The Honourable
Arif Virani
PC KC MP
Virani in 2015
Minister of Justice
Attorney General of Canada
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
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded byPeggy Nash
Personal details
Born (1971-11-23) November 23, 1971
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 KC 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, although he was born in Kampala.[1] Virani is a multilingual Ismaili Muslim who came to Canada as a refugee from Uganda.[2] Upon arriving in Canada in 1972, his family found solace in the Stanley Street 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 received 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 two cases at the Supreme Court of Canada.

He does not currently practise law, as he serves in his role as a Member of Parliament.[10] He remains an L1 class licensed lawyer according to the Law Society of Ontario.[10] This means he is "entitled to practise law in Ontario as a barrister and solicitor".[11]

Personal life

Virani lives in Roncesvalles Village in Toronto with his wife Suchita Jain, originally from London, Ontario, and their two sons.[2][12]

Electoral record

2019 Canadian federal election: Parkdale—High Park
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalArif Virani28,85247.4+5.36$104,265.06
New DemocraticPaul M. Taylor19,18031.5-8.74$100,698.11
ConservativeAdam Pham8,01513.2+0.15$44,890.73
GreenNick Capra3,9166.4+3.42$14,108.37
People'sGreg Wycliffe6431.1-none listed
CommunistAlykhan Pabani1190.2-$626.57
MarijuanaTerry Parker1190.2-0.13none listed
Marxist–LeninistLorne Gershuny430.07-0.1none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 60,887100.0
Total rejected ballots 382
Turnout 61,26974.0
Eligible voters 82,797
Liberal hold Swing +7.05
Source: Elections Canada[13][14]
2015 Canadian federal election: Parkdale—High Park
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalArif Virani24,62342.04%+9.15–
New DemocraticPeggy Nash23,56640.24%-6.96–
ConservativeIan Allen7,64113.05%-2.5–
GreenAdam Phipps1,7432.98%-0.29–
LibertarianMark Jeftovic6101.04%––
MarijuanaTerry Parker1910.33%-0.09–
Marxist–LeninistLorne Gershuny1000.17%+/-0.00–
IndependentCarol Royer930.16%––
Total valid votes/expense limit 58,567100.0   $210,593.15
Total rejected ballots 269–––
Turnout 58,836–––
Eligible voters 76,952–––
Source: Elections Canada[15][16]

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. 1 2 3 Hasham, Alyshah (October 19, 2015). "Arif Virani wins in Parkdale-High Park". Toronto Star. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Harper, Tim. "For one Liberal MP the refugee backlash cuts close to home". www.thestar.com. Toronto Star. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 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. 1 2 "Arif Virani". Lawyer and Paralegal Directory. The Law Society of Ontario. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  11. ↑ "Licence Type Definitions". Lawyer and Paralegal Directory. The Law Society of Ontario. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  12. ↑ Racanelli, Helen (March 8, 2016). "Why Arif Virani ran for Parliament". Precedent Magazine. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  13. ↑ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  15. ↑ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Parkdale—High Park, 30 September 2015
  16. ↑ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived 2015-08-15 at the Wayback Machine
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