16 Facts About Maryam Monsef

Maryam Monsef served as Minister of Democratic Institutions and President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada from 2015 to 2017.

Maryam Monsef's uncle had, years earlier, vanished along with several roommates while attending the University of Kabul, in circumstances suggested to have been connected to anti-communist political activity.

Maryam Monsef has continued to raise money for humanitarian activities in Afghanistan.

In 2003, Maryam Monsef enrolled at Trent University, from which she graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in biology and psychology.

In 2014, Maryam Monsef was offered a job in Afghanistan but was unable to enter the country because of security concerns.

Maryam Monsef then went to Iran to work on relief efforts for Afghan refugees, which encouraged her to focus on political endeavours.

When Maryam Monsef returned to Canada, she ran for Mayor of Peterborough in 2014, finishing a close second.

Maryam Monsef was appointed as Minister of Democratic Institutions in Justin Trudeau's Cabinet on November 4,2015.

Maryam Monsef has variously been referred to as the second- or fourth-youngest minister ever appointed to the Cabinet.

On January 10,2017, Maryam Monsef was sworn in as Minister for Women and Gender Equality.

Maryam Monsef was sworn in as Minister of Rural Economic Development on November 20,2019.

In early 2017 Maryam Monsef was replaced as Democratic Institutions Minister by Karina Gould and the Liberal campaign promise to replace the first-past-the-post electoral system was not pursued further.

Maryam Monsef has been criticized for stating that she was born in Afghanistan, when in fact she was born in Iran.

Maryam Monsef made a request to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to update her information.

In November 2020 Maryam Monsef accidentally left her microphone on during a vote in the House of Commons while participating virtually on Zoom.

Maryam Monsef was criticized for the comments as her salary was more than four times the median wage in her riding and yet she was casually discussing her own salary without knowing it to the nearest $20,000.