Yasir Naqvi
Encyclopedia
Yasir Naqvi MPP is a politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
in the 2007 provincial election
, representing the riding of Ottawa Centre
. He is also the President of the Ontario Liberal Party
.
Naqvi was born and raised in Pakistan
and immigrated to Canada with his family in 1988 at the age of 15. Naqvi is a graduate of McMaster University
and the University of Ottawa Law School
. He was called to the Bar in Ontario in 2001 and began practicing law at Flavell Kubrick LLP, specializing in international trade law and eventually becoming a partner. He continued his practice with Lang Michener LLP after that firm merged with Flavell Kubrick LLP in 2005. He left Lang Michener in 2007 to join the Centre for Trade Policy and Law at Carleton University.
The Ottawa Citizen named Naqvi as one of its "People to Watch in 2010", with a profile in the January 9, 2010 Saturday Observer headlined "Yasir Naqvi, he's a firecracker. Ottawa Life magazine also included him in its Tenth Annual "Top 50 People in the Capital" list for 2010. In a September 2011 column, Adam Radwanski of The Globe and Mail called Naqvi " possibly the hardest-working constituency MPP in the province."
Prior to entering politics he volunteered with a number of community associations including the Centertown Community Health Centre and the Ottawa Food Bank. He has continued to organize the Capital Food Blitz after his election.
He was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to Rick Bartolucci
, the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
, in the cabinet announcement of October 30, 2007. On October 3, 2008, he was named Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Revenue Dwight Duncan
. On June 24, 2009 a cabinet shuffle moved John Wilkinson
into the role of Minister of Revenue and Naqvi was kept on as his Parliamentary Assistant. On September 2, 2010 Naqvi was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to Minister of Education Leona Dombrowsky
.
As an MPP, Naqvi has introduced one Motion and three Private Members' Bills to the Ontario Legislature since arriving in 2007:
In March 2010, an email was sent out by a party masquerading as Yasir Naqvi, attributing statements regarding Israeli Apartheid Week to him. Within hours of the email message being sent out, a press release was issued repudiating the email.
His brother Ali has been a candidate for both the federal New Democratic Party
(NDP) and its provincial counterpart, the Ontario NDP.
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 was elected to 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...
in the 2007 provincial election
Ontario general election, 2007
The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10, 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty won the election with a majority government, winning 71 out of a possible 107 seats with 42.2% of the popular...
, representing the riding of Ottawa Centre
Ottawa Centre (provincial electoral district)
Ottawa Centre is an urban provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada that has been represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1968...
. He is also the President of the Ontario Liberal Party
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...
.
Naqvi was born and raised in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and immigrated to Canada with his family in 1988 at the age of 15. Naqvi is a graduate of McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
and the University of Ottawa Law School
University of Ottawa Law
The University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, sometimes colloquially known as U of O Law, is the law school of the University of Ottawa, located in Ottawa, Ontario. The University of Ottawa Law School is one of Canada's most influential, having produced lawyers throughout French and English Canada...
. He was called to the Bar in Ontario in 2001 and began practicing law at Flavell Kubrick LLP, specializing in international trade law and eventually becoming a partner. He continued his practice with Lang Michener LLP after that firm merged with Flavell Kubrick LLP in 2005. He left Lang Michener in 2007 to join the Centre for Trade Policy and Law at Carleton University.
The Ottawa Citizen named Naqvi as one of its "People to Watch in 2010", with a profile in the January 9, 2010 Saturday Observer headlined "Yasir Naqvi, he's a firecracker. Ottawa Life magazine also included him in its Tenth Annual "Top 50 People in the Capital" list for 2010. In a September 2011 column, Adam Radwanski of The Globe and Mail called Naqvi " possibly the hardest-working constituency MPP in the province."
Prior to entering politics he volunteered with a number of community associations including the Centertown Community Health Centre and the Ottawa Food Bank. He has continued to organize the Capital Food Blitz after his election.
He was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to Rick Bartolucci
Rick Bartolucci
Rick Bartolucci is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He has represented Sudbury in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1995, and is a cabinet minister in the government of Dalton McGuinty...
, the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (Ontario)
The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services is responsible for law enforcement services in the Canadian province of Ontario, including the Ontario Provincial Police, correctional centres, detention centres/jails The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (French:...
, in the cabinet announcement of October 30, 2007. On October 3, 2008, he was named Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Revenue Dwight Duncan
Dwight Duncan
Dwight Duncan, MPP is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1995, and is the Minister of Finance in the government of Dalton McGuinty...
. On June 24, 2009 a cabinet shuffle moved John Wilkinson
John Wilkinson (Canadian politician)
John Wilkinson is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the predominantly rural riding of Perth—Wellington for the Liberal Party, and serves as provincial Minister of Environment....
into the role of Minister of Revenue and Naqvi was kept on as his Parliamentary Assistant. On September 2, 2010 Naqvi was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to Minister of Education Leona Dombrowsky
Leona Dombrowsky
Leona Dombrowsky is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario representing the riding of Prince Edward—Hastings, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Premier Dalton McGuinty....
.
As an MPP, Naqvi has introduced one Motion and three Private Members' Bills to the Ontario Legislature since arriving in 2007:
- Bill 106, the “Safer Communities and Neighborhoods Act”, was introduced on October 2, 2008. Bill 106 is awaiting 3rd reading in the Legislature after passing committee review in February 2010, and carried over to the 2nd legislative session following prorogation of the Ontario Legislature in March 2010. The bill enables municipalities to shutter residences or properties with chronic and disruptive criminal activity for 90 days.
- On September 17, 2009 Mr. Naqvi introduced a co-sponsored Motion with NDP MPP France GélinasFrance GélinasFrance Gélinas is a Canadian politician, who was elected to represent the riding of Nickel Belt in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2007 Ontario election. She is a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party....
declaring the third week of February “Kindness Week”, inspired by a successful Kindness Week initiative underway in Ottawa; the motion was passed with a unanimous vote.
- Bill 194, the City of Ottawa Amendment Act, was introduced on June 3, 2009. The Bill amends the City of Ottawa Act 1999 to establish an independent board of health for the City of Ottawa. Although Bill 194 was not carried over in the 2010 prorogation, it was embedded as Schedule 2 of the March 2010 Ontario Budget and enacted in to law on May 18, 2010.
- Bill 53, the “Escaping Domestic Violence Act”, was introduced on May 5, 2010, unanimously passed Second Reading on May 13, 2010, and is awaiting review by the Standing Committee on Social Policy. The Bill amends the Residential Tenancies Act 2006 to shorten the period of notice required to terminate a tenancy for victims of domestic violence.
In March 2010, an email was sent out by a party masquerading as Yasir Naqvi, attributing statements regarding Israeli Apartheid Week to him. Within hours of the email message being sent out, a press release was issued repudiating the email.
His brother Ali has been a candidate for both the federal New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
(NDP) and its provincial counterpart, the Ontario NDP.