El-Farouk Khaki

El-Farouk Khaki (born October 26, 1963 in Tanzania) is a Canadian immigration lawyer and human rights activist on issues including gender equality, sexual orientation, and progressive Islam. He was the New Democratic Party's candidate for the House of Commons in the riding of Toronto Centre in a March 17, 2008 by-election. Khaki came in second with 13.8% of the vote.

Biography He was born in Tanzania, which his family fled in 1971 escaping political persecution. His parents arrived in Canada in 1974 and settled in Vancouver where Khaki grew up. He earned a law degree from the University of British Columbia before moving to Ottawa in 1988 He worked as a political staffer at Queen's Park until 1993 when he left to establish his legal practice. On June 26, 2014, he married his longtime partner Troy Jackson.

Activism Khaki founded Salaam in 1991, a support group for gay Muslims. He has served on the Toronto Mayor's Committee on Community & Race Relations, on the board of The 519 Community Centre, and is now elected chair of Africans in Partnership Against AIDS.

Khaki regularly speaks publicly at events and in news media on issues ranging from refugee protection, to the global AIDS crisis, Canadian multiculturalism, racism, and religious and racial profiling in the war on terror, among other topics. His appearances include CTV's morning television program Canada AM, CBC Radio One's The Current, and others.

On April 30, 2007, Khaki won the New Democratic Party's nomination in Toronto Centre. Incumbent Bill Graham resigned necessitating a by-election held on March 17, 2008. The by-election was won by Bob Rae.

Khaki was the 2009 parade grand marshal for Toronto's pride parade.

In 2016, Khaki was named by The Advocate magazine to a list of "21 LGBT Muslims Who Are Changing the World." In 2018, El-Farouk participated in a TEDxUTSC talk about intersectionality and validity of gay Muslims

Refugee law In 1994, Khaki represented a refugee claim before the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada which lasted eight sittings rather than the usual single session and led to the implementation of sensitivity training for IRB Members and staff on sexual orientation issues. Shortly after, B'nai Brith condemned him and implied that he is "part and parcel of the anti-Israel machinery that continues to churn out hateful and divisive propaganda."

B'nai Brith executive vice-president Frank Dimant said Khaki should be subject to "disciplinary action" by Pride Toronto.

In response, Khaki with his partner Troy Jackson formed the Human Positive foundation, an organization which goal is "Justice, Freedom and Dignity for All peoples" and rejects the idea that criticism of the government of Israel is equivalent to antisemitism.

In 2009, his Human+ Float was the recipient of Best Embodiment of the LGBTTIQQ2S award from Pride Toronto.

Electoral record

Awards Khaki was honoured at the 2006 Pride Week gala for his role in promoting queer Muslim awareness through Salaam. The previous summer, Pride Toronto, one of the world's largest gay-pride festivals, recognized his work building tolerance and inclusiveness in the Muslim community with the 2006 Pride Award for Excellence in Spirituality. Also in 2007, Khaki was honoured with the Canadian Bar Association's Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Conference Hero Award for contributions made in the area of equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people for his work with refugees who are sexual minorities or suffering from HIV.

Media mentions "21 LGBT Muslims Who Are Changing the World." The Advocate. December 20, 2016. Web.