Hugh Faulkner

Who is Hugh Faulkner?

James Hugh Faulkner, PC is a former Canadian politician. He completed his BA at McGill University and his MBA at IMI Geneva, Switzerland.

A businessman by profession, Faulkner entered politics as the Liberal candidate in Peterborough, Ontario in the 1962 federal election. He came in third behind Progressive Conservative candidate Fred Stenson, and incumbent Walter Pitman of the New Democratic Party.

Faulkner again placed third behind Fred Stenson and Pitman in the 1963 federal election before prevailing in the 1965 election. In 1967 he represented Canada to the 22nd UN General Assembly and Chaired the Labour and employment Committee of the House of Commons. He was re-elected in the 1968 election and was appointed Deputy Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons. In 1970, he was made parliamentary secretary to the Secretary of State for Canada.

Following the 1972 election, Faulkner was appointed to the Cabinet of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau as Secretary of State. Faulkner surprised political observers by handily defeating former Premier of Manitoba Dufferin Roblin who ran in Peterborough as a "star candidate" for the Progressive Conservative Party in the 1974 election.