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Liberal Party sweep to power in Canada

Justin Trudeau: who is Canada's new prime minister?

19 NRIs (Five turbaned Sikhs and five Sikh women) Elected

Ottawa, October 20, 2015
NRIpress-Club/Toronto-Subash Gupta/LA-Gary Singh

Mr Justin Trudeau, the 43-year-old, whose father Pierre was one of Canada’s most legendary leaders, now is a leader of Liberal Party, won 184 seats in the 338-member House on Monday. The first major shift came Tuesday when Trudeau announced he had spoken with President Barack Obama and told him he will remove Canada's six fighter jets from the U.S.-led bombing campaign against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

The Conservatives ended the evening with 99 seats and 31.9% of the popular vote, the NDP with 44 seats (19.7%), the Bloc Québécois with 10 seats (4.7%) and the Greens with one seat, leader Elizabeth May’s in B.C., and 3.5% support.

16 NRI Liberal Party candidates  won

  • 2 NRI Conservative Party candidates  got elected
  • 1 NRI NDP candidates got elected

NRI Women in a men's world:

Six women including 5 Sikh young professional women made a history in the NRI world to become  MP in 2015 Canadian Election.

"It's not an exaggeration to say "Men Rule," just a statement of fact," Meena Sharma  from Toronto said. "What the men actively seeking to subvert women's rights need to understand once and for all is that everything is a "women's issue" and women have had enough."

Meena Sharma further said, "Most of the young women are lawyers and medical professionals who participate in election and won. In Canada,  we live in joint families, in close circuit and young 2nd generation communicate each other."

READ BIOGRAPHY  OF ALL MPs:

1

  Anju Dhillon- Liberal

BA in Political Science/ LLB

Anju was born and raised in the riding of Dorval–Lachine–LaSalle, where she currently lives and works as a lawyer. She is the first Canadian Sikh to practice law in Quebec courts. She holds a BA in Political Science (Hons) from Concordia University and an LLB from Université de Montréal. Concerned about the welfare of others, she was a caregiver for four years. Anju provides pro bono. advice to people in need and has volunteered at the Old Brewery Mission. In addition, Anju has been actively involved for years in the Sikh community, mentoring youth.

Anju is a woman whose political commitment and involvement are second nature. She has been an active Liberal Party of Canada volunteer since age 13. Among other things, she was elected Vice-President (Female) for Youth of the LaSalle-Émard Federal Liberal Association, a position she held for 10 years, and later served as Vice-President (Female) of the same association.

2

Bardish Chagger- Liberal

Bachelor of Science degree

Top 40 Under 40 for her community leadership.

She was born in Waterloo. Bachelor of Science degree in 2004 from University of Waterloo.Works at the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre to ensure that new Canadians can participate fully in community life.Experience working with residents and the Federal Government as Executive Assistant to former Member of Parliament Hon. Andrew Telegdi.Former Board Member with the Workforce Planning Council Waterloo Wellington Dufferin and MT Space. Volunteer with Interfaith Grand River, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and the Waterloo Rotary Club.Key member of Justin Trudeau Leadership Team as Southwest Ontario Co-Chair. Recognized as one of The Record’s Top 40 Under 40 for her community leadership.

3

Bob Saroya- Conservative

Bob Saroya is a proud Canadian who immigrated to Canada in 1975. Over the last forty years, with his hard work, dedication and family values, he has become a successful business man and a well-known face within Markham.

Community service has always been an integral part of Bob’s life. He is involved in fundraising activities for important local organizations, such as 360° Kids (York), Markham Stouffville Hospital, and several amateur sports teams. In addition, Bob assists new immigrants in Canada by offering them advice on career choices and investment opportunities. Bob decided to become active in politics after becoming frustrated by the former government and the lack of leadership from the Liberals. Now Bob is dedicated to working hard and earning the opportunity to join Stephen Harper and the Conservative Government who have been effective in bringing positive change to Canada.

 

4

Chandra Arya- Liberal

CPA, CA

Bachelor’s of Engineering and Masters of Business Administration degrees

 

 

 

Business executive, community activist, and father, Chandra Arya is relentless in his efforts to improve the lives of those around him. It is this drive to make significant, long-lasting, and positive change that will make him a strong representative for the riding of Nepean.

Chandra is running because he believes that politics is about more than partisanship – that it is about public service; that it is about working together to make our community and our country stronger.

