Fatima Shaban, a longtime Scarborough Southwest resident, is seeking to represent the riding at Queen’s Park as an Ontario NDP candidate.
According to campaign information provided to El Centro Newspaper, Shaban has lived in Scarborough Southwest for most of her life, attended school in the community and is now raising her family there.
She attended SATEC @ W.A. Porter Collegiate Institute before studying economics, criminology and political science at the University of Toronto. She currently works in the non-profit sector in a financial role involving estate audits.
Her campaign highlights several local issues, including education, housing and health care.
Shaban serves as treasurer of her local school council and says that experience gave her a close look at the financial pressures facing schools in the area. Her campaign says she has advocated for increased education funding, improvements to aging school facilities and relief for overcrowded classrooms.
Housing and tenant issues are also part of her platform. The campaign says Shaban assisted neighbours who were facing what it describes as an unfair rent increase and supports changes to the Landlord and Tenant Board aimed at providing faster resolution of disputes for both tenants and landlords.
Health care has a particularly personal significance for the candidate.
The campaign material says Shaban’s mother was diagnosed with cancer and experienced lengthy waits for testing and treatment. Her mother died while still waiting for the care she needed, an experience Shaban says strengthened her commitment to improving access to health services for families in Scarborough Southwest.
The Ontario NDP campaign material accompanying Shaban’s biography identifies three broader priorities: faster access to health care through the hiring of more nurses and doctors, reducing taxes on groceries, and increasing funding for schools and OSAP.
Shaban’s campaign presents her as a community-focused candidate who wants to bring local concerns to Queen’s Park and work alongside Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles.
More information about the campaign is available through VoteFatima.ca.
