Monia Mazigh

Monia Mazigh is best known as is the wife of Maher Arar. A resident of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, she is seeking nomination to be the New Democratic Party candidate for the riding of Ottawa South in the upcoming next federal election. As part of her campaign, she has a website.

Born and raised in Tunisia, she emigrated to Canada in 1991. Mazigh first entered the public spotlight when her husband was deported to Syria in 2002 by the US government, on suspicion of terrorist links. He was tortured and held without charge for over a year before being returned to Canada. Mazigh joined with a number of human rights groups to press the government for his release. She appeared frequently in the media and was widely respected for her tireless efforts.

Mazigh has a doctorate in finance from L'Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales in Montreal and speaks French fluently and English conversationally as well as other languages. She was also courted by the Liberals, but chose the NDP which was more in line with her social values and had been the most emphatic of all parties in calling for her husband's release. She had also reportedly grown personally close with NDP foreign affairs critic, and former federal leader, Alexa McDonough.

If nominated in Ottawa-South, a traditionally Liberal riding, she will be running against Liberal candidate David McGuinty, the brother of Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty.

She and her husband have two young children.