Ahmed Hussen named Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen has been appointed as Canada’s newest Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship . He will be replacing the Honourable John McCallum, who will be leaving politics to pursue a diplomatic position as Canada’s Ambassador to China.

Mr. Hussen is a first-term Member of Parliament for the York South — Weston riding in Toronto, Ontario. He garnered national attention as the first Canadian of Somali descent to be elected to the House of Commons. Immigration and refugee issues have defined his life, both personally and professionally. When he was just 16 years old, he arrived in Canada all alone as a Somalian refugee. He dedicated his life to serving newcomers to Canada and aiding in their integration, taking the lead on the revitalization of Toronto’s Regent Park neighbourhood, as well as presiding over the Canadian Somali Congress. Before entering politics, Mr. Hussen was a practicing lawyer specialising in Immigration and Refugee Law, Human Rights Law, and Criminal Law.