Chandra Arya
MP
Member of Parliament
for Nepean
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded byDistrict created
Personal details
Born
Chandrakanth Arya

(1963-07-28) 28 July 1963
Dwaralu
CitizenshipIndian, Canada
NationalityIndian
Political partyLiberal
Residence(s)Barrhaven,[1] Ottawa, Ontario
Alma materKarnatak University

Chandrakanth "Chandra" Arya MP (born 1963) is an Indo-Canadian Liberal politician, who represents the riding of Nepean in the House of Commons of Canada since the 2015 federal election.

Biography

Arya is native of Dwarlu village, Sira Taluk, Tumakuru district, Karnataka state. He did his M.B.A from Kousali Institute of Management Studies, Dharwad which is affiliated with Karnataka University, Dharwad.[2] In 2006, Arya immigrated to Canada. He was the chairman of the Indo-Canada Ottawa Business Chamber prior to entering politics.[3]

Political career

Arya was elected to represent the riding of Nepean in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2015 federal election and subsequently re-elected in the 2019 federal election.[4][5][6][7] He currently serves as a member of the Standing Committee on International Trade.[8]

In 2016, political journalist Kady O'Malley reported that Arya faced an ethics inquiry after awarding 26 graduating elementary, middle school students high school student either an Amazon Kindle e-reader or $500 in cash for showing "perseverance in the face of adversity".[9] Arya defended himself against accusations that he violated the House of Commons conflict of interest code by stating that the Nepean Liberal Riding Association paid for the award.[10]

In 2021, Arya apologized after a staffer emailed private information of nine hundred constituents to CPC staffers. The CPC told their staffers to delete the email and Arya didn't face any sanctions due to Canadian privacy laws.[11]

He was reelected in the 2021 federal election despite criticism from the members of the Ottawa Punjabi Association, who put up anti-Arya signs during the campaign,[12] Sean Devine, the NDP candidate as well as the Conservative Party (CPC) candidate over his performance representing the riding.[3]

In 2022, Arya became the first member of parliament to speak in Kannada, his mother tongue, in the House of Commons of Canada.[2] Arya blamed “Khalistani extremists” for vandalizing Hindu temples in Toronto.[13] When filmmaker Leena Manimekalai faced backlash online for a poster of her movie Kaali, which depicted the Hindu goddess, Kali smoking and holding an LGBT flag, he condemned the poster on Twitter.[14] This prompted criticism from over a hundred academics, activists and community organization members, who sent a letter to Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau.[15]

In November Arya's private member bill, which proclaimed that November is Hindu Heritage Month passed unanimously.[16] When Arya raised a flag on Parliament Hill to celebrate the event; academics from the Université du Québec à Montréal, Hindus for Human Rights and the Canadian Council of Muslim Women sent letters to Trudeau due to their belief that it appeared that flag represented the Hindu nationalist organization, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Arya told CBC News that the flag "represented the Hindu faith" and "not support for any political organization".[17]

In February 2023, Global News reported that from July 2020 to September 30, 2022, Arya outpaced his house colleagues in "protocol" gifts by purchasing 1,025 plaques for a total worth of $21,931 by using taxpayer funds. Global noted that contracted to a single company SINIX Media Group, who received fifty-three contracts for an amount of $53,681.50 from Arya’s constituency office over the same period. He told the outlet that the plaques were for his constituents but ignored any questions about a working relationship with the firm's chief executive officer.[18]

On April 14th, 2023, Arya sponsored petition, e-4395 which calling on the Liberal government to reconsider setting up a "foreign influence transparency registry.”.[19] Arya told Global News that he agrees with the concerns expressed by the petitioners.[20] Trudeau, who was asked about the petition, responded by saying he supported the registry but argued to be cautious with the implementation.[21]

