Joseph A. Day

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Joseph A. Day, BEng, LLM (born January 24, 1945 in Saint John, New Brunswick) is a Canadian engineer, lawyer, and politician. He has been a Canadian Senator since October 4, 2001.

Day entered politics in 1978 when a by-election was held in his native New Brunswick. Day returned from his practice of law in Ottawa, Ontario to contest the by-election as a candidate of the Liberal Party of Canada, but was defeated in what had long been a Progressive Conservative stronghold.

He faces the same electorate three times in two years due to the rapid succession of general elections that came in May 1979 and February 1980. Although he was defeated in all three attempts, he did better than his recent Liberal predecessors and improved his margin on each attempt.

In 1982, he ran for the leadership of the New Brunswick Liberal Party, but was narrowly defeated on the final ballot by Doug Young. The leadership race was very divisive, and the Liberals went down to their worst defeat in recent history in the 1982 provincial election. Day, who sought election to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in a Saint John riding, was defeated in his fifth contest in five years. He is an honorary member of the Royal Military College of Canada.

Day's wife, Georgie Day, was elected to the legislature, on her first attempt in electoral politics, in 1991, and was re-elected in 1995. While in the legislature, she served in the cabinets of Premiers Frank McKenna, Ray Frenette, and Camille Thériault.

Day returned to active politics upon his appointment to the Senate in 2001. He has been active on issues of veterans' affairs and media concentration. Still in his mid-50s, Day will be a Senator until 2020 should he fill his full term.

Day received some criticism in 2006 for saying that he would be willing to vote down Prime Minister Stephen Harper's "right-wing agenda".