View source for Maria Mourani

{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name             = Maria Mourani
| image            = Maria Mourani, écrivaine.jpg |
| honorific-suffix =
| constituency_MP  = [[Ahuntsic (federal electoral district)|Ahuntsic]]
| parliament       = Canadian
| term_start       = 23 January 2006
| term_end         = 19 October 2015
| predecessor      = [[Eleni Bakopanos]]
| successor        = [[Mélanie Joly]]
| party            = <small>[[Bloc Québécois]] (2006–2013)<br />[[Independent (politics)|Independent]] (2013–2015)<br />[[New Democratic Party]] (2015-present)</small>
| birth_place      = [[Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire]]
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1969|5|19}}
| nationality      = Canadian
| residence        = [[Montreal]]
| alma_mater       = [[Université de Montréal]]
| profession       = Politician, criminologist, parole officer, rehabilitation counsellor, researcher, sociologist, teaching assistant, consultant
|}}
'''Maria Mourani''' (born 19 May 1969) is a Canadian politician who was elected as a [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|Member of Parliament]] in the federal riding of [[Ahuntsic (federal electoral district)|Ahuntsic]] in Canada. She was formerly a member of the [[Bloc Québécois]] before leaving the party over its support for the proposed [[Quebec Charter of Values]]. She joined the [[New Democratic Party]] in November 2014 but was not a member of the party's caucus due to the party's policy against [[crossing the floor]]; she stood for the NDP in the [[2015 Canadian federal election]], but did not win. Mourani was the first woman of Lebanese origin elected to the Canadian House of Commons.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/ParlInfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=cfbb2e3f-a8fa-43c0-ad2a-1d2e4c7b865d&Language=E&Section=ALL|title=MOURANI, Maria, B.A., M.A.|publisher=[[Library of Parliament]]|access-date=2016-04-19}}</ref> In 2017, she became the Quebec representative in the Permanent Delegation of Canada at [[UNESCO]].

==Before politics==
Mourani was born in [[Abidjan]], [[Ivory Coast]].<ref name=":0" /> Of Lebanese descent, Mourani immigrated to Canada in 1988. She has held positions as rehabilitation consultant, professor, researcher, and parole officer.<ref name=":0" /> She is a former parole officer for [[Correctional Service of Canada]]. She is a former member of the Saint-Laurent volunteer action, Henri-Beaulieu school establishment council, Founoun artistic journal, Quebec Association of Criminologists, and the Reflection Committee and Social Action. She is the former President of the Bloc's citizen's committee and on the [[Parti Québécois]] riding executive in the provincial riding of [[Acadie (electoral district)|Acadie]] and the Committee director of the PQ orientation congress. She was also a freelance writer for ''L'Avenir''.

Mourani is also the author of ''La face cachée des gangs de rue'' (October 2006), a book about street gangs in Montreal. She followed it up with a second book on street gang networks in Canada, United States and Central America entitled ''Gangs de rue inc.'' (September 2009).<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Bloc MP helps police make big pot bust|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/bloc-mp-helps-police-make-big-pot-bust-1.966061|access-date=14 May 2013|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=26 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Shooting not expected to spark Montreal street war|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/shooting-not-expected-to-spark-montreal-street-war-1.919399|access-date=14 May 2013|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=7 January 2010}}</ref>

She was a co-founder and a co-president of the Canadian Lebanese Friendship Association in the Canadian Parliament as well as the President of the Algerian Canadian Friendship Association.

On 15 August 2008, she was awarded an honorary medal in [[Beirut]], [[Lebanon]] by the [[World Lebanese Cultural Union]] (WLCU).

==Political career==
In the [[2003 Quebec general election|2003 Quebec election]], she ran unsuccessfully as the PQ candidate in Acadie.<ref>{{cite news|title=Quebec Votes 2003 - Riding: Acadie|url=http://www.cbc.ca/quebecvotes2003/ridings/003_acadie.html|accessdate=14 May 2013|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=2003}}</ref>

She was elected in the [[2006 Canadian federal election]] and reelected in [[2008 Canadian federal election|2008]] and [[2011 Canadian federal election|2011]]. She was consequently assigned as the Bloc Québécois Critic on Public Security and on the Status of Women in the Canadian Parliament.

