Quinto Martini

Who was Quinto Martini?

Quinto Antonio Martini was a Canadian politician and real estate broker, born in Hamilton, Ontario. He was the first Italian Canadian elected to Parliament, where he represented Hamilton East from 1957 until he was defeated by Liberal John Munro in 1962.

He first ran for the position of Member of Parliament for Hamilton East in 1953. He lost, placing second to Liberal incumbent Thomas Hambly Ross.

He ran again in 1957, this time beating a new Liberal candidate and receiving 38.5% of the vote. He was easily re-elected in the national Progressive Conservative landslide, receiving 51.3% of the vote. Near the end of his second term, he was appointed as parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Transport, a position in which he served from 1961 to 1962.

In 1962, Martini received only 30% of the vote, and placed second to John Munro. He ran again in 1963 and again placed second, with his share of the vote reduced to 27.2%.

Martini, a textile union organizer before entering politics, was interned during World War II along with other members of the Italian Canadian community, as a suspected subversive.