# Bob Saroya

Babar "Bob" Saroya MP (born February 3, 1952) is a former Canadian politician, who was elected to represent the riding of Markham—Unionville in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2015 Canadian federal election. During the 42nd Canadian Parliament he has been a member of the Conservative Party official opposition and sponsored one private member bill, C-338, An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (punishment), which would have increased mandatory minimum sentences for those convicted of importing controlled drugs and substances. The bill was debated at second reading but defeated by the Liberals; only members from the Conservative Party voted in favour.
His election in 2015 was unique, Markham—Unionville was originally held by John McCallum who Saroya came close to upsetting in 2011. After re-distribution, McCallum chose to run in the neighbouring riding of Markham—Thornhill. Saroya's election was considered to be an anomaly because he was the only candidate in Canada to pick up a seat from the Liberals.
Saroya was re-elected in the 2019 Canadian federal election. During the ensuing 43rd Canadian Parliament he introduced one private member bill, Bill C-238, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (possession of unlawfully imported firearms) which sought to increase the minimum mandatory sentence from one year to five years imprisonment for the offense of possession of a firearm known to be illegally imported to Canada. It was brought to a vote on January 27, 2021, but defeated with NDP and Liberal Party members voting in against. In the 2020 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election he endorsed Peter MacKay.
Saroya immigrated to Canada from India in 1974. He eventually went on to own several restaurants and became a sales director with Pizza Pizza before first running for office in 2008.

## Electoral record

vte2021 Canadian federal election: Markham—Unionville :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Paul Chiang | 21,958 | 48.6 | +10.24 | $110,433.44 |
| | Conservative | Bob Saroya | 18,959 | 41.9 | -7.04 | $99,523.48 |
| | New Democratic | Aftab Qureshi | 3,001 | 6.6 | — | $7,138.72 |
| | Green | Elvin Kao | 1,306 | 2.9 | -1.56 | $3,056.16 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 45,224 | – | – | $116,665.09 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 452 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,676 | 52.0 | -8.9 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 87,781 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | Swing | +8.64 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2019 Canadian federal election: Markham—Unionville :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Bob Saroya | 26,133 | 48.94 | -0.43 | $105,729.16 |
| | Liberal | Alan Ho | 20,484 | 38.36 | -4.97 | $111,317.79 |
| | New Democratic | Gregory Hines | 3,524 | 6.60 | +1.53 | none listed |
| | Green | Elvin Kao | 2,394 | 4.48 | +2.25 | $5,836.95 |
| | People's | Sarah Chung | 861 | 1.61 | – | none listed |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 53,396 | 100.0 | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 523 | 0.97 | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,919 | 60.90 | +0.22 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 88,538 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +2.27 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
2015 Canadian federal election: Markham—Unionville :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Bob Saroya | 24,605 | 49.37 | +3.54 | $148,191.54 |
| | Liberal | Bang-Gu Jiang | 21,596 | 43.33 | +9.64 | $105,134.99 |
| | New Democratic | Colleen Zimmerman | 2,528 | 5.07 | -11.45 | $3,111.82 |
| | Green | Elvin Kao | 1,110 | 2.23 | -0.77 | $4,322.49 |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 49,839 | 100.00 | | $218,774.36 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 246 | 0.49 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,085 | 60.68 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 82,534 |
| | Conservative notional hold | Conservative notional hold | Swing | Swing | -3.05 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
2011 Canadian federal election: Markham—Unionville :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | John McCallum | 19,429 | 38.9 | -16.0 |
| | Conservative | Bob Saroya | 17,734 | 35.5 | +5.3 |
| | New Democratic | Nadine Hawkins | 10,897 | 21.8 | +11.6 |
| | Green | Adam Poon | 1,597 | 3.2 | -1.0 |
| | Libertarian | Allen Small | 231 | 0.5 | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 49,888 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 290 | 0.6 | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,178 | 55.1 | +2.8 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 91,057 | – | – |
vte2008 Canadian federal election: Etobicoke North :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Kirsty Duncan | 15,244 | 48.6 | -13.0 | $54,827 |
| | Conservative | Bob Saroya | 9,436 | 30.1 | +7.8 | $64,024 |
| | New Democratic | Ali Naqvi | 4,940 | 15.7 | +5.1 | $35,653 |
| | Green | Nigel Barriffe | 1,460 | 4.7 | +2.1 | $2,242 |
| | Marxist–Leninist | Anna Di Carlo | 300 | 1.0 | +0.4 | |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 31,380 | 100.0 | $79,011 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 214 | 0.68 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,594 |