# Somali Canadians in public life > Somali Canadians in public office and public life: MPs and ministers, provincial legislators, city councillors, and journalists, writers and artists. Source page: https://calankii.com/en/diaspora/somali-canadians-in-public-life/ Last checked: 2026-11-12 Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com) ## Who are the Somali Canadians in public office? One Somali Canadian sits in the House of Commons, one in the Ontario legislature and one in Alberta's. Another served a term on Victoria's city council. This page lists them by level of office, then public figures by role. Background on the community is on the [Canada](/en/diaspora/canada/) page. ## Who represents Somali Canadians in Parliament? **Ahmed Hussen** (Liberal) was elected for York South—Weston in Toronto on 19 October 2015 ([House of Commons, roles](https://www.noscommunes.ca/MEMBERS/en/ahmed-hussen(89020)/roles)). CBC News reported him as the first Somali-Canadian elected to Parliament ([CBC News, October 2015](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-s-ahmed-hussen-1st-somali-canadian-elected-to-parliament-1.3281260)). He was re-elected in 2019, 2021 and, for the renamed York South—Weston—Etobicoke, on 28 April 2025 ([House of Commons](https://www.noscommunes.ca/MEMBERS/en/ahmed-hussen(89020)/roles)). A fuller profile is on his [people page](/en/people/ahmed-hussen/). His Cabinet posts, as listed by the House of Commons ([House of Commons, roles](https://www.noscommunes.ca/MEMBERS/en/ahmed-hussen(89020)/roles)): | Post | From | To | |---|---|---| | Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship | 10 January 2017 | 20 November 2019 | | Minister of Families, Children and Social Development | 20 November 2019 | 26 October 2021 | | Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion | 26 October 2021 | 26 July 2023 | | Minister of International Development | 26 July 2023 | 14 March 2025 | - **First Somali-born minister:** his 2017 appointment made him Canada's first Cabinet minister born in Somalia ([Yahoo News Canada, January 2017](https://ca.news.yahoo.com/with-cabinet-shuffle-ahmed-hussen-becomes-first-somali-canadian-minister-193528601.html)). - **Since 2025:** he has chaired the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development since 17 June 2025 ([House of Commons](https://www.noscommunes.ca/MEMBERS/en/ahmed-hussen(89020)/roles)). - **Background:** he came to Canada as a refugee at 16, finished high school in Hamilton and settled in Toronto in 1997 ([Ahmed Hussen, MP](https://ahmedhussen.libparl.ca/about/)). He studied at York University and the University of Ottawa law school, and practised criminal defence, immigration and human rights law (same source). - **Community roles:** he co-founded and led the Regent Park Community Council and was national president of the Canadian Somali Congress ([Ahmed Hussen, MP](https://ahmedhussen.libparl.ca/about/)). - **A public act:** as Minister of International Development he spoke at the March 2025 announcement of up to $20 million in federal money for Wadnaha Dhexe, a Somali community centre in Toronto ([Government of Canada, 1 March 2025](https://www.canada.ca/en/housing-infrastructure-communities/news/2025/03/wadnaha-dhexe-government-of-canada-commits-to-new-culture-and-recreation-centre-for-the-somali-community-in-toronto.html)). "The Canadian-Somali community is young and dynamic," he said (same source). ## Who sits in provincial legislatures? **Ontario** - **Faisal Hassan** (NDP) was MPP for York South—Weston from June 2018 to 2022 ([Global News, 2018](https://globalnews.ca/news/4192021/ontario-election-2018-york-south-weston-riding); [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faisal_Hassan)). He came to Canada in 1990, first to Winnipeg ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faisal_Hassan)). - In March 2020 he brought a bill to recognise Somali Heritage Week ([Ontario NDP, March 2020](https://www.ontariondp.ca/news/ndp-mpp-announces-bill-recognize-somali-heritage-week-ontario)). The Somali Heritage Week Act, 2020 marks 25 June to 1 July each year ([Ontario, S.O. 2020, c. 22](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/20s22)). - He sat in Ontario's first Black Caucus, with four NDP colleagues ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faisal_Hassan)). - **Mohamed Firin** (Progressive Conservative) won York South—Weston in the 27 February 2025 Ontario election ([Legislative Assembly of Ontario](https://www.ola.org/en/members/all/mohamed-firin)). Since 22 October 2026 he has been Parliamentary Assistant to the Solicitor General (same source). - Firin is described as Canadian-born, of Somali descent, and a former provincial Advocate for Community Opportunities and Special Advisor to the Premier ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Firin)). An election-results site gives his 2025 margin as 202 votes over the Liberal candidate ([Stephen Taylor results