He represented the social-democratic New Democratic Party as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Waterloo South, and Waterloo–Cambridge electoral districts from 1964 to 1979.
[4] Saltsman did not complete a university degree, but took correspondence courses while serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and continued his education sporadically during his years in parliament.
[4] Saltsman served in France, the Netherlands, and Germany with the RCAF during World War II.
[1] Saltsman drafted private member's bill C-249, "An Act Respecting a Proposed Association Between Canada and the Caribbean Turks and Caicos Islands" that proposed that Canada form an association with the Turks and Caicos Islands; however, it was never submitted to a vote.
[8] Saltsman died in Toronto's Wellesley Hospital on 28 November 1985, two weeks after the Cambridge municipal election was held.