Sharif Haji
Sharif Haji is an Alberta politician and the MLA for Edmonton-Decore, representing the NDP. He took office on May 29, 2023, succeeding Chris Nielsen. Born in Baidoa, Somalia, he is of Somali descent and is the first Black Muslim and East African descent person elected to Alberta’s Legislative Assembly. He serves as the Official Opposition critic for Immigration and Accreditation. He is married to Hamdi Mubarak and they have three children.
Education and work: He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of South Africa and a Master of Public Health in global health from the University of Alberta. Before politics, he led the Africa Centre (2019–2023) and held various roles in Alberta’s government (2014–2019), including managing affordable housing and primary health care strategies and working as a policy analyst. He also worked with the Edmonton Multicultural Coalition, co-founded the Federation of African Canadian Economics, and has served on boards such as the Centre for Race and Culture and United Way - Alberta Capital Region. He received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2023.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 19:34 (CET).