Yasmin Ratansi

Yasmin Ratansi
MP
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Don Valley East
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded by Joe Daniel
In office
June 28, 2004 – May 2, 2011
Preceded by David Collenette
Succeeded by Joe Daniel
Personal details
Born (1951-01-04) January 4, 1951
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Political party Liberal
Residence Toronto
Profession Accountant, management consultant
Religion Ismaili Muslim

Yasmin Ratansi (born January 4, 1951) is a Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Don Valley East in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2011, and again from 2015. She is a member of the Liberal Party. Ratansi is an Ismaili Muslim, and was the first Muslim woman elected to the Canadian House of Commons.

Before politics

Born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, she emigrated to Canada in 1974.[1] She worked as a management consultant. She is a Certified General Accountant (CGA), a member of the Certified General Accountants of Ontario, and a fellow of the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada. In 2009, Ratansi was bestowed with the John Leslie Award by CGA Canada, given in recognition of CGAs "who have achieved a high and favourable profile in the Canadian community."[2]

Politics

In 1979 Ratansi joined the Liberal party and campaigned for David Collenette.[1] Later she was the federal Liberal candidate for Don Valley East in the 1988 federal election. In the nomination for the Liberal candidacy leading up to the vote, rival Mel Catre complained that voting irregularities allowed Ratansi supporters to vote freely while his supporters were barred from voting. A subsequent investigation failed to prove these allegations.[3] Ratansi finished in second place 2,838 votes behind the Conservative winner Alan Redway. She served on the party's federal campaign committee in 1992 and was treasurer of the party's Ontario wing from 1993 to 1997. In 1998 she served as one of three co-chairs on the campaign to elect Mel Lastman as mayor of the newly amalgamated city of Toronto.[4]

In 2004 she ran again facing former MPP David Johnson. During her campaign she spoke about the issue of immigrant underemployment. She also supported a publicly run health system. She won the riding by more than 10,000 votes.[1]

During her tenure in parliament, Ratansi sat through three parliamentary sessions. During this time she acted as the Official Opposition's Critic for National Revenue and as critic for the Canada Revenue Agency. She also chaired a number of committees including the Status of Women and the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates.[5] She also served as Liberal Caucus treasurer.

Electoral record

Canadian federal election, 2015: Don Valley East
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
LiberalYasmin Ratansi 24,048 57.82 +19.43 –
ConservativeMaureen Harquail 12,155 29.22 -7.16 –
New DemocraticKhalid Ahmed 4,307 10.36 -11.52 –
GreenLaura Elizabeth Sanderson 1,078 2.62 -0.21 –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 41,588100.0 $197,247.29
Total rejected ballots 2570.61+0.06
Turnout 41,84566.75+9.51
Eligible voters 62,682
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +13.30
Source: Elections Canada[6][7][8]
Canadian federal election, 2011
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
ConservativeJoe Daniel 14,422 36.78 +5.78
LiberalYasmin Ratansi 13,552 34.56 -13.51
New DemocraticMary Trapani Hynes 9,878 25.19 +11.87
GreenAkil Sadikali 1,114 2.84 -4.05
Christian HeritageRyan Kidd 246 0.63 -0.07
Total valid votes 39,212100.00
Total rejected ballots 218 0.55–
Turnout 39,430 57.24–
Eligible voters 68,890 ––
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +9.65
Canadian federal election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
LiberalYasmin Ratansi 18,264 48.07 -5.92 $67,602
ConservativeEugene McDermott 11,777 31.00 +1.84 $77,618
New DemocraticMary Trapani Hynes 5,062 13.32 +0.43 $5,282
GreenWayne Clements 2,618 6.89 +2.95 $4,032
Christian HeritageAlex Kovalenko 266 0.70 – $163
Total valid votes/Expense limit 38,347 100.00$81,387
Total rejected ballots 178
Liberal hold Swing -3.88
Canadian federal election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalYasmin Ratansi 23,441 53.99 -0.6
ConservativeEugene McDermott 12,661 29.16 +1.2
New DemocraticRichard Alan Hennick 5,597 12.89 -0.3
GreenWayne Clements 1,714 3.94 +1.0
Total valid votes 43,413100.0%
Total rejected ballots 201
Liberal hold Swing -0.90
Canadian federal election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
LiberalYasmin Ratansi 21,864 54.6 -12.0
ConservativeDavid Johnson 11,206 28.0 +7.7
New DemocraticValerie Mah 5,287 13.2 +7.4
GreenDan King 1,172 2.9
Christian HeritageRyan Kidd 351 0.8 +0.3
CommunistChristopher Black 149 0.4
Total valid votes 40,029 100.0
Liberal hold Swing -9.85
Canadian federal election, 1988
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
Progressive ConservativeAlan Redway 18,719 44.7 -9.7
LiberalYasmin Ratansi 15,881 37.9 +3.9
New DemocraticBrant Loper 6,310 15.1 +4.4
LibertarianMark Meschino 538 1.3 +0.6
IndependentDavid Smith 271 0.6
CommunistMaria Kontopidis 155 0.4
Total valid votes 41,874 100.0
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -6.30

References

  1. 1 2 3 Nicole MacIntyre. Tories' Johnson returns to fray; Former education minister lost seat in 1999 protest vote Immigrant underemployment, high rents issues in riding. Toronto Star. may 24, 2004. pg. B1
  2. ↑ CGA Canada, John Leslie Award
  3. ↑ Liberal loser in Don Valley East complains backers couldn't vote. Toronto Star. July 11, 1988. Pg. A4
  4. ↑ William Walker. Colle defends mega flip-flop Harsh critic of unified city now on Lastman campaign team. Toronto Star, August 22, 1997. Pg. A5
  5. ↑ Parliament of Canada: Yasmin Ratansi, Federal experience. Last accessed March 12, 2010.
  6. ↑ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Don Valley East, 30 September 2015
  7. ↑ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
  8. ↑
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