Jim Maddin

Jim Maddin is a Canadian politician. He served as Mayor of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan from 2000 to 2003, and sought election to the Canadian House of Commons in 2006.

Maddin was born in Kerrobert, Saskatchewan, and graduated from high school in 1966. He was a member of the Saskatoon Police Force from 1972 to 1997, reaching the rank of superintendent in charge of the human resources division. [http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes/riding/238/#JimMaddin] In 1988, he received a Business Administration certificate from the University of Saskatchewan. ["Candidates for Mayor: Jim Maddin", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 21 October 2003, D2.] He accepted early retirement in 1997, following budget cutbacks that he argued were political in nature. [Murray Lyons, "Politics caused police cuts: ex-cop", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 14 October 1997, A5.]

Councillor

Maddin entered political life later in 1997, narrowly defeating former councillor Glen Penner to win election for Saskatoon City Council's first ward. [Murray Lyons, "Electorate fails to show", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 23 October 1997, A1.] He focused his campaign on restoring public confidence in the police service, and was appointed to the city's Police Services Board after the election. [Murray Lyons, "Candidates for City Council: Ward One", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 20 October 1997, D1; Murray Lyons, "Former officer joins police board", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 13 December 1997, A13.] Maddin promoted closer ties between the police and the city's aboriginal community in 2000, following allegations that two Saskatoon police officers may have abandoned an aboriginal man to freeze to death at the edge of the city. [Kim McNairn, "Police, Natives need stronger ties: Maddin, FSIN", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 26 February 2000, A5.] A liberal on social issues, he supported a $2000 payment to the United Way to promote non-discrimination against gay and lesbian people in 1998. [Kim McNairn, "City hopes grant quells gay complaint", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 2 December 1998, A3.]

Mayor

Maddin campaigned for Mayor of Saskatoon in 2000, and was elected in an upset over four-term incumbent Henry Dayday. His candidacy was endorsed by the Coalition of Progressive Electorates, and was fifty-two years old at the time. [Kim McNairn, "Election coalition's secrecy angers mayoralty candidate", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 25 October 2000, A7; Kim McNairn, "Meet your Mayor: From backwoods upbringing to city's top job, Maddin retraces steps along path to latest triumph", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 27 October 2000, A1.]

Maddin's tenure as mayor was marked by several controversies involving police issues. He supported a review of the city's police services while campaigning for office in 2000, and was openly critical of police chief Dave Scott's management of the force. [Randy Burton, "Police service big issue for Maddin", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 7 October 2000, A2.]

Shortly after the election, the outgoing police services commission from the previous council voted to renew Scott's contract for a three-year period. Some in the local media described this decision as undemocratic, and as a defiance of Maddin's popular mandate. ["Scott decision high-handed", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 22 December 2000, A14.] Following a brief period of cohabitation, the city exercised a clause in Scott's contract to remove him from office in June 2001. Maddin supported Scott's departure, arguing that it was necessary to ensure "a new direction for policing in Saskatoon". [Lori Coolican, "Chief's firing shocks cops: Scott out of sync with new board's vision for future, commission says", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 23 June 2001, A1.] Russell Sabo was hired to replace Scott later in the year. [Kim McNairn, "Top cop rides in from West: Board hires Calgary officer schooled in community policing", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 2 November 2001, A1.] Scott's dismissal was controversial in the city, and provoked antagonisms between Maddin and the city's police association. [See for instance Mark Taylor, "Police shun association over Maddin endorsement", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 18 October 2003, A3.] At one stage, the police association voted 93% non-confidence in Scott's replacement.

Maddin instituted policies of "community policing" during his time in office, wherein police officers set up 'neighborhood shops' to encourage public cooperation in targeting crime. The measure was enacted, in part, to improve ties between the police and Saskatchewan's aboriginal community. After leaving office in 2003, Maddin argued that the McNab Park area of Saskatoon saw a 38% crime reduction as a result of the policy. He also expressed concern that the new city administration would dismantle the initiative. [Shauna Rempel, "Beware of new vision for police, Maddin warns", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 17 November 2003.]

Maddin also supported efforts by the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) to open a casino in Saskatoon, arguing that it would generate $1.5 million annually in property taxes while providing a financial benefit to the city's aboriginal community. [Darren Bernhardt, "Cash in or lose benefits of new casino: Maddin", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 12 December 2002, A1.] Many city residents opposed this initiative, however, and there was credible speculation that it would be defeated by a plebiscite. In August 2003, the Saskatoon Tribal Council decided that it could not be assured of popular support in Saskatoon, and shifted its bid to the Whitecap Dakota-Sioux First Nation south of the city. [Rob Nickel and James Parker, "Downtown casino not in the cards: Focus shifts to Whitecap reserve", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 22 August 2003, A1.] Throughout the controversy, Maddin suggested that some opposition to the casino was grounded in racial prejudice. [Darren Bernhardt, "Scaddan gets show of support: Mayor, colleagues back Partnership director's charge of racism", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 1 February 2003, A3.]

Maddin's bid for re-election as Mayor

A poll taken in early October 2003 showed Maddin with a lead over all challengers in his bid for re-election, and he was given official support from the Association of Civic Employees later in the same month. [Gerry Klein, "Maddin ahead: Poll", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 10 October 2003, A1; Mark Taylor, "Police shun association over Maddin endorsement", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 18 October 2003, A3.] Ongoing controversies over the police and casino issues eroded his popularity, however, and he was sometimes depicted as lacking strong leadership on crime issues. [Rod Nickel, "Atchison support was citywide", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 24 October 2003, A1.] He unexpectedly finished fourth against longtime rival Don Atchison, as well as behind Peter Zakreski and Jim Pankiw. [cite web
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title = City of Saskatoon - City Clerk's Office - Elections - 2003 Election Results
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Federal politics and after

After leaving the mayor's office, Maddin speculated about turning to federal politics as a candidate of the Liberals or New Democratic Party. [Rod Nickel, "Maddin eyes run at federal politics", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 28 October 2003, A1.] He joined the NDP in early 2004 and sought the party's nomination for Saskatoon—Wanuskewin in the 2004 federal election, but lost to rival candidate Priscilla Settee. [Darren Bernhardt, "Maddin 'crushed' at ballot box", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 29 March 2004, A3.]

He campaigned for the Saskatoon—Wanuskewin nomination again for the 2006 election, and this time was selected by the party. He finished third against Conservative incumbent Maurice Vellacott in the general election.

Maddin received certification as a private investigator in March 2006. [Darren Bernhardt, "New career: Maddin, P.I.: Ex-mayor, former police officer becomes city gumshoe", "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", 17 March 2006, A1.]

Maddin ran again for mayor of Saskatoon in the 2006 elections, and finished third against Atchison.

References