Hamilton, Ontario Canada -- Dr. Nenos Damerchie, an Assyrian-Canadian chiropractor, small-business owner and longtime Hamilton resident, is running for Hamilton City Council in Ward 8 in the October 26, 2026 municipal election.

Dr. Damerchie was born in Kuwait to an Assyrian family and came to Hamilton as a child. What began as a visit to family became a permanent home following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990. He grew up in Hamilton, attended local schools and later returned to the city after completing his post-secondary education where he obtained an Honors Degree in Health Science followed by a Doctorate in Chiropractic.

A chiropractor since 2008, Dr. Damerchie opened his Hamilton practice in 2009 and has spent much of his professional life serving residents in Ward 8. Today, he lives in the ward with his family, operates his business there and is raising his daughter in the same community.

His decision to enter municipal politics grew from his experience as a resident, healthcare professional, employer and small-business owner. His campaign has focused on public safety, responsible municipal spending, infrastructure, support for local businesses and ensuring that Hamilton's growth is accompanied by the services and infrastructure residents need.

For Dr. Damerchie, the campaign also carries significance as an Assyrian living in the diaspora.

Assyrians have established communities throughout Canada, the United States, Europe and Australia, contributing to the economic, professional and cultural life of their adopted countries. Damerchie believes that contribution should increasingly include participation in civic life and public service.

He hopes his candidacy can encourage younger Assyrians to see politics and public service as another way to serve both their local communities and the generations that follow them.

"You don't have to be a career politician to get involved in public service," Dr. Damerchie said. "Assyrians around the world have built businesses, entered the professions and contributed to the communities that welcomed our families. I hope more young Assyrians will also consider serving those communities through public life."

Dr. Damerchie believes participation begins well before running for office. Voting, volunteering, joining community organizations, serving on boards and commissions, and becoming informed about local government are all ways younger people can develop a stronger voice in their communities.

His campaign reflects a simple message to younger Assyrians in the diaspora: maintaining an Assyrian identity and becoming deeply involved in the civic life of one's country are not competing goals.

"Our parents and grandparents worked incredibly hard to establish lives for us in new countries," Dr. Damerchie said. "One way we can honor that opportunity is by participating fully in our communities and being willing to serve."