A dedicated political activist in her final year at the University of Toronto Mississauga, Farah is running to represent Mississauga South so that she can bring attention to often overlooked issues in the next election. “The level of debt carried by students after graduation is a major drag on economic growth,” says Kalbouneh, “it prevents young people from becoming financially independent, and many fall into the trap of living off credit cards.”

Farah moved with her family from Jordan to Mississauga in 2000, and this experience contributed to her belief that everyone should be treated equally and given opportunities to succeed. She hopes to follow in the path of her grandfather Mustafa Darwish Adi, who is a Palestinian academic. For decades he worked as a current affairs columnist at Al-Ra’e Jordanian newspaper. He also participated in authoring numerous encyclopedias, including an encyclopedia of Palestine's history.

When not in school or volunteering as an Associate Producer with the student-run television station on campus UTM/TV, Farah works part-time for Royal Bank of Canada. She is also an editor for the Yalla journal, which aims to bring Israeli and Palestinian youth together in a creative forum.

When asked how the NDP will help residents in Mississauga South, Farah points to the party’s Green Jobs strategy, commitments towards public health care and education, and small business tax-relief as being the first steps towards economic recovery. “It is very important that the government be willing to take an active role in creating opportunities: for business, for green technologies, and for people from every walk of life.”

Contact Farah at farah@msndp.ca

Farah Kalbouneh pictured with:
(left) Edna Toth, chair of Peel Poverty Action Group,
(centre) Andrew Hamilton-Smith, president of the UTM NDP and secretary of the MSNDP,
(right) Andrea Horwath, leader of the Ontario New Democrats.