Gurbax Singh Malhi

Gurbax Singh Malhi (/ɡərˈbɒks ˈsɪŋ ˈmɑːl/) PC (born 12 October 1949) is an Indian-born Canadian politician. A Liberal, he was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Bramalea—Gore—Malton in 1993, and served as its representative in the House of Commons for 18 consecutive years until his defeat in the 2011 election.


Gurbax Singh Malhi

Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Bramalea—Gore—Malton
In office
1993–2011
Preceded byHarry Chadwick
Succeeded byBal Gosal
Personal details
Born (1949-10-12) 12 October 1949
Chugha Kalan, India
Political partyLiberal Party of Canada
Spouse(s)Devinder Malhi
Children2 including Harinder
ResidenceBrampton, Ontario, Canada
ProfessionRealtor
Websitegurbaxsinghmalhi.liberal.ca

Malhi is notable for being the first turban-wearing Sikh to be elected to the House of Commons of Canada, or any national legislature in the western world.[1]

Member of Parliament

Malhi was first elected to the House of Commons in the federal election of 1993, defeating Progressive Conservative (PC) incumbent Harry Chadwick and in the Peel Region riding of Bramalea—Gore—Malton. Prior to 1993, Canadian law prohibited members of Parliament from wearing headgear of any sort in the House of Commons. Malhi's insistence on wearing a turban caused the law to be changed shortly after the election.

Malhi was re-elected in the 1997 election over Reform candidate Darlene Florence and PC candidate Beryl Ford. He was re-elected with the greatest majority of his career in the 2000 federal election over Canadian Alliance candidate Gurdish Mangat and PC candidate Danny Varaich. He was re-elected again with a significant plurality over Conservative Raminder Singh Gill in the 2004 election, despite the fact that his riding was a key Conservative target. In the 2006 federal election, Malhi was elected over Conservative candidate John Sprovieri and NDP candidate Cesar Martello. Malhi was elected for the sixth time in the 2008 election over Conservative candidate Stella Ambler and NDP candidate Jash Puniya.

In 2002, he became the recipient of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal for his commitment and contributions to Canadian society. In 2003, he was appointed for life to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada by Prime Minister Paul Martin.

Gurbax Singh Malhi served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour from 2001 to 2003. From 2003 to 2004, Malhi served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry with special emphasis on Entrepreneurs and New Canadians. In 2004 he was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and he served in this capacity until 2005. In 2005, Gurbax Singh Malhi also acted as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal. From 2005 to 2006, he also served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue.

In 2005, Malhi was among 32 Liberal Party backbenchers who voted against the Civil Marriage Act, despite the Liberal government being officially in favour of its adoption.[2] In a House of Commons debate, he encouraged MPs to vote to maintain the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman "in keeping with the natural law and in conformity with God's design for the world" and downplayed discrimination against same-sex couples, stating that "just because differences exist in society, it does not mean that inequality and discrimination exist".[3]

In the 2011 federal election, the Liberal Party won the fewest seats in its history. Falling to third place, Malhi was defeated by Conservative Bal Gosal. Jagmeet Singh, the future leader of the NDP, finished in second. Like Malhi, Singh would be a trend-setter for Canadian Sikhs when he became the first turban-wearing, visible minority party leader in 2017.

During the 2014 Ontario general election, he campaigned for his daughter Harinder Malhi, who contested and won the seat for Brampton—Springdale for the Ontario Liberal Party, becoming a Member of Provincial Parliament in the 41st Legislative Assembly of Ontario.[4]

Electoral record

Bramalea—Gore—Malton

2011 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeBaljit (Bal) Gosal19,90734.44%-2.68%
New DemocraticJagmeet Singh Dhaliwal19,36833.51%+24.49%
LiberalGurbax Singh Malhi16,40229.40%-15.65%
GreenJohn Moulton1,7483.02%-2.14%
Marxist–LeninistFrank Chilelli3710.64%+0.02%
Total valid votes 57,796100.00%
Total rejected ballots
Turnout

Source: Elections Canada

2008 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalGurbax Malhi22,21445.0%-5.7%$85,496
ConservativeStella Ambler18,35037.2%+4.6%$91,704
New DemocraticJash Puniya5,93512.0%-0.8%$21,613
GreenMark Pajot2,5455.2%+1.8%$869
Marxist–LeninistFrank Chilelli3090.6%+0.1%
Total valid votes/Expense limit 29,353 100.0% $97,671
2006 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalGurbax Malhi25,34950.7%+1.2%
ConservativeJohn Sprovieri16,31032.6%+2.0%
New DemocraticCesar Martello6,40012.8%-2.1%
GreenErnst Braendli1,7213.4%-1.1%
Marxist–LeninistFrank Chilelli2330.5%-0.1%
Total valid votes 50,013100.0%
2004 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalGurbax Malhi20,39449.5%-7.5%
ConservativeRaminder Gill12,59430.6%-3.9%
New DemocraticFernando Miranda6,11314.95%10.0%
GreenSharleen McDowall1,8324.5%
Marxist–LeninistFrank Chilelli2370.6%-0.1%
Total valid votes 41,170100.0%

Note: Conservative vote is compared to the total of the Canadian Alliance vote and Progressive Conservative vote in 2000 election.

Bramalea—Gore—Malton—Springdale

2000 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalGurbax Malhi21,91757.1%+10.7%
AllianceGurdish Mangat7,21418.8%-2.5%
Progressive ConservativeDanny Varaich6,01915.7%-10.4%
New DemocraticVishnu Roche1,8644.9%-0.7%
IndependentGurinder Malhi7832.0%
CommunistJim R. Bridgewood3500.9%
Marxist–LeninistDavid Greig2690.7%0.0%
Total valid votes 38,416 100.0%

Note: Canadian Alliance vote is compared to the Reform vote in 1997 election.

Bramalea—Gore—Malton

1997 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalGurbax Malhi18,93346.4%+3.5%
Progressive ConservativeBeryl Ford10,65526.1%+7.1%
ReformDarlene Florence8,68521.3%-8.2%
New DemocraticAbdul Majeed2,2815.6%+0.5%
Marxist–LeninistPhilip Fernandez2790.7%+0.5%
Total valid votes 40,833100.0%
1993 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalGurbax Malhi16,53042.9%+8.5%
ReformDarlene Florence11,37629.5%
Progressive ConservativeHarry Chadwick7,33819.0%-22.5%
New DemocraticPaul Ledgister1,9775.1%-17.3%
NationalJack Ardis4801.2%
Natural LawBill Davies2790.7%
IndependentJohn E. Maxwell2610.7%
GreenBill Emms2150.6%
Marxist–LeninistIqbai Sumbal890.2%-0.1%
Total valid votes 38,545100.0%

Note that all electoral information is taken from Elections Canada.

References

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