Indo-Canadian captures prestigious House of Commons seat

Toronto, July 27 (IANS) Indo-Canadian candidate Shuvaloy Majumdar has secured a seat in the House of Commons following a by-election victory in Calgary Heritage, a federal electoral district in Alberta province.

The prestigious seat, which was held by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper until his retirement, was left vacant after MP Bob Benzen quit last year.

Majumdar, 43, secured the seat for the Conservative Party with 15,803 votes, while Liberal candidate Elliot Weinstein came in second with 3,463 votes, the Global News reported.

After the results, Weinstein took to Twitter to congratulate Majumdar on his victory and said: "I know you will represent me and all the constituents of Calgary Heritage with honour and respect. I wish you good luck, and I look forward to working together for the betterment of our community".

In response, Majumdar said that it was an honour to share ballot with Weinstein.

"Our democracy is enriched by the participation of strong candidates. Thank you @elliot4heritage for bringing forward your vision for Calgary Heritage in this by-election. It was an honour to share a ballot with you and I look forward to representing all of our great community."

Majumdar is a former policy adviser to Harper and former Conservative Foreign Minister John Baird. He currently works with Harper’s international consulting firm.

After Conservative MPs Tim Uppal and Jasraj Singh Hallan, Majumdar has become the third Conservative MP of South Asian origin.

Born and raised in Calgary, Majumdar, son of Indian-origin immigrants, has served in leadership roles promoting democratic reform in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In 2002, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal for his impact in fighting human trafficking.

This year, he was conferred with the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for his service in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for advancing Canadian interests abroad in a disrupted world.

According to his website, his experience led him to work with Harper in government and business over the last 12 years, and before that as foreign policy advisor to both him and Baird.

"He is determined to make Pierre the next Prime Minister of Canada, and serve as a strong voice for Calgarians and Albertans," the website bio reads.