Gurbax Singh Malhi
Politics Person
"Malhi was first elected to the House of Commons in the federal election of 1993, defeating Progressive Conservative incumbent Harry Chadwick and Reformer Darlene Florence in 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 Progressive Conservative 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 Progressive Conservative 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 New Democrat candidate Cesar Martello. Malhi was elected for the sixth time in the 2008 election over Conservative candidate Stella Ambler and New Democrat 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.
Malhi sat on, and has served as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament. He has also served as member of the Standing Joint Committee on Scrutiny of Regulations and the Standing Committees on: Industry, Science and Technology; Citizenship and Immigration; Industry; Justice and Human Rights; Government Operations; Human Resources, Skills Development, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities; Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities; Procedure and House Affairs.
He has also served as a member of the following subcommittees: Human Rights and International Development of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Business of Supply of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs; Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament; Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.
Malhi was the member of the following Parliamentary Associations: Canada-United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association, Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association, Canada-China Legislative Association, Canada-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Association, and the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. He has been a member of the following Friendship groups: Canada-Germany, Canada-Israel, and Canada-Italy. Malhi is also the founder of the Canada-South Asian Friendship Group."