It is important to our families and, in particular, our young people that we attract highly-skilled, high-paying jobs. Chandra’s experience both as an executive in the high-tech sector and as a board member of Invest Ottawa, has provided him with an understanding of what is required to attract and maintain the high-quality jobs of the future. As your federal representative, he will work with all levels of government and the private sector to do this.

As your Liberal MP, Chandra would advocate to create high quality jobs by promoting the city of Ottawa as a hub for defense electronics – software and hardware industry.

During the last three years, he served on the board of Invest Ottawa – an economic development agency established with the mandate of making Ottawa the best place in Canada to start and grow a business. During this time, Chandra collaborated closely with Mayor Jim Watson, who serves as Co-Chair of the agency, in addition to other business and community leaders.

Chandra has also served on the boards of the OCISO Not-for-Profit Housing Corporation, Ottawa Community Immigrants Services Organization and the Hindu Society of Ottawa Carleton. He previously served as Chair of the Indo-Canada Ottawa Business Chamber, President of the Indo-Canadian Community Centre Inc., and was the founding director of the Federation of Canadian Brazilian Businesses.

Chandra has worked as an engineer, industrial banker, entrepreneur, investment advisor, and technology company executive. Chandra was an executive with D-TA Systems Inc., an Ottawa-based manufacturer and exporter of high-end defence technology products. Prior to that role, Chandra worked with CIBC Wood Gundy. He was the publisher of the former Ottawa Star. Chandra also served on the Board of Directors of Best Theratronics, an Ottawa-based local manufacturer and exporter of medical equipment with over 175 employees.

In 2013, Chandra led a consortium of government research agencies, leading multinationals, universities, and technology companies from across Canada in an attempt to set up an Ottawa-based Centre of Excellence in Defence Electronics. Consortium members included: Defence Research and Development Canada, Royal Military College of Canada, Carleton University, Memorial University, General Dynamics, Raytheon and about 10 SME technology companies from across Canada.

Chandra has earned Bachelor’s of Engineering and Masters of Business Administration degrees, and was professionally certified by the Canadian Securities Institute as a Canadian Investment Manager.

Chandra currently lives in Nepean, with his wife Sangeetha, who works with the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Their only child Sid is in the process of qualifying as a CPA, CA (Chartered Accountant).

5

Darshan Singh Kang - Liberal

REALTOR/

Served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary

Darshan Singh Kang is a Canadian politician who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-McCall from 2008 to 2015. Prior to his political career he was a welder and a real estate agent

Darshan Kang is a longstanding community and professional leader in Calgary. As a former Member of the Legislative Assembly for Calgary—McCall, Darshan has extensive experience in public service and a strong track record of community involvement.

Darshan immigrated to Canada from India in 1970, after obtaining a pre-medical degree at the University of Indore. He first worked as a journeyman welder before becoming a commercial realtor; he went on to be named the top realtor in his company and the fifth highest performer in Alberta.

Darshan ran in 2004 but was unsuccessful; in 2008 and 2012, however, Darshan was elected to represent Calgary—McCall in Alberta’s Legislative Assembly. He served on a number of standing committees as an MLA, including Public Accounts, and Families and Communities. Along with serving as the whip, Darshan is also the Critic for Transportation, Service Alberta, Infrastructure, Tourism, and Parks and Recreation.

Darshan has a long history of community engagement, and has been a member of the Saddle Ridge, Martindale, Castleridge—Falconridge, and Skyview Community Associations. He has also been an active supporter of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and played a key role in raising over $1 million dollars for the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

After his election in 2008 he worked hard to secure a provincial government grant for the Genesis Centre. He was also the lone voice who spoke in support of the Airport Trail Tunnel within the Alberta Legislature.

6

Deepak Obhrai    Calgary East Parliamentary

MP-2000, 2004, 2006 and 2008

Hon. Deepak Obhrai, Member of the Queen’s Privy Council Member of Parliament for Calgary East Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairsb and for International Human Rights

The Honourable  Deepak Obhrai was born in Tanzania and attended school in three separate continents: in Tanzania, India and the United Kingdom. He immigrated to Canada with his family in 1977.In Canada, Deepak became heavily involved in his community, acting as President of the India

Canada Association, Monterey Community Association and the Hindu Society of Calgary. Deepak was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Calgary East in 1997. He was then reelected in 2000, 2004, 2006 and 2008

7

Gagan Sikand-Liberal

A lawyer and small business owner

Gagan Sikand, a lawyer and small business owner, has lived in Mississauga—Streetsville for over 25 years. Throughout that time, he’s been dedicated to community service and a number of valuable professional experiences.

