Arif Virani

The Honourable
Arif Virani
PC MP
Virani in 2024
Minister of Justice
Attorney General of Canada
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 26, 2023
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byDavid Lametti
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
In office
August 31, 2018 – July 26, 2023
MinisterJody Wilson-Raybould
David Lametti
Preceded byMarco Mendicino
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Multiculturalism)
In office
January 28, 2017 – August 30, 2018
MinisterMélanie Joly
Preceded byVacant
Succeeded byGary Anandasangaree
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
In office
December 2, 2015 – January 27, 2017
MinisterJohn McCallum
Preceded byCostas Menegakis
Succeeded bySerge Cormier
Member of Parliament
for Parkdale—High Park
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded byPeggy Nash
Personal details
Born (1971-11-23) November 23, 1971 (age 52)
Kampala, Uganda
NationalityCanadian
Political partyLiberal
SpouseSuchita Jain
Residence(s)Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Alma materMcGill University (BA)
University of Toronto Faculty of Law (LLB)
ProfessionLawyer

Arif Virani PC MP (born November 23, 1971) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who has served as the minister of justice and attorney general of Canada since July 2023. A member of the Liberal Party, Virani represents Parkdale—High Park in the House of Commons. Prior to his appointment as Minister of Justice and Attorney General, he held a number of parliamentary secretary portfolios, including to the minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship from 2015 to 2017, and to the minister of Canadian heritage (multiculturalism) from 2017 to 2018, to the minister of justice and attorney general from 2018 to 2021, and to the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development from 2021 to 2023.

Background

Virani's roots are in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India although he was born in Kampala.[1] Virani is a multilingual Ismaili Muslim who came to Canada as a refugee from Uganda after the expulsion of Indians from that country.[2] Upon arriving in Canada in 1972, his family was taken in by the YMCA in Montreal.[3] His family then became more permanently established in Toronto.[2] Virani spent his childhood growing up in the Flemingdon Park and Willowdale neighbourhoods.[3]

Education

Virani graduated as a joint honours Bachelor of Arts in political science and history from McGill University in 1994.[4] He then graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.[5] Virani remained connected to the University of Toronto Faculty of Law following his graduation by remaining involved with its alumni committee.[6]

Virani began his legal career by articling for Fasken Martineau DuMoulin in 1999.[4] Following this, he worked in London, United Kingdom for a year with the support of the Harold G. Fox scholarship.[4] This scholarship for recent graduates of the Bar Admission Course allows for a pupilage with leading barristers at the Inns of Court in London.[7][8]

In 2003, he went on to work as a lawyer for the constitutional law branch of the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General.[4][9] During his time with the Ontario constitutional law branch, he appeared in one case at the Supreme Court of Canada.[10]

He does not currently practise law, as he serves in his role as a Member of Parliament.[11] He remains an L1 class licensed lawyer according to the Law Society of Ontario.[11] This means he is "entitled to practise law in Ontario as a barrister and solicitor".[12]

Personal life

Virani lives in Roncesvalles Village in Toronto with his wife Suchita Jain, originally from London, Ontario, and their two sons.[2][13]

Electoral record

2021 Canadian federal election: Parkdale—High Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Arif Virani 22,307 42.45 -4.94 $104,400.40
New Democratic Paul M. Taylor 20,602 39.21 +7.71 $106,004.63
Conservative Nestor Sanajko 6,815 12.97 -0.19 $9,183.25
People's Wilfried Richard Alexander Danzinger 1,642 3.13 +2.07 $724.84
Green Diem Marchand-Lafortune 957 1.82 -4.61 $3,873.90
Marijuana Terry Parker 130 0.25 +0.05 $0.00
Marxist–Leninist Lorne Gershuny 90 0.17 +0.10 $0.00
Total valid votes/Expense limit 52,543 – – $110,699.74
Total rejected ballots
Turnout 52,543 65.46
Eligible voters 80,265
Liberal hold Swing -6.33
Source: Elections Canada[14]
2019 Canadian federal election: Parkdale—High Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Arif Virani 28,852 47.4 +5.36 $104,265.06
New Democratic Paul M. Taylor 19,180 31.5 -8.74 $100,698.11
Conservative Adam Pham 8,015 13.2 +0.15 $44,890.73
Green Nick Capra 3,916 6.4 +3.42 $14,108.37
People's Greg Wycliffe 643 1.1 - none listed
Communist Alykhan Pabani 119 0.2 - $626.57
Marijuana Terry Parker 119 0.2 -0.13 none listed
Marxist–Leninist Lorne Gershuny 43 0.07 -0.1 none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 60,887 100.0
Total rejected ballots 382
Turnout 61,269 74.0
Eligible voters 82,797
Liberal hold Swing +7.05
Source: Elections Canada[15][16]
2015 Canadian federal election: Parkdale—High Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Arif Virani 24,623 42.04% +9.15 –
New Democratic Peggy Nash 23,566 40.24% -6.96 –
Conservative Ian Allen 7,641 13.05% -2.5 –
Green Adam Phipps 1,743 2.98% -0.29 –
Libertarian Mark Jeftovic 610 1.04% – –
Marijuana Terry Parker 191 0.33% -0.09 –
Marxist–Leninist Lorne Gershuny 100 0.17% +/-0.00 –
Independent Carol Royer 93 0.16% – –
Total valid votes/expense limit 58,567 100.0     $210,593.15
Total rejected ballots 269 – – –
Turnout 58,836 – – –
Eligible voters 76,952 – – –
Source: Elections Canada[17][18]

References

  1. ^ Bhattacharyya, Anirudh (February 8, 2016). "How an Indian-origin MP in Canada is helping Syrian refugees". Hindustan Times. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Hasham, Alyshah (October 19, 2015). "Arif Virani wins in Parkdale-High Park". Toronto Star. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Harper, Tim. "For one Liberal MP the refugee backlash cuts close to home". www.thestar.com. Toronto Star. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d RACANELLI, HELEN. "Why Arif Virani ran for Parliament". Precedent - The New Rules of Law and Style. Precedent Magazine. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  5. ^ Boisseau, Peter (October 3, 2016). "Jackman Law Building officially opens". www.utoronto.ca. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  6. ^ Boisseau, Peter (October 3, 2016). "Jackman Law Building officially opens". www.utoronto.ca. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  7. ^ "About". The Harold G. Fox Education Fund. The Harold G. Fox Education Fund. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  8. ^ "About the Harold G. Fox Education Fund". The Harold G. Fox Education Fund. The Harold G. Fox Education Fund. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Profile - Virani, Arif". PARLINFO. Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  10. ^ Provincial Court Judges' Association of New Brunswick v New Brunswick (Minister of Justice), [2005] 2 SCR 286, 2005 SCC 44.
  11. ^ a b "Arif Virani". Lawyer and Paralegal Directory. The Law Society of Ontario. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  12. ^ "By-Law 4". The Law Society of Ontario. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  13. ^ Racanelli, Helen (March 8, 2016). "Why Arif Virani ran for Parliament". Precedent Magazine. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  14. ^ "List of confirmed candidates – September 20, 2021 Federal Election". Elections Canada. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  15. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  16. ^ "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  17. ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Parkdale—High Park, 30 September 2015
  18. ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived 2015-08-15 at the Wayback Machine
29th Ministry – Cabinet of Justin Trudeau
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
David Lametti Minister of Justice
July 26, 2023 – present 		Incumbent