Politicians “use us as a stepping stone, and they don’t look back; Olivia is different” Abdul Mohamoud tells packed room
Co-op Cabs CEO Abdul Mohamoud was one of several organizers of the June 18th Taxi and Etobicoke Multicultural Association Event which heard from mayoral candidate Olivia Chow on the upcoming election.
“I’d also like to thank my co-sponsors organizing this event. Sajid, Reza, and Ikram,” Mahamoud said, referring to co-organizers Sajid Mughal, Reza Hosseinioun and Ikram Freed. Abdul Kadir Mohamoud is also listed as an event organizer on the flyer, which stated that the goals of the event were to “improve the working environment; foster respect, equity and equality; and advocate for the Taxi industry.”
“Thank you all for coming to join us this evening, as well. We gather this evening to celebrate this cultural event, and to talk about things that matter to us,” Mahamoud said in his remarks. “Things that affect our community, our industry, in our city… and what is the better way to do it to have this discussion, then having the best candidate for mayor in house?”
Mohamoud told the room, “I’d like to tell you that we sent a letter to the top six candidate for mayor. And we asked them a simple questions: a request fair treatment, fair regulations, and if they win, are they willing to listen to us, to work with us? We only got one response: from Olivia,” he said.
“So the other thing is, I have had the opportunity to talk to Olivia privately and so have my colleagues. And we really liked what she said. And we thought about inviting her to the community so everyone can hear from her directly, without the ‘media filtration,’ right?
“We’ve seen politicians come and go over the years, make promises, break their promises, use us as a stepping stone to get to where they’re going, and then they don’t look back. But Olivia is different. I wrote on behalf of the Etobicoke North multicultural community taxi industry, and my Somali community. I would like to welcome everything was said earlier, to please help me give a hand to Olivia Chow.”
The hall at Panamonte Banquet Cente was almost full with about 400 people in attendance, including whole families with young children and numerous members of Toronto’s Taxi industry.
