Close X
Saturday, January 11, 2025
ADVT 
National

40 Indian-Origin Candidates In Fray In Canada's Federal Election

Darpan News Desk IANS, 18 Oct, 2015 01:32 PM
    Forty Indo-Canadians are in the fray in Monday's election to the 338-member parliament on Monday.
     
    There were eight Indo-Canadian MPs in the outgoing 308-member House of Commons. But this could go up this time as the three main parties - the Tories, Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party - have fielded 40 Indo-Canadians, including all the incumbents.
     
    Among the incumbents is the longest-serving Indo-Canadian MP Deepak Obhrai, who is also parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs.
     
    Also in the fray are the outgoing minister of state for sports Bal Gosal and the minister of state for multiculturalism Tim Uppal.
     
    Interestingly, there is a direct fight between Indo-Canadian candidates in as many as 10 constituencies. 
     
    The direct fights are taking places in constituencies - or ridings as they are called - with huge Indo-Canadian population such as Brampton, Surrey, Calgary and Edmonton.
     
    Apart from the 40 Indo-Canadians fielded by the three main parties, a couple of Indo-Canadians are in the fray as independents.
     
    After the longest ever election campaign of 11 weeks in Canadian history, Monday's vote will elect 338 members to the House of Commons - up from 308 in 2011 as 30 more constituencies have been added this time.
     
     
    Numbering about 1.2 million, Indo-Canadians make up more than three percent of Canada's population of about 35 million and have become a significant political force.
     
    Canada elected its first Indian-origin MP in 1993 when turbaned Sikh Gurbax Malhi won from the Toronto-area.
     
    Malhi's election opened the gates for other Indo-Canadians. In fact, current parliamentary secretary Obhrai, first elected in 1997, is seeking his seventh term in the Canadian parliament from Calgary. 
     
    Canada also has the distinction of appointing an Indian-origin person as a full-fledged cabinet minister anywhere in the Western world when Herb Dhaliwal became the federal revenue minister in 1997.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Foul Play Now Suspected In Death Of Man On Salt Spring Island, B.C.

    Foul Play Now Suspected In Death Of Man On Salt Spring Island, B.C.
    The body of 45-year-old Joseph Bernie was found on Oct. 10 in Fulford Creek.

    Foul Play Now Suspected In Death Of Man On Salt Spring Island, B.C.

    Toronto Transit May Sue Bombardier Over New Streetcar Delays

    Toronto Transit May Sue Bombardier Over New Streetcar Delays
    Bombardier Transportation advised the commission that it won't meet a commitment made in July to deliver 23 new streetcars by year-end, including 20 available for service.

    Toronto Transit May Sue Bombardier Over New Streetcar Delays

    Party Leaders Get Into Position For Sprint To The Electoral Finish

    Party Leaders Get Into Position For Sprint To The Electoral Finish
    Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau trumpeted his plan for retirement security as a way to highlight his campaign theme of help for the middle class.

    Party Leaders Get Into Position For Sprint To The Electoral Finish

    University Of Saskatchewan's College Of Medicine No Longer Under Probation

    University Of Saskatchewan's College Of Medicine No Longer Under Probation
    "This is fabulous news," Dr. Preston Smith, dean of the College of Medicine, said Friday in an interview. "We are very, very pleased."

    University Of Saskatchewan's College Of Medicine No Longer Under Probation

    Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre Gives Ottawa One Week To Settle Sewage Dump

    Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre Gives Ottawa One Week To Settle Sewage Dump
    In a letter sent to Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq today, Coderre is challenging the interpretation of federal laws the government invoked to suspend the sewage dump that was set to begin this weekend.

    Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre Gives Ottawa One Week To Settle Sewage Dump

    House Fire Claims Life Of 74-Year-Old Woman In Chilliwack, B.C.

    House Fire Claims Life Of 74-Year-Old Woman In Chilliwack, B.C.
    Firefighters found a woman suffering from life-threatening injuries in the residence but she died in hospital.

    House Fire Claims Life Of 74-Year-Old Woman In Chilliwack, B.C.