Zainab Rana

About Zainab

My name is Zainab Rana and I recently turned 18, making me the youngest candidate in Canada. Here's why I'm running in the upcoming 2025 federal election. 

I've had a deep interest in both law and politics since I was just 13 years old. The vast majority of my free time was spent watching political commentary online and reading up on what was going on in the world -- habits that I've carried into adulthood. This led to me conducting independent research on how laws were made, who made them, and how they affected everyday people. I started to form my own opinions on different socio-political issues and what we could do to resolve them.

In school I found myself gravitating towards courses that were focused on law and politics, which deepened my knowledge base on current social issues, law reform, and how our government operates. My passion for legal change led me to writing a paper on how we can reform Canadian law to protect victims of domestic violence, which was recognized through an award from the Ontario Tech University and the Ontario Justice and Education Network.

One thing that stuck out to me while I began exploring the world of Canadian politics was the absence of youth voices. This concerns me as the youth of this country will live through the consequences of the policies made by our government for the longest amount of time. I believe our government should be reflective of the people in this country in order to best address the needs of all Canadians, which includes youth.

This led me to becoming an advocate for more youth in politics. However, I knew it wouldn't make sense for me to encourage others to get involved if I wasn't doing so myself. When the 2025 federal election was announced, I approached the Centrist Party of Canada, seeking to be nominated to run as a candidate from the Pickering -- Brooklin area. The Centrist Party is aimed at ending right and left-wing divisiveness and bringing Canadians together while addressing key issues, such as the cost of living, crime rates, and the housing and healthcare crisis. 

As a long-term Pickering resident, I am deeply committed to representing the values and concerns of my community. If you are interested in anything I've said, please reach out at vote.team.rana@gmail.com.