Turner practised law, initially with the firm of Stikeman Elliott in Montreal, Quebec, and was elected as a Member of Parliament in 1962.
In 1965, while vacationing in Barbados, Turner noticed that former prime minister and Leader of the Opposition John Diefenbaker, staying at the same hotel, was struggling in the strong surf and undertow and Turner, being a competitive swimmer during university days, jumped in and pulled Diefenbaker to shore [REF].