Michael Qaqish

Michael Qaqish
Ottawa City Councillor
Assumed office
December 1, 2014
Preceded by Steve Desroches
Constituency Gloucester-South Nepean Ward
Personal details
Born December 1985
Toronto
Spouse(s) Single

Michael Qaqish (born December 1985[1]) is the Ottawa City Councillor for Gloucester-South Nepean Ward. He was elected for the first time in the Ottawa municipal election, 2014.

Qaqish was born in Toronto and lived in Jordan before moving to Ottawa to earn a degree in Psychology from Carleton University.[2] Qaqish's background is in journalism. Prior to being elected, he was a contributor to CTV, 580 CFRA, The Hill Times and CHIN Radio. He was the founding president of the Kiwanis Club of Barrhaven.[3] He lives in the Chapman Mills neighbourhood of Barrhaven.

From 2008 to 2012, Qaqish worked as an assistant to Gloucester-South Nepean councillor Steve Desroches, and then worked for Capital Ward councillor David Chernushenko. Before that, Qaqish worked for a number of Liberal Party politicians such as now mayor Jim Watson when he was an MPP, MP Derek Lee and MP Ruby Dhalla.

City Council

Michael Qaqish has been working directly with Ottawa City Council since 2008 and is the current Ward 22 City Councillor for Gloucester-South Nepean Ward.

He has a place in the following committees:[4]

  • Environment Committee - Member
  • Transit Commission - Vice Chair
  • Community and Protective Services Committee - Member
  • Ottawa Board of Health - Member
  • Transportation Committee - Member

Qaqish's expenses came under scrutiny when the CBC, while conducting an investigation into Ottawa councillors' spending, discovered that Michael Qaqish has spent more than three times the median of all councillors.[5]

Work with Refugees

Michael Qaqish was appointed to Special Liaison for Refugee Resettlement in January 2016[6] and will be in this additional role until the end of this Term of Council. In May 2016, Qaqish co-hosted a welcome party[7] for approximately 1,500 Syrian refugees with Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson at the Aberdeen Pavilion in Lansdowne Park. Michael Qaqish was inducted to United Way's Wall of Inspiration[8] with a Community Builder of the Year award on March 2, 2017 due to his work with refugee resettlement efforts.

References

  1. ↑ http://cusjc.ca/ypolitics/michael-qaqish-brings-young-blood-to-city-council/
  2. ↑ http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-story/4331913-meet-the-candidates-michael-qaqish/
  3. ↑ http://ottawa.ca/en/city-council/councillor-michael-qaqish
  4. ↑ "Michael Qaqish". ottawa.ca. 2016-11-29. Retrieved 2017-03-15.
  5. ↑ "How city councillors are spending your money". cbc.ca. 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  6. ↑ "New Appointment for Councillor | Michael Qaqish". michaelqaqish.com. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  7. ↑ "'Thank you so much': Ottawa hosts welcome party for Syrian refugees". CBC News. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  8. ↑ "2016 Community Builders | United Way Ottawa". United Way Ottawa. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
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