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Murdo Martin

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Murdo Martin
Member of Parliament
for Timmins
In office
1957–1968
Preceded byKarl Eyre
Succeeded byJean Roy
Personal details
BornMay 17, 1917
Gould, Quebec, Canada
DiedJanuary 2, 1989(1989-01-02) (aged 71)
Timmins, Ontario, Canada
Political partyCo-operative Commonwealth FederationNew Democratic Party
Professionfirefighter

Murdo William Martin (May 17, 1917 – January 2, 1989) was a Canadian politician.

Born in Gould, Quebec, Martin was a firefighter with the town of Timmins when he was elected to the House of Commons for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation in the 1957 federal election. Martin, a caucus mate of Timiskaming MP Arnold Peters, elected the same year, went on to establish himself as a forceful and effective representative of the working people of the Timmins area.

He was one of only eight CCF MPs elected in the Diefenbaker landslide of 1958, and was re-elected in the general elections of 1962, 1963 and 1965. He sought re-election in 1968 and 1972 but was defeated by the Liberal candidate, Jean Roy. Martin was an advocate for assistance for the gold mines in the Porcupine camp. He also spoke against the arcane divorce laws that existed in Canada prior to 1968.

After leaving the House of Commons, Martin went on to serve as a city councillor for Timmins City Council. He was also a real estate broker and owned an operated the Parkview Motel in Timmins. He was married to Grace Mills. Martin died in Timmins in 1989.

Electoral record

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1957 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Co-operative Commonwealth Murdo MARTIN 6,776
  Liberal Joseph J. EVANS 6,290
  Progressive Conservative Percy BOYCE 4,423
1958 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Co-operative Commonwealth Murdo MARTIN 7,342
  Progressive Conservative Émile BRUNETTE 6,252
  Liberal Joseph J. EVANS 5,719
1962 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  New Democratic Party Murdo MARTIN 8,834
  Liberal Émile CLÉMENT 5,439
  Progressive Conservative Mary GAUTHIER 4,676
Social Credit Ralph R. FEAR 805
1963 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  New Democratic Party Murdo MARTIN 8,452
  Liberal Leo DEL VILLANO 7,592
  Progressive Conservative Émile BRUNETTE 3,068
Social Credit Clément LAROCHELLE 719
1965 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  New Democratic Party Murdo MARTIN 10,071
  Liberal Elmer E. SMITH 6,456
  Progressive Conservative Bob KILLINGBECK 2,715
  Independent John James BUCHAN 100
1968 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Liberal Jean ROY 11,141
  New Democratic Party Murdo MARTIN 8,807
  Progressive Conservative Wyman BREWER 2,118
1972 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Liberal Jean ROY 10,804
  New Democratic Party Murdo MARTIN 9,819
  Progressive Conservative Bill HICKEY 2,997
Social Credit John CORNELSEN 770
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