Martin O'Connell (politician)

For other people of the same name, see Martin O'Connell (disambiguation).

Martin Patrick O'Connell
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Scarborough East
In office 1968–1972
Preceded by	The electoral district was created in 1966.
Succeeded by	Reginald Stackhouse
In office 1974–1979
Preceded by	Reginald Stackhouse
Succeeded by	Gordon Gilchrist
Minister of Labour
In office January 28, 1972 – November 26, 1972
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Bryce Stuart Mackasey
Succeeded by	John Carr Munro
In office November 24, 1978 – June 3, 1979
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	André Ouellet (Acting)
Succeeded by	Lincoln Alexander
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister
In office 1973–1974
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Marc Lalonde
Succeeded by	James A. Coutts
Personal details
Born	(1916-08-01)August 1, 1916 Victoria, British Columbia
Died
Political party	Liberal
Cabinet	Minister of Labour (1972 & 1978-1979)
Portfolio	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Regional Economic Expansion (1969-1971)

Martin Patrick O'Connell, PC (August 1, 1916 – August 11, 2003) was a Canadian politician.

Born in Victoria, British Columbia, he received a Bachelor of Arts from Queen's University. During World War II, he was a Captain in the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps. After the war, he received an MA and a Ph.D from the University of Toronto.

In 1965, he ran for the House of Commons of Canada for the riding of Greenwood. He was defeated but was elected in 1968 in the riding of Scarborough East. A Liberal, he was defeated in the 1972 elections but was re-elected again in 1974. He ran twice more unsuccessfully in 1979 and 1980. From 1969 to 1971, he was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Regional Economic Expansion. From 1971 to 1972, he was the Minister of State and in 1972 he was the Minister of Labour.

After his defeat in the 1972 General Election, O'Connell served as Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Trudeau from 1973 until he was once again elected to the House of Commons in the 1974 General Election.

From 1978 to 1979, he again was the Minister of Labour.

From 1984 to 1989, he was the Chairman of the Council of Governors of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. In 1993 he was the co-founder and first co-chairman of The Canadian Foundation for the Preservation of Chinese Cultural and Historical Treasures.

References

• Martin O'Connell (politician) – Parliament of Canada biography