19 Facts About Andrew Telegdi

Andrew Telegdi emigrated to Canada with his family in 1957 as a refugee following the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

Andrew Telegdi attended the University of Waterloo in the 1970s.

Andrew Telegdi served two terms as president of the Federation of Students, UW's student union, from 1973 to 1974.

Andrew Telegdi was a city councillor for Waterloo City Council from 1985 to 1993.

Andrew Telegdi finished a poor third against Progressive Conservative Elizabeth Witmer thus becoming the first Liberal to lose that riding in over 23 years.

Andrew Telegdi won an easy victory to the House of Commons of Canada three years later and was re-elected four times, all by comfortable margins.

Andrew Telegdi was appointed parliamentary secretary to the Minister and Citizenship of Immigration on July 16,1998, but resigned the position on May 18,2000, as he objected to certain provisions in the government's proposed Citizenship Act.

Andrew Telegdi was concerned with a clause that gave Canada's parliament, rather than the courts, the right to remove a person's citizenship, and in particular Helmut Oberlander's who was a constituent of the riding he then represented.

Andrew Telegdi was widely criticized for this comment and the Canadian Jewish Congress and called for Andrew Telegdi's removal from the Liberal caucus.

Andrew Telegdi engaged in a public dispute with Liberal Party activist Warren Kinsella during this period.

Andrew Telegdi was a strong supporter of gay rights and same-sex marriage.

Andrew Telegdi opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq, expressing concern that the American approach of "pre-emptive strikes" would create new problems and undermine multilateral institutions.

For several years, Andrew Telegdi was a supporter of Paul Martin in his bid to succeed Jean Chretien as leader of the Liberal Party.

Andrew Telegdi held this position until just after the 2004 election and prior to the 2008 election was vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.

Andrew Telegdi lost to Conservative candidate Peter Braid by an initial count of 48 votes in the 2008 federal election.

Andrew Telegdi campaigned again in the 2011 federal election and lost to Braid by 2,114 votes.

In 2014, Andrew Telegdi ran and lost in the 2014 Waterloo Regional Elections.

Andrew Telegdi came in third place to become one of two councillors for Waterloo on the Waterloo Regional Council.

Andrew Telegdi died on January 23,2017, in Waterloo, Ontario, aged 70.