Javid Mirza
Encyclopedia
Javid Mirza is a politician and community leader in Hamilton
, Ontario
, Canada
. He is president of the Muslim
Association of Hamilton, and ran for the Liberal Party of Canada
in the 2006 federal election
.
, and came to Hamilton
during the 1970s. He founded the sports equipment company Seven Star Sports in 1989, and developed it into a successful international distributor . He has served on the Mayor's Roundtable on Community Issues, the City of Hamilton's Media Advisory Council, the Hamilton-Burlington Bay Area Leadership Council and the Hamilton District Schools Board's Advisory Council for Diverse Communities.
He became a prominent figure in Hamilton's Muslim
community shortly after the attacks of September 11, 2001, when his mosque
was vandalized during an anti-Muslim backlash in the city. Mirza took part in several community and interfaith forums following the attacks, and helped establish the organization "Strengthening Hamilton's Community Initiative" (SHCI) to facilitate interfaith dialogue . He was especially prominent in reaching out to Hamilton's Hindu
community, whose temple had also been attacked in the aftermath of September 11. Mirza also helped establish dialogue with Jewish groups, inviting representatives of the Hamilton Jewish Federation to ceremonies marking the close of Ramadan
. In 2002, he spoke out against the planned American invasion of Iraq
.
Notwithstanding his cooperation with Jewish groups, Mirza has made comments strongly critical of Israel
in its treatment of the Palestinians. He strongly criticized the Israeli government of Ariel Sharon
in 2004, following the state assassination of Hamas
leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin
. During a protest rally against the assassination, Mirza called for a trade embargo against the country, and compared Sharon's government to the apartheid regime of South Africa. These comments were condemned by some in the local Jewish community , though Mirza later argued they did not create a lasting strain in relations with local Jewish leaders . He has argued that Muslims and Jews may disagree over Israeli policy, and yet still cooperate on other matters.
Shortly after his remarks, Mirza joined with Lorne Finkelstein, a prominent figure in Hamilton's Jewish community, to lead a fundraising effort which allowed a nine-year old boy to travel from Afghanistan
to Canada to receive life-saving medical treatment not available in his home country . Mirza and Finkelstein later cooperated in attempting to provide aid for Sudan
's Darfur
region , and Mirza also helped organize fundraising efforts for relief efforts in Sri Lanka
following the tsunami of late 2004.
's bid to lead the Liberal Party
in 2003. During the leadership campaign, he accused Martin rival and leadership candidate Sheila Copps
of entering his mosque during prayer services to make a political speech directed against Martin . Mirza alleged that Copps was attempting to cause friction between the city's Muslim and Jewish communities. Copps, in response, argued that the accusations were part of a campaign to discredit her among Hamilton's Muslim community..
Mirza openly considered running for the Hamilton Mountain
Liberal nomination in 2004
, but was unable to do so after the party cut off nominations at an early date . He later endorsed Tony Valeri
over Copps for the 2004 Liberal nomination in Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
.
Prior to the 2006 federal election
, Mirza considered running for the Liberal nomination on Hamilton Mountain
, but agreed to stand aside to allow local councillor Bill Kelly to seek the nomination instead. He instead contested Hamilton Centre
, an area not considered a Liberal stronghold, and received 11,224 votes, or 23.49%, to finish second against New Democratic Party
incumbent David Christopherson
. He was forty-five years old at the time of the election .
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He is president of the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Association of Hamilton, and ran for the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
in the 2006 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
.
Early Life and Career
Mirza was born in PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, and came to Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
during the 1970s. He founded the sports equipment company Seven Star Sports in 1989, and developed it into a successful international distributor . He has served on the Mayor's Roundtable on Community Issues, the City of Hamilton's Media Advisory Council, the Hamilton-Burlington Bay Area Leadership Council and the Hamilton District Schools Board's Advisory Council for Diverse Communities.
