Dean Murdock

Murdock was born at the Vancouver General Hospital to parents Randy and Linda Murdock ({{nee}} Carswell),{{cite news|title=MURDOCK|date=October 10, 1981|page=46|newspaper=Vancouver Sun|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun/147082075/|access-date=May 11, 2024}} though he credits his birthplace as Richmond, British Columbia. His father was a safety inspector for a Molson brewery. The family moved to Saanich in 1993.{{cite news|title=Dean Murdock - Saanich mayor candidate 2022|date=October 2, 2022|website=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/2022-civic-election/dean-murdock-saanich-mayor-candidate-2022-5898900|access-date=May 11, 2024}} Murdock grew up in the Cordova Bay neighbourhood,{{cite web|url=https://deanmurdock.ca/meet-dean|title=Meet Dean}} and attended Royal Oak Middle School and Claremont Secondary School. He attended Camosun College, and then the University of Victoria, where he took social sciences. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2003 and a Masters in 2007.{{cite web|url=https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/local-government/mayor-council/meet-your-council/dean-murdock.html|title= Dean Murdock}} After university, he lived in Japan where he taught English.

Prior to his election as mayor, Murdock worked as a political science instructor at Camosun College for three years, and worked for the BC Ministry of Health and the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. He worked in the Ministry of Health for 17 years. Murdock served as chair of the Sierra Club Victoria from 2007 to 2008.

Murdock first ran for office in 1999 at the age of 18, when he ran for school board representing School District 63 Saanich Peninsula. He earned 1,477 votes in the Saanich zone, missing a spot on the board by 59 votes.{{cite news|title=School Boards|date=November 21, 1999|page=4|newspaper=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist/147083397/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}{{cite news|title=Correction|date=November 24, 1999|page=2|newspaper=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist/147083685/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}

While a student at the University of Victoria, Murdock ran for a council by-election in Saanich in 2001 caused by the resignation of Sheila Orr, who was elected to the BC Legislative Assembly.{{cite news|title=Saanich: Variety of issues|date=September 20, 2001|page=28|newspaper=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist/147082793/|access-date=May 11, 2024}} He ran for council again in the 2002 municipal elections, winning 4,667 votes, finishing 11th on the 8 seat body.{{cite news|title=Local Election Results 2002|date=November 18, 2002|page=11|newspaper=The Province|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-province/147084052/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}

Murdock ran again for council in the 2008 British Columbia municipal elections on platform of "making an efficient transportation network, a healthy ecosystem and protection for green space and agricultural land". In the election, Murdock was finally elected to council, winning 9,079 votes, in sixth position.{{cite news|title=Serving the People|date=November 19, 2008|newspaper=Saanich News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/saanich-news/147085898/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}

Murdock endorsed Mike Farnworth's campaign in the 2011 British Columbia New Democratic Party leadership election.{{cite news|title=Councillors back Farnworth bid to lead NDP|date=February 11, 2011|newspaper=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist/147086501/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}

Murdock was re-elected to council in the 2011 municipal elections, winning 11,899 votes, in fifth spot.{{cite news|title=Council (8 Seats)|date=November 20, 2011|newspaper=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist/147086752/|access-date=May 11, 2024}} He ran again in the 2014 municipal elections, running on a platform of creating a "variety of new housing options", addressing transportation needs, and "standing up for farmland" in the district.{{cite news|title=Dean Murdock|date=November 8, 2014|newspaper=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist/147087335/|access-date=May 11, 2024}} In the election, Murdock topped the poll, winning 14,781 votes.{{cite news|title=Saanich|date=November 16, 2014|newspaper=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist/147087567/|access-date=May 11, 2024}} While on council, he served as a director on the Capital Regional District from 2017 to 2018. His main focus as a councillor was on housing affordability, food security issues, emission reductions, and safety for pedestrians and cyclists.{{cite news|title=Dean Murdock launches run for Saanich mayor|date=October 28, 2021|website=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/dean-murdock-launches-run-for-saanich-mayor-4701680|access-date=May 11, 2024}}

Murdock did not run for re-election in the 2018 municipal elections, citing family reasons.{{cite news|title=Saanich councillor Dean Murdock not running again, cites family reasons|date=April 15, 2018|website=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/saanich-councillor-dean-murdock-not-running-again-cites-family-reasons-4660917|access-date=May 11, 2024}} After his term on council, he created a group called "Better Mobility Saanich" in an effort to identify dangerous walking and cycling routes to schools in order to improve active transportation infrastructure.{{cite news|title=Saanich election results: Dean Murdock narrowly wins mayor's race|date=October 16, 2022|website=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/2022-civic-election/saanich-election-results-dean-murdock-narrowly-wins-mayors-seat-5962510|access-date=May 11, 2024}} He also hosted a podcast called Amazing Places.

Murdock announced his intentions to run for mayor of Saanich in October 2021, a full year before the 2022 mayoral election. At his campaign launch, he announced "It's time for new leadership at city hall". He was endorsed by former councillors Carol Pickup and David Cubberley.

Murdock was elected mayor of Saanich in the 2022 election, defeating incumbent mayor Fred Haynes by just 152 votes.{{cite news|title=Dean Murdock elected Saanich mayor|date=October 16, 2022|website=CTV|url=https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/saanich-election-latest-updates-on-2022-municipal-vote-1.6109701|access-date=May 11, 2024}} Murdock ran on a platform of tackling housing affordability, creating accessible and walkable neighbourhoods and protecting against climate change. During the campaign, Murdock criticized Haynes for "the slow pace of progress.. on the affordability crisis".{{Cite web |title=Saanich mayoral candidates face off in feisty debate|url=https://www.saanichnews.com/news/saanich-mayoral-candidates-face-off-in-feisty-debate-321272|access-date=2024-05-14}}

As mayor, one of the main issues Murdock has had to deal with is balancing the province's mandate of building more housing and residents' opposition and concerns about new projects in the municipality.{{cite news|title=Saanich grapples with push for faster pace of change|date=December 27, 2023|website=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/saanich-grapples-with-push-for-faster-pace-of-change-8029505|access-date=May 11, 2024}} Murdock supports the provincial government's housing targets.{{cite news|title=B.C. unveils housing targets|date=September 27, 2023|newspaper=The Province|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-province/147088129/|access-date=May 11, 2024}} Another issue in Saanich that Murdock has had to deal with as mayor include calls from the police department for an increase in their budget due to "lack of bodies responding to calls" causing a reduction is safety for officers.{{cite news|title=Saanich grapples with push for faster pace of change|date=December 6, 2023|website=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/chief-says-saanich-officers-dont-feel-safe-because-of-lack-of-bodies-responding-to-calls-7930116|access-date=May 11, 2024}}

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Category:Living people

Category:1981 births

Category:People from the Capital Regional District

Category:Politicians from Vancouver

Category:People from Richmond, British Columbia

Category:British Columbia civil servants

Category:University of Victoria alumni

Category:Camosun College alumni

Category:Academic staff of Camosun College

Category:Canadian emigrants to Japan

Category:Sierra Club people

Category:21st-century mayors of places in British Columbia