Glen Murray
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- Glen Murray is also the name of a hockey player for the Boston Bruins.
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Glen Murray
Glen Murray (born October 27, 1957) is a politician who was formerly the mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was the first openly gay mayor in a large North American city.
Murray was born in Montreal, Quebec and attended Concordia University and John Abbott College. Prior to being elected mayor, he was a coordinator of health education, working with AIDS patients at a Winnipeg clinic. Murray served as city councillor for from 1990 to 1998. He was first elected to council as the candidate of an alliance called "Winnipeg into the '90s", ironically defeating Sam Katz, another future mayor.
He was elected mayor on October 28, 1998 with 50.5% of the vote in a close race against grocer Peter Kaufman, who received 45% of the vote. Murray was re-elected in 2002 over former councillor Al Golden.
On May 7, 2004, Murray announced that he would run in the 2004 Canadian federal election 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. In doing so, he became the first mayor in Winnipeg history to resign mid-term.
On June 28, 2004, Murray was defeated in his attempt to become a member of the Canadian House of Commons by Conservative Steven Fletcher. Some believe this was due in part to a local issue: Murray claimed to support the Moray Bridge and associated roadwork, but had opposed such work when on city council.
Murray defended Thomas King's novel Green Grass, Running Water on the CBC's Canada Reads 2004.
Murray was appointed by Prime Minister Paul Martin as chair of a National Round Table on the Environment and Economy in March 2005, despite opposition from other political parties and a non-binding vote against his appointment in the House of Commons.
External links
- City of Winnipeg: Mayor's Office (http://www.winnipeg.ca/interhom/mayors_office/)
| Preceded by: Susan Thompson | Mayor of Winnipeg, MB 1998-2004 | Succeeded by: Sam Katz |