Gurbax S. Malhi
Encyclopedia
Gurbax Singh Malhi, PC
, (born October 12, 1949) was a Canadian
politician
. He was the first ever turban
ed politician to be elected anywhere in the western world. A Liberal
, he was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Bramalea—Gore—Malton
in 1993, and served as its representative in the House of Commons
for 18 consecutive years. In the 2011 election, he was defeated by Conservative
candidate Bal Gosal
.
, defeating
Progressive Conservative
incumbent Harry Chadwick
and Reformer
Darlene Florence in Bramalea-Gore-Malton. Prior to 1993, Canadian law prohibited members of Parliament from wearing headgear of any sort in the House of Commons. Malhi's insistence on wearing a turban caused the law to be changed shortly after the election.
Malhi was re-elected in the 1997 election
over Reform candidate Darlene Florence and Progressive Conservative candidate Beryl Ford. He was re-elected with the greatest majority of his career in the 2000 federal election
over Canadian Alliance candidate Gurdish Mangat and Progressive Conservative candidate Danny Varaich. He was re-elected again with a significant plurality over Conservative Raminder Singh Gill in the 2004 election
, despite the fact that his riding was a key Conservative target. In the 2006 federal election, Malhi was elected over Conservative candidate John Sprovieri and New Democrat candidate Cesar Martello. Malhi was elected for the sixth time in the 2008 election over Conservative candidate Stella Ambler and New Democrat candidate Jash Puniya.
In 2002, he became the recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for his commitment and contributions to Canadian society. In 2003, he was appointed for life to the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada
by Prime Minister Paul Martin
.
Gurbax Singh Malhi served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour from 2001 to 2003. From 2003 to 2004, Malhi served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry with special emphasis on Entrepreneurs and New Canadians. In 2004 he was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and he served in this capacity until 2005. In 2005, Gurbax Singh Malhi also acted as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal. From 2005 to 2006, he also served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue.
Malhi sat on, and has served as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament. He has also served as member of the Standing Joint Committee on Scrutiny of Regulations and the Standing Committees on: Industry, Science and Technology; Citizenship and Immigration; Industry; Justice and Human Rights; Government Operations; Human Resources, Skills Development, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities; Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities; Procedure and House Affairs.
He has also served as a member of the following subcommittees: Human Rights and International Development of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Business of Supply of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs; Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament; Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.
Malhi was the member of the following Parliamentary Associations: Canada-United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association, Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association, Canada-China Legislative Association, Canada-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Association, and the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. He has been a member of the following Friendship groups: Canada-Germany, Canada-Israel, and Canada-Italy. Malhi is also the founder of the Canada-South Asian Friendship Group.
.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, (born October 12, 1949) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was the first ever turban
Turban
In English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
ed politician to be elected anywhere in the western world. A Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
, he was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Bramalea—Gore—Malton
Bramalea—Gore—Malton
Bramalea—Gore—Malton is a federal and provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that is represented in the Canadian House of Commons....
in 1993, and served as its representative in the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
for 18 consecutive years. In the 2011 election, he was defeated by Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
candidate Bal Gosal
Bal Gosal
Baljit Gosal, is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election...
.
Member of Parliament
Malhi was first elected to the House of Commons in the federal election of 1993Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
, defeating
Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
incumbent Harry Chadwick
Harry Chadwick
Harry Chadwick was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 1993. His background was in the automobile industry, was a received and also worked in a warehouse....
and Reformer
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
Darlene Florence in Bramalea-Gore-Malton. Prior to 1993, Canadian law prohibited members of Parliament from wearing headgear of any sort in the House of Commons. Malhi's insistence on wearing a turban caused the law to be changed shortly after the election.
Malhi was re-elected in the 1997 election
Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
over Reform candidate Darlene Florence and Progressive Conservative candidate Beryl Ford. He was re-elected with the greatest majority of his career in the 2000 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2000
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada....
over Canadian Alliance candidate Gurdish Mangat and Progressive Conservative candidate Danny Varaich. He was re-elected again with a significant plurality over Conservative Raminder Singh Gill in the 2004 election
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
, despite the fact that his riding was a key Conservative target. In the 2006 federal election, Malhi was elected over Conservative candidate John Sprovieri and New Democrat candidate Cesar Martello. Malhi was elected for the sixth time in the 2008 election over Conservative candidate Stella Ambler and New Democrat candidate Jash Puniya.
In 2002, he became the recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for his commitment and contributions to Canadian society. In 2003, he was appointed for life to the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
by Prime Minister Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
.
Gurbax Singh Malhi served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour from 2001 to 2003. From 2003 to 2004, Malhi served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry with special emphasis on Entrepreneurs and New Canadians. In 2004 he was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and he served in this capacity until 2005. In 2005, Gurbax Singh Malhi also acted as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal. From 2005 to 2006, he also served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue.
Malhi sat on, and has served as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament. He has also served as member of the Standing Joint Committee on Scrutiny of Regulations and the Standing Committees on: Industry, Science and Technology; Citizenship and Immigration; Industry; Justice and Human Rights; Government Operations; Human Resources, Skills Development, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities; Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities; Procedure and House Affairs.
He has also served as a member of the following subcommittees: Human Rights and International Development of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Business of Supply of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs; Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament; Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.
Malhi was the member of the following Parliamentary Associations: Canada-United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association, Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association, Canada-China Legislative Association, Canada-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Association, and the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. He has been a member of the following Friendship groups: Canada-Germany, Canada-Israel, and Canada-Italy. Malhi is also the founder of the Canada-South Asian Friendship Group.
Bramalea—Gore—Malton
Source: Elections CanadaBramalea—Gore—Malton
Bramalea—Gore—Malton
Bramalea—Gore—Malton
Note: Conservative vote is compared to the total of the Canadian Alliance vote and Progressive Conservative vote in 2000 election.Bramalea—Gore—Malton—Springdale
Note: Canadian Alliance vote is compared to the Reform vote in 1997 election.Bramalea—Gore—Malton
Bramalea—Gore—Malton
Note that all electoral information is taken from Elections CanadaElections Canada
Elections Canada is an independent, non-partisan agency reporting directly to the Parliament of Canada. Its ongoing responsibility is to ensure that Canadians can exercise their choices in federal elections and referenda through an open and impartial process...
.