Glen Murray Canadian politician Date of Birth: 26.10.1957 Country: Canada

Biography of Glen Murray

Glen Murray is a Canadian political figure who served as the mayor of Winnipeg, the capital of the province of Manitoba, from 1998 to 2004. He was the first openly gay mayor in major North American cities. Murray was born on October 26, 1957, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He attended John Abbott College and later Concordia University. Before entering politics, Murray volunteered in the field of HIV prevention and treatment. In 1989, he was elected three times to the Winnipeg City Council. On October 28, 1998, Murray won the mayoral election with 50.5% of the votes. He was re-elected for a second term in 2002.

During his tenure as mayor, Murray gained recognition for hosting the Pan American Games in Winnipeg in 1999. He took over the city's management with high levels of debt and taxes. However, over the course of six years, Murray managed to reduce the city's overall debt by half. His strategic decrease in local taxes, combined with business support, led to increased economic activity, investments, and a larger city budget. Murray initiated several significant construction projects, including the Millennium Library, MTS Centre, Esplanade Riel Bridge, waterfront residential district, and the start of a new national museum. He also implemented rapid transit bus lines and established a city beautification funding system.

On May 7, 2004, Murray announced his intention to run for the House of Commons in Canada's lower house of Parliament. He won the nomination as a candidate for the Liberal Party but was unsuccessful in the parliamentary elections. Following his defeat, Murray moved to Toronto, where he became the president of the Canadian Urban Institute and established a successful consulting firm. He also teaches at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto. In March 2005, Murray was appointed by Prime Minister Paul Martin as the Chair of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy.

Murray's homosexuality was known long before his mayoral candidacy. He never hid his sexual orientation and appeared in public with his partner, with whom he adopted a child in the early 1990s. In 1992, they were featured with their son in the documentary film "A Kind of Family," which addressed the issues surrounding same-sex families. As mayor, Murray consistently advocated for tolerance towards the LGBTQ+ community and actively fought against the spread of HIV and the treatment of AIDS patients.