Peter Baker (Canadian politician)

Peter Baker (April 1887 – November 13, 1973), born Bedouin Ferran, also known as Ahmad Ali Ferran[1] and Faron Ahmed upon death, was a Lebanese-born Canadian trader, politician, and author.[2] As the first Muslim elected to public office in Canada, he played a fundamental role in the history of Islam in the Arctic and Subarctic regions.

Early life

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Baker was born in 1887 as Bedouin Ferran or as Ahmad Ali Ferran[1] on the territory of Levant, which is now Lebanon.[2]

At the turn of the century, he emigrated to Canada from the Turkish (Ottoman) conscription for young Arabs whom Turkey made to fight against the Yemenis.[1]

Ferran worked at a Holy Cross College as a labourer, and in 1909, was given his anglicised name by the college's Catholic priest. Thereonafter, he moved to the province of Alberta.[2]

Canada

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In the 1910s, Baker began work as a trapper[3] and trader of northern fur and essentials with First Nations, establishing with his Indigenous trading partners novel and adaptive ways of both trade and credit.[4]

After his trade ended, Baker entered politics, and was elected a member of the NWT Council at the time, now called the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories for the period of 1964–1967.[5] He was one of the earliest Muslim politicians in Canada.[6]

Baker's funeral took place on 19 November 1973 in Al-Rashid Mosque in Edmonton, Alberta. Baker was identified in the 17 November 1973 press of Edmonton Journal's Deaths and Notices section as Baker, Peter (Faron Ahmed).[7][2]

Baker authored a book, Memoirs of an Arctic Arab, published posthumously in 1976.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Waugh, Earle (March–June 2010). Re-Imagining Purposive Journeys: Rihla in Canadian–Middle Eastern Immigrant Writing (PDF download). Canadian Comparative Literature Association / University of Alberta. p. 74 (PDF:5). Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  2. ^ a b c d Kassam, Karim-Aly S. Muslim Presence in Alberta: Contribution and Challenges (PDF). pp. 187 (book) / p. 5 (PDF), 195 (b) / 13 (PDF). Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  3. ^ Okpik, Abraham (2005). "We Call It Survival: The Life Story of Abraham Okpik" (PDF). In Louis McComber (ed.). Life Stories of Northern Leaders. Vol. 1. Nunavut Arctic College. p. 97. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  4. ^ Colpitts, George (2013). "Itinerant Jewish and Arabic Trading in the Dene's North, 1916-1930". Journal of the Canadian Historical Association. 24 (1): 163–213. doi:10.7202/1025000ar. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  5. ^ Morrow, John Andrew (2016). Restoring the Balance: Using the Qur'an and the Sunnah to Guide a Return to the Prophet's Islam. Cambridge Scholars. p. 59. ISBN 9781443892964. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  6. ^ Liepert, David (2010-12-01). "The Imaginary Divide". Albertaviews. Vol. 13, no. 10. Canada. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  7. ^ "Baker, Peter (Faron Ahmed)". Edmonton Journal. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. November 17, 1973. p. 62.
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