Murad Velshi
Encyclopedia
Murad Velshi is a former politician
in Ontario
, Canada
. He is an Indian Muslim who lived in Kenya and migrated to Canada. He was a Liberal
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1987 to 1990.
. After moving to Canada in 1971, he established a chain of travel agencies in Ontario and British Columbia
, and served as president of the Flemingdon Health Centre. He played a significant role in assisting Uganda
n refugees to Canada following Idi Amin
's coup d'état. Velshi has also supported employment equity programs in Canada.
Velshi is an Ismaili
Muslim
, and was the first Canadian of India
n origin to serve in the Ontario legislature. His forebears are from Gujarat state in India, though Murad and Mila, Ali’s mother, grew up in South Africa. Ali’s great-grandfather was a friend of Mohandas K. Gandhi, who arrived in South Africa in 1893. In 1984, Velshi accused federal Liberal
leader John Turner
of refusing to field minority candidates in Toronto-area ridings. Later, he provided assistance to the Ismaili community in Afghanistan
, during a period of persecution by the Taliban.
His son, Ali Velshi
, is senior business correspondent and news anchor for CNN
.
, and finished a distant second in the riding of Don Mills
against Progressive Conservative
incumbent Dennis Timbrell
. He ran for Don Mills again in the 1987 election
after Timbrell's retirement, and defeated his closest opponent by more than 2,000 votes. He served for a year as parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Citizenship
.
The Liberals were defeated in the 1990 provincial election
, and Velshi lost his seat to Margery Ward
of the New Democratic Party by 1,004 votes. He attempted to regain the seat in a by-election
held on April 1, 1993, but finished a weak second against Progressive Conservative candidates David Johnson
. He has not sought a return to the legislature since this time.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
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...
. He is an Indian Muslim who lived in Kenya and migrated to Canada. He was a Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
from 1987 to 1990.
Background
Velshi was a master baker and businessman before entering political life. He owned and operated a bakery, a pickle manufacturing plant and other retail businesses in Pretoria, and was the owner of a real-estate company in KenyaKenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. After moving to Canada in 1971, he established a chain of travel agencies in Ontario and British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, and served as president of the Flemingdon Health Centre. He played a significant role in assisting Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
n refugees to Canada following Idi Amin
Idi Amin
Idi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
's coup d'état. Velshi has also supported employment equity programs in Canada.
Velshi is an Ismaili
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, and was the first Canadian of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n origin to serve in the Ontario legislature. His forebears are from Gujarat state in India, though Murad and Mila, Ali’s mother, grew up in South Africa. Ali’s great-grandfather was a friend of Mohandas K. Gandhi, who arrived in South Africa in 1893. In 1984, Velshi accused federal 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...
leader John Turner
John Turner
John Napier Wyndham Turner, PC, CC, QC is an English Canadian lawyer and retired politician, who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Canada from June 30 to September 17, 1984....
of refusing to field minority candidates in Toronto-area ridings. Later, he provided assistance to the Ismaili community in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, during a period of persecution by the Taliban.
His son, Ali Velshi
Ali Velshi
Ali Velshi is a Canadian-American television journalist best known for his work on CNN. He is CNN's Chief Business Correspondent, Anchor of CNN's Wake Up Call and a co-host of CNN's weekday morning show American Morning.-Personal life:...
, is senior business correspondent and news anchor for CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
.
Politics
He first ran for the Ontario legislature in the 1981 provincial electionOntario general election, 1981
The Ontario general election of 1981 was held on March 19, 1981, to elect members of the 32nd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, and finished a distant second in the riding of Don Mills
Don Mills (electoral district)
Don Mills was a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada. It was created for the 1963 provincial election, and lasted until the provincial redistribution on 1996. The riding was formally retired with the 1999 provincial election...
against Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
incumbent Dennis Timbrell
Dennis Timbrell
Dennis Roy Timbrell is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1971 to 1987, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of William Davis and Frank Miller.-Early life and career:...
. He ran for Don Mills again in the 1987 election
Ontario general election, 1987
The Ontario general election of 1987 was held on September 10, 1987, to elect members of the 34th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.The governing Ontario Liberal Party, led by David Peterson, was returned to power with a large majority...
after Timbrell's retirement, and defeated his closest opponent by more than 2,000 votes. He served for a year as parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Citizenship
Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (Ontario)
The Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration is responsible for citizenship and immigration issues in the Canadian province of Ontario. Overall immigration and citizenship policy is still held by the federal government....
.
The Liberals were defeated in the 1990 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1990
The Ontario general election of 1990 was held on September 6, 1990, to elect members of the 35th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada....
, and Velshi lost his seat to Margery Ward
Margery Ward
Margery Ward was a politician in Ontario, Canada. Born in Bass River, near Bathurst, New Brunswick, she served as a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 until her death in 1993....
of the New Democratic Party by 1,004 votes. He attempted to regain the seat in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held on April 1, 1993, but finished a weak second against Progressive Conservative candidates David Johnson
David Johnson (Canadian politician)
David John Johnson is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was the mayor of East York from 1982 to 1993, a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1993 to 1999, and a senior cabinet minister in the government of Mike Harris.Johnson has a Bachelor of Science...
. He has not sought a return to the legislature since this time.