Canada’s Liberal Party has a new contender to succeed Justin Trudeau as party leader and possibly the country’s next prime minister: India-origin leader Ruby Dhalla. Her campaign drew significant attention, mainly because during her campaign, she has threatened to deport illegal immigrants if she wins.
On January 22, Dhalla officially announced her leadership bid, promising to prioritize immigration reform and combat human trafficking. She shared her vision on X, saying, “As Prime Minister, I will deport illegal immigrants and clamp down on human traffickers. That’s my promise to you.”
As Prime Minister, I will deport illegal immigrants and clamp down on human traffickers.
That’s my promise to you.
En tant que Premiére ministre, je vais expulser les immigrants illégaux et sévir contre les trafiquants d’êtres humains.
C’est ma promesse envers vous. pic.twitter.com/T69pISQlXS
— Ruby Dhalla (@DhallaRuby) January 28, 2025
Dhalla was born to Punjabi immigrant parents in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This multi-faceted background adds to her campaign. A chiropractor, entrepreneur, and former Bollywood actress, she served as Member of Parliament for Brampton-Springdale from 2004 to 2011, thus becoming the first Indian-origin woman to secure three consecutive parliamentary terms. If successful, she could make history again as Canada’s first woman of colour to serve as prime minister.
Her campaign is not without challenges. Dhalla faces competition from prominent figures like former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney and ex-finance minister Chrystia Freeland. Undeterred, she outlined her vision to return the Liberal Party to its centrist roots and focus on practical solutions for Canadians.
Dhalla, who began her politics as a child, wrote a moving letter to the then Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, during the Punjab riots, and Gandhi herself responded. This introduced Dhalla to the world of politics.
This promise, therefore has put into the center of her campaign, immigration reform, a promise of deporting illegal immigrants which has raised controversy and kicked off debates over her policies as Canadians await the party leadership announcement on March 9.
