Neethan Shan

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Neethan Shan
நீதன் ஷான்
Toronto City Councillor
In office
February 13, 2017 – December 1, 2018
Preceded byRaymond Cho
Succeeded byJennifer McKelvie (Ward 25)
Constituency(Ward 42) Scarborough—Rouge River
Toronto Public School Trustee
In office
January 25, 2016 – February 13, 2017
Preceded byShaun Chen
Succeeded byAbdul Hai Patel
Constituency(Ward 21) Scarborough—Rouge River
York Region Public School Trustee
In office
2006–2010
Succeeded byJuanita Nathan
ConstituencyWards 7 and 8
Personal details
Born
Neethan Shanmugarajah

(1978-12-24) December 24, 1978 (age 42)
Jaffna, Sri Lanka
CitizenshipCanadian
Political partyNew Democratic Party
ResidenceToronto, Ontario
Alma mater
EthnicitySri Lankan Tamil
Websiteneethanshan.ca

Neethan Shanmugarajah (About this soundlisten) (Tamil: நீதன் சண்முகராஜா, romanized: Nītaṉ Caṇmukarājā; born December 24, 1978), known professionally as Neethan Shan, is a Tamil Canadian youth worker and politician. He was elected to Toronto City Council in the by-election held on February 13, 2017, becoming the first Tamil Canadian to serve on city council. Shan was defeated in his 2018 reelection bid.

Early life and family[]

Shan was born on December 24, 1978, in Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka.[1] His father was from Neduntivu and his mother from Analaitivu.[2][3] He migrated to Canada as a refugee in 1995 aged 16.[1][2][4] Shan has a B.Sc. Honours degree from New College, Toronto (2001) and a B.Ed. degree from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (2003).[1][5][6] He received a M.Ed. in sociology and equity studies in education from the OISE in 2012.[6]

Shan is married to Darsha (Thadsha) Navamanikkam and has two sons (Ellalan and Karikalan).[4][5][7][8]

Career[]

Shan began his career as a youth outreach worker in Malvern, Toronto.[3][9] In 2001, aged 22, he became executive director of Canadian Tamil Youth Development Centre (CanTYD), a social service agency.[6] He then became manager of youth programs at Malvern Family Resource Centre.[6][10][11] In 2007 he became executive director of Council of Agencies Serving South Asians.[1][6]

Shan contested the 2003 Markham municipal elections as a candidate for trustee for wards 7 and 8 on the York Region District School Board but failed to get elected.[1][12] He was however elected to represent wards 7 and 8 as a trustee on the York Region District School Board in the Markham municipal elections held in November 2006.[1][13] Taking a leave of absence from the school board, Shan contested the 2007 Ontario general election as the New Democratic Party's (NDP) candidate in Scarborough—Guildwood but failed to get elected and returned to the school board.[1][14]

Shan contested the 2010 Toronto municipal election as a candidate for Ward 42 (Scarborough—Rouge River) on Toronto City Council but failed to get elected.[1][15] He contested the 2011 Ontario general election as the NDP's candidate in Scarborough—Rouge River but failed to get elected.[1][16] He was elected president of the Ontario NDP in April 2012.[1][2][17]

Shan contested the 2014 Ontario general election as the NDP's candidate in Scarborough—Rouge River but again failed to get elected.[1] He contested the 2014 Toronto municipal election as a candidate for Ward 42 (Scarborough—Rouge River) on Toronto City Council but again failed to get elected.[1][18]

Shan contested the by-election for the Toronto District School Board held in January 2016 and was elected as a trustee to represent Ward 21 (Scarborough—Rouge River).[19] He contested the Ontario provincial by-election in Scarborough—Rouge River held in September 2016 as the NDP's candidate but again failed to get elected.[20]

Shan contested the by-election for Toronto City Council held in February 2017 and was elected to represent Ward 42 (Scarborough—Rouge River).[21] He became the first Tamil Canadian to serve on the city council.[4][21]

Shan was vice-chair of the National Council of Canadian Tamils and chair of the Tamil Heritage Month Committee, which he founded in 2009.[2][4][22] He has served numerous other community groups including Better Ballot Initiative; Boreal Institute for Civil Society (project director); Canadian Tamil Congress; Community Use of Schools Council; Malvern Community Coalition; Parent Action on Drugs (project co-ordinator); Scarborough Youth Task Group; Tsunami Relief Coordinating Committee; and the Youth Gang Work Group.[1][6] He is also involved with Canadian Multicultural Radio and Tamil Vision International.[1][3][6]

Shan was defeated in his reelection bid in the 2018 election by Jennifer McKelvie, with a margin of less than 200 votes.[23]

Electoral record[]

Ontario General Election[]

