Andrew Telegdi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrew Telegdi
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Telegdi in 2008
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| Member of Parliament for Waterloo |
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| In office 1993–1997 |
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| Preceded by | Walter McLean |
| Succeeded by | Riding Dissolved |
| Member of Parliament for Kitchener—Waterloo |
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| In office 1997–2008 |
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| Preceded by | Riding Created |
| Succeeded by | Peter Braid |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
András Telegdi
May 28, 1946 Budapest, Hungary |
| Died | January 23, 2017 (aged 70) Waterloo, Ontario, Canada |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse | Nancy Telegdi |
| Residence | Waterloo, Ontario |
| Profession | Executive Director |
Andrew Peter Telegdi, also known as András Telegdi, was a Canadian politician. He was born on May 28, 1946, and passed away on January 23, 2017. He was a member of the Liberal Party.
Andrew Telegdi served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons of Canada. He represented the areas of Waterloo and Kitchener—Waterloo. He was an MP from 1993 to 2008.
Contents
His Early Life and Work
Andrew Telegdi was born in Budapest, Hungary. In 1957, his family moved to Canada. They came as refugees after the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.
He attended the University of Waterloo in the 1970s. While there, he was elected president of the student union. He served two terms from 1973 to 1974.
After university, he became an executive director. He worked for an organization called Youth in Conflict with the Law. He also helped out at the Working Centre, a local soup kitchen. Later, he joined the board of governors for Wilfrid Laurier University.
From 1985 to 1993, Andrew Telegdi was a city councillor for Waterloo City Council. This meant he helped make decisions for the city. He also represented the city on the Waterloo Regional Council.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
Andrew Telegdi first tried to become a politician in 1990. He ran for a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. He didn't win that election.
However, three years later, he ran for the House of Commons of Canada. This time, he won easily. He was re-elected four more times. Each time, he won by a good number of votes.
Standing Up for What He Believed In
In 1998, Andrew Telegdi became a parliamentary secretary. He worked with the Minister of Immigration. He resigned from this role in 2000. He disagreed with parts of a new law about citizenship.
He was worried about a rule that would let Parliament, not the courts, take away someone's citizenship. He believed this was too much power for Parliament. He famously said, "For me, my citizenship comes before my party."
His comments caused some debate. He later apologized to the House of Commons for how his words were understood. He explained that he believed a country like Canada should not easily take away citizenship. He said that such actions were common in totalitarian governments.
His Views on Important Issues
Andrew Telegdi held progressive views on many social issues. He strongly supported gay rights and same-sex marriage.
He also disagreed with the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He was concerned that attacking other countries without good reason would cause more problems. He believed it would weaken international cooperation.
Later Political Roles and Elections
For several years, Andrew Telegdi supported Paul Martin. Paul Martin wanted to become the leader of the Liberal Party. When Martin became Prime Minister, Telegdi was given a new role. He became parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister. He focused on issues related to Indigenous communities.
He held this position until after the 2004 election. Before the 2008 election, he was a vice-chair. He helped lead the committee that dealt with citizenship and immigration.
In the 2008 federal election, he lost his seat. He lost to Peter Braid by a very small number of votes. The final count showed he lost by just 17 votes. This was the smallest difference in any election that year. He ran again in the 2011 federal election but lost once more.
After Federal Politics
In 2014, Andrew Telegdi ran for a local council position. He wanted to be a councillor for Waterloo on the Waterloo Regional Council. He did not win this election.
His Passing
Andrew Telegdi passed away on January 23, 2017. He was 70 years old. He died in Waterloo, Ontario.
See also
- List of University of Waterloo people
