Doly Begum Explained

Doly Begum
Honorific-Suffix:MPP
Office1:Deputy Leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party
Term Start1:July 13, 2022
Leader1:Peter Tabuns
Marit Stiles
Alongside1:Sol Mamakwa
Predecessor1:John Vanthof and Sara Singh
Office2:Critic, Immigration Services and International Credentials
Term Start2:July 13, 2022
Leader2:Peter Tabuns
Office3:Critic, Early Learning and Childcare
Term Start3:August 23, 2018
Term End3:June 2, 2022
Leader3:Andrea Horwath
Parliament4:Ontario Provincial
Term Start4:June 7, 2018
Predecessor4:Lorenzo Berardinetti
Riding4:Scarborough Southwest
Party:New Democratic
Birth Place:Moulvibazar District, Bangladesh
Residence:Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario
Education:University of Toronto
University College London

Doly Begum (Bengali: ডলি বেগম) is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2018 provincial election.[1] She represents the riding of Scarborough Southwest as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party. At 29, Doly Begum was the youngest New Democrat among the party's caucus[2] and is the first Bangladeshi-Canadian to be elected to a legislative body in Canada.[3]

Early life

Begum was born in the Moulvibazar District of Bangladesh.[4] She immigrated to Canada as a child with her family,[5] and attended Gordon A. Brown Middle School and W. A. Porter Collegiate Institute.[6]

Thereafter, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto in political science, and a Master of Arts in development, administration and planning from University College London. Prior to her candidacy, she was Co-Chair of the Scarborough Health Coalition, Vice-Chair of Warden Woods Community Centre, a research analyst at the Society of Energy Professionals, and was the chief coordinator of the province-wide Keep Hydro Public campaign.

Career

As of August 11, 2024, she is the Official Opposition critic for Immigration Services and for International Credentials. Prior to that, she served as the Official Opposition Critic for Citizenship, Foreign Credentials and Immigration Services.[7] Prior to that, she was the Deputy Opposition Whip from August 2019 to February 2021, the Critic for Early Learning and Childcare from August 2018 to February 2021 and a Member of the Standing Committee on Social Policy from July 2018 to October 2019. Her critic portfolio changed to Immigration Services, and International Credentials following the 2022 Ontario general election.

On July 13, 2022, Begum was named a Deputy Leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party, alongside Sol Mamakwa.[8]

Notes and References

  1. News: Palamarchuk . Andrew . NDP candidate Doly Begum ends Liberal reign in Scarborough Southwest . June 8, 2018 . Toronto Star. June 7, 2018.
  2. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/new-mpps-ontario-election-2018-1.4706119 "73 new MPPs ride Ontario's wave of change to Queen's Park"
  3. Web site: 2018-06-08. Bangladeshi-origin Doly Begum becomes MP of a Canadian provincial House. 2021-10-17. Dhaka Tribune.
  4. News: Doly Begum makes history, wins big in Ontario provincial polls. June 8, 2018. The Daily Star. June 9, 2018. en.
  5. News: NDP candidate Doly Begum ends Liberal reign in Scarborough Southwest. Toronto Star. June 7, 2018. June 9, 2018. en.
  6. DolyBegum . 1043180816904253440 . Heading to my former high school - Satec @ WA Porter - to join the incredible students on the Ontario wide student walk out..
  7. News: Raza . Ali . February 5, 2021 . Scarborough Southwest MPP Begum takes on new critic role for NDP at Queen’s Park . Beach Metro Community News . December 12, 2023.
  8. News: . July 13, 2022 . Scarborough Southwest MPP Doly Begum named deputy leader of Ontario NDP . Beach Metro Community News . December 12, 2023.