Ausma Malik (born 1983 or 1984)[1] is a Canadian politician who serves as the deputy mayor of Toronto representing Toronto and East York. Malik was elected to represent Ward 10 Spadina—Fort York on Toronto City Council in the 2022 election. She was appointed as statutory (first) deputy mayor in 2023.
Ausma Malik | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Malik in 2014 | |
| First Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Toronto for Toronto and East York | |
| Assumed office August 10, 2023 | |
| Mayor | Olivia Chow |
| Preceded by | Jennifer McKelvie (statutory) Ana Bailão (Toronto and East York) |
| Toronto City Councillor for Ward 10 Spadina—Fort York | |
| Assumed office November 15, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Joe Mihevc |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1983 or 1984 (age 40–41) |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Political party | NDP |
| Other political affiliations | Ontario New Democratic |
| Residence(s) | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Website | ausmamalik |
Malik became the first hijab-wearing Muslim woman to be elected to public office in Canada when she served as a Toronto District School Board trustee from 2014 to 2018, and is also the first Toronto city councillor to wear a hijab. In August 2023, Mayor Olivia Chow appointed Malik as one of four deputy mayors of Toronto for the Toronto City Council 2022–2026 and as statutory deputy mayor.[2]
Early life and career
editAusma Malik was born in 1983 or 1984 to Pakistani immigrant parents as the third of four children and was raised in Mississauga, Ontario.[1] In 2013, Malik earned her Bachelor of Arts with honours from St. Michael's College at the University of Toronto, where she majored in international studies and doubled minored in history and political science.[3]
At the University of Toronto, Malik participated in student activism.[1] In 2006, Malik attended a protest outside the American consulate in Toronto against civilian deaths caused by the Israel Defense Forces during the 2006 Lebanon War.[4] In 2007, she was a member of the Canadian Federation of Students's Task Force on the Needs of Muslim Students, which published a report on failures to properly accommodate Muslim postsecondary students in respect to food choice, prayer space, religious holidays, and racial abuse.[5]
Before entering politics herself, she worked on education policy for the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP), as a labour organizer in the Association of Management, Administrative and Professional Crown Employees of Ontario, and as a staffer at the Stephen Lewis Foundation.[1]
Municipal politics
editSchool trustee
editIn 2014, Malik was elected as a Toronto District School Board trustee for Ward 10 with 40% of the vote.[1][6]
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Her election made her the first hijab-wearing Muslim woman elected to public office in Canada.[1][7] During the campaign, Malik was the subject of an anonymous Islamophobic campaign which distributed fliers claiming she supported the Toronto 18 terror plot, Sharia law, and Hezbollah.[1][8] During a ward trustee candidates debate, a small group of men interrupted her closing remarks by shouting that she was a "Jew hater" and "Hezbollah terrorist", eventually forcing her to abandon her closing statement and leave through a back door.[9]
During the 2018 Toronto municipal election, Malik registered to run in one of the downtown wards being split from Trinity—Spadina. Incumbent councillor Joe Cressy planned to jointly campaign with her while running in the other half of his old ward, but Premier Doug Ford reduced the number of wards from 47 to 25. This eliminated the ward Malik planned to run in, and she ended her campaign.[1][10] Malik did not run for re-election as a TDSB trustee and her term ended in 2018.[7]
In January 2020, Malik was the keynote speaker at the University of Toronto's 2020 Next Steps Conference. In July 2022, Malik went on unpaid leave as a director of social engagement at the Atkinson Foundation to run for Toronto City Council.[3][7]
Toronto City Council
edit.jpg)
Joe Cressy, who was elected to represent the new Ward 10 Spadina—Fort York in 2018, did not run in the 2022 Toronto municipal election.[10] Malik entered the race and was endorsed by the progressive advocacy group Progress Toronto, a registered third party in the municipal election, as well as by a number of NDP members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs).[6][11] On October 24, 2022, Malik was elected to Toronto City Council.[10] She took office on November 15.[12]
Malik is the first Toronto city councillor to wear a hijab.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h Pagliaro, Jennifer (December 17, 2017). "Can Toronto council better reflect the city's diversity?". Toronto Star. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
- ^ "CityNews". toronto.citynews.ca. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ a b Sean, McNeely (January 24, 2020). "Speaking at Career Event, U of T alumna Ausma Malik Emphasizes the Need to "Show Up" for Your Community". University of Toronto Alumni News. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
- ^ Sullivan, Sean Patrick (July 22, 2006). "Protests give Harper food for thought". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
- ^ Girard, Daniel (March 21, 2007). "Muslim discrimination cited". Toronto Star. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
- ^ a b "University-Rosedale, York South-Weston the closest election races in the city". CBC News. October 24, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
- ^ a b c Wilson, Kerrisa (October 25, 2022). "'It is exciting': Ausma Malik to become first hijab-wearing Muslim woman to sit on Toronto city council". CTV News. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
- ^ Otis, Daniel (October 24, 2014). "Islamophobia: the ugly side of the municipal election?". Toronto Star. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
- ^ Hammer, Kate (October 24, 2014). "School trustees are often ignored at ballot box". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Ontario municipal election 2022: Mayors John Tory, Patrick Brown, Bonnie Crombie re-elected". Toronto Star. October 24, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
- ^ Bingley, Matthew (October 19, 2022). "Spadina-Fort York candidates get do-over following Toronto election turmoil". Global News. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
- ^ "2022 Candidates' Guide – Ontario municipal council and school board elections". ontario.ca. Retrieved November 1, 2022.