He became a prominent figure in Hamilton's Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
community shortly after the attacks of September 11, 2001, when his mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
was vandalized during an anti-Muslim backlash in the city. Mirza took part in several community and interfaith forums following the attacks, and helped establish the organization "Strengthening Hamilton's Community Initiative" (SHCI) to facilitate interfaith dialogue . He was especially prominent in reaching out to Hamilton's Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
community, whose temple had also been attacked in the aftermath of September 11. Mirza also helped establish dialogue with Jewish groups, inviting representatives of the Hamilton Jewish Federation to ceremonies marking the close of Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
. In 2002, he spoke out against the planned American invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
.
Notwithstanding his cooperation with Jewish groups, Mirza has made comments strongly critical of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in its treatment of the Palestinians. He strongly criticized the Israeli government of Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
in 2004, following the state assassination of Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin
Ahmed Yassin
Sheikh Ahmed Ismail Hassan Yassin was a founder of Hamas, an Islamist Palestinian paramilitary organization and political party. Yassin also served as the spiritual leader of the organization...
. During a protest rally against the assassination, Mirza called for a trade embargo against the country, and compared Sharon's government to the apartheid regime of South Africa. These comments were condemned by some in the local Jewish community , though Mirza later argued they did not create a lasting strain in relations with local Jewish leaders . He has argued that Muslims and Jews may disagree over Israeli policy, and yet still cooperate on other matters.
Shortly after his remarks, Mirza joined with Lorne Finkelstein, a prominent figure in Hamilton's Jewish community, to lead a fundraising effort which allowed a nine-year old boy to travel from Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
to Canada to receive life-saving medical treatment not available in his home country . Mirza and Finkelstein later cooperated in attempting to provide aid for Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
's Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
region , and Mirza also helped organize fundraising efforts for relief efforts in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
following the tsunami of late 2004.
Liberal Party activism
Mirza was a prominent Hamilton supporter of Paul MartinPaul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
's bid to lead the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
in 2003. During the leadership campaign, he accused Martin rival and leadership candidate Sheila Copps
Sheila Copps
Sheila Maureen Copps, PC is a former Canadian politician who also served as Deputy Prime Minister of Canada from November 4, 1993 to April 30, 1996 and June 19, 1996 to June 11, 1997....
of entering his mosque during prayer services to make a political speech directed against Martin . Mirza alleged that Copps was attempting to cause friction between the city's Muslim and Jewish communities. Copps, in response, argued that the accusations were part of a campaign to discredit her among Hamilton's Muslim community..
Mirza openly considered running for the Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968. The riding is located in the Hamilton, Ontario region....
Liberal nomination in 2004
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
, but was unable to do so after the party cut off nominations at an early date . He later endorsed Tony Valeri
Tony Valeri
Tony Valeri, PC is a former Canadian politician. Valeri was the Canadian Government House Leader in Paul Martin's government from 2004 until 2006...
over Copps for the 2004 Liberal nomination in Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
Hamilton East—Stoney Creek is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004.The riding was formed in 2003 from parts of the former ridings of Hamilton East and Stoney Creek....
.
Prior to the 2006 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
, Mirza considered running for the Liberal nomination on Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968. The riding is located in the Hamilton, Ontario region....
, but agreed to stand aside to allow local councillor Bill Kelly to seek the nomination instead. He instead contested Hamilton Centre
Hamilton Centre
Hamilton Centre is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004.It was created in 2003 from parts of Hamilton East, Hamilton West and Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Aldershot ridings....
, an area not considered a Liberal stronghold, and received 11,224 votes, or 23.49%, to finish second against New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
incumbent David Christopherson
David Christopherson
David Christopherson is a Canadian politician. Since 2004, he has represented the riding of Hamilton Centre in the Canadian House of Commons. He previously served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 2003, and was a cabinet minister in the provincial government of Bob Rae...
. He was forty-five years old at the time of the election .