Oct
The 2019 Canadian Federal Election took place on Monday, October 21, 2019.
The following is a list of recently elected, the majority of them re-elected, Members of Parliament who identify as Muslim Canadian.
Why does Muslim Link compile lists of Muslim Canadian elected officials? Well, it's interesting. It is a great way to showcase the diversity of Muslims in Canada. Clearly, we do not all think alike nor agree if we are drawn to such a wide range of political perspectives.
As the Editor in Chief, I always enjoy compiling these lists as I get to know more about quite interesting people and I get to learn more about what is happening in Canadian cities other than my own, which is the Nation's Capital, Ottawa.
This is the first list I compiled where so many of the elected officials had been in office already so it was interesting to be able to also include some information about just what they have been doing since 2015. To learn more about what your Member of Parliament in your riding has been up to for the last four years, I recommend visiting ourcommons.ca.
OpenParliament.ca is another site that is particularly interesting as you can search what any Member of Parliament or anyone who has testified before a parliamentary committee has said. The site was built by a computer programmer with time on his hands and is a completely volunteer run effort supported by the Canadian non-profit OpenNorth.ca which focuses on using open data for civil society. You can also just search for any word on the site.
Click on these OpenParliament.ca links to see what comes up if you search for the words Islam, Muslim, Islamophobia, Immigration, or Refugees. Interesting isn't it?
I have also including information from DiversityVotes.ca about the immigrant and visible minority populations living in each riding the candidates are running in.
Also, based on the research of Pakistani Canadian Daood Hamdani in "Canadian Muslims: A Statistical Review", I have noted if a particular federal riding has a population where over 10% of people identify as Muslim.
Feel free to send me suggestions for other elected officials to add to the list at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative Member of Parliament for Edmonton Manning
Lebanese Canadian Ziad Aboultaif co-managed Axxess Furniture Inc., an Edmonton-based furniture distribution business, for 12 years.
Elected in 2015, Ziad Aboultaif proposed the failed Private Member's Bill C-223 aimed at establishing a Canadian Organ Donor Registry. In 2003, Aboultaif made a partial-liver donation. Since 2017, he has served as the Official Opposition Shadow Minister for International Development. In this role, he has had the opportunity to travel to many countries that receive development assistance from Canada, such as Nicaragua, Lebanon, Jordan, Senegal, Nigeria, and Bangladesh (as seen in the photo above).
Interesting Fact: Ziad Aboultaif was interviewed in by iPolitics.ca in 2016 about celebrating Ramadan in Parliament.
To learn more about what Ziad Aboultaif said while in office on openparliament.ca, click here
About Edmonton Manning: According to DiversityVotes.ca, the population of Edmonton Manning is 121,048 with a population density of 767.4 per km2. Immigrants make up 31% of the population and visible minorities 40%. The top four visible minority communities in the riding identify as Black, South Asian, Chinese, and Arab. The top four languages spoken in the riding after English and French are Cantonese, Punjabi, Arabic, and Spanish. The countries of origin of immigrants in this federal riding include the Philippines, India, Vietnam, and China.
Omar Alghabra, Liberal Member of Parliament for Mississauga Centre
Syrian Canadian Omar Alghabra graduated from Ryerson University with a degree in engineering and in 2000 received his Master of Business Administration from York University. He was the Member of Parliament for the riding of Mississauga Erindale from 2006 to 2008.
Re-elected in 2015, Omar Alghabra served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade Diversification.
Interesting Fact: Omar Alghabra gifted a pair of Halal Socks, a Canadian Muslim company, to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (as photographed above). Days later, the socks were all over international news as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wore them at the Pride Parade in Toronto.
To learn more about what Omar Alghabra said while in office on openparliament.ca, click here
About Mississauga Centre: According to DiversityVotes.ca, the population of Mississauga Centre is 124,849. Immigrants make up 62% of the population and visible minorities 71%. The top four visible minority communities in the riding identify as South Asian, Chinese, Arab, and Black. The top four languages spoken in the riding after English and French are Mandarin, Arabic, Urdu, and Cantonese. The countries of origin of immigrants in this federal riding include India, Pakistan, China, and the Philippines.
According to the research of Pakistani Canadian Daood Hamdani in "Canadian Muslims: A Statistical Review", the federal riding of Mississauga Centre has a population where over 10% of people identify as Muslim.
According to Canadian Muslim Vote, this is a swing riding where the number of Muslim voters surpasses or is close to the predicted number of votes the riding will be won by based on the latest projections from 338Canada.com.
