Alim Fakirani is running as the New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate for Vancouver Quadra on a platform centring affordability, a sustainable economy and climate policies.
This is Fakirani’s first time campaigning, and he brings a decade of experience teaching for the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board Canada with him.
When asked why he decided to run, Fakirani spoke of his role as both a father and educator.
“I'm thinking about my children,” he said. I'm also thinking about my students, including students at UBC, and the type of future that we want to build for them.”
Fakirani furthermore said he personally understands how students feel as a result of Vancouver’s ongoing affordability crisis. Fakirani was a PhD student at UBC up until last year, but because of a number of factors, one of which being cost, he had to withdraw from the program.
“It was becoming increasingly unmanageable to afford working full-time, managing a family, keeping a roof over my head, paying for groceries [and] paying for tuition,” he said.
“The question [became] about, okay, once I have this degree what do I do with it? What opportunities are even available to me? Opportunities are also a part of the affordability crisis.”
Fakirani highlighted what the NDP has done in the past to address some of these issues. He pointed out that the NDP championed eliminating federal interest on student loans and launching both universal pharmacare and dental care.
If elected, Fakirani said he would fight for student loan forgiveness and to create more opportunities for students. To expand the job market, he said the federal government should invest more into universities and technology.
Fakirani also wants to ensure the federal government implements strong climate policies to protect the environment, and he indirectly criticized both the Liberal and Conservative parties for opposing Canada’s carbon tax. Research has identified that pricing emissions through a carbon tax as one of the most powerful incentives to reduce pollution.
Without a carbon tax, “you're just allowing polluters to pollute and corporations to get away with it,” he said.
Fakirani said Canada should be investing more into renewable energy, but he did not provide specifics of what that might look like.
He also noted that he has heard concerns from UBC students around the university’s investments, specifically in companies protestors have repeatedly accused of committing Palestinian human rights abuses. Fakirani called these demonstrations "important."
“A lot of students are … fighting for the struggle. They're trying to challenge the university at UBC to divest and they're challenging the government to take a stronger, more principled position against the atrocities that are happening,” said Fakirani.
He said students have played a “crucial and influential” role in fighting for social progress, noting how Canadian students protested the South African apartheid. Fakirani did not say how specifically he would push for divestment at UBC or in the government.
On what sets him apart from his opponents, Fakirani said he would stay grounded in representing constituents' voices in parliament and not simply “toe the party line.”
“We should be in it for the everyday person,” said Fakirani.
“I really do believe in having sort of an open door policy. If you have a concern, if there's something that's on your mind, I want you to come and talk to me.”
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