Gagan has diverse professional experience, having worked for the Attorney General of Ontario, the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. Gagan also sits on the Board of the Dental Hygienists of Ontario.

Gagan volunteers on the local United Way advisory council and regularly helps out at both the Eden and Seva food banks. His focus on helping youth succeed is evident from his work as a mentor with the Kids Now program at Woodlands Secondary School. He also coaches basketball and serves as a board member for the Young Governors Council of Junior Achievement.

8

Harjit Sajjan-Liberal

Lieutenant-Colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces/ was a police officer with the Vancouver Polic

 

Harjit Sajjan has served Canada and his community as both a soldier and a police officer. Now he wants to continue his service as a Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of Vancouver South.

Harjit is a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces and a combat veteran. He has deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina and served three separate deployments to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Harjit has received numerous recognition for his service, including the Meritorious Service Medal for reducing the Taliban’s influence in Kandahar Province. He is also a recipient of the Order of Military Merit – one of the military’s highest recognitions. Harjit also served as an Aide-de-Camp to the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.

Harjit was a police officer with the Vancouver Police Department for 11 years. He completed his last assignment as a Detective-Constable with the Gang Crime Unit specializing in organized crime. He proudly tackled gang violence and drug crimes in Vancouver. Harjit is also a Human Security specialist, lecturing to a wide audience in both Canada and the US.

9

Jasvir Sandhu-NDP

A bachelor's degree/ MBA

Jasvir Sandhu of NDP from Surrey:  beat Sucha Thind of the Conservative Party and Randeep Sarai of the Liberal Party

Jasbir Sandhu was born April 21, 1966 in Punjab and as a child, with his family, emigrated to Canada from Punjab, India. He attended Simon Fraser University where he graduated with a bachelor's degree, and then Royal Roads University where he received a Master's of Business Administration (MBA)

He worked at the Justice Institute of British Columbia as a program coordinator. He helped operate a program which provided training and testing of taxi drivers in Metro Vancouver. Sandhu was the spokesperson for the Prof Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation which advocated for an apology from the federal government over its actions during the Komagata Maru incident.

In 1990, Sandhu began working as an instructor and program coordinator at the Justice Institute. Under the province's SuperHost program, the City of Vancouver initiated a new permitting system, put into effect in 1997, for taxi drivers at the Justice Institute

10

Jati Sidhu-Liberal

CEO and president of the Sidhu Group/ renowned philanthropist

 

 

A businessman with more than 27 years experience, Jati Sidhu served as president of Greenvale Enterprises Inc., a local agricultural company, and is the current CEO and president of the Sidhu Group, which focuses on housing and business development. He has also served on the University of Fraser Valley Board of Governors and as a member of the Abbotsford Police Board.

Jati has long dedicated himself to improving his community, particularly through his work as a board member of the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, and as founding member of the Fraser Valley Indo-Canadian Business Association. Through his work with the Association, Jati helped raise funds to build the Abbotsford Hospice Society, which provides end-of-life care and grief support for families in Abbotsford. Jati is also known as a renowned philanthropist within the Abbotsford community.

11

Kamal Khera-Liberal

Bachelors of Science in Nursing/ community volunteer and a political activist

 

A registered nurse, community volunteer and a political activist, Kamal Khera is passionate about improving the lives of those around her and is committed to being a strong voice for change for all residents in Brampton West.

A first-generation Canadian, Kamal immigrated to Canada from Delhi, India at a very young age. She attended York University where she earned her Bachelors of Science in Psychology with Honours and her Bachelors of Science in Nursing with Honours.

Drawn to assisting others, Kamal gained diverse experience within the field of Health through her professional experience with Centre of Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH), Peel Family Shelter, and William Osler Health Centre. Kamal presently works as a Registered Nurse in the Oncology Unit at St Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto, which gives her a deep understanding of the issues that impact individuals every day.

