Salma Zahid

Zahid was born in Coventry. She holds a master's degree in educational management and administration from the University of London’s Institute of Education, and an MBA from Quaid-i-Azam University in Pakistan. She is Pakistani Canadian, mother of 2 and has resided in Scarborough since 2000. She is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Zahid was a community organizer and worked for the Government of Ontario in multiple positions before running in the election.

Zahid was elected in the 2015 Canadian federal election as a Member of Parliament for Scarborough Centre (federal electoral district). While in the 42nd Parliament, Zahid had the role of Vice-Chair for the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, where she was a spokesperson for racialized women.{{Cite web|url=https://szahid.liberal.ca/biography/|title=Biography {{!}} Salma Zahid {{!}} Your member of parliament for Scarborough Centre|website=szahid.liberal.ca|language=en|access-date=2019-09-27}}

In February 2018, Zahid announced that she was taking medical leave to treat her Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This was used by the Scarborough Centre Conservative Party of Canada Riding Association Vice President to sell memberships via robocall. While recovering from chemotherapy treatment, Zahid wore a hijab for personal reasons, saying that she had grown closer to her Islamic faith while facing cancer. In May 2018, she became the first MP to wear a hijab in the House of Commons.{{Cite news|url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2018/08/21/scarborough-mp-hijab-cancer/|title=Scarborough MP responds to criticism over wearing hijab, says she's recovering from cancer|last=Massa|first=Ginella|date=August 21, 2018|work=CityNews Toronto|access-date=September 1, 2018|language=en-CA}} Zahid received some negative reactions to the hijab, to which she responded by highlighting the personal nature of her decision. In July 2018, after completing six rounds of chemotherapy, Zahid was cancer-free and returned to her job.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/politics/a-new-low-conservative-robocall-tries-to-exploit-liberal-mp-s-cancer-diagnosis-1.4064436|title='A new low': Conservative robocall tries to exploit Liberal MP's cancer diagnosis|last=Aiello|first=Rachel|date=August 22, 2018|work=CTV News|access-date=August 24, 2018|language=en-CA}}

Zahid was re-nominated to run in Scarborough Centre for the Liberals in the 2019 Canadian federal election.

Zahid received criticism in November 2022 when she attended a 'solidarity' event with a publisher of Holocaust denialism.{{Cite news |date=2022-12-01 |title=Minister and MPs attend parliamentary reception with Holocaust denier |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-minister-and-mps-attend-parliamentary-reception-with-holocaust-denier/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |work=The Globe and Mail |language=en-CA}}{{Cite web |title=MPs condemn controversial publisher's attendance at Parliament Hill reception - National {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9318686/mps-condemn-publishers-attendance-parliament-hill-reception/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Passifiume |first=Bryan |date=December 1, 2023 |title=Canadian MPs attend 'solidarity' event with publisher of Holocaust denialism |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-mps-attend-solidarity-event-with-publisher-of-holocaust-denialism |website=National Post}} She has also received criticism for her position on the Gaza war, which stepped out of long standing tradition of Canadian and Liberal Party MPs political support for the State of Israel.{{Cite web |date=January 10, 2024 |title=Liberal MP calls on Trudeau to back prosecution of Israel for genocide |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/liberal-mp-calls-on-trudeau-to-back-prosecution-of-israel-for-genocide |website=National Post (The Canadian Press)}}{{Cite web |last=Hopper |first=Tristin |title=FIRST READING: Terrorist sympathizers on Parliament Hill – Canada's Palestinian extremism problem {{!}} SaltWire |url=https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/opinion/first-reading-terrorist-sympathizers-on-parliament-hill-canadas-palestinian-extremism-problem-100900851/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=www.saltwire.com |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=December 14, 2023 |title=Liberal MP supports UN vote calling for a humanitarian ceasefire |url=https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2291868739684 |work=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation}} In January 2024, Zahid called on her colleagues in the House of Commons to support South Africa's application to prosecute Israel for genocide.{{cite web|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/liberal-mp-calls-on-trudeau-to-back-prosecution-of-israel-for-genocide|title=Liberal MP calls on Trudeau to back prosecution of Israel for genocide|date=January 10, 2024|access-date=January 11, 2024|publisher=National Post}}

{{2025 Canadian federal election/Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East}}

{{Canadian election result/top|CA|2021|percent=yes|change=yes|expenditures=yes}}

{{CANelec|CA|Liberal|Salma Zahid|23,128|57.6|+2.3|$104,544.73}}

{{CANelec|CA|Conservative|Malcolm Ponnayan|9,819|24.4|+2.1|$35,013.30}}

{{CANelec|CA|NDP|Faiz Kamal|5,479|13.6|+1.9|$8,952.20}}

{{CANelec|CA|PPC|Petru Rozoveanu|1,472|3.7|+1.2|$0.00}}

{{CANelec|CA|NCA|Aylwin T. Mathew|263|0.7|N/A|$0.00}}

{{CANelec/total|Total valid votes/expense limit|40,161|99.0|–|$108,279.65}}

{{Canadian election result/total|Total rejected ballots|425|1.0}}

{{Canadian election result/total|Turnout|40,586|54.8}}

{{Canadian election result/total|Eligible voters|74,078}}

{{CANelec/hold|CA|Liberal|+0.1}}

{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Canada{{cite web |title=List of confirmed candidates – September 20, 2021 Federal Election |url=https://www.elections.ca/content2.aspx?section=can&dir=cand/lst&document=index&lang=e |website=Elections Canada |access-date=2 September 2021}}}}

{{end}}

{{2019 Canadian federal election/Scarborough Centre}}

{{2015 Canadian federal election/Scarborough Centre}}

{{reflist}}

{{Canadian Parliament links|ID=18535}}

{{Current Members of the Canadian House of Commons}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zahid, Salma}}

Category:Living people

Category:Liberal Party of Canada MPs

Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario

Category:Women members of the House of Commons of Canada

Category:People from Scarborough, Ontario

Category:Politicians from Toronto

Category:Ontario civil servants

Category:Women in Ontario politics

Category:Canadian people of Pakistani descent

Category:Quaid-i-Azam University alumni

Category:English emigrants to Canada

Category:Naturalized citizens of Canada

Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians

Category:1970 births

Category:21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada