Salma Zahid

Salma Zahid
MP
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Scarborough Centre
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded by Roxanne James
Personal details
Born Coventry, England, UK
Citizenship
  • Canada
  • Pakistan
Political party Liberal
Residence Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario
Alma mater University of London
Quaid-i-Azam University
Awards Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal

Salma Zahid MP is an English-born Pakistani-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.[1]

Zahid was born in Coventry, England. She 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.[2] She is Pakistani Canadian, mother of 2 and has resided in Scarborough since 2000.[3] She is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.[4]

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.[5] 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.[6] In July 2018, after completing six rounds of chemotherapy, Zahid was cancer-free and returned to her job.[5]

Zahid was re-nominated to run in Scarborough Centre for the Liberals in the 2019 Canadian federal election.[5]

Election results

Canadian federal election, 2015: Scarborough Centre
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalSalma Zahid22,75350.5+18.61$111,259.09
ConservativeRoxanne James14,70532.7-2.18$96,481.13
New DemocraticAlex Wilson5,22711.6-19.06$24,264.68
LibertarianKaterina Androutsos1,3843.1 $1,452.03
GreenLindsay Thompson9602.1-0.47$1,627.92
Total valid votes/Expense limit 45,029100.00+22.33$203,985.80
Total rejected ballots 407 0.90 +0.33
Turnout 45,43664.36+10.02
Eligible voters 70,594 +0.46
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +10.39%
Source(s)
"Election Night Results (Validated by Returning Officer)". Elections Canada. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
"Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates".

References

  1. ↑ "Liberal candidate Salma Zahid wins Scarborough Centre". Toronto Star. October 19, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Biography: Salma Zahid". Liberal Party of Canada. October 15, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Two Pakistani women emerge victorious in Canadian general elections". ARY News. October 20, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Scarborough area Liberal MPs endorse John Tory".
  5. 1 2 3 Aiello, Rachel (August 22, 2018). "'A new low': Conservative robocall tries to exploit Liberal MP's cancer diagnosis". CTV News. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  6. ↑ 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.
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