Ruby Dhalla, a Canadian politician of Indian origin, will run for the leadership of the Liberal Party and potentially become Canada's first woman of colour Prime Minister. 

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She has been making headlines after giving a bold statement, stressing her plan to deport illegal immigrants if elected. 

Her statement about deporting illegal immigrants has raised concerns as well as support from the people. "As Prime Minister, I will deport illegal immigrants and clamp down on human traffickers. That’s my promise to you," she said in a post on X. 

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Dhalla is aiming to replace Justin Trudeau as Canadian Prime Minister. On January 22, she officially announced her candidacy to succeed Trudeau as the leader of the Liberal Party. 

Who is Ruby Dhalla?

Ruby Dhalla was born to Punjabi immigrants in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and has a diverse background, as she has won several beauty pageants, was an actor, and also an entrepreneur. 

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Dhalla credited Pierre Trudeau, Justin Trudeau's father, for opening Canada's doors to immigrants in the 1970s.

“My mother came to Canada in 1972 and I have the opportunity to, through her wishes, through a lot of hard work, drive, and determination, but also because of the great country that Canada is, to fulfill a Canadian dream," she said. 

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She began her university studies at McMaster University on a full scholarship before shifting to the University of Winnipeg, where she got a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry with a minor in political science in 1995. 

Dhalla then moved to Toronto, and she did her graduation with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in 1999.

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She described herself as a "self-made businesswoman and entrepreneur" and a person with passion for the Liberal Party and for Canada. 

She was also a three-time member of Parliament and believes that she has the experience to navigate Canada's challenges. 

Dhalla identified the rising cost of housing, increasing crime rates, the hike in food prices, and the threat of US tariffs as key challenges in Canada. 

"Given the tariff threats that Canada is facing, it will have a big impact on Canadian workers and on the Canadian economy," she said.

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Dhalla shared a video message on X and said, “Thank you so much, thank you to God, I am so grateful to all of you. We are on the verge of creating history by electing the first woman of color as the leader of the Liberal Party and the next prime minister of Canada.”

As she moves forward to outline her vision, Dhalla says, "I look forward to standing up for Canadians and fighting for Canada. As a leader, I will bring the party back into the hands of the members and return it to the centre with practical solutions to the challenges that Canadians are facing. If you want real change from a leader who is not connected to the current administration and has the ability to shake up the system, then join the Liberal Party and join me."

(With inputs from agencies)