From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
English-born Pakistani-Canadian politician
Salma Zahid
MP
(born May 26, 1970) is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a
Member of Parliament
in the
House of Commons of Canada
to represent the federal riding of
Scarborough Centre
during the
2015 Canadian federal election
. She succeeded the
Conservative
Roxanne James
.
[2]
Early life and career
[
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]
Zahid was born in Coventry. She holds a master's degree in educational management and administration from the University of London’s Institute of Education, and an MBA from Quaid e Azam University in Pakistan. She is Pakistani Canadian, mother of 2 and has resided in Scarborough since 2000. She is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Zahid was a community organizer and worked for the Government of Ontario in multiple positions before running in the election.
Politics
[
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]
Zahid was elected in the
2015 Canadian federal election
as a Member of Parliament for
Scarborough Centre (federal electoral district)
. While in the 42nd Parliament, Zahid had the role of Vice-Chair for the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, where she was a spokesperson for racialized women.
[3]
In February 2018, Zahid announced that she was taking medical leave to treat her Stage 4
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
. This was used by the Scarborough Centre Conservative Party of Canada Riding Association Vice President to sell memberships via
robocall
.
[4]
While recovering from
chemotherapy
treatment, Zahid wore a
hijab
for personal reasons, saying that she had grown closer to her Islamic faith while facing cancer. In May 2018, she became the first MP to wear a hijab in the House of Commons.
[5]
Zahid received some negative reactions to the hijab, to which she responded by highlighting the personal nature of her decision.
[5]
In July 2018, after completing six rounds of chemotherapy, Zahid was cancer-free and returned to her job.
[4]
Zahid was re-nominated to run in Scarborough Centre for the Liberals in the
2019 Canadian federal election
.
[4]
Zahid received criticism in November 2022 when she attended a 'solidarity' event with a publisher of Holocaust denialism.
[6]
[7]
[8]
She has also received criticism for her position on the
2023 Israeli-Hamas conflict
, which stepped out of long standing tradition of Canadian and Liberal Party MPs political support for the State of Israel.
[9]
[10]
[11]
In January 2024, Zahid called on her colleagues in the House of Commons to support
South Africa's application to prosecute Israel
for genocide.
[12]
Past election results
[
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]
2021 Canadian federal election
|
Party
|
Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
|
Expenditures
|
|
Liberal
|
Salma Zahid
|
23,128
|
57.6
|
+2.3
|
$104,544.73
|
|
Conservative
|
Malcolm Ponnayan
|
9,819
|
24.4
|
+2.1
|
$35,013.30
|
|
New Democratic
|
Faiz Kamal
|
5,479
|
13.6
|
+1.9
|
$8,952.20
|
|
People's
|
Petru Rozoveanu
|
1,472
|
3.7
|
+1.2
|
$0.00
|
|
National Citizens Alliance
|
Aylwin T. Mathew
|
263
|
0.7
|
N/A
|
$0.00
|
Total valid votes/expense limit
|
40,161
|
99.0
|
?