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Ali Ehsassi, Liberal Member of Parliament for Willowdale
Born in Switzerland, Ali Ehsassi is the son of a former Iranian diplomat who, like many Iranian Canadians, immigrated to Canada "with a couple of suitcases" after the Iranian Revolution. Ehsassi obtained his LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School. He also pursued a masters of international trade and arbitration law from Georgetown University. Ehsassi worked as a civil servant with the Ontario Department of Economic Development and International Trade and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
Elected in 2015, Ehsassi has been an active member of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
Interesting Fact: Ali Ehsassi, along with Majid Jowhari, is one of the first Iranian Canadians elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 2015.
To learn more about what Ali Ehsassi said while in office on openparliament.ca, click here
About Willowdale: According to DiversityVotes.ca, the population of the federal riding of Willowdale in Toronto is 118,801. Immigrants make up 61% of the population and visible minorities 67%. The top four visible minority communities in the riding identify as Chinese, West Asian (Iranian), Korean, and South Asian. The top four languages spoken in the riding after English and French are Mandarin, Persian, Korean, and Cantonese. The countries of origin of immigrants in this federal riding include Iran, China, South Korea, and the Philippines.
According to the research of Pakistani Canadian Daood Hamdani in "Canadian Muslims: A Statistical Review", the federal riding of Willowdale has a population where over 10% of people identify as Muslim.
According to Canadian Muslim Vote, this is a swing riding where the number of Muslim voters surpasses or is close to the predicted number of votes the riding will be won by based on the latest projections from 338Canada.com.
Ahmed Hussen, Liberal Member of Parliament for York South-Weston
Somali Canadian Ahmed Hussen has a Law Degree from the University of Ottawa.
Elected in 2015, Hussen has served as the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
In 2017, Hussen delivered at talk at TEDxToronto entitled "Two Canadas: My story of generosity and systemic racism".
Interesting Fact: Ahmed Hussan was interviewed in by iPolitics.ca in 2016 about celebrating Ramadan in Parliament.
To learn more about what Ahmed Hussen said while in office on openparliament.ca, click here
About York South Weston: According to DiversityVotes.ca, the population of the federal riding of York South Weston is 116,686. Immigrants make up 52% of the population and visible minorities 55%. The top four visible minority communities in the riding identify as Black, Latin American, Filipino, and South Asian. The top four languages spoken in the riding after English and French are Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Vietnamese. The countries of origin of immigrants in this federal riding include Portugal, Jamaica, Italy, and the Philippines.
According to Canadian Muslim Vote, this is a swing riding where the number of Muslim voters surpasses or is close to the predicted number of votes the riding will be won by based on the latest projections from 338Canada.com.
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Majid Jowhari, Liberal Member of Parliament for Richmond Hill
Iranian Canadian Majid Jowhari was formerly a professional engineer and he obtained an M.B.A. from York University’s Schulich School of Business.
Elected in 2015, Majid Jowhari founded and served as the Chair of the Liberal Mental Health Caucus which was later expanded into the All-Party Parliamentary Mental Health Caucus. Informed by the work of the Caucus, Jowhari introduced Private Member's Bill C-375, aimed at changing the criminal code to taking mental health information into account in presentencing. In 2018, the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) named Majid Jowhari as a Parliamentary Mental Health Champion.
Interesting Fact: Majid Jowhari, along with Ali Ehsassi, is one of the first Iranian Canadians elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 2015.
To learn more about what Majid Jowhari said while in office on openparliament.ca, click here
About Richmond Hill: According to DiversityVotes.ca, the population of the federal riding of Richmond Hill in Toronto is 110,177. Immigrants make up 60% of the population and visible minorities 62%. The top four visible minority communities in the riding identify as Chinese, West Asian (Iranian), South Asian and Korean. The top four languages spoken in the riding after English and French are Cantonese, Mandarin, Persian and Russian. The countries of origin of immigrants in this federal riding include China & Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, and South Korea.
According to the research of Pakistani Canadian Daood Hamdani in "Canadian Muslims: A Statistical Review", the federal riding of Richmond Hill has a population where over 10% of people identify as Muslim.
According to Canadian Muslim Vote, this is a swing riding where the number of Muslim voters surpasses or is close to the predicted number of votes the riding will be won by based on the latest projections from 338Canada.com.
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Iqra Khalid, Liberal Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Erin Mills
Pakistani Canadian Iqra Khalid graduated from York University with a degree in criminology and professional writing in 2007. While at York, she was the president of the Pakistani Students Federation. Khalid obtained a Juris Doctorate at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School.
