Topic: Ujjal Dosanjh

Ujjal Dev Singh Dosanjh, PC, QC, MP (English pronunciation: /ˈuːdʒəl doʊˈsɑːndʒ/; born September 9, 1947) is a Canadian lawyer and politician, currently serving as a Member of Parliament representing Vancouver South. As a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, which has been the Official Opposition since January 2006, Dosanjh variously has been the critic of National Defence, Public Safety, and Foreign Affairs, as well as sitting on Standing Committee on National Defence, the Committee on Public Safety and National Security, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, and the Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan. Since January 2009, he has been a member of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights. Between July 2004 and January 2006, during the 38th Canadian Parliament, when his party formed the federal government Dosanjh served as Minister of Health.

Prior to being involved in federal politics, he spent ten years in provincial politics. He was elected in the Vancouver-Kensington riding in 1991 as a member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) and re-elected there in 1996. He served as the Attorney General of British Columbia from August 1995 to February 2000. When the leader of his party resigned in 1999, Dosanjh put himself forward as a candidate and won the leadership vote. With the win he became Canada's first Indo-Canadian provincial leader. He served as the 33rd Premier of British Columbia until June 2001 when he lost the province's general election.

Born in village in the Jalandhar district of Punjab, India, Dosanjh emigrated to the United Kingdom at the age of 17 and then to Canada almost four years later. He worked numerous manual labour jobs and attended university, studying political science. He earned his law degree at the University of British Columbia and opened his own law firm. He has been a vocal opponent of violence and extremism.