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TORONTO- Shafiq Qaadri, a Pakistani Muslim Canadian has been re-elected for the Canada’s Ontario State Assembly in the election held on October 10 by defeating two other Muslim candidates. He was the liberal incumbent from Etobicoke North constituency. In his victory speech, Shafiq Qaadri thanked his mother for her mentoring and the riding's many diverse ethnic groups for their support.
At his campaign headquarters 10th October night, Qaadri thanked Somalis, Assyrians, Italians, Pakistanis, Indians, and Afghans for helping him reclaim his seat.
His campaign manager Kosta Chialtas said later that he had to learn how to say 'vote for me' in 10 different languages. All of the different communities in the riding played a role in canvassing their community to support Qaadri.
The Etobicoke North riding is a diverse community home to many new immigrants. It made history in this election as the first Ontario riding in which the main three candidates were Muslim. Progressive Conservative candidate Mohamed Kassim was running second, with NDP Mohamed Boudgenane third.
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Liberals were re-elected for a second term in Canada's most-populous province, becoming the first Liberal Party leader to win back-to-back majorities in 70 years.
The Liberals, who have governed since 2003, won 71 of 107 districts, compared with 26 for the Progressive Conservative Party and 10 for the New Democratic Party, according to Elections Ontario results. The ruling party won 42 percent of the popular vote, down from 46 percent in 2003.
The Liberals held 67 of 103 seats when the election was called, compared with 25 for the Conservatives and 10 for the New Democrats. One seat was vacant. The Liberals needed 54 seats to form a majority in the legislature, which was expanded to 107 seats since the 2003 vote.
McGuinty also ran on a platform which promised $14.7 billion in new expenditures, which included $3.1 billion for public education by 2011, $100 million more for hospitals and more health care workers and money to get tough on crime.
Controlling the Toronto-based legislature will allow McGuinty to pass laws without relying on opposition party support. McGuinty, 52, pledged to post budget surpluses, pay down debt and reduce class sizes in schools. He announced Thursday that Ontario residents will get a new holiday on the third Monday in February, called Family Day, fulfilling a campaign pledge.
The results must be satisfying for McGuinty who weathered a storm of accusations in the early days of the campaign that he was a promise-breaker. But he battled back, portraying himself as the defender of Ontario's public education system.
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