After the [[2011 Canadian federal election|2011 federal election]] Mourani was one of only four Bloc Québécois MPs left in the House of Commons, the only Bloc member from the Montreal area, and the only female Bloc MP in the 41st Parliament.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bloc to seek party status, new leader: MP|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/bloc-to-seek-party-status-new-leader-mp-1.1117297|access-date=14 May 2013|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=10 May 2011}}</ref>

She declared her candidacy in the [[2011 Bloc Québécois leadership election|Bloc Québécois leadership election]] that was held to choose a successor to [[Gilles Duceppe]] and ran on a platform of making the Bloc more independent from the [[Parti Québécois]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/mp-maria-mourani-bids-for-bloc-québécois-leadership-1.1067427|title=MP Maria Mourani bids for Bloc Québécois leadership|publisher=[[CBC News]]|date=21 September 2011|accessdate=11 June 2018}}</ref><ref name=paille>{{cite news|last=Authier|first=Philip|title=Daniel Paillé throws hat into Bloc ring|url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/Daniel+Paill%C3%A9+throws+into+Bloc+ring/5496721/story.html|accessdate=9 October 2011|newspaper=Montreal Gazette|date=4 October 2011}}{{Dead link|date=February 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> She was defeated on the second ballot by former MP [[Daniel Paillé]] on 11 December 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/daniel-paillé-new-leader-of-bloc-québécois-1.1073544|title=Daniel Paille new leader of Bloc Quebecois|publisher=[[CBC News]]|date=11 December 2011|accessdate=11 June 2018}}</ref>

She was expelled from the Bloc Quebecois caucus on 12 September 2013, for opposing the [[Charter of Quebec Values|Quebec Charter of Values]] and subsequently sat as an independent for the remainder of her term as MP.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mas|first=Susana|title=Bloc Québécois expels MP over secular charter comments|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bloc-québécois-expels-mp-over-secular-charter-comments-1.1702763|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=13 September 2013|accessdate=11 June 2018}}</ref>

On 18 December 2013, Mourani surprised citizens by announcing that she had renounced [[Quebec sovereignty|sovereigntism]]. She now believed that [[Canadian federalism]] was the best way to protect minority rights, and argued that the [[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms|Charter of Rights and Freedoms]] was best suited to protect "the Quebec identity and all citizens of Quebec." She also accused the PQ of running its election campaign "on the backs of believers."<ref name=LeDev>{{cite web|last=Bourgault-Côté|first=Guillaume|title=Mourani "n'est plus indépendantiste"|date=18 December 2013 |url=https://www.ledevoir.com/politique/canada/395505/la-deputee-mourani-s-apprete-a-annoncer-ses-nouvelles-allegeances-politiques|publisher=[[Le Devoir]]|accessdate=18 December 2013|language=fr}}</ref><ref>https://www.dropbox.com/s/9vk38kel5eonpq4/Lettre%20Maria%20Mourani_18%20dec%202013.pdf Mourani's Letter to the Public</ref><ref name=NP>{{cite web|last=Canadian Press|title=Maria Mourani, who quit Bloc Quebecois over Quebec values charter, says she is no longer a sovereigntist|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/12/18/mp-maria-mourani-who-quit-bloc-quebecois-over-quebec-values-charter-says-she-is-no-longer-a-sovereigntist/|publisher=[[National Post]]|accessdate=18 December 2013}}</ref>

On 19 November 2014, Mourani announced that she would run for the [[New Democratic Party|NDP]] in [[42nd Canadian federal election|the next election]], though as per the party's policy on [[crossing the floor]] she remained an independent MP until the election.<ref>{{cite news|title=Maria Mourani, ex-Bloc MP, to join NDP|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/maria-mourani-ex-bloc-mp-to-join-ndp-1.2840214|publisher=CBC News|date=19 November 2014|accessdate=19 November 2014}}</ref><ref name="ndp">{{cite news|title=Former Bloc member Maria Mourani join NDP — but not as MP|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/11/19/former_bloc_member_maria_mourani_join_ndp_but_not_as_mp.html|accessdate=19 November 2014|work=Toronto Star|date=19 November 2014}}</ref>

On 21 January 2015 she was acclaimed the NDP's candidate in the renamed [[Ahuntsic-Cartierville (electoral district)|Ahuntsic-Cartierville]] for the [[2015 Canadian federal election]],<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|url=http://m.huffpost.com/ca/entry/6519932|title=Maria Mourani, Ex-Bloc MP, To Run For NDP In Montreal|publisher=Huffington Post|date=21 January 2015|accessdate=21 January 2015}}</ref>  but lost her seat to rival [[Canadian Liberal Party|Liberal]] candidate [[Mélanie Joly]].{{fact|date=March 2023}}

