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Raza Mirza: candidate for Vancouver City council
10-02-2018
Raza Mirza, 33, has worked as a Research and Development Manager at a Vancouver based tech company, which helps governments and Fortune 500 companies use technology for compliance with policies, and prevention of fraud and corruption.
Raza spent his early career working for companies like Microsoft, Electronic Arts and Amazon, and understand the importance of and challenges in growing the tech industries in Vancouver. It was when Raza joined Change.org, a company with a mission to “empower people everywhere to create the change they want to see”, that he realized the contribution he could make to impact the direction of housing policy.
Raza started his fight for a right to stable family housing with Generation Squeeze, raising awareness about challenges young people face, after his wife and he welcomed their first daughter.
"Being a parent changed my priorities. Stable housing and a safe park, a school where teachers are less worried about their own living situation and having a family doctor took place of personal goals."
Volunteering for Dogwood, Raza worked to raise awareness about the importance of voting, and campaigned to ban big money in politics and the need for a corruption inquiry in British Columbia.
As a spokesperson, and Director of Government Relations, for Housing Action for Local Taxpayers (HALT) he also pushed the government to address speculation and foreign capital in the Vancouver housing market.
Raza has been the Secretary for the Standing Committee for Economy and Environment (SCOEE) for BC New Democratic Party (BC NDP) and a member of Non Partisan Association (NPA); he has volunteered for Vancouver Greens, and discussed policy resolution with Conservative Party of Canada local EDA. Raza is recognized, even by his fellow candidates, as a great reconciliator and his ability to work across party lines makes him uniquely qualified to unite people to stand together for Vancouver.
“People often ask me if I’m politically left leaning or right leaning, and I tell them I only look forward, because you can only learn from past, work hard today, and that is how you change the future.”
After having lived in Yaletown, Coal Harbour and Kitsilano; Raza, a father of two, now rents a home in Marpole with his wife, a psychologist turned social support worker for people with special needs. His semi-retired parents also live with them to help offset the high cost of childcare that most young Vancouver families face today. You can find more about Raza on his Facebook page 'ElectRazaMirza' and follow him on Twitter at '@razamirza'.
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