Toronto — Ahmed Hussen has secured a fourth consecutive term as Member of Parliament for York South–Weston, retaining his seat in Monday’s federal election and continuing as the sole Somali-Canadian representative in Canada’s House of Commons.
Running as the Liberal Party incumbent, Hussen overcame multiple challengers to maintain the Toronto-area riding he has represented since 2015. He was one of three Somali-Canadian candidates in this election, but the only one to emerge victorious. Conservative candidate Sayid Ahmed and NDP contender Omar Abubakar both ran in Edmonton-area ridings but were unsuccessful.
Hussen’s re-election came as little surprise to political observers, who noted his national profile, ministerial experience, and deep-rooted ties to immigrant communities as key advantages.
“Ahmed Hussen is a well-known figure in Canadian politics. He’s held multiple cabinet posts and maintains strong connections with the Somali diaspora,” said Abdirahman Abshir Kooreeye, a community analyst.
By contrast, Sayid Ahmed and Omar Abubakar were political newcomers competing in ridings with limited Somali or immigrant populations. Their low name recognition and lack of established support networks posed significant obstacles, while Abubakar also faced headwinds from the NDP’s overall poor performance in this cycle.
Born in Mogadishu in 1976, Hussen fled Somalia’s civil war and arrived in Canada in 1993 via Kenya’s Otaango refugee camp. He later earned a BA in History from York University and a law degree from the University of Ottawa, specializing in immigration and criminal law. He was called to the bar in 2012.
Before entering politics, Hussen served as president of the Canadian Somali Congress, where he championed police-community relations and interfaith dialogue. He co-founded the Canadian Somali-Jewish Mentorship Project, an initiative aimed at empowering Somali youth and fostering intercultural understanding.
Elected in 2015 as the first Somali-Canadian MP, Hussen quickly rose through the Liberal cabinet under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. His ministerial roles have included Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; Families, Children and Social Development; Housing, Diversity and Inclusion; and, most recently, International Development.
In his current role, Hussen led Canada’s delegation to the Syria–Turkey border in January 2025, following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, where he announced $17.25 million in Canadian humanitarian aid for displaced Syrian civilians.
Hussen’s continued success underscores both his personal political durability and the evolving presence of the Somali diaspora in Canadian civic life. However, his unique status highlights the ongoing challenges of broader Somali political representation in Canada, despite the community’s growing numbers and civic engagement.
