The Yemeni Najwan Al-Junaid took the oath today as a member of the Canadian Parliament representing the Glenmore district in Calgary, Alberta, for the Canadian Democratic Party, becoming the first Yemeni and Arab woman to hold this position.

Najwan Al-Junaid was born in Taiz province in Yemen and moved to live in Canada. She is the daughter of Dr. Abdul Qader Al-Junaid, a well-known politician opposing the Houthi group.

She is listed among the 40 under 40 women in Calgary, Canada, in 2022. She serves as the director of the Renewable Energy Business Center in Canada and has made significant contributions that helped simplify and accelerate the widespread use of renewable energy by providing resources and educational tools.

Al-Junaid has a prominent presence in political circles, as Canadian media reported Canadian Democratic Party leader Rachel Notley saying about Najwan Al-Junaid’s victory: "I am proud to welcome you as shadow minister for energy and climate in the fields of electricity, services, and renewable energy." The party leader added: "Najwan has ideas for creating high-paying jobs and developing a thriving energy sector."

Notley continued in her remarks: "Najwan's experience in oil, gas, and renewable energy will bring valuable perspectives to scrutinizing and critiquing government actions."

The preliminary results of the general elections held in Alberta on May 29 showed that the race was tight between Al-Junaid, who was declared the winner, and her opponent, Conservative candidate Whitney Issik.

After a second automatic count, Al-Junaid was declared the winner by a margin of 42 votes. However, the United Conservative Party led by Premier Danielle Smith requested a legal recount of the votes in this Calgary district, Alberta's largest city.

According to a statement from the New Democratic Party, Al-Junaid received 12,687 votes in the legal recount compared to 12,639 votes for Issik.

Following her victory, Al-Junaid stated that she had the opportunity to speak with thousands of people in her riding during the campaign. She said these exchanges showed her that they care about health, cost of living, and the economic future of Alberta—issues she promised to advocate for during her parliamentary term.

It is worth mentioning that like many Albertans, Najwan's 15-year career in the oil and gas sector began, including oil sands at TotalEnergies.

She now works as the director of the Renewable Energy Business Center in Canada, where she focuses on developing renewable energy sources on a large scale in Alberta.

Najwan believes in strengthening Alberta's economy by attracting investment and talent to Alberta, creating well-paying jobs, and fostering a thriving energy sector.

Najwan also strongly supports the Alberta New Democratic Party's commitment to maintaining the Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) for seniors in Alberta and stopping Danielle Smith's attempts to jeopardize retirement insurance and pensions.

Najwan holds two degrees from the University of Calgary, including a Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Development, and she speaks three languages (English, French, Arabic).

She was listed by Avenue Magazine among the top 40 under 40 in Calgary in 2022, and in 2023, the Globe and Mail named her one of 50 changemakers and emerging leaders who have reinvented how Canada does business.

As a wife and mother of two children, Najwan believes that Canadian families in Alberta deserve public services, and she is a fierce advocate for that, believing that a patient should not have to wait for hours in the emergency room to see a doctor or nurse.