1. El-Farouk Khaki was the New Democratic Party's candidate for the House of Commons in the riding of Toronto Centre in a March 17,2008 by-election.
13 Facts About El-Farouk Khaki
1. 2.
El-Farouk Khaki was born in Tanzania, which his family fled in 1971 escaping political persecution.
3.
El-Farouk Khaki's parents arrived in Canada in 1974 and settled in Vancouver where Khaki grew up.
4.
El-Farouk Khaki earned a law degree from the University of British Columbia before moving to Ottawa in 1988 and has lived and worked in Toronto since 1989.
5.
El-Farouk Khaki worked as a political staffer at Queen's Park until 1993 when he left to establish his legal practice.
6.
El-Farouk Khaki founded Salaam in 1991, a support group for gay Muslims.
7.
El-Farouk Khaki's appearances include CTV's morning television program Canada AM, CBC Radio One's The Current, and others.
8.
El-Farouk Khaki was the 2009 parade grand marshal for Toronto's pride parade.
9.
El-Farouk Khaki co-founded and served as Secretary General of the Muslim Canadian Congress, in August 2006 until the group split.
10.
El-Farouk Khaki founded, with academic Laury Silvers, and his partner Troy Jackson the El-Tawhid Juma Circle.
11.
On May 23,2009, El-Farouk Khaki made the opening remarks at a Queers Against Israeli Apartheid event to "reignite Toronto's queer community in the fight against apartheid".
12.
B'nai Brith executive vice-president Frank Dimant said El-Farouk Khaki should be subject to "disciplinary action" by Pride Toronto.
13.
El-Farouk Khaki was honoured at the 2006 Pride Week gala for his role in promoting queer Muslim awareness through Salaam.