Deepak Obhrai
Encyclopedia
Deepak Obhrai is a Canadian
politician, representing the riding of Calgary
East
for the Conservative Party of Canada
. He is currently serving as the Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
.
He was first elected in 1997 for the Reform Party of Canada
, and was re-elected when the Reform Party became the Canadian Alliance
in 2000. In 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011 he was elected as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada
. He was also one of four Alliance MPs who agreed to sit with the Progressive Conservative
caucus after the December 9, 2003 creation of the merged Conservative Party. The Progressive Conservative and Canadian Alliance parliamentary caucuses were not officially merged until a few weeks later.
As an opposition member he served as the Opposition critic for International Cooperation, Multiculturalism, International Trade and of CIDA.
for refusing to appear in an all-candidates debate in his riding, citing that he "does not wish to debate a Liberal from Toronto," a reference to Calgary East Liberal candidate Josipa Petrunic, who is in fact a born and raised Calgarian. The controversy was accentuated by the fact that Obhrai himself has not lived in the riding since winning the then Reform party nomination in 1997, as his primary residence is actually in the federal riding of Calgary Northeast
.
Obhrai has gained notoriety in the Conservative caucus for his eccentricity
. Following his victory in the 2011 Election, he discovered that as a result of Gurbax Singh Malhi's defeat in Bramalea—Gore—Malton
, he was now the longest serving remaining member of parliament who was of South Asian and/or African
ancestry. To this effect, he penned a bizarre letter to the editor
to the Calgary Herald
in which he boasted about being the "most senior South Asian and African member of Parliament", despite having never held office in India or Africa. Obhrai went on to proclaim that: "In my birth country, Tanzania, I would henceforth be referred to by the respectful title of Mzee. In South Asia, I would receive the title of Pradhaan. This means I have now reached the ranks of respected elders.". To wind it up, Obhrai gleefully exclaimed that, despite his senior status, "I still look young!".
|align="left" colspan=2|Conservative
hold
|align="right"|Swing
|align="right"| -0.8
|align="right"|
Note: Conservative vote is compared to total of Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative vote in 2000.
Note: Canadian Alliance vote is compared to Reform vote in 1997.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician, representing the riding of Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
East
Calgary East
Calgary East is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1953, 1979 to 1988, and since 1997...
for the Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
. He is currently serving as the Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's international relations section of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada....
.
He was first elected in 1997 for the Reform Party of Canada
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
, and was re-elected when the Reform Party became the Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
in 2000. In 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011 he was elected as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
. He was also one of four Alliance MPs who agreed to sit with the Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
caucus after the December 9, 2003 creation of the merged Conservative Party. The Progressive Conservative and Canadian Alliance parliamentary caucuses were not officially merged until a few weeks later.
As an opposition member he served as the Opposition critic for International Cooperation, Multiculturalism, International Trade and of CIDA.
Controversy
Obhrai attracted local and national criticism during the 2011 Canadian Federal Election41st Canadian federal election
The 2011 Canadian federal election was held Monday, May 2, 2011, to elect members to the House of Commons of the 41st Canadian Parliament....
for refusing to appear in an all-candidates debate in his riding, citing that he "does not wish to debate a Liberal from Toronto," a reference to Calgary East Liberal candidate Josipa Petrunic, who is in fact a born and raised Calgarian. The controversy was accentuated by the fact that Obhrai himself has not lived in the riding since winning the then Reform party nomination in 1997, as his primary residence is actually in the federal riding of Calgary Northeast
Calgary Northeast
Calgary Northeast is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1988. It is an urban riding in the city of Calgary.-History:...
.
Obhrai has gained notoriety in the Conservative caucus for his eccentricity
Eccentricity (behavior)
In popular usage, eccentricity refers to unusual or odd behavior on the part of an individual. This behavior would typically be perceived as unusual or unnecessary, without being demonstrably maladaptive...
. Following his victory in the 2011 Election, he discovered that as a result of Gurbax Singh Malhi's defeat in Bramalea—Gore—Malton
Bramalea—Gore—Malton
Bramalea—Gore—Malton is a federal and provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that is represented in the Canadian House of Commons....
, he was now the longest serving remaining member of parliament who was of South Asian and/or African
Indians in Tanzania
There are currently over 90,000 people of Indian origin in Tanzania. Many of them are traders and they control a sizeable portion of the Tanzanian economy. Indians have a long history in Tanzania starting with the arrival of Gujarati traders in the 19th century. They came to gradually control the...
ancestry. To this effect, he penned a bizarre letter to the editor
Letter to the editor
A letter to the editor is a letter sent to a publication about issues of concern from its readers. Usually, letters are intended for publication...
to the Calgary Herald
Calgary Herald
The Calgary Herald is a daily newspaper published in the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta.- History :The paper was first published on August 31, 1883 by Andrew Armour and Thomas Braden as The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate and General Advertiser. It started as a weekly paper with only...
in which he boasted about being the "most senior South Asian and African member of Parliament", despite having never held office in India or Africa. Obhrai went on to proclaim that: "In my birth country, Tanzania, I would henceforth be referred to by the respectful title of Mzee. In South Asia, I would receive the title of Pradhaan. This means I have now reached the ranks of respected elders.". To wind it up, Obhrai gleefully exclaimed that, despite his senior status, "I still look young!".
Electoral results
|align="left" colspan=2|Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
hold
|align="right"|Swing
|align="right"| -0.8
|align="right"|
Note: Conservative vote is compared to total of Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative vote in 2000.
Note: Canadian Alliance vote is compared to Reform vote in 1997.