Leah Gazan
Leah Gazan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Canadian Parliament for Winnipeg Centre | |
| Assumed office October 21, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Robert-Falcon Ouellette |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1971 or 1972 (age 47–48) Wood Mountain Lakota First Nation, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Political party | New Democratic Party |
Leah Gazan MP (born 1971 or 1972) is a Canadian politician who was elected to represent the riding of Winnipeg Centre in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2019 Canadian federal election.[1]
Early Life[edit]
Leah Gazan was born in the Wood Mountain Lakota First Nation in Saskatchewan to Albert and Marjorie Gazan. Gazan is Lakota-Chinese on her mother's side, and Jewish on her father's side.[2] Gazan's father, Albert Gazan, is a Holocaust survivor from the Netherlands, born in The Hague in 1938.
Gazan previously taught at the University of Winnipeg prior to running in the 2019 election.[3] She also served as president for the Social Planning council of Winnipeg. Gazan participated in Idle No More, and pushed for Bill C-262 to be passed by the House of Commons. [4] She also represented the province of Manitoba for the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues advocating for acknowledgement of injustice perpetuated against Indigenous Canadian adoptive children. [5]
Political career[edit]
Gazan identifies as a socialist, like her parents.[6] In 2019, Gazan defeated incumbent Robert-Falcon Ouellette for the seat of Winnipeg Centre, another indigenous candidate, retaking the district for the NDP.[7]
Electoral record[edit]
| 2019 Canadian federal election: Winnipeg Centre | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ** Preliminary results — Not yet official ** | ||||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Leah Gazan | 13,073 | 41.2 | +13.2 | – | |||
| Liberal | Robert-Falcon Ouellette | 10,704 | 33.7 | -20.8 | – | |||
| Conservative | Ryan Dyck | 5,561 | 17.5 | +5.1 | – | |||
| Green | Andrea Shalay | 1,661 | 5.2 | +1.1 | – | |||
| People's | Yogi Henderson | 474 | 1.5 | – | – | |||
| Christian Heritage | Stephanie Hein | 251 | 0.8 | +0.1 | – | |||
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | 31,724 | 100.0 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 274 | |||||||
| Turnout | 31,998 | 54.2 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 59,012 | |||||||
| New Democratic gain from Liberal | Swing | +17.0 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[8][9] | ||||||||
References[edit]
- ^ "Gazan ousts Ouellette to return riding to NDP". Winnipeg Free Press. October 21, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
- ^ Bellan, Bernie. "Leah Gazan – the NDP candidate in the Federal riding of Winnipeg Centre is a "proud Jewish, Lakota, Asian woman"". www.jewishpostandnews.ca. The Jewish Post and News. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- ^ Kusch, Larry; Cash, Martin (21 October 2019). "Gazan ousts Ouellette to return riding to NDP". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- ^ "Leah Gazan for Winnipeg Centre". Leah Gazan for Winnipeg Centre. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- ^ "Story". Leah Gazan. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- ^ Dembicki, Geoff (16 July 2019). "'We Are Living in a Growing Corporate Dictatorship'". The Tyee. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- ^ Rosen, Kayla. "NDP candidate Leah Gazan takes Winnipeg Centre seat from incumbent Robert-Falcon Ouellette". www.iheartradio.ca. Bell Media. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
- ^ "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
