Raised in British Columbia, Fulton was elected to the House of Commons in 1979 and served for 14 years as a Member of Parliament. He was the NDP environment critic, forestry and fisheries critic, and the party's spokesman on aboriginal affairs.

"This is a big loss for Canada. He was a great voice for the environment across Canada. He was one of the guys who was a vanguard of the environment, starting 20 years ago." said Jim Hoggan, executive director of the David Suzuki Foundation.

Fulton's passing leaves a notable hole in the environmental community. He fought hard for First Nation interests along the B.C. coast. He may be remembered for slamming a dead salmon onto the desk of then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney during a heated debate over policies blocking spawning salmon in his riding.