Glen Murray
Encyclopedia
Glen Murray is a Canadian
politician
and urban issues advocate. He served as the 41st Mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba
from 1998 to 2004, and was the first openly gay
mayor of a large North America
n city. He subsequently moved to Toronto
, Ontario
, and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
as Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Toronto Centre
in 2010. In August 2010, he was appointed to the provincial cabinet
as Minister of Research and Innovation.
Murray was re-elected in October 2011
, and appointed Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.
, Quebec
and attended John Abbott College
and Concordia University. Prior to entering politics, he was active in human rights and community healthcare. He led, with Margie Coghill, the successful campaign to include sexual orientation in the Manitoba Human Rights Code. He helped establish Winnipeg's Village Clinic, the first integrated community based prevention, care, and treatment centre for HIV/AIDS in Canada. Subsequently, he became the Clinic's Director of Prevention and Outreach programs working street involved and homeless people at high risk for HIV infection. He was a founding member of the Canadian AIDS Society and worked as part of a team through the World Health Organization that developed an international strategy for the delivery community HIV prevention initiatives and coordinated the work of AIDS Service Organizations. A 1992 documentary film, A Kind of Family, followed the relationship of Murray with his foster son, a 17-year-old street kid.
alliance. He was elected a city councillor at Fort Rouge ward in 1989 then re-elected twice. In the 1995 election, he defeated Terrence Halligan. He lobbied the provincial government to create a municipal property tax credit program for heritage buildings, a program which was approved with all-party support at the Manitoba legislature.
In 1998, Murray left his councillor position to campaign as a Winnipeg mayoral candidate. He was elected mayor on October 28, 1998, with 50.5% of the vote in a close race against grocer Peter Kaufmann, who received 45% of the vote. Murray was re-elected in 2002 over former councillor Al Golden
. Murray claimed that his sexual orientation
was not an issue in the mayoral election.
Significant Winnipeg events during Murray's term included the 1999 Pan American Games
and the C5 Summit, an initiative of urbanist Jane Jacobs
and Allan Broadbent which gathered the mayors of five major Canadian cities. The summit led to proposals that cities receive new and improved revenue streams, particularly from federal and provincial governments. The effort to achieve this "New Deal" for cities was unsuccessful.
Murray was succeeded by Sam Katz
, who won the mayoralty vote over councillor Dan Vandal
by a margin of around 43,000 votes.
after several months of denying rumours to this effect. He ran as a candidate for the Liberal Party
in the riding of Charleswood—St. James. On May 11, 2004, Murray announced his resignation as mayor of Winnipeg. He was one of the city's five longest serving mayors.
On June 28, 2004, Murray was defeated in his attempt to become a member of the Canadian House of Commons
by Conservative
Steven Fletcher
. Murray had won a significant majority of the votes in the Charleswood and St. James communities in the previous mayoralty election but could not translate that support in what was a close race against the rising popularity of the recently merged Conservative Party]. The Liberals had held the seat by small margins in tight three way races with the right wing Canadian Alliance
and Progressive Conservative
parties.
. Murray became president and CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute
in 2007.
Murray was appointed by Prime Minister
Paul Martin
as chair of a National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy
in March 2005. In 2006, the Round Table released a report stating that Canada could reduce greenhouse gas emissions using existing technology. Murray led the development of a series of research papers that offered the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper
a strategy to achieve a 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
. However, after provincial MPP George Smitherman
confirmed his own intention to run for mayor, Murray announced in December that he would instead seek the Ontario Liberal nomination for the February 4, 2010 by-election
to succeed Smitherman in Toronto Centre
.
Murray was acclaimed as the Liberal candidate at their nomination meeting on January 6, 2010. His stated priorities are building healthy, sustainable communities; providing quality, accessible health care; ensuring access to affordable housing; proposing innovative solutions to climate change; advancing human rights; and reducing the tax burden. Accused by his opponents of lacking roots in Toronto, Murray pointed out that nearly half of Torontonians weren't born in Canada, and launched ProudToronto.ca to allow Torontonians, whether born in the city or recent arrivals, to share their stories.
Murray retained the seat for the Liberals winning 47% of the vote. He defeated New Democrat
candidate Cathy Crowe
who came in second with 33% and Progressive Conservative Pamela Taylor (15%).
On August 18, 2010, Murray became Minister of Research and Innovation
.
u r voting for bigotry." and Later that day he also retweeted a post from another user calling Ford, Tim Hudak
and Stephen Harper
the "'trifecta of Republican-style, right-wing ignorance and bigotry.'" On October 26 Murray issued a written statement stating "I do not believe Rob Ford or Stephen Harper or Tim Hudak are bigots. I regret tweeting a message that said otherwise, and am sorry that I did.” Yet, in the apology he went on to say that the three right-of-centre politicians he criticized all routinely engage in “fear tactics” against gay men. He further demanded that Hudak "root out any of those working in his ranks who would try to exploit hatred with smear tactics." After mounting public criticism of Murray for his previous apology, Murray issued a second apology, which was accepted by Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and urban issues advocate. He served as the 41st Mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
from 1998 to 2004, and was the first openly gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
mayor of a large North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n city. He subsequently moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
as Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Toronto Centre
Toronto Centre (provincial electoral district)
Toronto Centre is a provincial electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It elects one member to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.It was created in 1999 as Toronto Centre—Rosedale from most of St. George—St. David and parts of St. Andrew—St...
in 2010. In August 2010, he was appointed to the provincial cabinet
Executive Council of Ontario
The Executive Council of Ontario plays an important role in theGovernment of Ontario, in accordance with the Westminster system....
as Minister of Research and Innovation.
