Admin Posted October 20, 2015 York South-Weston is going back to its Liberal roots. NDP incumbent Mike Sullivan was ousted from office once the votes were tallied in the Monday, Oct. 19 federal election with Liberal Party candidate Ahmed Hussen returning the seat to his party. “I've been pounding the pavement learning about the issues and concerns,” said the lawyer to supporters gathered inside Central Bar and Grill. "I'm humbled by the results." Ahmed also commended Sullivan for the race he ran and wished him the best. Also running in York South-Weston were John Johnson of the Green Party, Stephen Lepone of the Libertarian Party, and James Robinson of the Conservative Party. Source: http://www.insidetoronto.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ElPunto Posted October 20, 2015 A masterful campaign by Ahmed and his team. The number of doors knocked on, the motivation and organization of the volunteers and the sheer savvy of the candidate himself would have won him this riding even without a huge Liberal sweep. Well done. I do want to emphasize the significance of this win. This is not a city/councillor position - not that there is anything wrong with that. This is for the federal government of Canada - the highest level of government. Furthermore - Ahmed did not emerge from a party list such as happens in Europe whereby parties add candidates for diversity purposes. Ahmed won the Liberal nomination through an open contest and then went on defeat the incumbent member of parliament through a hard fought race. Somali Canadians leading the way! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Libaax-Sankataabte Posted October 20, 2015 A remarkable win indeed. I actually dismissed his initial campaign as a joke because I didn't think the liberal in general had a chance. I was wrong. The longer the campaign went on, the more attractive the Liberals became. Trudeau's "red wave" plus Ahmed's tireless and masterful campaign gave the Somali Canadian community something to be proud of. Congrats to MP Ahmed Hussen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alpha Blondy Posted October 20, 2015 i watched a few youtube vids. excellent stuff. well done to Ahmed Hussen. this guy looks sensible, speaks responsibly - he exudes reliability and has a ''very hands-on approach to life'' demeanor - based on my personality of cult test. i'd vote for him, despite him being a cadcad/bravanese. at least in Canada, they're not some useless minority. overlooked and underrepresented. Xildhibaan Ahmed has very much the political look about him. the sort that has been incubated, groomed and polished from long ago. he's Canada's Xi. this guy has perfected the image aspect of things. his tone is on-point. i bet he can't wait to use his deluge of ''grassroots, community based and people-centric approach to long term community relations and its sustainability'' buzzwords in parliament. even has people skills, by the looks of it. i even like the way he spelt his surname to get away from the Islamically sounding name 'Hussein'. Hussen isn't offensive at all. its good for integration. it'll get you votes. if only his actual name was Alan Hussen - you'd think he was non Muslim. he makes you feel proud to be Somali. if there were 5 like him, we wouldn't be in the situation we're collectively in today. but he wouldn't survive the nastiness of Somali politics. he's too good for that. he has qowl. good luck bro. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miyir Posted October 21, 2015 Guul and well deserved win Ahmed Hussen and Somali Canadians! lol @Alpha if i tell you his not a cad-cad but a madow-madow would you change your mind about him? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mooge Posted October 21, 2015 i’d vote for him, despite him being a cadcad/bravanese. at least in Canada, they’re not some useless minority. overlooked and underrepresented. Haha. niyoow the xildhibaan is President abdulahi yusuf's 3rd cousin. he is not Bravanese. even his wife is from galkacyo clan. he is a proud Puntlander niyoow. good job Ahmed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bluelicious Posted October 25, 2015 Congratulations to Ahmed Hussen for paving the way for Somali Canadians. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ElPunto Posted November 4, 2015 Profile Ahmed Hussen: From teenage refugee to rookie MP Canada's 1st Somali-born member of Parliament says he'll heed his mother's advice: 'Don't forget who you are' CBC News Posted: Nov 03, 2015 8:25 PM ET Last Updated: Nov 03, 2015 9:18 PM ET He's young and well-spoken. He has a telegenic family. He's captured the excitement of voters. And no, he's not Justin Trudeau. He's Ahmed Hussen, a 39-year-old newly minted Ontario Liberal MP. And while he shares some attributes with the prime minister-designate, Hussen has had a remarkably different path to power. He arrived in Canada as a teenage refugee from Somalia. Toronto's Ahmed Hussen 1st Somali-Canadian elected to Parliament Canada election 2015 recap: 5 top Toronto storylines Video: Toronto turns red as Liberals capture the entire city Just don't call him a token Somali. Ahmed Hussen Ahmed Hussen is the first Somali-Canadian elected to Parliament, but he resists being defined by his heritage. "I have a lot to contribute to Canada and I'm a mainstream guy," he said. (CBC News) "I'm a mainstream guy," Hussen said. "I'm not limited to my community. "I mean, everyone has a heritage, but we have a shared citizenship, right?" Still, watching the excitement surrounding Hussen during a recent visit to a café in his Toronto riding of York South-Weston, it's clear that many Somali Canadians see his background as hugely important and inspirational. "For Somali youth, it will be a new day," said Ahmed Abdi, a supporter. "Maybe our youth [will] follow him and have hope they can be something in Canada." High expectations, unfamiliar hurdles Such high expectations are likely trailing many MPs to Ottawa this week. There are 29 Liberal MPs who are born outside Canada, a record number in government. Judging by Hussen's experience, the mantle comes with a double challenge of representing a community's hopes while navigating all the unfamiliar hurdles of being a new MP. What's the budget? How quickly can he set up a constituency office and hire staff? Where can he find wreaths for the two Remembrance Day events he's to attend'? Ahmed Hussen, right, in his Toronto riding of York South-Weston. "There's a lot of pride, but a lot of pressure and expectations," he said. (CBC News) The demands are piling up. "There's a lot of pride but a lot of pressure and expectations because then people say, 'Well, now you've got to solve the problem for 200,000 people,' which is not the case." Still, it seems Hussen plans to draw on his background in the days ahead. He has called his mother, who lives in Kenya, for advice. "She said, you know, 'Don't forget who you are, and don't forget where you come from.' So, pretty good advice." You can watch Susan Ormiston's full story on Ahmed Hussen, which tracks his rise from housing projects to Ottawa, in the video player below. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ahmed-hussen-from-teenage-refugee-to-rookie-mp-1.3302277 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Holac Posted November 6, 2015 Ahmed is a capable guy. Good luck to him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
