Martin Dobkin
| Martin Dobkin | |
|---|---|
| 3rd Mayor of Mississauga | |
| In office 1974–1976 |
|
| Preceded by | Chic Murray |
| Succeeded by | Ron Searle |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 8, 1942 Toronto, Ontario |
| Spouse(s) | Michele Dobkin (m. 1968) |
| Children | 3 |
| Profession | Medical Doctor |
Martin Lyon Dobkin (born May 8, 1942) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as the second mayor of Mississauga, Ontario from 1974 to 1976. He was the inaugural mayor of the amalgamated City of Mississauga, but lost re-election just two years later. He was originally trained as a medical doctor and he continued his practice during the time he was mayor. He continues to work as a doctor although a car accident in 2003 reduced his activities.
Background
Dobkin was born in Toronto, Ontario on May 8, 1942 to Irving and Mary (née Gorlitsky) Dobkin, immigrants from Russia.[1] In 1955, at the age of 13 years, he moved to Cobourg, Ontario with his family. He attended Cobourg and District Collegiate Institute. He grauduated from Queen's University Medical School in 1966. This was followed by an internship at Montreal General Hospital and then a one year residency in pediatrics at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.[citation needed]
In 1968 he married Michele Bitton[citation needed] and began his medical practice as a family physician in Mississauga.[1] He became a member of the active staff at the Mississauga Hospital. In 1970 Dobkin was appointed as coroner in the County of Peel.
Medical career
In 1968, Dobkin began practising family medicine in Cooksville in the practice of Drs. Ann and J. D. Smith. In 1970, he left this practice and opened up his own office in Applewood Hills. In 1978, he purchased a property at the corner of Hwy. #10 and Central Parkway West and, in conjunction with Dr. K. Malicki, founded the City Centre Family Physician Clinic. The clinic soon grew to seven family physicians, the largest family practice clinic in South Mississauga. In 1992, a new comprehensive medical building was constructed on the site and the practice continued there.
Dobkin worked in the Emergency Department of the Mississauga Hospital (now Trillium Health Centre) on a part-time basis for 20 years. For the first 17 years in practice, he delivered several hundred newborns. He held the position of medical director at the Tyndall Nursing Home from 1976-1984. He served on various committees at the Mississauga Hospital and has been a member of the Department of Family Practice since 1968.
Dobkin reduced his practice to a part-time basis in 2003 after being injured in a car accident.[1]
Politics
On October 1, 1973, as a political novice, he was elected as the first mayor of the newly created City of Mississauga.[2] At 31 years of age, Dobkin became the youngest person in Canada to be elected mayor of a large city. He served a three-year term as mayor and councillor on the Region of Peel Council.
Dobkin was swept into office as the head of a "reform council" in Mississauga, which included other newcomers such as Mary-Helen Spence, David Culham, Hubert Wolf, Kaye Killaby, and Hazel McCallion, and was formed following the death of incumbent mayor Robert Speck.
The term of the first council was very prolific, creative, and productive in its many achievements. The most important of these was the initiation and creation of a new and comprehensive official plan for the new city, which provided the blueprint for the future large-scale development of the city into one of the finest municipalities in Canada.
Numerous properties were purchased to provide the green space and parklands for the new city. These included the acquisitions of the Rattray Marsh, Adamson House, Cawthra Elliott Estate, Jack Darling Park, Morning Dew Park, Cooksville Creek Lands, and the CVCA parkland at the mouth of the Credit River.
Libraries that were built or completed were the Burnhamthorpe, Lorne Park, and the Lakeview branches. As well, the Malton Community Centre and the Burnhamthorpe Community Centre were designed and built.
During Dobkin's era, Mississauga Transit was significantly enlarged, adding a state-of-the-art transit headquarters on Central Parkway West, Canada's first articulated buses, and many other infrastructure projects.
In the 1976 municipal election, Dobkin faced city councillor Ron Searle. Dobkin who was portrayed as the anti-development candidate, was defeated by Searle by about 3,000 votes.[3]
