Saul Laskin (15 May 1918 – 4 October 2008) was a Canadian politician. He was the first

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

of the City of

Thunder Bay Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous (after Greater Sudbury) municipality in Northern Ontario; its population i ...

, Ontario. Born in Fort William, Ontario, he was the younger brother of jurist Bora Laskin. He was educated in Fort William and Toronto, and served overseas in World War II. In 1938 he took over his father's furniture store and opened a new store in Port Arthur in 1946, which he operated until the 1980s when he moved to Toronto with his wife Adele.Kelly, Jim.
City's 1st mayor dies
,

The Chronicle-Journal ''The Chronicle-Journal'' is the daily newspaper in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Unlike many Canadian newspapers, it does not use the city's name in its masthead. The paper has an average weekday circulation of 17,200. The paper is owned by Con ...

, 6 October 2008. Retrieved 6 October 2008. His political career began in 1959 when he was elected as an

alderman An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members t ...

in Port Arthur. He was elected mayor in 1962, a position he would hold until 1969, when Port Arthur and Fort William

amalgamated Amalgamation is the process of combining or uniting multiple entities into one form. Amalgamation, amalgam, and other derivatives may refer to: Mathematics and science * Amalgam (chemistry), the combination of mercury with another metal **Pan am ...

to become Thunder Bay. He was elected mayor of Thunder Bay, and held the position until 1972. Laskin was the first and only Jewish mayor elected at the Lakehead. In 1963 federal election, he ran unsuccessfully as a

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

in the riding of Port Arthur, losing to the New Democratic Party candidate, Douglas Fisher. Laskin sat on the board of governors at

Lakehead University Lakehead University is a public research university with campuses in Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ontario, Canada. Lakehead University, shortened to 'Lakehead U', is non-denominational and provincially supported. It has undergraduate programs, gradua ...

for 15 years, and received an

honorary doctorate An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hon ...

and the title of Fellow of Lakehead University. In retirement, he lived in Toronto with his wife Adele Tritt whom he married in 1946.Kelly, Jim.
Former Thunder Bay mayor marks 90th birthday
,

, 17 May 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2008. He died of a heart attack on 4 October 2008.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laskin, Saul 1918 births 2008 deaths Candidates in the 1963 Canadian federal election Mayors of Port Arthur, Ontario Mayors of Thunder Bay Jewish mayors of places in Canada Liberal Party of Canada candidates for the Canadian House of Commons