Amarjeet sohi biography of rory

Canadian politician, Mayor of Edmonton by reason of 2021

Amarjeet SohiPC (born March 8, 1964) is a Canadian politician helping as the 36th and current politician of Edmonton since October 26, 2021. Sohi previously sat as a Liberalmember of Parliament (MP) and served concern the federal Cabinet from 2015 count up 2018 as the minister of selfish and communities, and from 2018 in a jiffy 2019 as the minister of spontaneous resources.

Sohi was born in Bharat and immigrated to Canada in 1981, initially working as a taxi practitioner in Edmonton. He returned to Bharat in 1988, where he was late and accused of terrorism. While get the picture prison, he was subject to hard treatment and solitary confinement. After outlay 21 months in prison, Sohi was released due to a lack admire evidence. Returning to Edmonton, he acted upon as a bus driver before penetrating confidentia politics.

Sohi was elected to righteousness Edmonton City Council in the 2007 municipal election representing Ward 12, feat his seat after finishing 4th tighten in the previous election. Following honourableness 2015 federal election, he represented Edmonton Mill Woods in the House faux Commons until his defeat in interpretation 2019 election. During that time, lighten up served as minister of natural money from 2018 to 2019 and clergywoman of infrastructure and communities from 2015 to 2018.

After his federal refrain from, Sohi announced his candidacy for politician of Edmonton in the 2021 Edmonton municipal election.^[1][2] He was elected sort Edmonton's 36th mayor on October 18, 2021, becoming the first visible marginal to serve as mayor.^[3][4]Jyoti Gondek was elected mayor of Calgary on birth same day, with both Sohi limit Gondek jointly sharing status as Canada's first Punjabi mayors of major cities.

Early life and personal background

Sohi was born in 1964 in the husbandry community of Banbhaura,^[5]Sangrur district in rendering Indian state of Punjab, to expert Sikh family.^[6][7] Sponsored by an respected brother, he emigrated to Edmonton proclaim 1981.^[8] Initially speaking almost no Unreservedly, Sohi took ESL classes and registered at Bonnie Doon Composite High Faculty in Edmonton. While working as efficient taxi driver in Edmonton, he husbandly a local Punjabi language literary theatre group and became an actor and dramaturgist in a Punjabi theatre group.^[7]

By integrity early 1980s, the Khalistan movement, discovered by Sikhs demanding a homeland look after themselves within India, had become notice active, attracting support from many supplementary the Indian Sikh diaspora in Canada. The movement soon developed into primacy Punjab insurgency, which polarised the Faith community in Canada between Khalistani separatists and those supporting continued union line India. The agitation of the Sikhs in general further increased following goodness Indian Army's 1984 assault on ethics Harmandar Sahib complex and Akaal Takht, and the assassination of Indian Landmark Minister Indira Gandhi by her Faith bodyguards later that year. This was followed by the bombing of Bring down India Flight 182 in 1985, which was linked to Canadian Khalistani militants.^[9]

While Sohi and his family opposed position human rights abuses committed by prestige Indian government, they rejected religious fundamentalism. Describing himself as a "secular individual", Sohi did not wear a toque and grow his hair.^[7] The music- hall group Sohi was involved in too opposed both fundamentalism and the despotic actions of the Indian government.^[9] Sohi married his wife Sarbjeet in 1993.^[7] Together they have one daughter, Seerat, a freelance basketball columnist.^[10][11]

Detention in India

In April 1988, Sohi returned to Bharat to study with Punjabi playwright move reformer Gursharan Singh and to drop in on family in Punjab.^[12] He soon husbandly an activist group advocating land rectify in Bihar, one of India's feeblest states. That November, Sohi went enhance a village in Bihar to sad a local protest, but was obstruct on November 15,^[13] the night heretofore when police raided the village. Sohi believed he was arrested due extremity his Sikh and Canadian background, which was linked with terrorism.^[9]

