Salma Lakhani

Last updated
Her Honour the Honourable
Salma Lakhani
AOE
Salma Lakhani 2020.jpg
Lakhani in 2020
19th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
Incumbent
Assumed office
August 26, 2020
Governors General
Premier
Preceded by Lois Mitchell
Personal details
Born
Salmabegum Rajabali

1951or1952(age 72–73) [1]
Kampala, Protectorate of Uganda
SpouseZaheer Lakhani [2]
Children2
Residence(s) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Alma mater University of Manchester

Salmabegum Lakhani [3] AOE (born 1951 or 1952) is the 19th lieutenant governor of Alberta. Her appointment as lieutenant governor became effective upon the swearing of the oath of allegiance and oath of office on August 26, 2020.

Contents

She is the viceregal representative of King Charles III of Canada in the province of Alberta. Lakhani is the first South Asian and the first Muslim to hold a viceregal office in Canada. [4] [5]

Personal life and early career

Lakhani was born in Kampala, Uganda, the daughter of Abdul and Malek Rajabali, into an Ismaili Muslim family. She attended an Aga Khan School during her childhood. [6]

In fall 1971, Lakhani started university in the United Kingdom at Manchester University. [6] [7]

In August 1972 while Lakhani was back home on summer holidays, the Ugandan President, Idi Amin, began a set of policies that included the expropriation of properties owned by Asian and European Ugandans. [6] [8] Lakhani returned to the United Kingdom quickly after the announcement of these policies. However, as her family's assets had been expropriated, she was unable to pay her tuition and living expenses. The British government waived these fees for many Ugandans, including Lakhani and her future husband, Zaheer Lakhani, who studied at the University of Leeds. [7]

Lakhani continued her studies at Manchester University, completing a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Clinical Biochemistry. [6]

In June 1977, Lakhani's husband received a medical residency position from the University of Alberta in Edmonton. The Lakhanis were stateless, so the couple travelled on British travel documents and originally intended to stay for two years. [6] [7]

The Lakhanis stayed in Alberta beyond their original two-year plan. Zaheer became a cardiologist while Salma helped manage his practice and opened a business focused on early childhood education. Salma became involved in the Edmonton community, becoming one of the first mentors in NorQuest College's Youth in Transition program, a founding member of the college's 1000Women: A Million Possibilities movement, serving on the board of the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, and volunteering with Lois Hole Hospital for Women, Kids Kottage, Sorrentino's Compassion House, the Alberta Cancer Board, the Zebra Foundation and Aga Khan Foundation Canada. [6]

In the 1990s, Zaheer helped establish cardiac services at a hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, while Salma volunteered at two of the city's schools and with local women's charity groups. [6]

For her service, Lakhani received the Alberta Centennial and Queen's Diamond Jubilee medals.

Honor & Awards

Ribbon Bar of Salma Lakhani
Order of St John (UK) ribbon -vector.svg CAN Alberta Order of Excellence ribbon.svg
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon.png ACM ribbon.png UK King Charles III Coronation Medal BAR.svg Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal CAD.jpg
RibbonDescriptionPost-nominal lettersNotes
Order of St John (UK) ribbon -vector.svg Dames of Justice or Grace DStJ [6]
CAN Alberta Order of Excellence ribbon.svg Alberta Order of ExcellenceAOE [9]
QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal [9] Canadian version
ACM ribbon.png Alberta Centennial Medal [9]
Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal CAD.jpg Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal [9] Canadian version
UK King Charles III Coronation Medal BAR.svg King Charles III Coronation Medal [9] Canadian version

Viceregal post

Lakhani was appointed Lieutenant Governor by Governor General Julie Payette on the advice of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Upon becoming lieutenant governor, she also was inducted to the Alberta Order of Excellence and was made its chancellor. Lakhani is vice-prior of the St. John Council for Alberta and a dame of the Order of Saint John. [6]

In September 2022, during the leadership election of the governing United Conservative Party, Lakhani told the media she would have to seek legal advice before giving royal assent to a controversial Alberta Sovereignty Act proposed by UCP leadership candidate Danielle Smith. [10] [11] [12] Though Lakhani acknowledged that her role is viewed as mostly ceremonial, she emphasized her belief in "do[ing] the right thing for our people and for our Constitution". [11]

Arms

Coat of arms of Salma Lakhani
Notes
Lakhani was granted armorial bearings by the Canadian Heraldic Authority in May 2023. The elements of the achievement were chosen to reflect Lakhani's upbringing and career in Uganda and Canada. [13]
Adopted
May 15, 2023
Crest
"A pronghorn lodged guardant proper gorged of a ribbon sable pendent therefrom a heart gules"
Escutcheon
"Gyronny arrondi of four gules and or, a pellet charged with a wild rose proper"
Supporters
"Two grey crowned cranes standing on a rocky mount charged with Stargazer lilies and wild roses in front of snowy mountains proper"
Motto
Ubuntu (Bantu languages for 'I am because we are')
Orders
Order of Saint John, Alberta Order of Excellence