Ministry of Research and Innovation (Ontario)
The Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation is a government ministry of the Province of Ontario. The current minister is Glen Murray.-History:...
Murray was re-elected in October 2011
Ontario general election, 2011
The 40th Ontario general election was held on October 6, 2011 to elect members of the 40th Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The Ontario Liberal Party will form a minority government, with the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario serving as the Official Opposition and the Ontario New...
, and appointed Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.
Biography
Murray was born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and attended John Abbott College
John Abbott College
John Abbott College is an English-language general and professional educational college located in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada, near the western tip of the Island of Montreal. The enabling legislation is the General and Vocational Colleges Act -History:The college was accredited in...
and Concordia University. Prior to entering politics, he was active in human rights and community healthcare. He led, with Margie Coghill, the successful campaign to include sexual orientation in the Manitoba Human Rights Code. He helped establish Winnipeg's Village Clinic, the first integrated community based prevention, care, and treatment centre for HIV/AIDS in Canada. Subsequently, he became the Clinic's Director of Prevention and Outreach programs working street involved and homeless people at high risk for HIV infection. He was a founding member of the Canadian AIDS Society and worked as part of a team through the World Health Organization that developed an international strategy for the delivery community HIV prevention initiatives and coordinated the work of AIDS Service Organizations. A 1992 documentary film, A Kind of Family, followed the relationship of Murray with his foster son, a 17-year-old street kid.
Municipal career
Murray entered the 1989 Winnipeg municipal election as a city councillor candidate of the Winnipeg into the '90sWinnipeg into the '90s
Winnipeg into the '90s was an alliance of progressive and left-leaning municipal politicians in the Canadian city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. It endorsed several candidates in the city's municipal elections of 1989, 1992 and 1995, including future mayor Glen Murray and future provincial Premier Greg...
alliance. He was elected a city councillor at Fort Rouge ward in 1989 then re-elected twice. In the 1995 election, he defeated Terrence Halligan. He lobbied the provincial government to create a municipal property tax credit program for heritage buildings, a program which was approved with all-party support at the Manitoba legislature.
In 1998, Murray left his councillor position to campaign as a Winnipeg mayoral candidate. He was elected mayor on October 28, 1998, with 50.5% of the vote in a close race against grocer Peter Kaufmann, who received 45% of the vote. Murray was re-elected in 2002 over former councillor Al Golden
Al Golden (politician)
Allan Golden is a politician and businessman in Winnipeg, Manitoba.Golden is involved in many business operations, including the St. Vital Hotel and the Transcona Country Club. He entered politics after being encouraged by former Mayor of Winnipeg Stephen Juba, to run in the 1980 mayoral election...
. Murray claimed that his sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
was not an issue in the mayoral election.
Significant Winnipeg events during Murray's term included the 1999 Pan American Games
1999 Pan American Games
The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games or the 13th Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23-August 8, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Approximately 5,000 athletes from 42 nations participated at the games. The 1999...
and the C5 Summit, an initiative of urbanist Jane Jacobs
Jane Jacobs
Jane Jacobs, was an American-Canadian writer and activist with primary interest in communities and urban planning and decay. She is best known for The Death and Life of Great American Cities , a powerful critique of the urban renewal policies of the 1950s in the United States...
and Allan Broadbent which gathered the mayors of five major Canadian cities. The summit led to proposals that cities receive new and improved revenue streams, particularly from federal and provincial governments. The effort to achieve this "New Deal" for cities was unsuccessful.
Murray was succeeded by Sam Katz
Sam Katz
Samuel Michael Katz, OM is the 42nd mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He is also a businessperson and a member of the Order of Manitoba.- Life before mayorship :...
, who won the mayoralty vote over councillor Dan Vandal
Dan Vandal
Daniel 'Dan' Vandal is a politician in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He has represented St. Boniface on the Winnipeg City Council for all but two years since 1995, and ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Winnipeg in 2004...
by a margin of around 43,000 votes.
Federal candidacy
On May 7, 2004, Murray announced that he would run in the 2004 Canadian federal electionCanadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
after several months of denying rumours to this effect. He ran as a candidate for the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
in the riding of Charleswood—St. James. On May 11, 2004, Murray announced his resignation as mayor of Winnipeg. He was one of the city's five longest serving mayors.