Elected in 2015, Khalid introduced private member's motion M-103 asking the government to develop a strategy to tackle systemic racism and religious discrimination. The motion was developed in response to a petition condemning Islamophobia in Canada, which was sponsored by Quebec Liberal MP Frank Baylis. As a result of M-103, a study was commissioned by the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage which resulted in $23 million being allocated towards addressing anti-racism and anti-discrimination initiatives.
In 2018, Khalid sponsored petition E-1566 calling on the Prime Minister to appoint a Minister or special advisor on Seniors Affairs. As a result of the petition, the Government of Canada appointed Filomena Tassi as the Minister for Seniors.
Interesting Fact: Iqra Khalid was named as one of Chatelaine's Women of the Year in 2017.
To learn more about what Iqra Khalid said while in office on openparliament.ca, click here
About Mississauga Erin Mills: According to DiversityVotes.ca, the population of the federal riding of Mississauga Erin Mills in Toronto is 122,560. Immigrants make up 55% of the population and visible minorities 64%. The top four visible minority communities in the riding identify as South Asian, Chinese, Arab and Black. The top four languages spoken in the riding after English and French are Urdu, Mandarin, Arabic, and Cantonese. The countries of origin of immigrants in this federal riding include Pakistan, India, China, and the Philippines.
According to the research of Pakistani Canadian Daood Hamdani in "Canadian Muslims: A Statistical Review", the federal riding of Mississauga Erin Mills has a population where over 10% of people identify as Muslim.
According to Canadian Muslim Vote, this is a swing riding where the number of Muslim voters surpasses or is close to the predicted number of votes the riding will be won by based on the latest projections from 338Canada.com.
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Maryam Monsef, Liberal Member of Parliament for Peterbourgh-Kawartha
Afghan Canadian Maryam Monsef has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Trent University.
Elected in 2015, Maryam Monsef was appointed as the Minister of Democratic Institutions in 2015 and then in 2017 she became the Minister of Status of Women later changed to Minister for Women and Gender Equality.
Interesting Facts: Maryam Monsef was the first Afghan Canadian elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 2015 and the first Muslim to serve in Cabinet.
To learn more about what Maryam Monsef said while in office on openparliament.ca, click here
About Peterborough-Kawartha: According to DiversityVotes.ca, the population of the federal riding of Peterborough-Kawartha is 118,176. Immigrants make up 9% of the population and visible minorities 5%. The top four visible minority communities in the riding identify as South Asian, Chinese, Black, and Filipino. The top four languages spoken in the riding after English and French are Mandarin, Arabic, Polish, and Korean. The countries of origin of immigrants in this federal riding include the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands.
According to Canadian Muslim Vote, this is a swing riding where the number of Muslim voters surpasses or is close to the predicted number of votes the riding will be won by based on the latest projections from 338Canada.com.
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Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal Member of Parliament for Don Valley East
Born in Tanzania, Yasmin Ratansi, an Ismaili Muslim, is a Certified General Accountant and fellow of the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada.
Re-elected in 2015, after having previously been the Member of Parliament for Don Valley East from 2004 to 2011, Ratansi has served as the chair of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (as photographed above).
Yasmin Ratansi was the first Muslim woman elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 2004.
Interesting Fact: Yasmin Ratansi was interviewed in by iPolitics.ca in 2016 about celebrating Ramadan in Parliament.
To learn more about what Yasmin Ratansi said while in office on openparliament.ca, click here
About Don Valley East: According to DiversityVotes.ca, the population of the federal riding of Don Valley East is 94,579. Immigrants make up 53% of the population and visible minorities 58%. The top four visible minority communities in the riding identify as South Asian, Black, Chinese, and Filipino. The top four languages spoken in the riding after English and French are Persian, Mandarin, Tagalog, and Arabic. The countries of origin of immigrants in this federal riding include the Philippines, India, China, and Pakistan.
According to the research of Pakistani Canadian Daood Hamdani in "Canadian Muslims: A Statistical Review", the federal riding of Don Valley East has a population where over 10% of people identify as Muslim.
According to Canadian Muslim Vote, this is a swing riding where the number of Muslim voters surpasses or is close to the predicted number of votes the riding will be won by based on the latest projections from 338Canada.com.
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Marwan Tabbara, Liberal Member of Parliament for Kitchener South-Hespeler
Lebanese Canadian Marwan Tabbara earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government from the University of Guelph.
Elected in 2015, Marwan Tabbara put forward private member's motion M-73 successfully designating October as German Heritage Month in 2016.
Interesting Fact: Tabbara was inspired to enter public service by his mother, who raised him and his two brothers on her own.
