Empower families, promote small business, and provide better transit

By Karim Jivraj

I am thrilled to be running to be your next member of Parliament. Over the past three months, our team of young volunteers and I have knocked on over 68,000 doors and I’ve personally met thousands of neighbours and local residents.

Growing up in Toronto

My name is Karim. I was born in Hamilton, and grew up in north Toronto. My parents came to Canada in 1972 from East Africa following their expulsion by the Ugandan strongman Idi Amin. Fleeing a regime that persecuted ethnic minorities, my parents saw in Canada a safe haven for tolerance where they could work hard and start a family. My family has since run a north Toronto menswear store, where my two younger brothers and I used to help out after school and during our summers.

From law to politics

After graduating from the Toronto French School, I moved to Paris to study international law at the Sorbonne. I paid my way through university by teaching English. Although I love my career in international law and arbitration, where I have fought for wronged investors against foreign governments, I want to serve my community and my country.

Promoting small business

I’ve spoken with the owners of convenience stores, restaurants, juice bars, barbershops, and tattoo parlours. Most agree that things have gotten better for their small businesses: less red tape and lower taxes have allowed them to grow their businesses and hire new employees. My upbringing shaped my belief that small business owners are the bedrock of our communities, and I want to make it easier for these courageous people to work hard and succeed.

I want Toronto to be the start-up capital of the world. I want to make it easier for young entrepreneurs and innovators to make their ideas reach the marketplace. The new Canada-EU free trade agreement will enable our local small businesses and entrepreneurs to sell their goods and services to consumers in France, Italy, and 26 other EU countries.

Financially sustainable transit

I started taking the Bayview 11 bus when I was 12, and I’ve been using public transit my entire life. I’ve also lived in or visited cities with truly world-class urban transit, and I know that Toronto can do better. I was immensely proud to attend the announcement that the federal government is providing $2.6 billion to Mayor John Tory’s innovative SmartTrack plan. I’m an urban conservative, and good urban transit means more time to work and to spend with our friends and loved ones.

Helping families raise kids

Meeting hundreds of people every single day has made me realize the true diversity of local residents and families. No two families are alike. The Universal Child Care Benefit has been a huge hit, and gives money to every single family with kids under 18. Some use it for a family camping trip, some for swimming lessons or pottery camp, and many for university tuition. I believe in solutions that empower families to make choices that correspond to their own lifestyles and priorities.

I need your help

For the first time in generations, we have federal spending under control. We’ve avoided the temptation to create new expensive federal programs and we’ve stuck with the basics: keep taxes and government spending low. Let’s focus on making it easier to start a business and a family in University-Rosedale. Let’s make it easier to buy a first home.

It’s no secret – I am the underdog in this race – but with your help we can send an MP to Ottawa who will fight for what matters to us.

Karim Jivraj is the federal Conservative Party of Canada candidate for University-Rosedale.