Zed Chebib

Last updated

Zed Chebib
Born
Ziad Khoder Chebib

1955 (age 6970)
CitizenshipCanadian
Political party Independent

Zed Chebib (Born Ziad Khoder Chebib, 1955 [1] ) is a Lebanese-born Canadian limousine driver and police reform advocate who is most known for being deported from Australia despite having resided in the country with his family for over a decade. [2] He was a candidate in the 2022 Ottawa mayoral election, finishing in last place with 0.08% or 264 votes.

Contents

Biography

Born in Lebanon, Chebib emigrated to Canada in 1976. [2] He resided in Calgary where he operated a limousine business named Limocab and became a naturalized citizen. [3] [4] While working as a cab driver, Chebib often sued various taxi companies. [4] [5]

He emigrated to Australia alongside his wife and four children in 1999 due to two of his siblings already living there. [6] [7] According to Chebib, 85 members of his extended family live in Australia. [8] He attempted to seek permanent residency in Australia but was rejected because he was unable to meet income requirements of a business visa. [7]

In 2006, immigration authorities informed Chebib that his initial visa had expired, however, he was granted a temporary reprieve from the Australian government. [6] He tried to appeal to Canadian diplomats, but was rejected. [9] [10] While being detained at Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre in 2010 he began a hunger-strike in hopes the Australian government would grant him a visa. [11] [12] Chebib was flown to Vancouver and then Toronto, after ending his hunger strike he claimed to suffer heart palpitations and was denied an ambulance. [11]

On returning to Canada, Chebib protested outside of the Australian Embassy where Ottawa Police allegedly attacked and arrested him. [13] He filed a lawsuit against the officers, claiming that they had breached his civil rights and seeking nearly 2 Million Canadian dollars in damages. After nearly nine years of trial, a judge ordered him to pay each officer $1,000 due to evidence that the arrest did not cause his injuries. [13]

Political campaigns

1988 Calgary City Council by-election

Chebib first ran for political office in September 1988, entering a by-election for the fifth ward of the Calgary City Council. [14] [15] The fifth ward had a large middle eastern and Indian community at the time. [14] Chebib's campaign was oriented toward building a new high school and reforming the city transit system. [14] He finished third out of four candidates.

1988 Calgary 5th Ward by-election [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisanship Yvonne Pritz 3,327 53.71%
Nonpartisanship Shannon Pitts2,64842.75%
Nonpartisanship Ziad Chebib1272.05%
Nonpartisanship John E. Mason921.49%
Total votes6,194 100%

2022 Ottawa mayoral election

He ran for Mayor of Ottawa in the 2022 Ottawa mayoral election, campaigning on police and housing reform. [1] [17] Not having a campaign website, he sent a website describing solutions to homelessness to media. [18] He finished in last place with 0.08% or 264 votes.

2022 Ottawa municipal election: Mayor
CandidatePopular voteExpenditures
Votes%±%
Mark Sutcliffe 161,67951.37$537,834.79
Catherine McKenney 119,24137.88$542,847.97
Bob Chiarelli 15,9985.08$96,844.84
Nour Kadri7,4962.38$71,062.45
Mike Maguire2,7750.88$5,500.00
Graham MacDonald1,6290.52$5,334.50
Brandon Bay1,5120.48$9,478.02
Param Singh1,1760.37$13,650.40
Celine Debassige8670.28none listed
Ade Olumide6360.20$1,966.25
Gregory Jreg Guevara5840.19$2,349.61
Bernard Couchman4710.15-0.21none listed
Jacob Solomon4320.14none listed
Zed Chebib2640.08none listed
Total valid votes314,76099.53
Total rejected, unmarked and declined votes1,5000.47-0.92
Turnout316,26043.79+1.24
Eligible voters722,227
Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.)
and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.
Sources: City of Ottawa [19] [20]

2025 federal election

Chebib was an independent candidate for the riding of Ottawa Centre in the 2025 Canadian federal election. [21]

2025 Canadian federal election : Ottawa Centre
** Preliminary results — Not yet official **
PartyCandidateVotes%±%Expenditures
Liberal Yasir Naqvi 51,02662.75+17.51
New Democratic Joel Harden 15,90619.56–13.15
Conservative Paul D'Orsonnens12,71215.63–0.65
Green Amanda Rosenstock9201.13–1.67
Canadian Future Andrea Chabot2750.34N/A
Christian Heritage Marie-Chantal Leriche2400.30N/A
Communist Cashton Perry1660.20N/A
Independent Mike Salmon720.09N/A
Independent Zed Chebib 470.06N/A
Total valid votes/expense limit
Total rejected ballots
Turnout81,36477.49
Eligible voters105,000
Liberal notional hold Swing +15.33
Source: Elections Canada [22] [23]

References

  1. 1 2 "Meet your candidates for mayor". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . October 6, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Australia set to deport Canadian". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . December 6, 2009. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  3. "Australian government isn't saying when Canadian on hunger strike will be deported". Red Deer Advocate . December 7, 2009. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Beaty, Bob (June 8, 1994). "Cabby takes on bylaw". Calgary Herald . p. 30 via Newspapers.com.
  5. Slade, Daryl (October 27, 1995). "Driver vows defiance". Calgary Herald . p. 21 via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 "Canadian hunger-striker deported from Australia". CTVNews . February 3, 2010. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  7. 1 2 "Man deported from Aust sues for $A2.35m". 9News. May 15, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  8. Shephard, Michelle (December 7, 2009). "Hunger striker protests deportation to Canada". Toronto Star . Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  9. "Calgary émigré deported from Australia". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . February 3, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  10. Duncan, Jamie (January 28, 2010). "Hunger-striking Canadian arrested at shops". news.com.au . Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  11. 1 2 Duncan, Jamie (February 4, 2010). "Deported Canadian claims mistreatment". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  12. "Canadian facing deportation in Australia goes on hunger strike". The Globe and Mail . December 5, 2009. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  13. 1 2 Laucius, Joanne (October 24, 2019). "Judge dismisses $2 million excessive force lawsuit against three Ottawa officers". Ottawa Citizen . Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 Cattaneo, Claudia (September 18, 1988). "Vote turns focus on the northeast". Calgary Herald . p. 27 via Newspapers.com.
  15. Cattaneo, Claudia (August 30, 1988). "Pitts given strong boost". Calgary Herald . p. 3 via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Victory and defeat". Calgary Herald . September 25, 1988. p. 28 via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Mairie d'Ottawa : le logement, enjeu central pour les candidats". Radio-Canada (in Canadian French). September 15, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  18. Crawford, Blair (October 28, 2022). "Beyond the big three, Ottawa's mayoral hopefuls struggle to be heard". Ottawa Citizen . Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  19. "2022 Official election results". City of Ottawa. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  20. "Financial statements for the 2022 Municipal Elections". City of Ottawa. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  21. "Who's running in Ottawa Centre?". Centretown BUZZ. April 8, 2025. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  22. "Voter information service". Elections Canada. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  23. "Election Night Results - Electoral Districts". Elections Canada. April 29, 2025. Retrieved April 29, 2025.