Robin Lynn Martin[1] MPP is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2018 provincial election.[2] She represents the riding of Eglinton—Lawrence as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. Martin ran in Eglinton-Lawrence in 2014 but lost to incumbent Liberal Mike Colle. She defeated Colle in a re-match in 2018. Prior to being elected into the Ontario Legislature, Martin practiced litigation for over a decade at Osler and Lenczner[3]

Robin Martin
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Eglinton—Lawrence
Assumed office
June 7, 2018
Preceded byMichael Colle
Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health
Assumed office
June 26, 2019
MinisterChristine Elliott
Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (Health)
In office
June 29, 2018 – June 26, 2019
MinisterChristine Elliott
Personal details
Political partyProgressive Conservative Party of Ontario
Alma materMcGill University (BA, MA)
Sciences Po
University of Toronto (JD)
OccupationLawyer

Early life

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Robin Martin was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to Gord and Ruth. She was the second of two children. In 1989, Robin married her high-school sweetheart Jon Martin. They had two children in 1993 and 1995. Martin holds a joint Honours undergraduate degree in Political Science and History from McGill University in Montreal. Upon graduation, she received Guy F. Drummond scholarship for one year to attend L'Institut d’etudes politiques de Paris in France. After her return, she received a Masters Degree from McGill University in Political Theory. She studied with renowned Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor. In 1991, Robin graduated with a law degree from the University of Toronto.

Prior to Election

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In 1993, Martin was called to the bar and practiced law for over 10 years specializing in litigation. She then worked as a policy advisor within Ontario's Ministry of Health. Following the defeat of the then-Conservative government, Martin went on to work at StrategyCorp.

Political career

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In June 2018, Martin was elected as a member of provincial parliament defeating long-time incumbent Mike Colle. She was sworn in as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (Health) on June 29, 2018 and reappointed as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health on June 26, 2019.[4]

In November 2019, MPP Martin introduced her first Private Members' Bill, the Defibrillator Registration and Public Access Act. The act received unanimous support from across party lines at Second and Third readings, and is estimated to save 1,500 people annually by increasing access to defibrillators.[5]

In response to financial pressures on local businesses within Martin's riding of Eglinton-Lawrence during the COVID-19 pandemic, Martin proposed property tax reforms in March 2020 to help businesses stay solvent. These measures would later be incorporated into, and passed as part of the Ontario government's 2020 budget. In November of the same year, Martin proposed a motion requiring school boards across Ontario to adopt an anti-human trafficking protocol, which passed unanimously and was later adopted by the Ministry of Education.

Martin has been a strong advocate for the Jewish community within Eglinton-Lawrence since her election to the provincial legislature. In 2020, Martin joined Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma in co-sponsoring Bill 168, officially known as the Combating Antisemitism Act.[6] The act called for the Ontario government to formally adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism. During April 2021, Martin proposed a motion which would establish a Holocaust memorial on the grounds of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The motion passed with unanimous consent.

Electoral record

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2022 Ontario general election: Eglinton—Lawrence
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Progressive Conservative Robin Martin 16,605 42.30 +1.92 $98,735
Liberal Arlena Hebert 16,081 40.96 +2.51 $69,052
New Democratic Natasha Doyle-Merrick 3,801 9.68 −8.46 $14,134
Green Leah Tysoe 1,513 3.85 +1.45 $2,551
New Blue Erwin E. Sniedzins 393 1.00   $369
Ontario Party Lauren Dearing 268 0.68   $0
Independent Sam Kaplun 216 0.55   $2,676
Special Needs Derek Sharp 166 0.42   $0
Public Benefit Jonathan Davis 117 0.30   $0
None of the Above Bryant Thompson 98 0.25   $0
Total valid votes/Expense limit 39,258 99.43 +0.40 $118,318
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 227 0.57 −0.40
Turnout 39,485 46.72 −13.39
Eligible voters 83,626
Progressive Conservative hold Swing −0.30
Source(s)
  • "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-05-18.
  • "Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-05-21.
2018 Ontario general election: Eglinton—Lawrence
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Robin Martin 19,999 40.38 +6.62
Liberal Michael Colle 19,042 38.45 -16.35
New Democratic Robyn Vilde 8,985 18.14 +10.80
Green Reuben Anthony DeBoer 1,190 2.40 -0.73
Libertarian Michael Staffieri 211 0.43
Trillium Lionel Wayne Poizner 100 0.20
Total valid votes 49,527 99.03
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 484 0.97 +0.08
Turnout 50,011 60.11 +6.12
Eligible voters 83,202
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +11.49
Source: Elections Ontario[7]
2014 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Mike Colle 22,855 54.80 +0.65
Progressive Conservative Robin Martin 14,079 33.76 +0.21
New Democratic Thomas Gallezot 3,060 7.34 -2.48
Green Lucas C. McCann 1,305 3.13 +1.63
Freedom Michael Bone 264 0.63 +0.23
Independent Erwin Sniedzins 143 0.34
Total valid votes 41,706 100.0  
Liberal hold Swing +0.22
Source: Elections Ontario[8]

References

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