Henri Sader

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Henri (centre) with his wife Mona (right) and NDP leader Jack Layton (left).

Henri M. Sader is a long time member of the New Democratic Party in Ottawa, Canada, and was its candidate for Ottawa South in the 39th Canadian federal election. He was born and raised in war-torn Lebanon. His mother was Hungarian.

Sader was educated at the College Notre Dame de Jamhour, and at St. Joseph University in Beirut and earned his PhD in economics from the Sorbonne University in Paris, France, in 1980. Sader emigrated to Canada in 1982 and first settled in Toronto. In 1986, he moved to Montreal to work with Carrefour des Cèdres - a non-governmental organization, which promotes socio-economic development. In Montreal, he lectured at Concordia University, began to work as an economist and researcher for the Jesuit Centre for Social Analysis, and wrote for the magazine Relations, which comments on politics, religion and society from a social justice point of view.

Since 1990, Sader has been active in the New Democratic Party at both the local and national level. He campaigned in many elections for Elisabeth Arnold, Marion Dewar, Evelyn Gigantes, Jamey Heath, John Rodriguez and Lorne Nystrom. In addition, over the last 15 years, he worked as a researcher, executive and legislative assistant for several NDP Members of Parliament – including John Rodriguez (Nickel Belt, Ontario; 1972 1980; 1984 - 1993), Lorne Nystrom (Yorkton—Melville, Saskatchewan; 1968 – 1993; 1997 - 2004) and Peter Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster, British Columbia; since 2004).

During his time on Parliament Hill, Sader played a key role in helping the House of Commons to pass a NDP motion on the so-called "Tobin tax", making Canada the first legislature in the world to do so. Nobel Prize Laureat James Tobin developed the "Tobin tax", which proposes to tax on cross-border currency transactions to reduce economically harmful currency speculation, stabilize the global economy and currency system, and raise revenues for cash-strapped governments around the world. Sader promoted "practical economics" for ordinary consumers and citizens as a contributing editor of Lorne Nystrom’s 1999 book, Just Making Change, which makes sense of complex financial issues.

Since 2001, Henri has taught economics at the Labour College of Canada to prepare students with for advancing the cause of trade unions. He is currently steward of the CULR-Local 1 (CEP; the Labour College union) and an active member of Local 232 of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union.

He defeated Sandra Griffith-Bonaparte for the New Democratic Party nomination in the riding of Ottawa South for the 39th Canadian federal election, on November 10th, 2005.

Sader is fluent in English, French and Arabic. He lives in the Heron Park area of Ottawa South with his wife Mona and their son, Michel.