|
$108,279.65
|
Total rejected ballots
|
425
|
1.0
|
Turnout
|
40,586
|
54.8
|
Eligible voters
|
74,078
|
|
Liberal
hold
|
Swing
|
+0.1
|
Source:
Elections Canada
[13]
|
2019 Canadian federal election
:
Scarborough Centre
|
Party
|
Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
|
Expenditures
|
|
Liberal
|
Salma Zahid
|
25,695
|
55.3
|
+4.80
|
$100,475.79
|
|
Conservative
|
Irshad Chaudhry
|
10,387
|
22.3
|
-10.40
|
$88,298.94
|
|
New Democratic
|
Faiz Kamal
|
5,452
|
11.7
|
+0.10
|
$11,622.00
|
|
Independent
|
John Cannis
|
2,524
|
5.4
|
|
$49,981.60
|
|
Green
|
Dordana Hakimzadah
|
1,336
|
2.9
|
+0.80
|
none listed
|
|
People's
|
Jeremiah Vijeyaratnam
|
1,162
|
2.5
|
|
none listed
|
Total valid votes/expense limit
|
46,556
|
100.0
|
Total rejected ballots
|
638
|
Turnout
|
47,194
|
62.4
|
Eligible voters
|
75,662
|
|
Liberal
hold
|
Swing
|
+7.60
|
Source:
Elections Canada
[14]
[15]
|
2015 Canadian federal election
:
Scarborough Centre
|
Party
|
Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
|
Expenditures
|
|
Liberal
|
Salma Zahid
|
22,753
|
50.5
|
+18.61
|
$111,259.09
|
|
Conservative
|
Roxanne James
|
14,705
|
32.7
|
-2.18
|
$96,481.13
|
|
New Democratic
|
Alex Wilson
|
5,227
|
11.6
|
-19.06
|
$24,264.68
|
|
Libertarian
|
Katerina Androutsos
|
1,384
|
3.1
|
|
$1,452.03
|
|
Green
|
Lindsay Thompson
|
960
|
2.1
|
-0.47
|
$1,627.92
|
Total valid votes/expense limit
|
45,029
|
100.00
|
+22.33
|
$203,985.80
|
Total rejected ballots
|
407
|
0.90
|
+0.33
|
Turnout
|
45,436
|
64.36
|
+10.02
|
Eligible voters
|
70,594
|
|
+0.46
|
|
Liberal
gain
from
Conservative
|
Swing
|
+10.39%
|
|
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Search For Contributions"
. Elections Canada
. Retrieved
2021-06-23
.
- ^
"Liberal candidate Salma Zahid wins Scarborough Centre"
.
Toronto Star
. October 19, 2015.
- ^
"Biography | Salma Zahid | Your member of parliament for Scarborough Centre"
.
szahid.liberal.ca
. Retrieved
2019-09-27
.
- ^
a
b
c
Aiello, Rachel (August 22, 2018).
"
'A new low': Conservative robocall tries to exploit Liberal MP's cancer diagnosis"
.
CTV News
. Retrieved
August 24,
2018
.
- ^
a
b
Massa, Ginella (August 21, 2018).
"Scarborough MP responds to criticism over wearing hijab, says she's recovering from cancer"
.
CityNews Toronto
. Retrieved
September 1,
2018
.
- ^
"Minister and MPs attend parliamentary reception with Holocaust denier"
.
The Globe and Mail
. 2022-12-01
. Retrieved
2024-01-10
.
- ^
"MPs condemn controversial publisher's attendance at Parliament Hill reception - National | Globalnews.ca"
.
Global News
. Retrieved
2024-01-10
.
- ^
Passifiume, Bryan (December 1, 2023).
"Canadian MPs attend 'solidarity' event with publisher of Holocaust denialism"
.
National Post
.
- ^
"Liberal MP calls on Trudeau to back prosecution of Israel for genocide"
.
National Post (The Canadian Press)
. January 10, 2024.
- ^
Hopper, Tristin.
"FIRST READING: Terrorist sympathizers on Parliament Hill ? Canada's Palestinian extremism problem | SaltWire"
.
www.saltwire.com
. Retrieved
2024-01-11
.
- ^
"Liberal MP supports UN vote calling for a humanitarian ceasefire"
.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
. December 14, 2023.
- ^
"Liberal MP calls on Trudeau to back prosecution of Israel for genocide"
. National Post. January 10, 2024
. Retrieved
January 11,
2024
.
- ^
"List of confirmed candidates ? September 20, 2021 Federal Election"
.
Elections Canada
. Retrieved
2 September
2021
.
- ^
"List of confirmed candidates"
.
Elections Canada
. Retrieved
October 4,
2019
.
- ^
"Election Night Results"
. Elections Canada
. Retrieved
November 4,
2019
.
External links
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]