View source for Murray Markin

{{Infobox officeholder
| name         = Murray Markin
| image        = 
| imagesize    = 
| office1      = [[North York]] City Councillor, Ward Four
| predecessor1 = [[Esther Shiner]]
| successor1   = [[Howard Moscoe]]
| term_start1  = 1976
| term_end1    = 1978
| birth_date   = {{birth year and age|1949}}
| birth_place  = 
| nationality  = 
| spouse       = 
| children     = 
| residence    = 
| alma_mater   = 
| occupation   = Consultant
}}
'''Murray Markin''' (born {{circa|1949}}) is a former politician in [[Ontario]], [[Canada]].  He served on the [[North York]] city council from 1976 to 1978, and campaigned for the [[Legislative Assembly of Ontario]] in [[1977 Ontario general election|1977]].  His late brother, [[Joseph Markin]], served on North York's [[Board of Control (municipal government)|Board of Control]] from 1974 to 1976.

==Politics==
Markin was twenty-seven years old when he was elected to the North York council in 1976.  He listed himself as a political researcher, and campaigned in support of neighbourhood preservation and completion of the [[Spadina Expressway]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Election '76: The Candidates |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=December 3, 1976 |page=A7}}</ref>  Markin found himself at the centre of controversy during this campaign when seventy-three work orders were mandated for a tenant house that he had recently purchased from a family-owned business.<ref>{{cite news |title=City issues 73 repair orders on Murray Markin's house |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=December 1, 1976 |page=A10}}</ref>  After his election, he served on the North York planning board and legislation committee.<ref>{{cite news |first=Anne |last=Carey |title=Tenants may be left out in cold, North York fears |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=October 6, 1978}}</ref>

While serving as an alderman, he also campaigned for the riding of [[Wilson Heights (electoral district)|Wilson Heights]] in the 1977 provincial election as a [[Ontario Liberal Party|Liberal]] candidate.  He was hospitalized near the end of the campaign, after a large dog chased him down a street where he was canvassing and caused him to trip over a sewer grate.<ref>{{cite news |first=Regina |last=Hickl-Szabo |title=Wilson Heights not in the bag yet for any candidate |newspaper=Globe and Mail |date=May 1, 1985 |page=M5}}</ref> He lost to [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|Progressive Conservative]] candidate [[David Rotenberg]] by 4,235 votes.<ref name="1977 Election Results">{{cite news |title=Ontario provincial election results riding by riding |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=June 10, 1977 |page=D9}}</ref>

Markin was often critical of what he considered inappropriate council spending.  He wrote a letter to [[Toronto Transit Commission]] chairman Gordon Hurlburt in early 1978, arguing that the cost of a subway art and architecture preview was unwarranted.<ref>{{cite news |title=Spadina subway TTC's celebration could cost $9,500 |date=January 26, 1978 |newspaper=Globe and Mail |page=P3}}</ref>  He also suggested that a pay increase for aldermen be deferred to hire a new secretary for the aldermen's offices.<ref>{{cite news |first=James |last=Jefferson |title=Will cut own pay increases, North York Council decides |newspaper=Globe and Mail |date=December 20, 1977 |page=P5}}</ref>

In August 1978, Markin and North York [[Mayor]] [[Mel Lastman]] presented a $1,000 audio-visual presentation to the mayor and council of [[Wrocław]], [[Poland]] on the "culture, history and topography of North York".  The meeting was intended as a visit of friendship between the cities.<ref>{{cite news |title=Inter-city visit of friendship |newspaper=Globe and Mail |date=July 18, 1978 |page=P5}}</ref>

He lost his council seat to [[Howard Moscoe]] in 1978.<ref name="1978MetroResults">{{cite news |title=Metro Elections: How you voted |newspaper=The Toronto Star |date=November 14, 1978 |pages=A12-A13}}</ref> He was appointed to the North York planning board later in the same year.  He served in this capacity until 1984.

==Later life==
Markin was arrested on December 9, 1982, after agreeing to sell $3,000 worth of [[cocaine]] to an undercover police officer.  In July 1984, he was found guilty of trafficking cocaine and sentenced to fifteen months in prison.  The presiding judge determined that Markin had advertised himself to the officer as a major player in the cocaine business, but found that there was no solid evidence to back up this claim.  Markin was working for a Jewish community organization for disadvantaged children at the time of his conviction, and his fall was a surprise to many in the community.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former alderman is jailed |newspaper=Globe and Mail |date=July 5, 1984 |page=M1}}</ref>  He was described as a political science graduate at the time of his conviction.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ex-North York Alderman given 15 months for selling cocaine |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=July 5, 1984 |page=A10}}</ref>

==Electoral record==

===Municipal politics===

{{1978 Toronto municipal election/North York Councillor, Ward Four}}

Results taken from the ''[[Toronto Star]]'', 14 November 1978
<br />The final results confirmed Moscoe's victory.

{{1976 Toronto municipal election/North York Councillor, Ward Four}}

Results taken from the ''[[Toronto Star]]'', 7 December 1976
<br />The final results were not significantly different.

===Provincial politics===

{{1977 Ontario general election/Wilson Heights}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Markin, Murray}}
[[Category:1940s births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Ontario municipal councillors]]
[[Category:Ontario Liberal Party candidates in Ontario provincial elections]]
[[Category:Politicians from Toronto]]
[[Category:Canadian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]