Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced changes to his cabinet this week and appointed Ahmed Hussen as the new Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

Hussen is the member of Parliament for the riding of York South-Weston, and a Member of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. A lawyer and social activist, he has the proven track record of leadership and community empowerment to be the voice in Ottawa that is effective at getting results for York South-Weston.

Born and raised in Somalia, Hussen immigrated to Canada in 1993 where he settled in Regent Park and quickly gravitated toward public service. In 2002, he co-founded the Regent Park Community Council and was able to secure the $500 million revitalization project of Regent Park, all while ensuring the interests of the area’s nearly 15,000 residents were protected.

Hussen currently serves as the National President of the Canadian Somali Congress — a Somali community organization that works with national and regional authorities to advocate on issues of importance to Canadians of Somali heritage and strengthen civic engagement and integration. His results-driven reputation led to an invitation to join the task force for modernizing income security for adults in the Toronto City Summit Alliance.

Hussen is fluent in English, Somali, and Swahili, and earned his B.A (History) from York University and his Law Degree from the University of Ottawa. In 2004, the Toronto Star recognized him as one of ten individuals in Toronto to have made substantial contributions to our community.

Hussen replaces Minister John McCallum, who has served as the immigration minister for more than a year.