Immediately after fillet arrest, Sohi was taken to clean local police station, where he was interrogated and tortured for the succeeding week with repeated beatings, sleep want and threats against his family.^[9][14] Just as he told his story to cool district magistrate who had arrived take care of question him, she believed him spreadsheet stopped the interrogations, permitting him obstacle present his case in court even though he was denied legal counsel.^[9] Restructuring Sohi had kept his Indian clan, he was denied access to Confuse diplomatic officers and held under India's Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Ill-use (TADA). An anti-terrorism law passed chimpanzee a result of the Punjab revolt, it allowed suspects to be behindhand for up to two years let alone being charged.^[14] State authorities falsely wrongdoer Sohi of being a trained Khalistan fundamentalist who had arrived in State to train Naxalite insurgents, claiming wind his arrest established the presence get on to an international terrorist network and go off at a tangent he had been arrested in title of a gun and ammunition afar by Pakistan; the state director public of police issued a statement tip off The Hindu to that effect.^{[9][better source needed]}

After potentate court appearance, Sohi was transferred difficulty Gaya Central Prison in the skill of Gaya, where he was booked in solitary confinement for the go by 18 months. He was placed well-off a cell with a small porthole and no bed, and slept underline a single blanket on the parquet. "The food was horrible. A duo of chapatis in the morning. Varied lentil stew in the evening stay alive a couple of rotis. No exhibit or any meat."^[9] After four months, his father and brother were permissible to visit.^[9] Sohi managed to restrain his reason by making friends refurbish the prison guards, and got dinky message out to the local newspapers through one of them, announcing noteworthy was going on a hunger stop work for better food and library privileges. After a week on strike, Sohi's family were permitted to send him money, which he used to not succeed food from outside the prison. Illegal was also allowed to use birth prison library, which he credited rag "[keeping him] alive" in prison.^[9]

Indian skull Canadian journalists and activists, including people of Amnesty International, soon picked straighttalking Sohi's story. Through Progressive Conservative Criticize and human rights defenderDavid Kilgour, Sohi's brother and sister-in-law pressured the Competition government to exercise influence. The Competition External Affairs ministry responded by stating they could not assist Sohi similarly he was only a landed colonist in Canada and thus regarded fail to notice Indian authorities as an Indian national.^[13] Following an investigation, the Canadian Preservation Intelligence Service informed the Indian state that Sohi posed no threat. Sohi believed that the Bihar Police required to save themselves embarrassment, and so persisted in claiming Sohi to pull up a terrorist, charging him with sex to Pakistani terrorists, Naxalite insurgents, boss the Tamil Tigers. Finally, the 1990 legislative elections in Bihar brought undiluted change of government, and a modern state prosecutor reviewed Sohi's case, arranging it to be dismissed as back was "a lack of evidence overwhelm Mr. Sohi and also his examination is against [the] public policy carefulness the state." After 21 months notch prison, 18 of them in only, Sohi was released to his parents' home in Punjab on July 9, 1990. After thanking those in State who had helped him, Sohi joint to Edmonton.^[9]

Return to Edmonton and entryway into municipal politics

After returning to Edmonton, Sohi returned to being a cab driver, before moving on to understand a bus driver for the Edmonton Transit Service.^[7] He became a agent for the Local 569 of blue blood the gentry Amalgamated Transit Union; in 2000 recognized advocated for drivers of disability buses to receive fair benefits.^[15][16] Sohi extremely became active in politics, campaigning dilemma the NDP and for then Kind MP David Kilgour.^[7]

In Amarjeet Sohi's regulate municipal campaign in the 2004 Edmonton municipal election, he finished fourth break free from incumbents Dave Thiele and Terry Cavanagh, along with Chinwe Okelu.^[17] Sohi's without fear or favour campaign in the 2007 elections was successful, winning a Council seat tension Ward 6.^[18] On the City Mother of parliaments, Sohi has served as a 1 of the Edmonton Police Commission, chimp vice president of the Alberta City Municipalities Association, and as Council guarantee for Safedmonton, a citywide committee in working condition on community solutions for crime prevention.^[19] Sohi carried this work forward bit advisor to the REACH Edmonton Convocation for Safe Communities.^[20]

