Joseph Markin
Encyclopedia
Joseph Markin is a lawyer and former politician in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. He served on North York
's Board of Control from 1974 to 1976.
. He campaigned on a platform of campaign finance reform, calling for a $10,000 spending limit and a full disclosure of sources before an election. Markin indicated that his own expenses would be limited to $5,000. He was twenty-seven years old.
Markin's election to the Board of Control gave him an automatic seat on the Metropolitan Toronto
council. He emerged as an opponent of downtown Toronto councillor John Sewell
, and in 1975 advocated that Metro Council assume direct control of the city's downtown area. He later brought forward a censure motion against Sewell for having said that Metro Parks Commissioner Tommy Thompson deliberately misled council.
Markin called for a reform of North York's election laws in 1975, to permit the senior controller to take over as mayor if the incumbent leaves office in mid-term. He acknowledged to reporters that he held mayoral ambitions himself, but added that he would not seek the position as long as it was held by Mel Lastman
, a personal friend.
Markin obtained some national notoriety in late 1976 for speaking out against the federal government's decision to adopt the metric system
.
Markin's promising political career came to an unexpected end in late 1976. He attended only one North York council meeting in the second half of the year, and left the city in November to take rabbi
nical studies in New York
. He did not seek re-election in the 1976 campaign
. He later ran for a seat on the North York Hydro Commission in 1980
, but was unsuccessful.
His brother, Murray Markin
, was a North York city councillor from 1976 to 1978.
In February 1989, he represented a disbarred Toronto lawyer in a $2.6 million lawsuit against provincial Attorney General Ian Scott. The lawyer in question had hired Scott as his representative in a disciplinary case six years earlier, and later accused Scott of negligence when the result led to his disbarment. The suit received extensive media coverage before being dismissed by a jury. In 1995, Markin represented a teacher who claimed he was discriminated against by the Toronto Separate (ie. Roman Catholic) School Board, because he himself was not a Catholic. In 2001, he represented Toronto Transit Commission
workers who argued that they were exposed to asbestos
dust while rebuilding the Sheppard subway station.
He represented Salim Damji in a major fraud case in 2002, and oversaw Damji's plea of guilty to the charges against him. Damji had stolen money from over eight hundred members from Canada's Ismaili
community by selling shares for a bogus teeth-whitening invention. Markin appealed for a light sentence, arguing that Damji had been put up to the scheme by figures involved in organized crime.
store in 1986, selling eight types of wine made in accordance with Talmud
ic principles. The wines were produced under the auspices of Paul Bosc at Niagara's Chateau des Charmes, and received favourable reviews from the Toronto media.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He served on North York
North York, Ontario
North York is a dissolved municipality within the current city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the central part of the northern section of Toronto. As of the 2006 Census, it has a population of 635,370. The official 2001 census count was 608,288...
's Board of Control from 1974 to 1976.
Political career
Markin was elected to the North York Board of Control in his first bid for public office, in the 1974 municipal electionToronto municipal election, 1974
The 1974 Toronto municipal election was held on December 2, 1974 in Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mayors, controllers, city councillors and school board trustees were elected in the municipalities of Toronto, York, East York, North York, Etobicoke and Scarborough.David Crombie was...
. He campaigned on a platform of campaign finance reform, calling for a $10,000 spending limit and a full disclosure of sources before an election. Markin indicated that his own expenses would be limited to $5,000. He was twenty-seven years old.
Markin's election to the Board of Control gave him an automatic seat on the Metropolitan Toronto
Metropolitan Toronto
The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was a senior level of municipal government in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada area from 1954 to 1998. It was created out of York County and was a precursor to the later concept of a regional municipality, being formed of smaller municipalities but having more...
council. He emerged as an opponent of downtown Toronto councillor John Sewell
John Sewell
John Sewell, CM is a Canadian political activist and writer on municipal affairs; he was the mayor of Toronto, Ontario from 1978 to 1980.-Background:...
, and in 1975 advocated that Metro Council assume direct control of the city's downtown area. He later brought forward a censure motion against Sewell for having said that Metro Parks Commissioner Tommy Thompson deliberately misled council.
Markin called for a reform of North York's election laws in 1975, to permit the senior controller to take over as mayor if the incumbent leaves office in mid-term. He acknowledged to reporters that he held mayoral ambitions himself, but added that he would not seek the position as long as it was held by Mel Lastman
Mel Lastman
Melvin Douglas "Mel" Lastman , nicknamed "Mayor Mel", is a former businessman and politician. He is the founder of the Bad Boy Furniture chain. He served as the mayor of the former city of North York, Ontario, Canada from 1972 until 1997. At the end of 1997, North York, along with five other...
, a personal friend.
Markin obtained some national notoriety in late 1976 for speaking out against the federal government's decision to adopt the metric system
Metric system
The metric system is an international decimalised system of measurement. France was first to adopt a metric system, in 1799, and a metric system is now the official system of measurement, used in almost every country in the world...
.
Markin's promising political career came to an unexpected end in late 1976. He attended only one North York council meeting in the second half of the year, and left the city in November to take rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
nical studies in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He did not seek re-election in the 1976 campaign
Toronto municipal election, 1976
The Toronto municipal election of 1976 was held on December 6, 1976 in Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mayors, city councillors and school board trustees were elected in the municipalities of Toronto, York, East York, North York, Etobicoke and Scarborough.Toronto Mayor David Crombie and...
. He later ran for a seat on the North York Hydro Commission in 1980
Toronto municipal election, 1980
The 1980 Toronto municipal election was held on November 10, 1980 in Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mayors, controllers, city councillors and school board trustees were elected in the municipalities of Toronto, York, East York, North York, Etobicoke and Scarborough.Art Eggleton narrowly...
, but was unsuccessful.
His brother, Murray Markin
Murray Markin
Murray Markin is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He served on the North York city council from 1976 to 1978, and campaigned for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1977. His brother, Joseph Markin, served on North York's Board of Control from 1974 to 1976.-Political career:Markin was...
, was a North York city councillor from 1976 to 1978.
Legal career
Markin has overseen several high-profile legal cases.In February 1989, he represented a disbarred Toronto lawyer in a $2.6 million lawsuit against provincial Attorney General Ian Scott. The lawyer in question had hired Scott as his representative in a disciplinary case six years earlier, and later accused Scott of negligence when the result led to his disbarment. The suit received extensive media coverage before being dismissed by a jury. In 1995, Markin represented a teacher who claimed he was discriminated against by the Toronto Separate (ie. Roman Catholic) School Board, because he himself was not a Catholic. In 2001, he represented Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
workers who argued that they were exposed to asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
dust while rebuilding the Sheppard subway station.
He represented Salim Damji in a major fraud case in 2002, and oversaw Damji's plea of guilty to the charges against him. Damji had stolen money from over eight hundred members from Canada's Ismaili
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
community by selling shares for a bogus teeth-whitening invention. Markin appealed for a light sentence, arguing that Damji had been put up to the scheme by figures involved in organized crime.
Other
Markin opened Le Karem kosher wineWine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
store in 1986, selling eight types of wine made in accordance with Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
ic principles. The wines were produced under the auspices of Paul Bosc at Niagara's Chateau des Charmes, and received favourable reviews from the Toronto media.