map](https://www.stephentaylor.ca/data/political/canada/provincial/election/on/2025/122/)). **Alberta** - **[Sharif](/en/society/asharaaf/) Haji** (NDP) was elected for Edmonton-Decore on 29 May 2023 ([Legislative Assembly of Alberta](https://www.assembly.ab.ca/members/members-of-the-legislative-assembly/member-information?mid=0963)). [Hiiraan Online](/en/economy/somali-media-companies/) reported him as the first Somali Canadian elected to Alberta's legislature ([Hiiraan Online, May 2023](https://hiiraan.com/news4/2023/May/191566/sharif_haji_becomes_first_somali_canadian_elected_to_alberta_s_parliament.aspx)). - His main opponent, a Conservative, was also of Somali descent ([Hiiraan Online](https://hiiraan.com/news4/2023/May/191566/sharif_haji_becomes_first_somali_canadian_elected_to_alberta_s_parliament.aspx)). - The Assembly lists him as born in Somalia, a former executive director of the Africa Centre (2019 to 2023), and a former manager of the provincial affordable housing strategy ([Legislative Assembly of Alberta](https://www.assembly.ab.ca/members/members-of-the-legislative-assembly/member-information?mid=0963)). - In opposition he has been critic for immigration (2023 to 2024), for affordability and utilities (2024 to 2025), and since 22 October 2025 for primary and preventative health (same source). ## Who has sat on a city council? **Sharmarke Dubow** was elected to Victoria city council, British Columbia, on 20 October 2018 ([UNHCR Canada, 17 June 2019](https://www.unhcr.ca/news/victoria-city-councillor-inspired-refugee-past-serve-community/)). UNHCR described him as the first Somali Canadian on a Canadian city council and Victoria's first Black councillor in 152 years (same source). - He fled Somalia by boat in 1992, aged eight, and lived as a refugee in Kenya, Ethiopia and Egypt ([UNHCR Canada](https://www.unhcr.ca/news/victoria-city-councillor-inspired-refugee-past-serve-community/)). - He reached Canada in 2012, became a citizen on 1 July 2017, and cast his first vote in the election he won (same source; [CBC News, 2018](https://amp.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sharmarke-dubow-elected-victoria-city-council-1.4873530)). - In April 2022 he said he would not seek a second term ([Hiiraan Online, April 2022](https://hiiraan.com/news4/2022/Apr/185902/canada_dubow_won_t_seek_re_election_as_victoria_councillor.aspx)). Edmonton's Somali Canadian Cultural Society said in 2021 that it had hoped for more diversity on the city's school board ([CBC News, 2021](https://www.cbc.ca/1.6222321)). ## Who are Somali Canadians in public life outside elected office? **Journalism and media** - **Hodan Nalayeh** (1976 to 2019) founded Integration TV, an online channel of stories about Somalis ([CBC News, July 2019](https://amp.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/hodan-nalayeh-somalia-bombing-obit-1.5211154)). She and her husband were killed in the attack on the Asasey Hotel in Kismaayo on 12 July 2019 ([Al Jazeera, 15 July 2019](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/7/15/brave-inspiring-somali-canadian-journalist-killed-in-kismayo)). See her [people page](/en/people/hodan-nalayeh/). - A podcast she began with Windsor writer Fartumo Kusow was finished after her death with help from a CBC Windsor journalist ([CBC News, 2020](https://amp.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.5566247)). - **Hassan Ghedi Santur**, a Toronto writer, has worked as a CBC Radio journalist, and his print work has appeared in The Walrus and the New York Times ([Rungh](https://rungh.org/?p=5136)). **Music and the arts** - **K'naan** (Keinan Abdi Warsame), born in Mogadishu in 1978, grew up in Toronto ([Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/biography/KNaan)). His song "Wavin' Flag" was Coca-Cola's anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup (same source). See his [people page](/en/people/knaan/). **Community bodies** - The Canadian Somali Congress is a national body; Hussen was its national president before entering politics ([Ahmed Hussen, MP](https://ahmedhussen.libparl.ca/about/)). - Local centres and their leaders are listed on the [Toronto](/en/diaspora/toronto/), [Ottawa](/en/diaspora/ottawa/), [Edmonton](/en/diaspora/edmonton/) and [Calgary](/en/diaspora/calgary/) pages. ## Related pages - [Canada](/en/diaspora/canada/) - [Toronto](/en/diaspora/toronto/), [Ottawa](/en/diaspora/ottawa/), [Edmonton](/en/diaspora/edmonton/), [Calgary](/en/diaspora/calgary/) - [Somali Americans in public office](/en/diaspora/somali-americans-in-public-office/) - [British Somalis in public life](/en/diaspora/british-somalis-in-public-life/) - [Somalis in public office in Europe](/en/diaspora/somalis-in-public-office-in-europe/) - [Ahmed Hussen](/en/people/ahmed-hussen/), [Hodan Nalayeh](/en/people/hodan-nalayeh/), [K'naan](/en/people/knaan/) --- I want to help with this: email hello@calankii.com. 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