Amir Khadir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amir Khadir
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| Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Mercier | |
| In office December 8, 2008 – October 18, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Daniel Turp |
| Succeeded by | Ruba Ghazal |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 12, 1961 Tehran, Iran |
| Political party | Provincial Québec solidaire (present) UFP (2002–2006) RAP (1997–2002) Federal Bloc Québécois (2000) |
| Spouse | Nimâ Machouf |
| Residence | Montreal |
| Alma mater | McGill University Université Laval Université de Montréal Cégep du Vieux Montréal |
| Profession | Physician, microbiologist |
Amir Khadir (Persian: امیر خدیر; born June 12, 1961) is a Canadian politician from the province of Quebec. He was a key member of the Québec solidaire (QS) political party. From 2006 to 2012, he was one of the party's main spokespeople, working alongside Françoise David. He also served as a Member of the National Assembly of Quebec (MNA) for the area of Mercier from 2008 to 2018. Amir Khadir was the very first person elected to represent Québec solidaire.
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Early Life and Education
Amir Khadir was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1961. He moved to Canada when he was ten years old. He has always been involved in helping others. He worked with many groups that provide aid, like Médecins du Monde (Doctors of the World).
He studied physics at the Université de Montréal and then at McGill University. Later, he studied medicine at Université Laval.
Career as a Doctor
Amir Khadir became a medical specialist in infectious microbiology. This means he studied tiny living things like bacteria and viruses that can cause illness. He worked at a hospital called Centre Hospitalier Pierre-Le-Gardeur in Lachenaie, Quebec.
He is also part of a group called the Coalition des Médecins pour la Justice Sociale (Coalition of Doctors for Social Justice). This group believes that healthcare in Quebec should be available to everyone and not be run by private companies. Khadir has also traveled to places like Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Palestinian territories with Médecins du Monde to help people there.
Family Life
Amir Khadir is married to Nimâ Machouf. They have three children named Daria, Yalda, and Leyli. His daughter, Yalda, was involved in student protests in Quebec in 2012.
Political Journey
Amir Khadir's political journey began in 1997 when he joined the Rassemblement pour l'alternative progressiste. He then helped create the Union des forces progressistes (UFP) in 2002.
First Elections
In the 2003 provincial election, Khadir ran as a UFP candidate in Mercier. He came in third place. In 2004, he became a co-spokesperson for the UFP.
In 2006, the UFP joined with another group to form Québec solidaire (QS). At the party's first meeting, Khadir was chosen as one of two co-spokespeople, along with Françoise David.
Becoming an MNA
Khadir ran for the Mercier seat again in the 2007 election as a QS member. He placed second this time. Then, in the 2008 election, he won the seat! He received 38% of the votes. This made him the first person from Québec solidaire to be elected to the National Assembly.
Because he was the only elected member from his party for a while, he became very well-known. A survey in 2010 showed that he was one of the most popular politicians in Quebec.
Stepping Down as Spokesperson
Amir Khadir continued as co-spokesperson through the 2012 election. In that election, another QS member, Françoise David, was also elected. After this, Khadir decided to step down as co-spokesperson. He explained that it was important for the party, which believes in equality, to have Françoise David as a spokesperson since she was now also an elected representative.
Amir Khadir did not run for re-election in the 2018 general election.
Views on the Royal Family
In 2011, Amir Khadir shared his thoughts on the British Royal family. When asked about a visit from Prince William and Kate Middleton, he said he thought it was a "waste of public funds." He believed the money could be better used for other things. The Quebec government later asked him to apologize for his strong words.
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