Liberal MPs address students at UTM Young Liberals social event
The chair of the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario) and federal representatives from Peel Region visited UTM to address students’ concerns about the field of politics.
On January 21, the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) Young Liberals (UTMYL) club collaborated with members of the Liberal Party of Canada to host Youth in Politics, a three-hour open floor discussion for students. The event featured Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario) Chair Qasir Dar and Members of Parliament (MPs) Amandeep Sodhi of Brampton Centre, Fares Al Soud of Mississauga Centre, and Iqra Khalid of Mississauga-Erin Mills.
Starting at 6:30 p.m., roughly 45 students gathered in a conference room in the William G. Davis building for the event.
Mekayel Omier, Membership Officer of the UTMYL, began with a strong message for students, stating, “We sitting in this room are responsible, and are required to be responsible as the youth of this country.”
Omier also led the discussion by raising common questions among youth interested in politics, such as “What can students do to create effective change in their current positions?” while also sharing concerns about barriers that young students may face.
As recently young MPs, Sodhi and Al Soud each expressed that they resonate with these concerns.
Sodhi explained that she represents students who don’t have large political backgrounds, and that her age didn’t deter her from her goals, saying, “fear and potential judgment shouldn’t stop you.” Sodhi advocates that “age can be a strength.”
Al Soud, the first MP of Palestinian origin in the House of Commons, stated, “Everyone here is already a leader. Young students shouldn’t shy away, whatever your ambition is in the world of politics, that is why you are here.”
Both Sodhi and Al Soud expressed that being young is an advantage, asserting that youth are especially suited to recognize and address many current issues, such as the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence in daily life. Throughout the discussion, Omier also noted that students can feel reassured with young voices in the House of Commons, like Al Soud and Sodhi, representing them.
To address students’ general feeling that getting into politics can be intimidating, UTMYL President Aanchal Kapoor asked the MPs how students can better deal with political anxiety. Khalid answered, “When we all take ownership of that anxiety, change can happen. To make change happen, you have to feel uncomfortable.”
A word of advice Al Soud and Sodhi shared is that joining the MP constituency youth council and signing up for clubs are the easiest ways to get your foot in the door.
Al Soud told students, “There’s always someone to advocate for.” MP Khalid repeated that sentiment when she said, “A good leader knows the people they are trying to represent.”
To create an impact, Chair Dar focused on the influence of writing. “If you want to make a change and you have an idea, through policy writing, you can make that change.”
During the open question period, a first-year student who wished to remain anonymous brought up a concern to MPs regarding the 130 Palestinian students who gained acceptance to Canadian Universities but are trapped in Gaza due to visa delays.
The challenges these Palestinian students face are under the purview of the Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk Network (PSSAR) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Khalid acknowledged that students are stuck in both Gaza and Egypt, facing issues with biometric verifications that they should not have to. She said she’s dealing with the issue directly and that she’s raised the issue to cabinet ministers, including Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Al Soud added that many MPs are focused on the issue as “Palestinians are also owed the same opportunities.”
Al Soud and Khalid said they both worked with the PSSAR and attended a recent trip organized by The Canadian Muslim Vote in hopes of meeting Palestinians refugees, displaced people, and the Palestinian Authority. Unfortunately, they were denied entry into the West Bank by Israeli authorities due to security reasons.
In an interview with The Medium, the anonymous student expressed that they admire the MPs for their work for human rights. “These MPs I look up to, I see their work for Palestine, they’re my inspiration.” They continued, “They fight for what’s right, even though they get backlash from it.”
Responding to a question from Han Tran of The Varsity, the student also touched on how they favour Canadian universities for giving them the freedom to express political opinions and pursue political activism. That said, they ultimately decided to remain anonymous due to the community backlash that happened against students after the UTMSU Commemoration for the Gaza Martyrs event in October 2025, citing safety concerns for their family members.
Attendee Madelynne McBride, a second-year political science major, also shared that she felt the event helped students realize it’s okay to be nervous about pursuing politics. “It shows you have a passion behind what you’re doing, use that anxiety as a moving point in your career.”
UTMYL Organizational Officer Zara Razi, spoke about the team’s efforts and the outcome of their first event of the academic year.
The UTMYL Youth in Politics event took shape with the help of Ontario Young Liberals and Qasir Dar. Student connections through volunteering, youth constituency councils, and showing up to see MPs at other social events helped to speed up the process, which ultimately took a month of planning.
Razi concluded, “We hope to invite them again to share their inspirational stories and give meaningful advice on how to really set an example in politics.”
The next UTMYL event will be hosted in February. Further information can be found on their Instagram page, @utmliberal.
For future opportunities to network and meet MPs and other government officials, all students interested in politics are welcome to join the Liberal Party of Canada National Convention happening in Montreal this coming April.
