Ujjal Dosanjh

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Ujjal Dosanjh

Ujjal Singh Dosanjh , PC (born September 9, 1947 in Jalandhar , India ) is a Canadian lawyer and politician . He was Prime Minister of British Columbia from February 24, 2000 to June 5, 2001, making him the first head of government of a Canadian province to come from Asia . During this time he was also chairman of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (NDP). Three years later he joined the Liberal Party of Canada and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons . From June 2004 to February 2006, he was Canadian Minister of Health in Paul Martin's cabinet.

Early life

In 1964 Dosanjh immigrated to London at the age of 17 and moved on to Canada four years later. He worked for several years in a sawmill in Vancouver and also attended evening classes at Langara College and Simon Fraser University , where he received a degree in political science . He graduated from the University of British Columbia Law School in 1976 and opened a law firm in Vancouver in 1979.

Dosanjh was involved in various organizations and advocated civil rights, worker protection and multiculturalism. As a prominent moderate Sikh who spoke out publicly against the violence of Sikh extremists in India , he was hit by attacks. In 1985, a man attacked him in the parking lot next to his office with a copper pipe. Dosanjh broke his hand and his head had to be sewn with 80 stitches. In December 1999, arson ravaged his polling station.

Provincial politics

After unsuccessful attempts in 1979 and 1983 Dosanjh managed 1991 in the constituency of Vancouver-Kensington the election to the legislative assembly of British Columbia . At the provincial level, he was Minister for Official Agencies and Minister for Multiculturalism, Human Rights and Sport. 1995 appointed him prime minister Glen Clark for Attorney General . In the 1996 election Dosanjh was able to defend his seat.

When Clark had to resign because of a scandal, Dosanjh was elected the new chairman of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (NDP) on February 24, 2000 and took up the post of Prime Minister. The government was very unpopular and Dosanjh tried unsuccessfully to regain voters' confidence in his party. In the election on May 16, 2001, the NDP suffered a heavy defeat and only won two of 79 seats. Dosanjh lost his seat, resigned on June 5, 2001 and returned to his profession as a lawyer.

Federal politics

In 2004 Dosanjh returned to politics, this time as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada for the general election on June 28, 2004 . Prime Minister Paul Martin nominated him directly as a candidate in the Vancouver South constituency, bypassing the normal nomination process. Former NDP party colleagues also criticized Dosanjh. Nevertheless, he was clearly elected and immediately appointed Minister of Health by Paul Martin.

In the general election on January 23, 2006 Dosanjh defended his mandate. But he had to resign as minister because the Liberals had lost their majority. As a member of the shadow cabinet , he was initially the defense spokesman. In January 2007, opposition leader Stéphane Dion appointed him foreign policy spokesman. On February 13, 2007, Dosanjh suffered a heart attack in front of the House of Parliament in Ottawa and had to undergo an operation to remove a blood clot . In the general election on October 14, 2008 , he managed to be re-elected by just 22 votes.

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personal data
SURNAME Dosanjh, Ujjal
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Dosanjh, Ujjal Singh (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Canadian politician and lawyer
DATE OF BIRTH September 9, 1947
PLACE OF BIRTH Jalandhar , India