Ya'ara Saks

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Ya'ara Saks
MP
Member of Parliament
for York Centre
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 26, 2020
Preceded byMichael Levitt
Personal details
Born (1973-03-09) March 9, 1973 (age 48)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian
Political partyLiberal
ResidenceBathurst Manor, North York, Toronto[1]
Alma materMcGill University, Hebrew University

Ya'ara Saks MP (born March 9, 1973) is a Canadian politician who was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in a by-election on October 26, 2020,[2] following the resignation of Michael Levitt. She represents the riding of York Centre as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Background[]

A dual citizen of Canada and of Israel,[3] Saks was born in Toronto to an Israeli father and has lived in both Israel (1995 to 2006) and Canada.[4] She attended McGill University for her undergraduate education, and then completed her Master's degree in international relations and diplomacy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.[4] Before entering politics, Saks owned a yoga studio in York Centre (in the north end of Toronto) and was the director of Trauma Practice for Healthy Communities, a charity that focuses on mental health.[4]

Saks has been deeply critical of the direction of the Netanyahu government in Israel for its treatment of its Israeli Arab citizens and the 2018 Nation-State law and has expressed the concern that it is leading Israel to be "deeply racist towards its minorities and ... not to see itself as a light and shelter or future home to asylum seekers fleeing war," as well as its elevation of leadership at the expense of the justice system.[5]

Despite her differences with the Likud government, Saks has stated that she is "an unapologetic Zionist who believes passionately in the State of Israel" and that she condemns the BDS Movement (boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel), considering it antisemitic.[3]

Saks won the 2020 York Centre federal by-election.

Upon being sworn in as a member of Canada's House of Commons (along with fellow rookie parliamentarian Marci Ien) it took the number of female MPs in Canada to 100, which, at 30%, is the highest proportion of women in that chamber in its history.[6]

Electoral record[]

2021 Canadian federal election: York Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Ya'ara Saks 17,421 47.3 +1.60
Conservative Joel Yakov Etienne 13,898 37.7 –4.12
New Democratic Kemal Ahmed 3,753 10.2 +1.41
People's Nixon Nguyen 1,751 4.8 +1.24
Total valid votes/Expense limit 36,823
Total rejected ballots
Turnout 36,823 52.63 +27.01
Eligible voters 69,971
Liberal hold Swing −TBD
Source: Elections Canada


Canadian federal by-election, October 26, 2020: York Centre
Resignation of Michael Levitt
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Ya'ara Saks 8,253 45.70 −4.50
Conservative Julius Tiangson 7,552 41.82 +5.11
New Democratic Andrea Vásquez Jiménez 1,046 5.79 −4.05
People's Maxime Bernier 642 3.56 –
Green Sasha Zavarella 461 2.55 −0.70
Independent John The Engineer Turmel 104 0.58 –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 18,058
Total rejected ballots
Turnout 18,058 25.64 −36.12
Eligible voters 70,434
[7]
Liberal hold Swing −4.81

References[]

  1. ^ "Search For Contributions". Elections Canada. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  2. ^ Muriel Draaisma, "Federal Liberals hold onto Toronto Centre, York Centre in byelections". CBC News, October 26, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Statement From York Centre Liberal Candidate Ya'ara Saks". Canadian Jewish Record. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Sarick, Lila (5 October 2020). "Israeli-Canadian Ya'ara Saks is Liberal Hopeful in York Centre". Canadian Jewish Record.
  5. ^ Saks, Ya'ara (12 September 2019). "On September 17th I'm Electing to Take Israel Off the Mantel to Teach My Kids Another Way". Confessions of a Backbench Mom. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  6. ^ Paez, Beatrice (27 October 2020). "Byelection results should give Liberals 'pause' after strong showing from Greens, Conservatives, say experts". The Hill Times. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  7. ^ Elections Canada. "Official Voting Results". Retrieved October 27, 2020.
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