34 Facts About Murray Heit

Murray Albert Heit was a Canadian politician and dentist.

Murray Heit served as an alderman on Ottawa City Council from 1959 to 1964 and as a controller on the Ottawa Board of Control from 1965 to 1969.

Murray Heit served in World War II in the Royal Canadian Air Force, from 1942 to 1945.

Murray Heit first came to Ottawa in 1943 when he was stationed at CFB Rockcliffe.

Murray Heit received his doctorate of dental surgery from the University of Toronto in 1951, and moved to back to Ottawa the same year.

Murray Heit would become a staff dentist at the Ottawa General Hospital, the chairman of the Ottawa Citizens' Committee for Fluoridation, a member of the Canadian Legion, the Rideau Kiwanis Club and a member of the Junior Board of Trade.

Murray Heit became the vice president of the Progressive Conservative Association of Ottawa South, served on the executive of the PC Association of Russell, was a member of the Ottawa West Conservatives, and was a member of the YMCA and B'nai B'rith.

Murray Heit first ran for office in the 1958 Ottawa municipal election, running for a spot on Ottawa City Council in Gloucester Ward.

Murray Heit won a seat to council along with incumbent Alex Roger in the two-seat ward.

Murray Heit ran for the nomination of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party against sitting MLA Gordon Lavergne in Russell ahead of the 1959 Ontario general election.

Murray Heit was re-elected to council in the 1960 Ottawa municipal election, representing Gloucester Ward along with Pat Doherty.

Murray Heit ran for the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada nomination in Russell ahead of the 1962 Canadian federal election, but lost to hotelier Leo Kelly on the third ballot, 233 votes to 215.

Murray Heit ran for re-election in Gloucester Ward in the 1962 Ottawa municipal election, campaigning on better roads and recreation facilities.

Murray Heit was re-elected in a close election, while the fluoridation plebiscite failed.

Murray Heit blamed his stance for his loss of votes, and stated that the "anti-fluoridationists [were] not able to quote any Ottawa dentist or doctor against fluoridation [and] had used anti fluoridation quotations from 'pseudo authorities largely from the United States'".

Murray Heit successfully pushed a motion for the city to hold another fluoridation plebiscite in the 1964 Ottawa municipal election.

Murray Heit opposed the constructing of a 72-unit low-rental housing project being built on Station Blvd.

Murray Heit announced on September 14,1964, his intentions to run for the city's Board of Control in the 1964 municipal election, and got bit by a dog on the same day while campaigning.

The painting was removed by city officials, as Murray Heit failed to submit the official forms, but it was sold for a "high price" at auction, with proceeds going to the Children's Hospital Fund.

Elsewhere, Murray Heit was responsible for implementing efficiency reforms at the police department, and successfully proposed the architectural design at the centre of Lansdowne Park.

Murray Heit was re-elected to the city's Board of Control in the 1966 Ottawa municipal election, finishing third.

Ever the hobby artist, Heit painted a caricature of mayor Don B Reid in 1967 called "The Pollution Patrol", showing the mayor "astride a rubber swan floating along the garbage strewn Ottawa [R]iver [with] [c]ity [h]all loom[ing] in the background".

Murray Heit entered the painting into the Rideau Street outdoor painting exhibition known as "Artarama", the only humorous entry.

Murray Heit won the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada nomination in Ottawa Centre ahead of the 1968 Canadian federal election, defeating housewife Gwendoline Bower-Binns.

In 1969, Murray Heit had speculated on running for mayor of Ottawa, as he had "fundamental disagreement[s]" with fellow controller Kenneth Fogarty, who was planning on running for mayor.

Murray Heit ultimately did not run for mayor, opting to run for re-election on the Board of Control in the 1969 Ottawa municipal election.

Murray Heit ended up finishing fifth, missing the final spot on the board by 385 votes.

Murray Heit attributed his loss to "the winds of change are blowing through the city", suggesting that the adoption of a regional government had "stimulated" voters to want a younger, and newer faces on the board.

Murray Heit moved to St Catharines, Ontario, in 1970 to be closer to a graduate school in Buffalo, New York.

Murray Heit returned to Ottawa in 1971, opening a practise on Metcalfe St Murray Heit later became a dog breeder, travelling around North America showing his boston terriers Rogue of Royal York and Duke.

Murray Heit later became the president of the Ottawa Kennel Club.

Murray Heit moved away from Ottawa in the early 1980s to join a group dental practice in Mississauga, citing a "need for a change of scenery".

Murray Heit was married to Eleanor, and had four children.

Murray Heit was a member of the Beth Shalom Congregation in Ottawa.