Liberal party announces Oshawa candidate

The Liberal Party of Canada has announced Afroza Hossain as the candidate for the Oshawa riding in the next federal election.

Hossain was the Liberal candidate in last fall’s election where she finished third.

With a strong focus on important new engagement with Canadians, Hossain says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s nominations help ensure “we’re ready to re-elect our dedicated Liberal team in Parliament and continue to elect even more talented, diverse, and hardworking community leaders as Liberal MPs across Canada, whenever the next campaign eventually arrives.”

Hossain currently volunteers with 11 different organizations, ranging from Human Rights Advocate to treasurer for the Canadian Space Society.

Previously, she was the financial manager at a large health not-for-profit agency, and has held various positions in the financial sector.

Most recently, Hossain gathered 40 tenants in her community to fight unfair rent increases, managing to bring the increase down from 9.62 per cent to 7.8 per cent.

“We believe that Afroza is the perfect voice for Oshawa because she truly understands how hard it is to join the middle class,” the statement reads.

Hossain moved from Bangladesh to Canada with her husband 32 years ago, settling down as immigrants.

She jumped from different retail and food industries, facing racism, sexism, and bigotry along the way, she says.

Hossain eventually went back to school in her 40s where she received her diploma in business administration at Durham College. She continued her education and graduated from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, now named Ontario Tech University, in 2017 with an honours Bachelor of Commerce.

“Afroza has used her struggles to connect with others, especially those trying to join the middle class,” the statement continues. “She has worked with refugees, immigrants and other women who have gone through similar situations like herself.”

Her campaign office says though she has had a difficult professional and personal life moving from job to job, losing her home after the 2008 financial crisis, taking care of her husband who had cancer, raising her daughter, going to school, voicing wrongdoings in the workplace, and guiding newcomers to settle in Canada, Afroza is “kind, dedicated and is a hard-working neighbour who has proven to be a fighter and a strong, empowered woman.”

Hossain says no one, whether a new immigrant or a fifth generation Canadian, should have to struggle so hard to succeed, noting someone like her understands the biases and judgements that those trying to join the middle class are faced with.

“I myself have gone through it all, and have only come out stronger and ready to work,” she says, adding now it’s time to give back to Canada by uplifting others and empowering the voices of the middle class and those working hard to join it.

“I look forward to continuing this important work while also working to be elected to represent the people of Oshawa.”