanthropist and former politician. She was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2008. Originally elected as a Conservative, she later crossed the floor to join the Liberals...
, and the first declared candidate for the Liberal Party leadership election to succeed Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
in 2006.
Early life and career
Born in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Hall Findlay lived in York Mills, attending the Toronto French School
Toronto French School
The Toronto French School , founded in 1962 , is an independent, bilingual, co-educational, non-denominational school in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada, is the royal patron of the school....
until Grade 8 when she was 13 and her parents separated. She moved with her mother to Thornbury, at the base of the Blue Mountains, east of Owen Sound. She skipped three grades (9, 10 and 11) to enter Grade 12 at Georgian Bay Secondary School in Meaford, and graduated from high school at 15.
Hall Findlay was overall silver medallist in the 1976 Canadian Ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
Championship, and was named to the national training squad before retiring from competition to concentrate on her education. She graduated in international relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, and in law from Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law...
at York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
. Through university, she worked as a waitress, carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
and ski race coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
; while completing law school, she co-owned and operated two retail stores, living above the Yonge St. store.
While in the International Relations Program she married Doug Findlay and, in her second year in 1981, gave birth to her first child, Katie. At Osgoode Hall Law School, she had two more children, Everett in '83 and Patrick in '85, receiving her LL.B. in 1987. At the same time her mother went back for her university degree at age 60.
In Hall Findlay's professional career she worked for six years practicing corporate
Corporate law
Corporate law is the study of how shareholders, directors, employees, creditors, and other stakeholders such as consumers, the community and the environment interact with one another. Corporate law is a part of a broader companies law...
and commercial law
Commercial law
Commercial law is the body of law that governs business and commercial transactions...
at the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
offices of international law firm Baker & McKenzie
Baker & McKenzie
Baker & McKenzie is an international law firm, founded in Chicago in 1949 by Russell Baker and John McKenzie. It is home to more than 3,800 lawyers spread over 70 offices in 42 different countries....
, served as general counsel
General Counsel
A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
and executive for Bell Mobility
Bell Mobility
Bell Mobility is a CDMA and HSPA+ based wireless network and the division of Bell Canada which sells wireless services in Canada...
and Mobility Canada, and later served as vice-president and general counsel for The Rider Group. After moving to Collingwood, Ontario
Collingwood, Ontario
Collingwood is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it is situated on Nottawasaga Bay at the southern point of Georgian Bay.-History:...
in 1996, she founded The General Counsel Group, a legal and management consulting
Management consulting
Management consulting indicates both the industry and practice of helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing organizational problems and development of plans for improvement....
firm working primarily in the high-tech and telecommunications fields in Canada and Europe.
In 2007, she joined the law firm of Gowlings Lafleur Henderson LLP as counsel.
Political career
In the 2004 federal electionCanadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
, the presumptive Liberal Party candidate in the Newmarket—Aurora
Newmarket—Aurora
Newmarket—Aurora is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004.The district contains the towns of Newmarket and Aurora....
riding
Electoral district
An electoral district is a distinct territorial subdivision for holding a separate election for one or more seats in a legislative body...
bowed out, not wanting to run against Conservative candidate Belinda Stronach
Belinda Stronach
Belinda Caroline Stronach, PC is a Canadian businessperson, philanthropist and former politician. She was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2008. Originally elected as a Conservative, she later crossed the floor to join the Liberals...
, a wealthy local executive nationally famous for her candidacy in the federal Conservative leadership election
Conservative Party of Canada leadership election, 2004
The 2004 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election took place on March 20, 2004 in Toronto, Ontario, and resulted in the election of Stephen Harper as the first leader of the new Canadian Conservative Party...
earlier that year. Hall Findlay, still residing in Collingwood, was parachuted into the riding at a relatively late date. She came within 689 votes of defeating Stronach.
Hoping to defeat Stronach in the next election, Hall Findlay moved to Newmarket—Aurora and became active in the Liberal party and the local community.
On May 17, 2005, Stronach crossed the floor
Crossing the floor
In politics, crossing the floor has two meanings referring to a change of allegiance in a Westminster system parliament.The term originates from the British House of Commons, which is configured with the Government and Opposition facing each other on rows of benches...
to join the Liberal Party caucus, and Hall Findlay, who had already been nominated as the Liberal candidate, stepped down from this post to allow Stronach to run under the Liberal banner. In December 2005, she moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
during the 2006 election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
and assisted in the successful Toronto campaigns of Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
, John Godfrey
John Godfrey
John Ferguson Godfrey, PC is a Canadian educator, journalist and former Member of Parliament.- Education :He was born in Toronto, Ontario. His father, Senator John Morrow Godfrey , was a Canadian pilot, lawyer and politician. John Godfrey graduated from Upper Canada College in 1960...
and Carolyn Bennett
Carolyn Bennett
Carolyn Ann Bennett, PC, MP is the Member of Parliament for the riding of St. Paul's, a constituency located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, and was formerly a candidate for its leadership....
.
2006 Leadership bid
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
. During the convention she was eliminated from the first ballot, and threw her support behind the eventual winner Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
. Her support was more influential than simply her number of delegates, due to her status as the only remaining woman in the race, being fully bilingual, and a perception that she represented a growing liberal grassroots. She was also one of only two candidates, along with Dion, to gain significantly more support percentage-wise on that ballot than she had in committed delegates going into the convention.
On December 18, 2006, Hall Findlay became the party's platform outreach chair, appointed by Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
to travel across the country engaging Canadians on ideas for the upcoming electoral platform.
Willowdale MP
She was appointed the Liberal candidate in Willowdale for the next federal election by Stéphane DionStéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
, following the retirement of Jim Peterson
Jim Peterson
James Scott "Jim" Peterson, PC is a retired Canadian politician and former Minister of International Trade.Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he has a DCL from McGill University, a Master of Laws from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Ontario...
. However a by-election was called before the 2008 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
. Findlay faced Conservative lawyer Maureen Harquail, NDP candidate Rini Ghosh, and Green candidate Lou Carcasole. On by-election night, Hall Findlay garnered nearly 60% of the vote. In the 2008 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
a few months later Hall-Findlay was re-elected with 23,889 votes to runner up Conservative, Jake Karns' 15,931 votes. However, she lost her seat in 2011.
Community involvement
Hall Findlay has served as an executive of the AlbertaAlberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
radio network CKUA
CKUA
CKUA is a Canadian radio station. Originally located at the University of Alberta in Edmonton , it now broadcasts from studios in downtown Edmonton and south Calgary. CKUA was created in 1927 through a provincial grant which allowed the University of Alberta's Extension Department to purchase the...
, the Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs
Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs
The Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs is Canada's oldest organization devoted to studying and publicizing current issues affecting Canada and public policy...
, and the Georgian Bay Association. She is a past president of the Pointe au Baril
Pointe au Baril, Ontario
Pointe au Baril is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario, located on the east coast of Georgian Bay.The community is located in the township of The Archipelago in the Parry Sound District.-History of the name:...
Islanders' Association and the Georgian Peaks Club, and an active member of the York Region Community Foundation.
Electoral record
Source: Elections Canada|-
|Martha Hall Findlay
|align=right|13,524
|align=right|59.3
|-
|Maureen Harquail
|align=right|6,864
|align=right|30.1
|-
|Lou Carcasole
|align=right|1,325
|align=right|5.8
|-
|Rini Ghosh
|align=right|1,084
|align=right|4.8
|-