After the 2015 elections, she opened a consultancy office ''Mourani-Criminologie'' on [[criminology]] with a concentration on issues of [[organized crime]] and gangs, [[juvenile delinquency]], [[human trafficking]], [[prostitution]] and [[international terrorism]]. She is a member of the Quebec Professional Order of Criminologists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mouranicriminologue.com/ |title=Mourani Criminologue Official website |publisher=Mouranicriminologue.com |date= |accessdate=2018-06-10}}</ref>

On 25 October 2017, the Quebec government nominated Mourani as the Quebec representative in the Permanent Delegation of Canada at the [[United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization]] (UNESCO) in Paris replacing [[Julie Miville-Dechêne]]. She assumes her position starting 5 December 2017.<ref name=ctv>{{cite news|url=http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/former-bloc-mp-maria-mourani-appointed-quebec-s-representative-to-unesco-1.3649657|title=Former Bloc MP Maria Mourani appointed Quebec's representative to UNESCO|publisher=CTV Montreal|date=26 October 2017|accessdate=26 October 2017}}</ref>

She endorsed the [[Conservative Party of Canada]] in [[2025 Canadian federal election|2025]].<ref>https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2025/04/03/allons-nous-laisser-trump-choisir-le-premier-ministre-du-canada</ref>

==Bibliography==
;Books
* ''La face cachée des gangs de rue'', Les Éditions de l'Homme, 2006, 211 pages {{ISBN|978-2-7619-2253-1}}
* ''Gangs de rue inc. : leurs réseaux au Canada et dans les Amériques'',  Les éditions de l'Homme, 2009, 416 pages, {{ISBN|978-2-7619-2683-6}}

;Others
*Rose Dufour, Ina Motoi (preface by Maria Mourani and Hélène Manseau), ''La femme, sa sexualité et son pouvoir sexuel: programme d'appropriation de sa sexualité'', Les Presses de l'Université du Québec, 2011
*''Notre indépendance: 28 Québécois s'expriment'' (collective book), under the direction of Catherine Fillion-Lauzièr, Stanké, 2012

==Electoral record==
{{Canadian election result/top|CA|2015|percent=yes|change=yes|expenditures=yes|Ahuntsic-Cartierville (electoral district)|Ahuntsic-Cartierville}}
{{CANelec|CA|Liberal|[[Mélanie Joly]]|26,026|46.8|+15.7|&ndash;}}
{{CANelec|CA|NDP|Maria Mourani|16,684|30.0|+0.1|&ndash;}}
{{CANelec|CA|BQ|Nicolas Bourdon|7,346|13.2|-15.1|&ndash;}}
{{CANelec|CA|Conservative|Wiliam Moughrabi|4,051|7.3|-1.3|&ndash;}}
{{CANelec|CA|Green|Gilles Mercier|1,175|2.1|+0.7|&ndash;}}
{{CANelec|CA|Rhinoceros|Catherine Gascon-David|285|0.5|&ndash;|&ndash;}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes/expense limit|&ndash;|100.0 &nbsp;|&nbsp;|$220,041.13}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total rejected ballots|&ndash;|&ndash;|&ndash;}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Turnout|&ndash;|&ndash;|&ndash;}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Eligible voters|82,863}}
{{CANelec/source|Source: [[Elections Canada]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.ca/Scripts/vis/candidates?L=e&ED=24003&EV=41&EV_TYPE=1&PC=&PROV=QC&PROVID=24&MAPID=&QID=8&PAGEID=17&TPAGEID=&PD=&STAT_CODE_ID=-1 |title=Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Ahuntsic-Cartierville |publisher=Elections.ca |date=2015-09-30 |accessdate=2018-06-10}}</ref><ref>[http://www.elections.ca/content2.aspx?section=can&dir=cand/canlim&document=index&lang=e Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304045200/http://www.elections.ca/content2.aspx?section=can&dir=cand%2Fcanlim&document=index&lang=e |date=2016-03-04 }}</ref>}}
{{end}}

