Pat Martin

Infobox CanadianMP | name=Patrick Martin


term_start=1997
term_end=
predecessor= David Walker
birth_date= birth date and age |1955|12|13
birth_place= Winnipeg, Manitoba
successor=
death_date=
death_place=
profession= carpenter, unionist
party=New Democratic Party
party colour=NDP
residence=Winnipeg
riding=Winnipeg Centre
footnotes=
term_start2=
term_end2=
predecessor2=
successor2=
spouse=Barbara Martin
religion=|

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.

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. He has been an executive member of the Manitoba Building Trades Council, and was part of the Winnipeg 2000 Economic Development Committee.

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.

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.Fact|date=October 2008 He supported Bill Blaikie for the NDP leadership in 2002-03. Martin champions several issues including banning artificial trans-fats, cracking down on illegal rates of pay-day lending operations, and asbestos-laden vermiculite insulation.Fact|date=October 2008

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.

In 2004, Martin accused Judy Sgro's top aides of making threats to deny ministerial permits to his constituents if he criticized the Immigration Minister on the "Strippergate" controversy [http://www.patmartin.ca/ndp.php/patinthenews/ART41a742f402e17] .

Martin is an outspoken critic of the monarchy of Canada and has commented in favour of republicanism, both in parliament and in the media, citing the marriage of the Prince of Wales to the Duchess of Cornwall as a reason for the change. [ Cheers, jeers in Ottawa greet marriage plan Tonda MacCharles; Toronto Star; 11 Feb, 2005; pg. A.06]

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. [Joan Bryden, "Volpe vows to return donations if they violate spirit of law", "Canadian Press", 31 May 2006, 18:19 report. Martin initially accused Volpe of deliberately orchestrating fraudulent donations, but withdrew these comments after he was threatened with a libel suit.]

Electoral record

- 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"

- bgcolor="white"!align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes!align="right"|26,768!align="right"|100.00%!align="right"
!align="right"
- bgcolor="white"!align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots!align="right"|188!align="right"|0.70%!align="right"
!align="right"
- bgcolor="white"!align="right" colspan=3|Turnout!align="right"|26,956!align="right"|45.08%!align="right"
!align="right"

References

External links

* [http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=4ac38ab4-c480-4dde-8f12-a80ff2b4f215&Language=E&Section=FederalExperience Parliament Page]