Electoral record

2021 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalChandra Arya29,62045.1-0.8
ConservativeMatt Triemstra22,18433.7+0.2
New DemocraticSean Devine10,78616.4+3.3
People'sJay Nera1,8402.8+1.8
GreenGordon Kubanek1,3182.0-4.3
Total valid votes 65,748
Total rejected ballots 419
Turnout 66,16770.85
Eligible voters 93,391
Source: Elections Canada[22]
2019 Canadian federal election: Nepean
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalChandra Arya31,93345.9-6.52$107,465.36
ConservativeBrian St. Louis23,32033.5-2.63$110,373.63
New DemocraticZaff Ansari9,10413.1+4.90$3,771.41
GreenJean-Luc Cooke4,3796.3+3.97$7,732.54
People'sAzim Hooda6871.0none listed
CommunistDustan Wang1600.2none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 69,583100.0
Total rejected ballots 407
Turnout 69,99075.2
Eligible voters 93,119
Liberal hold Swing -1.95
Source: Elections Canada[23][24]
2015 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalChandra Arya34,01752.43+25.32–
ConservativeAndy Wang23,44236.16-14.86–
New DemocraticSean Devine5,3248.16-9.67–
GreenJean-Luc Roger Cooke1,5182.34-1.69–
IndependentJesus Cosico4160.64––
IndependentHubert Mamba690.11––
IndependentHarry Splett660.1––
Marxist–LeninistTony Seed410.06––
Total valid votes/Expense limit 64,888100.0   $217,170.11
Total rejected ballots –––
Turnout 65,15078.5%–
Eligible voters 82,976
Liberal notional gain from Conservative Swing +20.9
Source: Elections Canada[25][26]

References

  1. ↑ "Search For Contributions". Elections Canada. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  2. 1 2 "Kannada in Canadian parliament: MP Chandra Arya creates history". newindianexpress. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Liberal candidate Chandra Arya secures third straight win in Nepean riding". ottawacitizen. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  4. ↑ "Liberal Chandra Arya returns in Nepean". CBC News. October 21, 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Nepean Race A Nail-biter to the Finish". Ottawa Sun.
  6. ↑ "19 Indian-Canadians elected to Canadian parliament". The Economic Times. 20 October 2015. Archived from the original on 11 November 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  7. ↑ "Nepean: How much experience does an MP need?". Ottawa Sun. Sep 23, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Standing Committee on International Trade". House of Commons. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Kady O'Malley: Ontario Liberal MP Chandra Arya faces ethics inquiry for giving students cash and Kindles". nationalpost. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  10. ↑ "@Kady: Liberal riding association paid for Kindle, cash student giveaway, MP says". theprovince. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  11. ↑ "Liberal MP apologizes to voters after his office emails their information to Conservatives". thestar.com. 2021-02-18. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  12. ↑ Rana, Uday (2021-09-18). "Punjabi voters demand candidates take a stand on Indian farmers' movement". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  13. ↑ "Sikh independence referendum in Canada unfolds amid angry clashes, India's condemnation". nationalpost. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  14. ↑ ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Arts-. "Toronto filmmaker receives backlash, death threats over Hindu goddess poster". Radio-Canada.ca (in Canadian French). Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  15. ↑ Xing, Lisa (November 3, 2022). "Director got death threats over film poster featuring Hindu goddess. Now she's getting a protest screening". Canadian Broadcasting Corproation. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  16. ↑ Quint, The (2022-11-05). "'Historic Beginning': Canada Marks November as National Hindu Heritage Month". TheQuint. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  17. ↑ Xing, Lisa (March 1, 2023). "Movement out of India that 'disseminates hate' victimizes religious minority groups, report says". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Liberal MP tops all others with $21.9K spending on 'protocol gifts.' Here's what he spent it on - National | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  19. ↑ "Ottawa Liberal MP Arya sponsors e-petition calling on government to reconsider proposed foreign influence transparency registry". The Hill Times. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
  20. ↑ "Why a Liberal MP is sponsoring a petition to reconsider foreign agent registry - National | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  21. ↑ "Trudeau says feds must be 'very careful' on foreign agents registry | Watch News Videos Online". Global News. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  22. ↑ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  23. ↑ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  24. ↑ "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  25. ↑ Canada, Elections. "Voter Information Service – Find your electoral district". elections.ca. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  26. ↑ Canada, Elections. "Error page". Elections Canada. Archived from the original on August 15, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2020.

Election Night Results – Electoral Districts

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