The Canadian National Newspaper: Toronto Votes 2006, Cadigia Ali

Cadigia Ali is a tireless worker for Etobicoke. She has fought for issues important to our communities and its residents. Cadigia has lived here with her family for 15 years. She believes in the quality of Etobicoke's neighbourhoods and wants to make them even better.

Cadigia is a medical doctor who graduated from the prestigious Medical School, "La Sapienza" at the University of Rome in Italy. She has an extensive background in public health, community services and has an extensive knowledge on issues affecting Canada's youth, women, seniors, and newcomers.

She currently works for the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services. Previously, Cadigia was a community health worker for Rexdale Community Health Centre. She also worked for the Horn of Africa Health Project which deals with HIV/AIDS. She has been a health educator, health promoter and consultant for a number of community services and health centres.

Cadigia has served on many community boards, including Humber Memorial Hospital, Humber River Regional Hospital, Canadian Red Cross, Rexdale Legal Clinic, Valleyfield Junior School Advisory Council, and Canadian Business College. Cadigia is the founder and current President of the Etobicoke Conflict Mediation Team and the Somali-Canadian Youth Scholarship Fund.

Cadigia's volunteer profile was so impressive that she was extensively featured in the Toronto Star just two years after she arrived in Canada. Since then, Cadigia has received many community service awards, and among these the 2005 Ontario Volunteer Service Award.

In 1995 and 1996, to revitalize community spirit and cooperation and galvanize harmony in the neighborhood, Cadigia organized the successful "Striker Spirit Soccer Tournament" in conjunction with the Red Cross. This event brought together 16 GTA communities for soccer competition and at the same time raised money for the United Way and the Red Cross.

Cadigia is an expert on the psychological and physical health problems suffered by immigrants; particularly, those who suffer from severe trauma and social dislocation. She is frequently asked to provide expert advice and facilitate workshops for educational institutions in Canada and abroad. She worked on a study of the cultural context of mental illness and the most efficient coping strategies to meet the needs of those individuals. In 1994 Cadigia reviewed proposals for the Metropolitan Toronto District Health Council to determine the provision of services in the northwestern region of what was then Metro Toronto.

In 1992, Cadigia was, as well, a member of the immigration working group, a Somali family reunification project sponsored by Immigration Canada, whose aim was to expedite the process of reuniting many vulnerable children and parents located in many refugee camps around the world.

In 1993 Cadigia was a member of a regional research group for a national study of the ethno-cultural community facing AIDS.

Both in 1993 and 2005 Cadigia represented the Canadian Red Cross and the Social Assistance and Municipal Operation Branch (SAMO) of the Ministry of Community and Social Services, to the United Way fundraising campaign.

From 1997 to 2000, Cadigia was also a member of the review panel of Drug Abuse Prevention Program, and in 2002 she was also a member of the United Way Newcomer Grant Review Committee. In these capacities, Cadigia worked diligently to ensure that public grants allocation in both areas were fair and related services were accessible to all Toronto communities.