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  1. The King of Canada: His Majesty King Charles III
  2. Lieutenant Governor of Alberta: Her Honour the Honourable Salma Lakhani
  3. Premier of Alberta: The Honourable Danielle Smith
  4. The Chief Justice of The Court of Appeal of Alberta: The Honourable Justice Ritu Khullar
  5. Former lieutenant governors of Alberta
    1. The Honourable Donald Ethell
    2. The Honourable Lois Mitchell
  6. Former premiers of Alberta
    1. The Honourable Ed Stelmach
    2. The Honourable Alison Redford
    3. The Honourable Dave Hancock
    4. The Honourable Rachel Notley
    5. The Honourable Jason Kenney
  7. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta: Nathan Cooper
  8. Ambassadors and high commissioners accredited to Canada
  9. Members of the Executive Council of Alberta, in relative order of precedence as determined by the premier
  10. Leader of the Official Opposition: Christina Gray
  11. Current members of the King's Privy Council for Canada resident in Alberta, with precedence given to current members of the federal cabinet
  12. Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta with precedence governed by the date of their first election to the Legislature
  13. Members of the Senate of Canada who represent Alberta, by date of appointment
    1. The Honourable Scott Tannas
    2. The Honourable Patti LaBoucane-Benson
    3. The Honourable Paula Simons
    4. The Honourable Karen Sorensen
    5. The Honourable Daryl Fridhandler
    6. The Honourable Kristopher Wells
  14. Members of the House of Commons of Canada who represent Alberta constituencies, by date of election
  15. Superior court justices
    1. Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta: The Honourable Justice Kenneth G. Nielsen
    2. Justices of the Court of Appeal of Alberta
    3. Justices of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta
  16. Heads of religious denominations
  17. Heads of consular posts: consuls-general; consuls; vice-consuls; consular agents
  18. Judges of the Provincial Court of Alberta
    1. Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Alberta
    2. Other judges by seniority of appointment
  19. Mayors of Alberta municipalities
  20. Aboriginal Leaders
    1. Chiefs of the Treaty First Nations in Alberta, in order of seniority of election to office;
    2. President of Métis Settlements General Council
    3. President of Métis Nation of Alberta: Audrey Poitras
  21. Deputy Minister to the Premier and Cabinet Secretary
  22. Clerk of the Legislative Assembly
  23. Ombudsman
  24. Provincial Auditor
  25. Chief Electoral Officer
  26. Ethics Commissioner: Marguerite Trussler
  27. Information and Privacy Commissioner: Jill Clayton
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    1. Chancellor of the University of Alberta: Ralph B. Young
    2. Chancellor of the University of Calgary: Jim Dinning
    3. Chancellor of the University of Lethbridge: Shirley McClellan
    4. Chairman of the Board, University of Alberta
    5. Chairman of the Board, University of Calgary
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    13. President of Athabasca University: Frits Pannekoek
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    15. President of Grant MacEwan University: David W. Atkinson
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    1. Commanding Officer, "K" Division, Royal Canadian Mounted Police: Curtis Zablocki
    2. Commander, 3rd Canadian Division: Brigadier-General W.H. Fletcher
    3. Commanding Officer, HMCS Nonsuch
    4. Commanding Officer, 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
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References

  1. ↑ Baig, Fakiha (October 18, 2020). "Salma Lakhani: Alberta's 19th lieutenant-governor also 'happens to be Muslim'". The Globe and Mail . Toronto . Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  2. ↑ Kellogg, Alan (June 9, 2007). "Lifetime of service rewards distinguished doctor". Edmonton Journal . Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Salmabegum Lakhani".
  4. ↑ "Prime Minister announces new Lieutenant Governor for Alberta" (Press release). Prime Minister of Canada. June 30, 2020.
  5. ↑ Staff writer (June 30, 2020). "Salma Lakhani named lieutenant-governor of Alberta, first Muslim in Canadian history to hold role". Calgary Herald . Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Her Honour, the Honourable Salma Lakhani, AOE B.Sc. Biography".
  7. 1 2 3 "Installation Address" (PDF). August 26, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Idi Amin had targeted Indians in 70s". The Times Of India. 15 April 2007.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Lieutenant Governor of Alberta".
  10. ↑ Bennett, Dean (2022-09-02). "Alberta Lt.-Gov. willing to block sovereignty act if it's found unconstitutional". National Post. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  11. 1 2 "Alberta lieutenant-governor says not a done deal she'll OK proposed sovereignty act". CTV News Edmonton. 2022-09-01. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  12. ↑ "Alberta's Lt.-Gov. says she's willing to toss Smith's sovereignty act if unconstitutional". edmontonjournal. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  13. ↑ "Salmabegum Lakhani". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
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