Yasir Naqvi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yasir Naqvi MP
Naqvi in 2021
Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 September 2021
Preceded by	Catherine McKenna
39th Attorney General of Ontario
In office 13 June 2016 – 29 June 2018
Premier	Kathleen Wynne
Preceded by	Madeleine Meilleur
Succeeded by	Caroline Mulroney
Member of the Provincial Parliament for Ottawa Centre
In office 10 October 2007 – 6 June 2018
Preceded by	Richard Patten
Succeeded by	Joel Harden
More...
Personal details
Born	(1973-01-25) 25 January 1973 (age 52) Karachi, Pakistan
Nationality	Canadian
Political party	Liberal
Other political affiliations	Ontario Liberal
Children	2
Residences	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater	McMaster University (BA, BSc), University of Ottawa (LLB), Carleton University (MA), Rotman School of Management
Occupation	Lawyer politician

Yasir Abbas Naqvi (born 25 January 1973) is a Canadian politician. He is currently a Member of Parliament (MP) for Ottawa Centre. He was first elected in the 2021 federal election and belongs to the Liberal Party.

Before becoming an MP, Mr. Naqvi was involved in Ontario provincial politics. He held important roles like the Attorney General of Ontario from 2016 to 2018. He was the first person from a visible minority group to hold this position. He also served as the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services and Minister of Labour. He represented Ottawa Centre in the Ontario Legislature. In 2023, he ran for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party but finished in third place.

About Yasir Naqvi

Yasir Naqvi was born in Karachi, Pakistan. He moved to Canada with his family in 1988 when he was 15 years old. They settled near Niagara Falls, Ontario.

He went to McMaster University and the University of Ottawa Law School. In 2001, he became a lawyer in Ontario. He worked in international trade law and later became a partner at a law firm. In 2007, he joined the Centre for Trade Policy and Law at Carleton University. He also served as the President of the Ontario Liberal Party.

The Ottawa Citizen newspaper named Mr. Naqvi as one of its "People to Watch in 2010". Ottawa Life magazine also included him in their "Top 50 People in the Capital" list for 2010. A newspaper column in 2011 described him as "possibly the hardest-working constituency MPP in the province."

Before he entered politics, he volunteered with many community groups. These included the Centretown Community Health Centre and the Ottawa Food Bank.

Political Journey

Ontario Provincial Politics

In March 2007, the chance to become the Ontario Liberal Party candidate for Ottawa Centre opened up. The current representative, Richard Patten, decided not to run again. Yasir Naqvi won the nomination. In the main election, he won against the New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate. He was re-elected in both the 2011 and 2014 elections.

In October 2007, he became a Parliamentary Assistant. This role helps a minister with their duties. He worked with the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. Later, he was a Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Revenue and the Minister of Education.

Mr. Naqvi introduced several Private Member's Bills. These are laws proposed by individual members of the legislature. One bill he co-sponsored with NDP member France Gélinas was to declare the third week of February "Kindness Week." He also helped co-sponsor Toby's Act. This act added gender identity and gender expression to the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Yasir Naqvi in 2021

In February 2013, when Kathleen Wynne became Premier, she appointed Yasir Naqvi to her first cabinet. He became the Minister of Labour. After the June 2014 election, he became the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. He also became the Government House Leader, which means he helped manage the government's business in the legislature.

Attorney General Role

On 13 June 2016, Yasir Naqvi became the Attorney General of Ontario. This was a significant moment as he was the first person from a visible minority and the first Muslim person to hold this position. The Attorney General is the chief legal advisor to the government.

In 2018, he was recognized as one of the 25 Most Influential people in the Justice System. He was praised for helping to modernize Ontario's court system. This included adding wireless internet in courtrooms and using email and text for jury summons. He also launched a website in 2017 to make filing civil claims easier.

Mr. Naqvi did not win re-election in the June 2018 Ontario general election. He came in second place behind Joel Harden. After leaving provincial politics, he became the CEO of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC).

Federal Politics

Yasir Naqvi was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Liberal Party of Canada. He won the Ottawa Centre seat on 20 September 2021. He received a large percentage of the votes. He was chosen to be the Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada. He also served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Emergency Preparedness.

As an MP, Mr. Naqvi has been part of important committees. He served on the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. He was also on the Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency.

In July 2022, Mr. Naqvi announced the creation of the Downtown Ottawa Revitalization Task Force. This group explores ideas to help improve downtown Ottawa.

In March 2023, Mr. Naqvi stepped down from his role as a Parliamentary Secretary. He was considering running for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party. He officially announced his campaign on 3 June 2023.

Ontario Liberal Leadership Campaign

In 2023, Yasir Naqvi returned to provincial politics by running for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party. He did this while still serving as a federal MP. He finished third in the 2023 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election. Bonnie Crombie, the mayor of Mississauga, won the election.

Personal Life

Yasir Naqvi is married and has two children, a son and a daughter. His family lives in Ottawa.

Electoral Record

Election signs for the major party Ottawa Centre candidates during the 2007 election.