On June 28, 2004, Murray was defeated in his attempt to become a member of the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
by Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
Steven Fletcher
Steven Fletcher
Steven John Fletcher, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. He has served in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004, representing the riding of Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia as a member of the Conservative Party. He is the first quadriplegic to serve in the House of Commons, as well as in Cabinet...
. Murray had won a significant majority of the votes in the Charleswood and St. James communities in the previous mayoralty election but could not translate that support in what was a close race against the rising popularity of the recently merged Conservative Party]. The Liberals had held the seat by small margins in tight three way races with the right wing Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
and Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
parties.
Career in the non-profit sector
In 2004, Murray moved to Toronto and became a visiting fellow at Massey CollegeMassey College
Massey College is a postgraduate residential college at the University of Toronto, established in 1963 with an endowment by the Massey Foundation. Similar to All Souls College, Oxford, members of Massey College are nominated from the university community, and are elected by and as fellows of the...
. Murray became president and CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute
Canadian Urban Institute
The Canadian Urban Institute is a not-for-profit organization based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is mandated to pursue both national and international urban issues...
in 2007.
Murray was appointed by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
as chair of a National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy
National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy
Emerging from the famous Brundtland Report, Our Common Future, the is a model for convening diverse and competing interests around one table to create consensus ideas and viable suggestions for sustainable development...
in March 2005. In 2006, the Round Table released a report stating that Canada could reduce greenhouse gas emissions using existing technology. Murray led the development of a series of research papers that offered the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
a strategy to achieve a 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Member of the Ontario Legislature
In fall 2009, Murray began to be mentioned as a potential candidate for Mayor of Toronto in the 2010 municipal electionToronto municipal election, 2010
The 2010 Toronto municipal election was held on October 25, 2010 to elect a mayor and 44 city councillors in Toronto, Canada. In addition, school trustees were elected to the Toronto District School Board, Toronto Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire de district du Centre-Sud-Ouest and...
. However, after provincial MPP George Smitherman
George Smitherman
George Smitherman is a Canadian politician and broadcaster. He represented the provincial riding of Toronto Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1999 to 2010, when he resigned to contest the mayoralty of Toronto in the 2010 municipal election...
confirmed his own intention to run for mayor, Murray announced in December that he would instead seek the Ontario Liberal nomination for the February 4, 2010 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
to succeed Smitherman in Toronto Centre
Toronto Centre (provincial electoral district)
Toronto Centre is a provincial electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It elects one member to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.It was created in 1999 as Toronto Centre—Rosedale from most of St. George—St. David and parts of St. Andrew—St...
.
Murray was acclaimed as the Liberal candidate at their nomination meeting on January 6, 2010. His stated priorities are building healthy, sustainable communities; providing quality, accessible health care; ensuring access to affordable housing; proposing innovative solutions to climate change; advancing human rights; and reducing the tax burden. Accused by his opponents of lacking roots in Toronto, Murray pointed out that nearly half of Torontonians weren't born in Canada, and launched ProudToronto.ca to allow Torontonians, whether born in the city or recent arrivals, to share their stories.
Murray retained the seat for the Liberals winning 47% of the vote. He defeated New Democrat
Ontario New Democratic Party
The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
candidate Cathy Crowe
Cathy Crowe
Cathy Crowe, RN is a Canadian nurse, educator and social activist, specializing in advocacy for the homeless in Canada. She was the Ontario New Democratic Party's candidate in the 2010 provincial by-election and in the 2011 provincial election in Toronto Centre.-Early life and education:Raised in...
who came in second with 33% and Progressive Conservative Pamela Taylor (15%).
On August 18, 2010, Murray became Minister of Research and Innovation
Ministry of Research and Innovation (Ontario)
The Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation is a government ministry of the Province of Ontario. The current minister is Glen Murray.-History:...
.
Twitter controversy
Two days prior to the 2010 Toronto municipal election, Murray tweeted "If u vote FordRob Ford
Robert Bruce "Rob" Ford is the 64th and current Mayor of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was first elected to city council in the 2000 Toronto municipal election, and was re-elected to his council seat in 2003 and again in 2006...
u r voting for bigotry." and Later that day he also retweeted a post from another user calling Ford, Tim Hudak
Tim Hudak
Timothy Patrick "Tim" Hudak is a politician in Ontario, Canada, and the Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario . He also serves as member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for the riding of Niagara West—Glanbrook.-Background:Tim Hudak was born in Fort Erie, Ontario...
and Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
the "'trifecta of Republican-style, right-wing ignorance and bigotry.'" On October 26 Murray issued a written statement stating "I do not believe Rob Ford or Stephen Harper or Tim Hudak are bigots. I regret tweeting a message that said otherwise, and am sorry that I did.” Yet, in the apology he went on to say that the three right-of-centre politicians he criticized all routinely engage in “fear tactics” against gay men. He further demanded that Hudak "root out any of those working in his ranks who would try to exploit hatred with smear tactics." After mounting public criticism of Murray for his previous apology, Murray issued a second apology, which was accepted by Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak.