Benson Franklin[1] (August 15, 1942 – March 22, 2003) was a Canadian teacher and politician who served as mayor of the city of Nepean, Ontario from 1978 to 1997.
[3] Franklin's mother was a school teacher and his father worked at a cheese factory before serving in the Second World War.
[3][4] He worked for the Ottawa Board of Education as a geography teacher – at both the elementary and high school level – from 1964 to 1978.
[2][3] In 1975, he ran unsuccessfully as the Liberal candidate in the riding of Carleton in the Ontario general election.
[2] His executive assistant, Mary Pitt, succeeded him as mayor of Nepean[2] after running a campaign that promised to continue Franklin's vision.