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Goldie Ghamari

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Goldie Ghamari
MPP
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Carleton
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 7, 2018
Preceded byRiding re-established
Personal details
Born
Golsa Ghamari

Ahwaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran
Political partyProgressive Conservative
Residence(s)Barrhaven,[1] Ottawa, Ontario
Alma materUniversity of Toronto
University of Ottawa
OccupationPolitician

Golsa "Goldie" Ghamari MPP (Persian: گلسا قمری) is a Canadian politician who has represented the riding of Carleton in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 2018. She is a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. Before entering politics, Ghamari was a lawyer who specialized in international trade law.

Early life and career

Ghamari came to Canada after a failed assassination attempt against her father.[2]

Her family sought to escape oppression in the Islamist regime in Iran following their revolution in 1979.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto and a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Common Law.[3]

Ghamari was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2013 and she practiced international trade law before running for provincial office.[4]

Ghamari received her law licence in 2013 but had eight "administrative" suspensions between June 2017 and July 2019 for issues such as failure to pay her annual fee or file her annual report.[5]

In January 2019, Ghamari's former client launched an investigation with the LSO for failing to take action on his complaint, which caused him to lose an investment in his restaurant business.[5] Ghamari informed the Law Society of Ontario that she cut off communication with her client based on unsubstantiated rumours that he had ties in the past to a group designated by the federal government as a terrorist organization — an allegation not confirmed anywhere in the tribunal's ruling.[citation needed]

In its March 30 decision, the tribunal ruled that Ghamari, the Progressive Conservative MPP for Carleton, had "failed to co-operate" with an investigation.[5] Ghamari shared with the tribunal that she was undergoing mental health challenges as a result of an unexpected divorce from her husband and stated that was a contributing factor to her delays. Ghamari had concerns about its impact on her political career and was willing to share the details the Law Society sought in an in-camera meeting.[6]

In April 2021, The Ottawa Citizen reported that a tribunal conducted by the Law Society of Ontario had finalized their ruling to suspend Ghamari's licence to practice law suggesting Ghamari had “engaged in professional misconduct and/or conduct unbecoming a licensee.”.[7] Allegations, according to the Law Society's draft order and sworn affidavits, cited that a former client had filed a complaint alleging that he had paid her a retainer in 2017 to help him pursue a real estate-related claim.[8] The client argued she didn't fulfill the terms of the retainer.[citation needed]

Ghamari was further accused of "utterly stonewalling" the investigation over the past two years as the tribunal repeatedly attempted to collect relevant information, including Ghamari's call and text logs with the client covering the six-month period in question. While Ghamari stated "I'm aware that the Law Society Act requires me to disclose relevant information.", she argued, "I do believe that the Law Society should not have blanket authorization access to my political and campaign calls and records, especially because they contain highly sensitive personal information of other political people based on the nature of my position as an elected official."[6]

Ghamari maintained her refusal to provide the information citing a PC Party Confidentiality Pact[9] despite there being no evidence presented prior to nor during the hearing by Ghamari or her duty counsel to suggest the PC Party's confidentiality agreement would override a lawyer's obligation to disclose the requested information under the Law Society Act.[citation needed]

Political career

In February 2018, Ghamari alleged that Randy Hillier, MPP for Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, intimidated her and tried to encourage her not to seek public office. She said the encounter occurred during the 2016 Ontario PC Party convention in Ottawa. As a result of the allegations, there was an internal party investigation, but the party found no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Hillier.[10]

Ghamari was first elected to represent the riding of Carleton in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario during the 2018 general election as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.[11] She was re-elected in 2022 election.[12]

Ghamari has stated that it was unacceptable that students in the suburban areas of Ottawa lacked access to adequate school bus services.[13] Furthermore, she has advocated for laws to ensure that children are required to wear lifejackets while in lakes or boating activities.[14]

Political positions

Climate change

See also: Climate change denial

In 2018, Ghamari stated at a debate in Ontario that while climate change is real, it is not human-caused. "I believe climate change is real. I don't believe climate change is man-made and I certainly don't believe that the people of Carleton are at fault for climate change," Ghamari stated. These comments contradict the scientific consensus on climate change.[15]

Foreign policy

In November 2023, Ghamari also accused Ontario New Democratic Party MPP Joel Harden of being "a mouthpiece for the ... Islamic Regime, as well as accusing MPP Sara Jama of being a "terrorist sympathizer".[16]

