Background

Zainab Alsalihiy is, and has always been, a go-getter. She has set her standards very high, and will continue to fight for change until her goals have been reached.

As a public servant for many years, Zainab has a history of excellence, and holds the public interest very close to heart. ​Prior to the Municipal Elections, Zainab worked for IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) and Elections Canada, administering elections since 2008. One of her greatest accomplishments was being part of a fantastic team providing potential candidates with the ability to submit their nominations online at the Political Entities Service Centre, for the first time in history in 2019.​

In addition to her expertise in the electoral field, Zainab has also taken on additional roles with international election monitoring missions with The Carter Center to Liberia, and Canadem in Kharkiv, Ukraine.  She was also part of an international group that observed the historical 2016 United States of America federal elections in Missouri. In addition, Zainab has also observed out-of country voting for Tunisia and Moldova. 

​During the historical 2014 Iraq elections, Zainab spearheaded the first International Out of Country election observation mission in partnership with International High Election Commission of Iraq (IHEC). She planned and implemented the polling day logistics of Short-Term Observers, and contributed to the mission report.

Zainab is passionate about many causes, including women’s empowerment, mental health, volunteering and youth engagement. She travelled to Bosnia in 2019 with a leadership camp to learn and engage with orphan kids and youth of Sarajevo. Zainab took part in several activities, including peer-to-peer learning opportunities, food distributions, beneficiary home visits, and building refurbishment.

Zainab moved to Findlay Creek in 2016, as a single mother to two children, 16 and 11, a public servant and an immigrant, she understand the unique needs of our diverse community and will effectively advocate for your voices to be heard. She understands that the future of our community requires economic viability, diversity and sustainability. This includes exploring opportunities to work with others on ways to increase efficiency and fiscal responsibility.

Zainab Alsalihiy has lived in Canada for 33 years, started in Niagara Falls to Ottawa where she graduated from Sir Robert Borden High School and went on to Algonquin College for Computer Networking.​

Please explore the site to find more about Zainab and her vision for change.