Kamal is an active member of her community, serving as Chairperson of South Asian Canadians Heritage Foundation, Mentor and Program Coordinator at Big Brother Big Sister of Peel, and Event Coordinator with Sick Kids Foundation. She also hosted ‘Youth Vision’ – a local TV talk show which explored issues surrounding young South Asian Canadians.

12

Former MP/ MBA

Former MP got elected once again by beating Jagdish Grewal.  This is the newly demarcated constituency of Mississauga-Malton in the Toronto area,

Navdeep was born in the city of Toronto and raised for the majority of his life in this riding. Navdeep’s parents immigrated to Canada in the mid 1970s, and like most immigrants from enterprising back-grounds, they worked long, hard hours in order to establish themselves in a new country. ....READ

13

-Liberal

Brampton East

MBA/Law Society of Upper Canada.

Raj brings a solid business and legal background to the Liberal team. He obtained his Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University, as well as an MBA from the Schulich School of Business. Raj was called to the Ontario bar in June 2014 after completing his JD at Osgoode Hall Law School and is a member in good standing of the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Raj currently practices law at a prominent Bay street firm, where he specializes in public and private mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and securities. Before entering the legal profession, Raj was a financial analyst for a fortune 500 company.

Raj currently sits on the board for KarmaGrow, a Brampton community garden project. He also dedicates his time to the Guru Gobind Singh Children’s Foundation and participates in the mentorship programs at both Osgoode Hall Law School and the Schulich School of Business.

14

Raj Saini-Liberal

Kitchener-Waterloo

Owner Pharmacy/BS in Pharmacy/Chemistry

A proud resident of Kitchener-Waterloo, Raj Saini has owned and operated the award-winning Greenbrook Pharmacy for nearly 20 years. His success as a small business owner comes from his focus on helping people achieve their health goals using evidence-based protocols to enable healing and encourage healthy lifestyles.

A committed and active supporter of local organizations, Raj works tirelessly to engage his community in politics and international affairs. He is a proud Rotarian of many years, a board member of the Canadian International Council, Waterloo Region branch and a long-time champion of Liberal values. He is passionate about improving the local economy, creating jobs and promoting the health and well-being of Kitchener Centre’s residents through intelligent, fiscally responsible environmental and health policy.

Raj earned his Bachelors of Science in Chemistry from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelors of Science in Pharmacy from Boston’s Northeastern University.

15

Ramesh Sangha -Liberal

Brampton Centre

Lawyer/belief in philanthropy and designates several hours to providing pro-bono legal services

As a proud Canadian living in Brampton for over two decades, Ramesh Sangha provides a strong voice that Brampton Centre can count on. After graduating from the University of Windsor, Sangha decided to pursue a career as a lawyer. Sangha has a strong belief in philanthropy and designates several hours to providing pro-bono legal services through his law practice and engages in many different community initiatives right here in the City of Brampton.

Sangha is a strong proponent of mentorship and offers co-op training to local students from high schools, colleges, universities as well as articling positions for law students. Sangha also provides immigration consulting and legal counseling to Canadian immigrants and those who are new to Canada. In addition to his successful legal career, Sangha was also appointed as Chairperson for the Canadian Pension Plan Review Tribunal by the Governor General in Council (Canada).

Sangha is happily married to his wife Kulwinder and together they are the proud parents of three children. With his extensive leadership experience as a community advocate, you can count on Sangha to bring a strong voice that Brampton Centre deserves.

16

-Liberal

Lawyer/criminal, litigation/ achieving the highest GPA in her graduating class

Born in Toronto and raised in Brampton, Ruby Sahota is an active member of the local South-Asian community, and is driven by the desire to give back to the riding of Brampton North.

An experienced attorney, she has practiced for five years in the areas of criminal law, litigation, and dispute resolution in both the public and private sectors, handling a wide range of complex commercial litigation files at the national and international level.

Recognizing the need for increased representation of women in politics, Ruby has been an active member of the Organization for Women in International Trade, UNICEF, and Amnesty International. A dedicated mother and natural leader, Ruby is passionate about engaging the youth vote, and is experienced in galvanizing people toward a common goal.

Ruby holds a combined Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Peace Studies from McMaster University and a J.D. with a concentration in Litigation from Thomas M. Cooley Law School where she was awarded the Blue Book Award in Immigration Law for achieving the highest GPA in her graduating class

17

Sonia Sidhu-Liberal

A healthcare professional

I came to Canada with my husband over 20 years ago to build a better life for our family. Through hard work and perseverance, my husband has been able to start his own business and I have been able to pursue a career as a healthcare professional. Canada welcomed us, and gave us the support we needed to get started and to raise our three beautiful children. I have had the pleasure of watching our community in Brampton South grow, diversify, and transform as well.

