Three Liberal candidates who won byelections earlier this month, that delivered Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney a majority government, are taking their seats in the House of Commons on Monday.
Bangladeshi-origin MP Doly Begum, Danielle Martin and Tatiana Auguste were sworn in on Saturday, clearing the way for their formal entry into the chamber.
In her verified Facebook post, Doly said, “What an incredible honour to be formally introduced in the House of Commons by Prime Minister Mark Carney and Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree.”
She made history by becoming the first person of Bangladeshi descent to be elected as a MP in Canada.
Representing the Liberal Party, she won a landslide victory in the Scarborough Southwest constituency in Toronto during Monday’s federal by-election.
Her victory is a major win for Prime Minister Mark Carney. Before the vote, the Liberals had 171 seats; with this win, they now have 174 seats. This majority allows the prime minister to lead a stable government and pass important new laws until the next general election in 2029.
The by-elections were held in three areas – Scarborough Southwest, University-Rosedale, and Terrebonne. The government only needed to win one of these seats to reach a majority, and Doly Begum’s win secured that goal.
Doly is an experienced politician. Before moving to federal politics, she served three times as a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in Ontario. She was first elected in 2018 as a member of the New Democratic Party (NDP) and was re-elected in 2022 and 2024.
Earlier this year, she left the NDP to join the Liberal Party. She ran for the federal seat after it became empty following the resignation of former minister Bill Blair.
After her win, Doly Begum stated that she has fought for the people of her community for seven years. She now plans to work at the federal level to lower the cost of living and ensure affordable housing for everyone.
Prime Minister Mark Carney congratulated her, saying her victory reflects her hard work and that her experience will help build a “just Canada”.
Doly Begum was born in the Moulvibazar district of Bangladesh. At age 12, she moved to Canada with her parents, Raja Mia and Joba Begum.
She is highly educated, holding a degree in Political Science from the University of Toronto and a postgraduate degree from University College London (UCL).
Experts believe her success will inspire many people in the Bangladeshi community and the younger generation to get involved in Canadian politics.
