Whether in the E.R. or in Ottawa, Marcus has shown up for Northwestern Ontario.

Born in Fort William, Marcus has strong family connections to Northwestern Ontario. His grandmother (Baba) ran Annie’s Confectionary on East Brock Street in Fort William for over 60 years. His grandfather Michael repaired shoes on Simpson Street was later a lineman on the CPR. His parents Peter and Elizabeth owned and operated Strawberry Hill Workshop in Kaministiquia for many years.

Educated at Harvard, Georgetown, and the University of Toronto, Marcus gave back by practicing medicine in poor and remote communities. Marcus practiced medicine for two years in northern First Nations communities and for seven years in Swaziland, The Gambia, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu.

Marcus never had any doubt about where home was, and he brought his family back to Thunder Bay in 2003 and began working in the Emergency Room at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, where he would stay for the next 15 years.

In addition to practicing medicine, Marcus also earned a law degree, a Masters of Public Health in Health Law and Policy, and a Masters of Law, and has taught at several universities, including Lakehead University and the University of San Francisco.

Marcus believes strongly in Franklin D. Roosevelt’s statement that, “[t]he test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, it is whether we provide enough for those who have little.” He also believes that, as Lester B. Pearson once said, “the only failures are those who fail to try” and, in the words of Wayne Gretzky, “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

As the father of six children, when not practicing medicine – or quoting famous politicians and Hall of Famers – Marcus is spending time with his kids and being a regular hockey dad who enjoys the occasional beer and a good hockey game. For Marcus, his kids are the reason why he ran for office – to make sure they are left with a country that is strong, healthy and focused on the betterment of all people.

Marcus served most recently on the Standing Committee on Health and the Standing Committee on National Defence, in which he has advocated tirelessly for the interests and values of Northwestern Ontario. He is also a member of the Northern Ontario Liberal Caucus, the Rural Liberal Caucus, the International Human Rights Caucus, and the Ukrainian-Canadian Friendship Group.