{{Canadian election result/top|CA|2011|percent=yes|change=yes|expenditures=yes|Ahuntsic (federal electoral district)|Ahuntsic}}
{{CANelec|CA|BQ|Maria Mourani |14,908|31.80|-7.68|}}
{{CANelec|CA|NDP|Chantal Reeves |14,200|30.29|+21.32|}}
{{CANelec|CA|Liberal|[[Noushig Eloyan]] |13,087|27.91|-10.68|}}
{{CANelec|CA|Conservative|Constantin Kiryakidis |3,770|8.04|-2.32|}}
{{CANelec|CA|Green|Ted Kouretas |620|1.32|-1.25|}}
{{CANelec|CA|Rhinoceros|Jean-Olivier Berthiaume|299|0.64|–|}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes/expense limit|46,884|100.00|}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total rejected ballots|516|1.09|- }}
{{Canadian election result/total|Turnout|47,400|64.98|-0.66 }}
|-
{{CANelec/hold|CA|BQ| -14.50}}
{{end}}

{{Canadian election result/top|CA|2008|percent=yes|change=yes|expenditures=yes|Ahuntsic (federal electoral district)|Ahuntsic}}
{{CANelec|CA|BQ|Maria Mourani|18,815|39.48|+0.57| $53,286}}
{{CANelec|CA|Liberal|[[Eleni Bakopanos]]|18,392|38.59|+1.30| $51,887}}
{{CANelec|CA|Conservative|Jean Précourt|4,937|10.36| -1.89| $56,496}}
{{CANelec|CA|NDP|Alexandra Bélec|4,276|8.97| +1.07| $6,663}}
{{CANelec|CA|Green|Lynette Tremblay|1,228|2.57| -1.10| $20}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes/expense limit|47,648|100.00|–| $82,379}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total rejected ballots|523|1.09 | }}
{{Canadian election result/total|Turnout|48,181|65.64| }}
|-
{{CANelec/hold|CA|BQ| -0.40}}
{{end}}

{{Canadian election result/top|CA|2006|percent=yes|change=yes|expenditures=yes|Ahuntsic (federal electoral district)|Ahuntsic}}
{{CANelec|CA|BQ|Maria Mourani |19,428 |38.91 |-2.34 | $69,180}}
{{CANelec|CA|Liberal|[[Eleni Bakopanos]] |18,594 |37.24 |-6.51| $64,168}}
{{CANelec|CA|Conservative|Etienne Morin |6,089 |12.25 |+7.01| $16,100}}
{{CANelec|CA|NDP|Caroline Desrosiers |3,948 |7.90 |+1.70| $4,702}}
{{CANelec|CA|Green|Lynette Tremblay |1,836 |3.67 |+0.99| $411}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes/expense limit|49,895|100.00| $77,453}}
|-
{{CANelec/gain|CA|BQ|Liberal| -2.1}}
{{end}}

{{Canadian election result/top|CA|2004|percent=yes|change=yes|expenditures=yes|Ahuntsic (federal electoral district)|Ahuntsic}}
{{CANelec|CA|Liberal|[[Eleni Bakopanos]]|21,234|43.75|-10.13| $59,946}}
{{CANelec|CA|BQ|Maria Mourani|20,020|41.25|+9.02| $53,286}}
{{CANelec|CA|NDP|Annick Bergeron|3,013|6.20|+4.33| $3,308}}
{{CANelec|CA|Conservative|Jean E. Fortier|2,544|5.24|-3.85| $39,703}}
{{CANelec|CA|Green|Lynette Tremblay|1,301|2.68|+0.57| $2,388}}
{{CANelec|CA|Marijuana|F.X. de Longchamp|314|0.64|–| }}
{{CANelec|CA|Marxist-Leninist|Marsha Fine|102|0.21|-0.09| }}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes/expense limit|48,528|100.00| $77,288}}
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|row}}
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] '''hold'''
|align="right"|'''Swing'''
|align="right"| -9.6
|align="right"|
{{end}}

{{2003 Quebec general election/Acadie}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.mouranicriminologie.com/ Official site]
* {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=1942}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mourani, Maria}}
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Bloc Québécois MPs]]
[[Category:Canadian Maronites]]
[[Category:Women members of the House of Commons of Canada]]
[[Category:Independent MPs in the Canadian House of Commons]]
[[Category:Ivorian emigrants to Canada]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Quebec]]
[[Category:New Democratic Party candidates for the Canadian House of Commons]]
[[Category:People from Abidjan]]
[[Category:Probation and parole officers]]
[[Category:Women in Quebec politics]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Lebanese descent]]
[[Category:Politicians affected by a party expulsion process]]