Joyce Murray

Joyce Murray (born July 11, 1954) is a Canadian politician, businesswoman, and environmental advocate. A member of the Liberal Party, she has represented the district of Vancouver Quadra in the House of Commons since 2008. She was re-elected in the 42nd Canadian federal election, and was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board on December 2, 2015.

Murray served as a Cabinet Minister in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, first as Minister of Water, Land, and Air Protection from 2001-2004, and then as Minister of Management Services until June 2005. From 2003 to 2004, Murray was the President of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment

In April 2013, Murray placed second in the Liberal Party of Canada leadership election, 2013. In August 2013, Murray became critic for both National Defence and Western Diversification.

Background

Murray was born in Schweizer-Reneke, South Africa, and emigrated to Canada with her parents in 1961. They settled in Vancouver, in the Point Grey area, where she lives now. Murray's mother, Charlotte Coe Murray, granddaughter of Oregon Senator Henry Waldo Coe and medical doctor Viola May Coe, a leader in women getting the vote in Oregon, attended and was the first female Assistant Professor at University of British Columbia architecture school. Charlotte became an award-winning architect who specialized in affordable community and senior housing and heritage restoration, winning heritage restoration gold medals, including for Christ Church Cathedral. In 1968 Murray's father, Gordon Murray, founded Murray & Associates Surveying.