Four years ago, Amir Khadir was the only member of the tiny Quebec Solidaire party to win election to what Quebec calls its National Assembly. This month, the co-leader of the leftist party, Francoise David, also won election. The two represent side-by-side ridings, the Canadian term for a legislative district, in downtown Montreal.
Khadir cruised to victory. In a six-person race, he won 47 percent of the vote or almost double the 24 percent that went to his nearest competitor. Khadir won nine percentage points more than four years ago when he was first elected to the seat.
The vote was a major endorsement for Khadir who was embarrassed a few months ago when his college student daughter was arrested for vandalizing the office of a legislator from a rival party.
Quebec Solidaire advocates sovereignty for Quebec, but it is more noted for its emphasis on environmental issues and on gender equality. Khadir and David founded the party in 2006 and set a rule that it should always have a man and a woman serving as co-equal leaders.
In this election, the party fielded candidates in 124 of the 125 provincial ridings, but saw just the two leaders elected.
Khadir, 52, was born in Tehran and came to Quebec when he was 10.
This month’s election saw the ruling Labor party ousted from office. The Parti Quebecois, which advocates sovereignty, will form a minority govcernment, but is expected to have the support of the Quebec Solidaire and another party to get its legislation enacted.
One other Iranian-born Canadian is known to hold elective office in Canada as a member of the provincial legislature in Ontario.
