Max Saltsman

Who was Max Saltsman?

Samuel Mayer "Max" Saltsman was a Canadian businessman and politician for the social-democratic New Democratic Party, and served as a Member of Parliament for the Waterloo South, Waterloo and Waterloo–Cambridge electoral districts from 1964-1979. He quit federal politics in 1979 and worked as a policy advisor until shortly before his death in 1985.

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