{"id":43949,"date":"2025-06-02T15:58:52","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T15:58:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/?p=43949"},"modified":"2025-06-02T16:02:04","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T16:02:04","slug":"faycal-el-khoury-carves-lebanons-name-into-canadian-parliament-after-winning-a-fourth-term","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/?p=43949","title":{"rendered":"Fay\u00e7al El-Khoury Carves Lebanon\u2019s Name into Canadian Parliament After Winning a Fourth Term"},"content":{"rendered":"<p dir=\"ltr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-43962\" src=\"http:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/7e59ea93-9ccd-48b7-9665-6e8e6bceb38a-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1600\" \/><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-43949 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/?attachment_id=43957'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"111\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/3d28c963-a604-425e-8065-48599960a64a.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/?attachment_id=43956'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"111\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0a2292d2-da94-4eb2-ac10-c52652add4c5.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/?attachment_id=43955'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"110\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/f2c0141e-eab6-4935-a763-9673d9ba39a4.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/?attachment_id=43954'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"112\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1b3a04e1-394b-466c-bd4a-c9d9925e3d8c.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/?attachment_id=43953'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"112\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/41cfa480-fc7f-4b6a-9e11-a68043c86434.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/?attachment_id=43952'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"111\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cd1a0234-45fd-469d-b855-48d7ea9789eb.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/?attachment_id=43951'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"113\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/7e59ea93-9ccd-48b7-9665-6e8e6bceb38a.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/?attachment_id=43950'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"113\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ca92620f-a82d-4423-989f-68a27e26b33c.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Born in Akkar north of Lebanon , Liberal Party MP Fay\u00e7al El-Khoury, has secured a fourth term in Canada\u2019s House of Commons, after once again earning the trust of voters and surpassing his competitors from other federal parties. This victory reflects the will of his constituents, who appreciated his efforts and accomplishments over the past years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">It is well known that consecutive victories in Canadian Parliament are not easy, but El-Khoury\u2019s popularity and the unwavering support of voters carried him back to Parliament for the fourth time, reaffirming his stature and the deep trust placed in him.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">From Humble Beginnings to Parliamentary Success<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Looking back, we see the ambition of a young Lebanese man who graduated from high school dreaming of becoming a fighter pilot. However, the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war forced him into emigration, paving the way for a remarkable success story in his second home: Canada.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Due to the closure of the Canadian embassies in Beirut and Damascus at the time, he traveled to Egypt with his sister under the pretext of attending the Olympic Games. It was there that his new journey began. At the time, he was in love with Georgette Elias, who would later become his wife, lifelong partner, and a distinguished dentist. Together, they were blessed with three daughters, known for both their values and character.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">A Grandfather\u2019s Advice\u2026 and the First Step<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">He arrived in the \u201cGreat White North,\u201d the \u201cLand of the Maple Leaf,\u201d Canada, with only $500 USD in his pocket and a piece of advice from his grandfather, the village priest:<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u201cConsider yourself an ambassador for Lebanon. If you succeed and reach a high position, never turn anyone away. The needs of others are a sign of God\u2019s favor upon you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">These words guided him throughout his entire journey.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">In a fortunate coincidence, on his way from Homs to Egypt, he met the son of the late Sabri Hamadeh, who helped him apply for a Canadian visa through a connection with Ambassador Assad Al-Assad, then Assistant Secretary General of the Arab League, and his son Wael, who was working at the Libyan Embassy in Egypt. With their support and a letter of recommendation, his journey of challenges began a journey filled with obstacles and fears of deportation, especially since his visa was only valid for two weeks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Working to Study, Then Building a Global Career<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">To cover his education costs, El-Khoury worked in a Beirut-style restaurant while enrolling at Concordia University to study civil engineering\u2014despite not being fluent in English at the time. He persevered, graduated, and went on to establish his own engineering company, which operated in Saudi Arabia and other Arab markets. He ultimately succeeded in becoming a global consultant in his field.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Despite his professional success, he never forgot the hardships of immigration and asylum. This empathy drove him to always support those facing deportation, as he had personally endured the same experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Politics in the Service of People<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">El-Khoury recalls how he entered politics and how people became attached to him and his human-centered approach. Every deportation case he helped stop was, to him, a priceless moral reward.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">One particularly moving case involved a Bangladeshi family facing deportation with their two children. They contacted his office through the hotline, and he helped halt the decision. That family later returned to vote for him in the last election, a gesture that left a deep impact on him.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">A Vision for the Future<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">When asked about the new federal government led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, El-Khoury said:<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u201cI\u2019m optimistic. Carney has a brilliant economic mind and is one of the most prominent global figures, having led both the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada for years.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">He added that the major challenges facing the new government will include:<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u2022 The economic crisis<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u2022 The housing crisis and cost of living<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u2022 Relations with the United States<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u2022 Canada\u2019s role in international politics and humanitarian aid<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">He confirmed that efforts to support Lebanon are ongoing, with more than 60 million Canadian dollars in aid already secured.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The Oath Ceremony\u2026 and a Scene of Loyalty<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">MP Fay\u00e7al El-Khoury took the oath of office for his new term in the presence of a large crowd of Canadian and Arab community members, along with fellow parliamentarians, including Armenian MP Kristine Vardanyan, who traveled especially from Armenia to offer her congratulations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">In his speech after the oath, he thanked everyone who voted for him, and even those who didn\u2019t. He gave special thanks to his wife, Georgette, for her unwavering support and dedication. The oath ceremony was followed by a luncheon in honor of the attendees, in an atmosphere full of gratitude and appreciation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">A Poet with Deep Roots<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">MP El-Khoury remains strongly connected to his roots and Arab culture. He is also an accomplished poet, writing in eloquent classical Arabic, and has authored many beautiful poems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Canada is fortunate to have MP Fay\u00e7al El-Khoury in its ranks\u2014a loving husband and father, an exceptional parliamentarian, a man close to the people\u2019s hearts, and a writer who has crafted his words with profound humanity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">His Final Message:<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'arial black', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u201cImmigration is not an end, but a beginning. Success doesn\u2019t come by chance; it\u2019s the fruit of hard work and self-belief. Never forget your roots, and always remain loyal to your new community\u2014without forgetting your homeland.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Born in Akkar north of Lebanon , Liberal Party MP Fay\u00e7al El-Khoury, has secured a fourth term in Canada\u2019s House of Commons, after once again earning the trust of voters and surpassing his competitors from other federal parties. This victory reflects the will of his constituents, who appreciated his efforts and accomplishments over the past &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":43962,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[190],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43949","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-190"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=43949"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43949\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43963,"href":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43949\/revisions\/43963"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/43962"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=43949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=43949"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=43949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}