Ahmed Hussen

Ahmed Hussen
احمد حسين
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for York South—Weston
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded by Mike Sullivan
Personal details
Born 1975/1976 (age 40–41)[1]
Somalia
Nationality Canadian
Political party Liberal
Children 2
Alma mater York University
University of Ottawa
Profession Lawyer, activist
Religion Islam

Ahmed Hussen (Somali: Axmed Xuseen, Arabic: احمد حسين‎‎‎; born 1975 or 1976) is a Somali-Canadian lawyer and political activist. He is the National President of the Canadian Somali Congress.

On October 19, 2015, Hussen was elected to the Canadian Parliament for the York South—Weston riding as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Personal life

Hussen was raised in Somalia. He later moved to Toronto in 1993 as a 16 year old refugee, Canada in 1996, residing in Regent Park.[2]

He completed his secondary school years in Hamilton. For his post-secondary studies, Hussen attended the city's York University. He earned a BA in History from the institution in 2002.[3] Hussen later pursued a law degree at the University of Ottawa, successfully completing his bar exam in September 2012.[2]

He is a father of two children.[4]

Career

Hussen began his career in public service and politics in the fall of 2001. He started out doing volunteer work in Legislative Assembly of Ontario. He was hired the following year as an assistant to Dalton McGuinty, the leader of the province's official opposition. Hussen worked in this capacity until November 2003, when he was promoted to Special Assistant, concurrently with the Liberal Party's election victory. He held this new post for two years, during which he was in charge of issues management, policy and communications.[3]

Hussen later worked with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's Youth Engaged in National Security Issues committee.[2]

He also founded the Regent Park Community Council. The representative body facilitated a $500 million revitalization and redevelopment project in Regent Park, the largest such initiative in the country. During the project's implementation, he was tasked with consulting with and protecting the interests of the area's 15,000 residents.[3]

Hussen currently serves as the National President of the Canadian Somali Congress (CSC).[5][6] Under his leadership, the CSC partnered with the Canadian International Peace Project and Canadian Jewish Congress to establish the Canadian Somali-Jewish Mentorship Project. It is the first national mentoring and development project between a sizable Muslim community and the Jewish community.[2]

In May 2010, the Canadian Somali Congress and Canadian International Peace Project also partnered with the Global Enrichment Foundation to launch the Somali Women Scholarship Program. Hussen acts as the program's founding Director.[7]

Until 2012, Hussen served as a sitting member of the Stephen Harper government's Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security. Established in 2005, the panel brought together prominent members from a number of Canada's cultural communities and government officials in order to discuss policy and program issues, and to promote dialogue and strengthen understanding between the national authorities and its electorate.[8][9]

As of April 2013, Hussen practises Criminal Law, Immigration and Refugee Law, and Human Rights Law at his office in Toronto.[2]

In December 2014, he presented himself as a candidate for a Liberal Party of Canada seat in the riding of York South—Weston for the 42nd Canadian federal election.[10] Hussen won the nomination in a field of six aspirants. Including that of the Green Party's John Johnson[11] He is the first Somali-Canadian elected to the House of Commons.[12]

Awards

Hussen has over the years received honours and recognition for his public work. In January 2004, the Toronto Star named him among the 10 individuals who have made significant contributions to Toronto in various fields, including community service, business, sports and science.[3]

Hussen was also presented a Queen's Jubilee medal and the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Authority Award for his efficacious advocacy work in Regent Park.[3]

Electoral record

Canadian federal election, 2015: York South—Weston
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
LiberalAhmed Hussen 20,093 46.0 +13.2 –
New DemocraticMike Sullivan 13,281 30.4 -9.7 –
ConservativeJames Robinson 8,399 19.2 -5.1 –
LibertarianStephen Lepone 1,041 2.4 – –
GreenJohn Johnson 892 2.0 -0.8 –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 43,706100.0   $203,157.28
Total rejected ballots 3620.82+0.02
Turnout 44,06862.63+9.53
Eligible voters 70,361
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +11.45
Source: Elections Canada[13][14]

Notes

  1. ↑ http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/10/22/from-refugee-to-mp-ahmed-hussens-remarkable-path-to-parliament.html
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Community KnewZ, Volume 1, Issue 1, 1 April 2013" (PDF). RPNI. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Ahmed Hussen". American Islamic Leadership Coalition. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "Only a fool would underestimate Justin Trudeau in this year's federal election". Leaders and Legacies. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "National President, Canadian Somali Congress". Yatedo. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  6. ↑ "About Us". Canadian Somali Congress. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  7. ↑ "Somali Women Scholarship Program". Canadian International Peace Project. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "Harper Government Reaches Out to Canadian Communities". Public Safety Canada. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "Harper Government Reaches Out to Canadian Communities". Public Safety Canada. Proquest Newspapers. 11 June 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  10. ↑ "Ahmed Hussen - Liberal Nomination - York South Weston". Ahmed Hussen. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  11. ↑ "Ahmed Hussen wins YSW Liberal nomination". WestonWeb. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  12. ↑ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-s-ahmed-hussen-1st-somali-canadian-elected-to-parliament-1.3281260
  13. ↑ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for York South—Weston, 30 September 2015
  14. ↑ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates

References

External links

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