Irfan Sabir ECA MLA (born December 19, 1977) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 2015 and 2019 Alberta general elections to represent the electoral district of Calgary-Bhullar-McCall.[1][2] He is a member of the Alberta New Democratic Party. In the 29th Alberta Legislature his party formed a majority government and he was a member of the Executive Council of Alberta as the Minister of Community and Social Services between 2015 and 2019.[3] In the 30th Alberta Legislature, beginning in 2019, his party formed the official opposition to a United Conservative Party majority government. As of June 21, 2024, he serves as the Official Opposition critic for Justice and Public Safety as well as the Deputy House Leader of the Official Opposition.

Irfan Sabir
Sabir in May 2015
Alberta Minister of Community and Social Services
In office
May 24, 2015 – April 30, 2019
Preceded byHeather Klimchuk
Succeeded byRajan Sawhney
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-Bhullar-McCall
Assumed office
May 5, 2015
Preceded byDarshan Kang
Personal details
Born (1977-12-19) December 19, 1977 (age 47)
Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
Political partyAlberta New Democratic Party
Residence(s)Calgary, Alberta
Alma materUniversity of Calgary
OccupationLawyer
PortfolioMinister of Human Services

Background

edit

Sabir was raised in Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, where he obtained an economics degree.[4] He moved to Calgary in 2004, and obtained degrees in social work and law at the University of Calgary.[4] In 2012, he began working at Maurice Law Barristers and Solicitors, where he specialized in Aboriginal law.[4] In the past, he has also worked for a Calgary homeless shelter and volunteered for Calgary Legal Guidance and Red Cross Canada.[4]

Electoral history

edit

2015 general election

edit
2015 Alberta general election: Calgary-McCall
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Irfan Sabir 3,812 29.95 +27.80
Wildrose Happy Mann 3,367 26.45 -3.79
Progressive Conservative Jagdeep Sahota 2,317 18.20 -11.09
Liberal Avinash Khangura 2,224 17.47 -19.22
Independent Burhan Khan 1,010 7.81
Total valid votes 12,730 98.50
Rejected, spoiled and declined 194 1.50
Turnout 12,924 42.90 -1.91
Eligible voters 30,125
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +23.51
Source(s)
"2015 Provincial General Election Results". Elections Alberta. Archived from the original on 2021-04-11. Retrieved 2017-08-01.

2019 general election

edit
2019 Alberta general election: Calgary-McCall
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Irfan Sabir 6,567 51.72 +21.90
United Conservative Jasraj Hallan 4,851 38.21 -11.90
Alberta Party Avinash Khangura 636 5.01
Liberal Faiza Ali Abdi 281 2.21 -11.71
Green Janice Fraser 218 1.72
  Independence Don Edmonstone 84 0.66 --
  Alberta Advantage Larry Smith 60 0.47 --
Total valid votes 12,697 98.86
Rejected, spoiled and declined 147 1.14
Turnout 12,844 56.08
Eligible voters 22,903
New Democratic notional gain from United Conservative Swing +16.90
Source(s)
"2019 Provincial General Election Results". Elections Alberta. Archived from the original on 2021-04-11. Retrieved 2019-05-05.

2023 general election

edit
2023 Alberta general election: Calgary-Bhullar-McCall
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Irfan Sabir 7,265 58.00 +6.28
United Conservative Amanpreet Singh Gill 5,261 42.00 +3.79
Total 12,526 99.19
Rejected and declined 102 0.81
Turnout 12,628 52.91
Eligible electors 23,867
New Democratic hold Swing +1.24
Source(s)

References

edit