Wednesday April 30, 2025
TORONTO, Canada (HOL) — Ahmed Hussen has secured re-election in Toronto’s York South–Weston riding, maintaining his position as the only Somali-Canadian in Parliament following Canada’s federal election on Monday.
The Liberal Party incumbent defeated multiple challengers to keep the seat he has held since 2015. Hussen was one of three Somali-Canadian candidates in the federal election but the only one to win. Sayid Ahmed, running as a Conservative, and Omar Abubakar, representing the NDP, both lost in Edmonton-area ridings.
Hussen’s re-election was widely expected due to his high profile and longstanding ties to the community. Analysts credit his visibility and policy track record for his success.
“Ahmed Hussen is a well-known figure in Canadian politics. He’s held ministerial roles and built strong ties with immigrant communities, especially the Somali diaspora,” said Abdirahman Abshir Kooreeye, a community analyst.
Sayid Ahmed and Omar Abubakar were both first-time candidates who ran in districts with relatively few Somali or immigrant voters. Their limited name recognition, coupled with a lack of established local support, posed major challenges. Abubakar’s bid was further hampered by the broader decline of the NDP in this election cycle.
Born in Mogadishu in 1976, Hussen fled Somalia’s civil war in 1991 and resettled in Canada two years later after passing through the Otaango refugee camp in Kenya. He earned a BA in history from York University and later a law degree from the University of Ottawa, specializing in immigration and criminal law. He was called to the bar in 2012.
Before entering politics, Hussen led the Canadian Somali Congress, where he worked to strengthen community-police relations and build bridges with other minority communities. He also co-founded the Canadian Somali-Jewish Mentorship Project to support Somali youth and foster intercultural dialogue.
He was first elected to Parliament in 2015, becoming the first Somali-Canadian MP. Under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Hussen rose quickly through the cabinet ranks, serving as Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; Minister of Families, Children and Social Development; and Minister of Housing, Diversity and Inclusion.
In 2023, Hussen was appointed Minister of International Development. In that role, he led a Canadian delegation to the Syria–Turkey border in January 2025 following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, where he announced $17.25 million in humanitarian aid for Syrian civilians.
Hussen’s re-election for a fourth term illustrates the resilience and political maturation of the Somali diaspora.
With this latest victory, Hussen remains a prominent figure in Canadian politics. Still, his position remains an outlier. Despite a growing population and active civic engagement, Somali representation in Canadian politics remains limited.