Ontario provincial by-election, September 1, 2016: Scarborough—Rouge River
Resignation of Bas Balkissoon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Raymond Cho 9,644 38.58 +10.92
Liberal Piragal Thiru 7,257 28.91 -9.79
New Democratic Neethan Shan 6,905 27.40 -3.91
Independent Queenie Yu 575 2.32
Green Priyan De Silva 216 0.86 -0.51
Libertarian Allen Small 146 0.58
None of the Above Above Znoneofthe 133 0.54 -0.42
Freedom Wayne Simmons 59 0.30
People's Political Party Dwight McLean 45 0.22
Pauper John Turmel 37 0.15
Trillium Ania Krosinska 36 0.14
Total valid votes 25,182 100.00
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +10.36
"Vote Totals Report from Official Tabulation (F0243) - 2016 By-election Scarborough-Rouge River (083)". Elections Ontario. p. 7.
2014 Ontario general election: Scarborough—Rouge River
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Bas Balkissoon 16,095 38.71 -3.17
New Democratic Neethan Shan 13,019 31.31 -4.66
Progressive Conservative Raymond Cho 11,500 27.66 +8.87
Green George B. Singh 571 1.37 +0.12
None of the Above Amir Khan 398 0.96
Total valid votes 41,583 100.00
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 479 1.14
Turnout 42,062 47.48
Eligible voters 88,592
Liberal hold Swing +0.75
"Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate - June 12, 2014 General Election" (PDF). Elections Ontario. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 6, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
2011 Ontario general election: Scarborough—Rouge River
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Bas Balkissoon 15,237 41.87 -23.18
New Democratic Neethan Shan 13,088 35.97 +22.29
Progressive Conservative Ken Kim 6,837 18.79 +4.32
Libertarian Felix Liao 457 1.26 -0.16
Green George Singh 455 1.25 -2.47
Family Coalition Raphael Rosch 166 0.46 -1.20
Freedom Daniel Walker 150 0.41  
Total valid votes 36,390 100.00
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 215 0.59
Turnout 36,605 42.89
Eligible voters 85,338
Liberal hold Swing -22.73
"Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate - October 16, 2011 General Election" (PDF). Elections Ontario. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-12-06.
2007 Ontario general election: Scarborough-Guildwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Margarett Best 14,430 42.52 -10.03
Progressive Conservative Gary Grant 9,503 28.00 -1.99
New Democratic Neethan Shan 7,441 21.93 +9.23
Green Glenn Kitchen 1,811 5.34
Libertarian Sam Apelbaum 484 1.43
Family Coalition Daniel Carvalho 267 0.79
Total valid votes 33,936 100.0
Difference 4,927 14.52
Total rejected ballots 376 1.10
Turnout 34,312 51.28
     Liberal notional hold Swing -4.02
"Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate - October 10, 2007 General Election" (PDF). Elections Ontario. p. xxiii. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 6, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2017.

Toronto City Council[]

Toronto District School Board[]

York Region District School Board[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Smith Cross, Jessica (May 27, 2016). "Profile: The making of the NDP's 'perennial candidate' Neethan Shan". QP Briefing.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Eezham Tamil activist Neethan Shan elected President of NDP, Ontario". TamilNet. April 16, 2012.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c Nathaniel, Camelia (May 18, 2014). "Canada May Be Hoist By Her Own Petard". The Sunday Leader.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d DaSilva, Laura (February 24, 2017). "Meet Neethan Shan, Toronto's first Tamil-Canadian councillor". CBC News.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "Neethan Shan". Toronto Star. August 15, 2007.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g "Neethan Shan Nominated to Represent Ontario NDP in Scarborough Rouge River". Seithy. December 17, 2013.
  7. ^ "Neethan Shan wins Scarborough-Rouge River debate". Tamil CNN. August 30, 2016.
  8. ^ "We will make Neethan Shan to win the election who is responsible for the change in Rouge River – NPD propaganda agent Andrea Vasichr". Tamil CNN. September 22, 2014.
  9. ^ Balikssoon, Denise (May 17, 2010). "Malvern group works to get out the October vote". Toronto Star.
  10. ^ Stuffco, Jered (December 1, 2005). "Man who motivates Malvern gets award". The Globe and Mail.
  11. ^ "A Community Activist "Stands" for Equitable, Safe, Well-rounded and Community-involved Education". Tamil Canadian. January 3, 2006.
  12. ^ Keung, Nicholas (October 26, 2003). "Tamils finding their niche in Toronto politics". The Island (Sri Lanka).
  13. ^ "Diaspora Tamil elected councillor in Markham, Canada". TamilNet. November 18, 2006.
  14. ^ Lakey, Jack (October 11, 2007). "Scarborough Guildwood: Best puts foot forward as new MPP". Toronto Star.
  15. ^ "Results: Toronto mayor and city council". Toronto Star. October 25, 2010.
  16. ^ Monsebraaten, Laurie (October 6, 2011). "Balkissoon rolls to win". Toronto Star.
  17. ^ Regg Cohn, Martin (April 14, 2012). "Cohn: NDP's Andrea Horwath breaks convention and exhorts idea of change". Toronto Star.
  18. ^ Allen, Kate (October 27, 2014). "Raymond Cho reelected in Ward 42, Scarborough—Rouge River". Toronto Star.
  19. ^ Rushowy, Kristin (January 25, 2016). "Union-backed candidate wins TDSB byelection in Scarborough". Toronto Star.
  20. ^ Benzie, Robert (September 1, 2016). "Tory Raymond Cho wins Scarborough-Rouge River byelection". Toronto Star.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b Powell, Betsy (February 13, 2017). "Neethan Shan wins council seat in Scarborough-Rouge River". Toronto Star.
  22. ^ "Tamil Heritage Month Bill Proposed in Canadian Parliament". TamilNet. February 6, 2013.
  23. ^ https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/toronto/article-a-look-at-the-2018-toronto-election-results-ward-by-ward/#ward-list_ward25
  24. ^ "Clerk's Official Declaration of Results" (PDF). Toronto City Council.
  25. ^ "February 13, 2017 By-Election 2014 Poll by Poll Results: Councillor Ward 42" (PDF). Toronto City Council.
  26. ^ "Toronto Election 2014 Poll by Poll Results: Councillor" (PDF). Toronto City Council.
  27. ^ "2010 Poll by Poll Results: Councillor" (PDF). Toronto City Council.
  28. ^ "2016 By-election Toronto District School Board Ward 21: Declaration of Results" (PDF). Toronto City Council.
  29. ^ "York Region District School Board - Ward 7 and 8 - Official Results". Markham City Council.
  30. ^ "Markham 2003 Municipal Elections: Registered Candidates". Markham City Council. Archived from the original on October 7, 2006.
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