[2] His wife, Chris Charlton, campaigned for federal, provincial and municipal office numerous times from 1997, notably serving as NDP Member of Parliament for Hamilton Mountain from 2006 to 2015.
Charlton ran for the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1975, but lost to Progressive Conservative John Smith by 1,727 votes in Hamilton Mountain.
[11] He was named acting Minister of Energy on February 14, 1992, finally being appointed to the full portfolio on September 23 of the same year.
The ad read that competition was limited to, "...aboriginal peoples, francophones, persons with disabilities, racial minorities and women."
[17] He ran in the June 1995 provincial election but he finished third behind Liberal Marie Bountrogianni and the winner, Progressive Conservative Trevor Pettit.
[18] After leaving office, Charlton worked as an executive assistant to Howard Hampton, the Ontario NDP leader who followed Bob Rae.
[19] As of 2012, Charlton is the past chair of Green Venture, a non-profit group which focuses on sustainable living initiatives.
and has chaired employment adjustment committees for the Hamilton Steelworkers Area Council and the Canadian Auto Workers.