To learn more about what Marwan Tabbara said while in office on openparliament.ca, click here
About Kitchener South-Hespeler: According to DiversityVotes.ca, the population of the federal riding of Kitchener South-Hespeler is 105,309. Immigrants make up 25% of the population and visible minorities 22%. The top four visible minority communities in the riding identify as South Asian, Black, Latin American, and Chinese. The top four languages spoken in the riding after English and French are Spanish, Arabic, Punjabi, and Serbian. The countries of origin of immigrants in this federal riding include the United Kingdom, India, Romania, and Poland.
According to Canadian Muslim Vote, this is a swing riding where the number of Muslim voters surpasses or is close to the predicted number of votes the riding will be won by based on the latest projections from 338Canada.com.
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Arif Virani, Liberal Member of Parliament for Parkdale–High Park
Arif Virani, an Ismaili Muslim, came to Canada as a Ugandan Asian refugee. He has an Honours B.A. in History and Political Science from McGill University, and completed his LL.B at the University of Toronto. He has worked as an analyst with the Canadian Human Rights Commission in Ottawa.
Elected in 2015, Virani has served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and to the Minister of Democratic Institutions.
Interesting Fact: In 2018, Virani led a Canadian delegation to Ukraine to visit the Holodomor Victims Memorial commemorating the victims of the genocide against Ukrainians orchestrated under Stalin. Virani is photographed above lighting a candle at the Holodomor Victims Memorial Altar of Memory.
To learn more about what Arif Virani said while in office on openparliament.ca, click here
About Parkdale-High Park: According to DiversityVotes.ca, the population of the federal riding of Parkdale-High Park in Toronto is 108,805. Immigrants make up 32% of the population and visible minorities 26%. The top four visible minority communities in the riding identify as Black, South Asian, Chinese, and Filipino. The top four languages spoken in the riding after English and French are Polish, Spanish, Russian, and Ukrainian. The countries of origin of immigrants in this federal riding include Poland, the United Kingdom, India, and the Philippines.
According to Canadian Muslim Vote, this is a swing riding where the number of Muslim voters surpasses or is close to the predicted number of votes the riding will be won by based on the latest projections from 338Canada.com.
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Salma Zahid, Liberal Member of Parliament for Scarborough Centre
Pakistani Canadian Salma Zahid holds a Masters in Educational Management and Administration from the University of London’s Institute of Education, and an MBA from Quaid e Azam University in Pakistan.
Elected in 2015, Salma Zahid's put forward private member's motion M-155, successfully designating June as Filipino Heritage Month across Canada in 2018.
She became the first elected official to wear hijab on Parliament Hill as she decided to wear hijab while recovering from cancer treatments and chemotherapy.
Interesting Fact: Salma Zahid was interviewed in by iPolitics.ca in 2016 about celebrating Ramadan in Parliament.
To learn more about what Salma Zahid said while in office on openparliament.ca, click here
About Scarborough Centre: According to DiversityVotes.ca, the population of Scarborough Centre is 112,603. Immigrants make up 56% of the population and visible minorities 70%. The top four visible minority communities in the riding identify as South Asian, Filipino, Black, and Chinese. The top four languages spoken in the riding after English and French are Tamil, Tagalog, Mandarin, and Cantonese. The countries of origin of immigrants in this federal riding include the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, and China.
According to the research of Pakistani Canadian Daood Hamdani in "Canadian Muslims: A Statistical Review", the federal riding of Scarborough Centre has a population where over 10% of people identify as Muslim.
According to Canadian Muslim Vote, this is a swing riding where the number of Muslim voters surpasses or is close to the predicted number of votes the riding will be won by based on the latest projections from 338Canada.com.
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Sameer Zuberi, Liberal Member of Parliament for Pierrefonds-Dollard
Sameer Zuberi, a 39-year old father of two, holds degrees in law from Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and mathematics from Concordia University. He has worked in the areas of university administration, law, media relations, human rights, and served in the Canadian Forces Reserves.
Interesting Fact: Sameer is of mixed race Pakistani-Italian-Scottish heritage.
To learn more about what Sameer Zuberi has said while testifying at parliamentary committees on openparliament.ca, click here
About Pierrefonds-Dollard: According to DiversityVotes.ca the population of Pierrefonds-Dollard is 108,587. Immigrants make up 38% of the population and visible minorities 38%. The top four visible minority communities in the riding identify as South Asian, Black, Arab, Filipino. The top four languages spoken in the riding after English and French are Arabic, Spanish, Tamil, and Romanian. The countries of origin of immigrants in this federal riding include the India, Philippines, Egypt, and Lebanon.
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