Pat Martin
Pat Martin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre | |
| Assumed office 1997 | |
| Preceded by | David Walker |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 13, 1955 Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Citizenship | Canadian |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Political party | New Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Barbara Martin |
| Residence | Winnipeg |
| Profession | carpenter, trade unionist |
| Website | patmartin |
Patrick "Pat" Martin (born December 13, 1955 in Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a Canadian politician. He has been a member of the Canadian House of Commons since 1997, representing the riding of Winnipeg Centre for the New Democratic Party.
Career
Martin graduated from Argyle High School in 1974. He worked as a journeyman carpenter for several years, and was employed in forest service, mines and construction. Martin also served as business manager of the Manitoba Carpenters Union from 1989 to 1997, and was vice-president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour for a time.[1] He has been a member of the executive of the Manitoba Building Trades Council,[1] and was part of the Winnipeg 2000 Economic Development Committee.[citation needed]
Martin was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1997 federal election, defeating Liberal incumbent David Walker by a margin of 10,979 votes to 9,895. His riding of Winnipeg Centre, formerly known as Winnipeg North Centre, was successively represented from 1921 to 1984 by J.S. Woodsworth and Stanley Knowles, two of the most prominent social democratic politicians in Canadian history. Martin's victory over Walker returned the riding to the NDP for the first time since 1988. [citation needed] Martin was re-elected in the 2000 federal election, defeating Liberal Kevin Lamoureux by 11,263 votes to 9,310. He increased his margin of victory in the 2004 election, defeating Liberal candidate David Northcott by about 3,000 votes.
Martin has championed the rights of labour and aboriginal Canadians, and has spoken out against tax loopholes for private corporations.[citation needed] He supported Bill Blaikie for the NDP leadership in 2002-03.[2]
He called for Svend Robinson to be removed from the NDP's foreign affairs portfolio in 2002, after Robinson's controversial visit to the Palestinian Authority.[3]
Martin is an outspoken critic of the monarchy of Canada, both in parliament and in the media, citing the marriage of the Prince of Wales to the Duchess of Cornwall as a reason to abolish the monarchy.[4]
When Liberal leadership candidate Joe Volpe received donations totalling $108,000 from Apotex executives and their wives and children, Martin suggested that these donations had the appearance of fraud. He filed an official complaint on May 29, asking elections commissioner Raymond Landry to investigate whether an attempt had been made to circumvent the Elections Act which banned corporate donations. Volpe responded by promising to return any donations that contravened the letter or spirit of the law.[5]
In June 2008, Martin introduced a motion into the House of Commons calling on the government to amend the coat of arms to incorporate symbols representing Canada's First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.[6]
In 2010, Martin stated that the social-service organization Youth For Christ were "evangelical fundamentalists" who were "preying on vulnerable kids".[7] This statement was made when he was stating his opposition to funding an $11 million youth center being built on Winnipeg's Main Street by the organization. The Winnipeg Free Press called Martin's comments irrational.[8]
Martin has introduced a private member's bill, C-248, in Parliament to exonerate Louis Riel [9][10][11][12] On May 5, 2011 at the Royal Ontario Museum Martin debated Tom Flanagan on the topic "Louis Riel deserved to Hang".[13] In a National Post article he argued that Riel was a hero, not a traitor and, in reference to George R. D. Goulet's 1999 book on Riel, that Riel's execution was a "case of both justice and mercy denied"[14]. On November 17, 2011, Martin was criticized for using various profane words on his twitter account to express his dismay over the closure of a budget debate. He also used profane words to criticize those on twitter that criticized him.
Electoral record
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Template:CanElec2 Template:CanElec2Row Template:CanElec2Row Template:CanElec2Row Template:CanElec2Row Template:CanElec2Row |- bgcolor="white" !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|28,508 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right"| |- bgcolor="white" !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|231 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"| |- bgcolor="white" !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|28,739 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"|
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!align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes
!align="right"|26,768
!align="right"|100.00%
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|- bgcolor="white"
!align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots
!align="right"|188
!align="right"|0.70%
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|- bgcolor="white"
!align="right" colspan=3|Turnout
!align="right"|26,956
!align="right"|45.08%
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References
- ^ a b "Canada Votes 2008 - Winnipeg Centre - Candidate Profiles". CBC News. 2008. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ "Bill Blaikie deserves our support" (fee required). Globe and Mail. Toronto. December 13, 2002. section A, p. 25. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ Friscolanti, Michael (April 18, 2002). "NDP MPs say Robinson must be demoted: Manitoba premier agrees". National Post. Toronto. section A, p. 12.
- ^ MacCharles, Tonda (February 11, 2005). "Cheers, jeers in Ottawa greet marriage plan". Toronto Star. section A, p. 6.
- ^ Bryden, Joan (May 31, 2006). "Volpe vows to return donations if they violate spirit of law". Canadian Press.
Martin initially accused Volpe of deliberately orchestrating fraudulent donations, but withdrew these comments after he was threatened with a libel suit.
- ^ "Coat of arms ignores aboriginal people, MP says". CBC News. June 20, 2008. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ Boge, Paul (February 22, 2010). "Pat Martin's harm turns into good". Winnipeg Sun. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ "Mr. Martin's outburst irrational". Winnipeg Free Press. February 19, 2010. section A, p. 14. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ "Private Member's Bill C-248 (40th Parliament, 3rd Session)". LEGISinfo. Parliament of Canada. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ Rabson, Mia (November 17, 2010). "'Riel was a hero, not a traitor'". Winnipeg Free Press. section A, p. 6. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ "Louis Riel 'murdered by the Crown,' MP says". CTV. November 17, 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ Taber, Jane (November 16, 2010). "Correcting the record on Louis Riel and separatist coalitions". Globe and Mail. Toronto. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ "History Wars at the ROM: Four Debates on Canada's History". Cvltvre. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
- ^ Martin, Pat (May 6, 2011). "A hero, not a traitor". National Post. Toronto. Retrieved May 8, 2011.