However, in the last few years I have seen changes that have brought challenges, rather than benefits to our city. I have watched as the needs of our growing community have been ignored by our federal government. I have spoken with residents on behalf of candidates at all levels of government, and I have listened to their hopes and their concerns. We deserve better, we deserve real, positive change.

I believe that our Member of Parliament must be our voice in Ottawa, who will stand up for the needs and concerns of all our residents. Together with the Liberal Party, I have committed to invest in the future of our cities and our country, and I will ensure that Brampton receives its fair share. We deserve no less.

As a healthcare professional, I have had the opportunity to make people’s lives better every day. As your MP, I will work hard to build a better Brampton, and a better future for our country.

18

Sukh Dhaliwal -Liberal

Newton-Surrey

Businessman and politician in British Columbia

Sukh Dhaliwal from Surrey-Newton: beat Jinny Sims of the NDP and Harpreet Singh of the Conservative Party.

Sukh Dhaliwal, MP (born November 1, 1960 in Punjab, India) is a businessman and politician in British Columbia, Canada. He is currently the Liberal Member of Parliament for Newton—North Delta, elected in the 2006 federal election. A Sikh, he emigrated from India in 1984 and became a Canadian citizen three years later. As a businessman, he ran a successful land surveying company and played an important role in the municipal politics of Surrey where he is said to have dominated the Surrey Electors Team membership list by signing up over 2,600 new party members, whether they were aware of what they were doing is
unknown. This represented over half the total number of members, and was mainly generated from the large local Indian-Canadian community. However, in the November 1999 municipal elections Dhaliwal lost his own bid for a seat on city council.

On July 9, 2008, Sukh Dhaliwal wrote a letter of recommendation to a U.S. District Court judge on official House of Commons stationery in support of convicted international drug trafficker Ranjit Singh Cheema.

On October 14, 2008 Sukh Dhaliwal was re-elected to Parliament with over 2000 votes....READ

19

-Liberal

CPA/ Chair of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women,

Yasmin Ratansi is a proven and dynamic leader who has championed for Don Valley East. She proudly served the riding in the House of Commons from 2004 to 2011. She has been actively engaged in the riding for over 25 years.

As Member of Parliament for Don Valley East, she served in the House of Commons as:

Chair of Government Operations, responsible for accountability and transparency

Chair of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, responsible for fairness in the budgetary process

Deputy Whip and Vice Chair of Procedures and House Affairs

Professional and Civic Engagement:CPA (Certified Professional Accountant) responsible for business mergers and turnarounds

Board Member of CAMH/Chairperson AIB/Vice Chair of GOPAC (Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption)/Principal at Ethical Edge, with a focus on financial literacy and social governance/International consultant in the areas of Gender Budgeting, Governance, Transparency and Accountability

20

NRI Randeep  Singh Sarai, lawyer and Entrepreneur Liberal MP in the riding of Surrey Centr, BC

 

 

NRI Randeep  Singh Sarai, lawyer (Sarai Group of Companies) and Entrepreneur has been elected  as  Liberal MP in the riding of Surrey Centre.  Sarai took 45.1 per cent of the vote, beating out NDP incumbent NRI Jasbir Sandhu, who finished with 30.1 per cent. NRI  Sucha Thind,  Conservatives  party member  finished third with 19.8 per cent.

“I want to thank the voters of Surrey,” Randeep  told his roughly 500 supporters who were celebrating his winning at Crown Place Banquet Hall. “It shows people have changed and it shows that that's the kind of positive politics they want.”

Due to background in real estate development and lawyer, he understanding of transportation and infrastructure issues facing the Surrey community.

He always try to help those that are less fortunate

He helped to start the South Asian Community Coalition Against Youth Violence which successfully championed for the creation of the Integrated Gang Task Force.

 

A four-time MP Nina Grewal and outgoing ministers of state Bal Gosal, Tim Uppal lost the elections.

 This is the NRI’s biggest victory in the history of Canada who won as many seats in Brampton and Mississauga of Ontario.

 There were eight lawmakers of Indian-origin in Canada in 2011.