Deepak Obhrai

Canadian politician

Deepak Obhrai PC (July 5, 1950 – August 2, 2019) was a Tanzania-born Canadian politician. He represented the riding of Calgary East (until 2015) and Forest Lawn (from 2015) for the Reform Party of Canada and then the Conservative Party of Canada from 1997 until his death in 2019.


Deepak Obhrai

Obhrai in 2017
Member of Parliament
for Calgary Forest Lawn
(Calgary East; 1997–2015)
In office
June 2, 1997 – August 2, 2019
Preceded byFirst member
Succeeded byJasraj Hallan
Official Opposition Critic for International Development
In office
November 20, 2015 – July 12, 2016
LeaderRona Ambrose
Preceded byHélène Laverdière
Succeeded byDean Allison
Personal details
Born(1950-07-05)July 5, 1950
Oldeani, Tanganyika
(now Oldeani, Tanzania)
DiedAugust 2, 2019(2019-08-02) (aged 69)
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Political partyConservative
Other political
affiliations
Reform Party, Canadian Alliance
Spouse(s)Neena Obhrai (until 2019, his death)
OccupationBusinessman, politician
Websitewww.deepakobhrai.com

Obhrai was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.[1] He was the first and only Hindu to become an MP in Canada, and at the time of his death was the longest continuously-serving Conservative MP.[2][3]

He ran in the 2017 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election, but was defeated in the first round of voting.[4]

Obhrai died in Calgary on August 2, 2019 from liver cancer, aged 69.[5]

References change

  1. Canada, Global Affairs; Canada, Affaires mondiales (June 26, 2013). "Global Affairs Canada". Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  2. Sharma, Deepak (July 14, 2014). "Few Hindus enter Canadian politics". Hindu Education Link. Archived from the original on 2019-01-27. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
  3. Maloney, Ryan (December 8, 2016). "Deepak Obhrai Is The Fun Uncle Who Keeps Stealing The Show At Tory Leadership Debates". Huffpost. Archived from the original on 2018-02-01. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  4. "Conservative leadership candidates ramp up personal attacks during French-only debate". National Post. Archived from the original on 2017-01-18. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  5. "Canadian Press NewsAlert: Conservative MP Deepak Obhra dies of cancer". nationalpost.com. August 3, 2019.

Other website change