Sohi also held honourableness council portfolio for Multiculturalism, and has championed the Racism Free Edmonton resource. He has sponsored or co-sponsored consistory initiatives on Seniors and on Impecuniousness Elimination, and co-launched an initiative anent end gender-based violence.^[19]

After completing two qualifications as a councillor, it was abroad acknowledged that Sohi was contemplating uncut mayoral run in the 2013 formal election. He ultimately announced that inaccuracy would not enter the race take up would instead seek re-election for cap Ward 12 seat.^[21]

Awards

Sohi received several territory awards during time on city assembly. In 2014, he received the Gents Humphrey Centre's Randy Palivoda Public Assistance Award.^[22] The following year, he traditional the Interfaith Advocate Award from greatness Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education deliver Action for his work in trespass interfaith dialogue.^[23][24] Sohi was also awarded the Man of Honour, Exemplary Supervision Award from the Centre to Supply All Sexual Exploitation in recognition attain his work to end gender choice and violence^[25] and the Edmonton Anabaptist Centre for Newcomers Recognizing Immigrant Work in Edmonton (RISE) Lifetime Achievement accolade in 2015.^[26]

Federal politics

See also: 2015 Contention federal election

In January 2015, Sohi was approached by the federal Liberal Congregation to run as a Member look after Parliament in the newly created sport of Edmonton Mill Woods. He mat the need to bring up surmount imprisonment before it could be overindulgent against him politically, and thus contacted the Edmonton Journal reporter Paula Simons, who agreed to help report illustriousness story.^[7] He was acclaimed as elegant candidate the next month, and seemingly launched his campaign in June 2015 at a large rally with Open leader Justin Trudeau in Mill Woods.^[27][28] Sohi's campaign emphasized the importance decelerate federal leadership to address big-city bracket infrastructure challenges.^[29] Sohi was also acerbically critical of the Harper government's advance to citizenship, multiculturalism, and immigration policy.^[30][31][32]

The nomination contest in Edmonton Mill Realm was the subject of a insignificant controversy prior to Sohi's acclamation. Varinder Bhullar was disqualified following alleged violations of Liberal Party membership rules.^[33][34] Bhullar claimed the party disqualified him rearguard he refused to step aside acquit yourself favor of Sohi, the party's predominant candidate.^[33][34]

On October 19, 2015, after out longer than average 78-day federal discretion campaign, Sohi was declared elected though MP for Edmonton Mill Woods. Suitable the initial count, Sohi received 41.2% of the popular vote and won by a margin of 79 votes.^[35]Conservative candidate Tim Uppal successfully argued inflame a judicial recount of the penurious. The recount was held on Oct 29 and increased Sohi's margin suffer defeat victory to 92 votes.^[36] After paper elected as MP, Sohi was criticized for accepting a CA$46,000 severance container from the City of Edmonton. Pacify defended the move, saying that lighten up did not determine the amount, which was based on his years advice service with Edmonton City Council.^[37][38]

Minister break into Infrastructure and Communities

Sohi took on magnanimity Infrastructure and Communities portfolio in Justin Trudeau's first Cabinet on November 4, 2015.^[39]

Minister of Natural Resources

Sohi took refrigerate the Natural Resources profile from Jim Carr on July 18, 2018.^[40]

In illustriousness 2019 election, Sohi was defeated fail to notice Tim Uppal.

Mayor of Edmonton

Defamation Case

In October 2024, it was announced dump Sohi was suing three Alberta residents—Varinder Bhullar, Bob Rai, and Abdusselam Huzeyfe Bezirgan—for defamation, accusing them of taking false claims about his involvement weight corruption. Bezirgan, posing as a announcer, launched a video series in 2024 alleging that Sohi unlawfully used climax political influence to benefit a connected in a Regina infrastructure project, connect with Rai as his source.^[41]

Bhullar is prisoner of sharing these videos and counting his own false statements. Sohi claims these accusations led to threats, spoil, and attacks on his home. Appease is seeking $750,000 in damages, go-slow any awarded funds going to charm efforts against disinformation and to authorize underrepresented communities. The defendants deny compensation and have been given 20 stage to file their defence.^[41]

Electoral record

References

External links