Ghamari is a prominent critic of the Islamic Republic of Iran.[17] She is also a supporter of Reza Pahlavi, the last Crown Prince of Iran, and is publicly critical against anyone who she believes support People's Mojahedin Organization (MEK).[18] Ghamari alleged on X that fellow Iran critic Kaveh Shahrooz is a supporter of MEK. Shahrooz, who briefly ran for the federal Conservative Party nomination in Richmond Hill, denied ever supporting MEK.[17]

Electoral record

2022 Ontario general election: Carleton
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Progressive Conservative Goldie Ghamari 22,295 48.15 −3.18 $67,504
Liberal Tom Dawson 12,452 26.89 +7.45 $28,703
New Democratic Kevin St. Denis 7,256 15.67 −6.83 $14,674
Green Cody Zulinski 2,537 5.48 +1.53 $5,201
New Blue Rob Stocki 1,037 2.24   $2,991
Ontario Party Ethan Ferguson 494 1.07 +0.27 $0
None of the Above Chris Mark Beauchamp 235 0.51 −0.31 $0
Total valid votes/Expense limit 46,306 99.66 +0.69 $133,325
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 157 0.34 -0.69
Turnout 46,463 48.79 -13.12
Eligible voters 93,064
Progressive Conservative hold Swing −5.32
Source(s)
  • "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023.
  • "Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023.
2018 Ontario general election: Carleton
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressive Conservative Goldie Ghamari 25,798 51.33
New Democratic Courtney Potter 11,308 22.50
Liberal Theresa Qadri 9,768 19.44
Green Gordon Kubanek 1,985 3.95
None of the Above Evan Nightingale 413 0.82
Ontario Party Jay Tysick 399 0.79
Libertarian Jean-Serge Brisson 386 0.77
Cultural Action Kevin Harris 110 0.22
Independent Mark Dickson 89 0.18
Total valid votes 50,258 100.0  
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots
Turnout 64.05
Eligible voters 78,460
Progressive Conservative pickup new district.
Source: Elections Ontario[19]

References

  1. ^ "Search For Contributions". Elections Canada. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  2. ^ Payne, Elizabeth (October 15, 2022). "'We want to be their voice': Hundreds march in Ottawa to demonstrate against Islamic Republic regime". Ottawa Citizen.
  3. ^ gghamari. "About". Goldie MPP | Carleton. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  4. ^ Willing, Jon (April 2, 2021). "Law society suspends Ghamari's licence for allegedly not co-operating with investigation". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Pfeffer, Amanda (April 6, 2021). "Law society suspends MPP Goldie Ghamari's licence over professional misconduct". CBC News. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  6. ^ a b "PC MPP Goldie Ghamari's testimony before the Law Society of Ontario January 24, 2021". Politics Today. Queen's Park Today (Transcription). January 24, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  7. ^ Willing, Jon (April 2, 2021). "Law society suspends Ghamari's licence for allegedly not co-operating with investigation". The Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  8. ^ Nanji, Sabrina (January 14, 2021). "EXCLUSIVE: PC MPP accused of blocking Law Society probe into allegations of professional misconduct". Politics Today. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  9. ^ Nanji, Sabrina (January 27, 2021). "EXCLUSIVE: Ghamari attempts to block release of cellphone records, citing PC Party confidentiality pact". Politics Today. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  10. ^ David Reevely, "Ontario's PCs investigate candidate's physical-intimidation claim against MPP Randy Hillier". Ottawa Citizen, January 29, 2018.
  11. ^ "Goldie Ghamari elected in Carleton". CBC News. June 7, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  12. ^ "PC Goldie Ghamari wins again in Carleton". CBC News. Ottawa, Ontario. June 2, 2022. Archived from the original on June 11, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  13. ^ Staff, Stittsville Central (September 20, 2023). "'OSTA funding gap was already addressed by Ministry and school boards in summer months' - MPP Goldie Ghamari". Stittsville Central - Local News, Events and Business. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  14. ^ McKay, Lesley (May 27, 2023). "Lifejackets save lives - MPP Goldie Ghamari honours family with introduction of Bill 93-Joshua's Law". Stittsville Central - Local News, Events and Business. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  15. ^ Chianello, Joanne (May 24, 2018). "Carleton PC candidate says she doesn't believe climate change is man-made". CBC News. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  16. ^ DeClerq, Katherine (November 24, 2023). "Doug Ford will not remove MPP from caucus amid allegations of 'dangerous rhetoric' on social media". CTV News. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  17. ^ a b Burke, Ashley. "More than 100 Iranian-Canadians call for party probe of Conservative nomination race". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
  18. ^ "Candidate pulls out of Tory Richmond Hill nomination race, citing shadow of foreign interference". The Hill Times. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  19. ^ "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
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