In 1898, he earned an honours degree in Classics from the University of Toronto, and then a Teacher Certificate from the Ontario School of Pedagogy.

After teaching for two years, he attended Osgoode Hall Law School and qualified as a lawyer.

[1] He was re-elected in the 1911 Canadian federal election, as a strong supporter of the Liberal platform for "Unrestricted Reciprocity" (free trade) with the United States.

[1] However, the Liberal government was defeated by the Conservative Party under Robert Borden, largely on the reciprocity issue.

By 1916, the Liberal government was facing allegations of corruption and Premier Scott was having mental health problems.

Martin brought farmers' advocate Charles A. Dunning into the cabinet in an attempt to revitalise the Liberals and maintain support from farmers, appointing him to the important position of Provincial Treasurer, a position Dunning was to hold for almost ten years.

That same year, there was a federal election which was fought largely on the issue of conscription to raise troops for the Canadian army fighting in France.

[5] He also recruited another farm leader into the government, federal Progressive MP John Archibald Maharg.

The Martin government was returned to power, although with a reduced majority of 46 Liberals in the 63 seat Assembly.

Martin kept Dunning on as Provincial Treasurer and appointed Maharg as Minister of Agriculture,[3] a key position in a province with a farm-based economy.

[1] Martin's support for the federal Liberals angered the Saskatchewan Grain Growers Association, which began to explore the possibility of forming a new farmer-based party.

[7] While on the Court of Appeal, he also served as a commissioner on the Royal Commission on Reconveyance of Land to British Columbia,[8] which contributed to the re-transfer of the Railway Belt and Peace River Block from the federal government to the province of British Columbia.

Prior to entering provincial politics, Martin was elected twice to the federal House of Commons, serving for 7 years, 359 days.

Martin led the Liberal Party in two general elections, winning a majority government both times (1917 and 1921).

In spite of the corruption allegations which had dogged the Liberals, he managed to win a majority government, defeating the Conservatives led by Wellington Willoughby, as well as candidates of third parties, none of whom won a seat.

In 1921, Martin led the Liberals into a second general election and again won a majority government, albeit with a smaller share of the popular vote and a reduction in the number of seats in the Assembly.

The political opponents of the government fractured badly, leading to Saskatchewan's first major multi-party election.

[11] The by-election was called on the resignation of the sitting Liberal member, James Franklin Bole, to allow Premier Martin to win a seat in the Assembly.

Since they were both members at large they are listed as incumbents, although neither had held the Regina seat prior to the 1921 election.