Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
National

Trudeau Walks In Vaisakhi Parade After Government Removes Reference To Sikh Extremism

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 15 Apr, 2019 04:31 PM

    VANCOUVER — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau touted the strength and contributions of Canada's Sikh community as he celebrated the religion's holy day of Vaisakhi in Vancouver.


    "As we celebrate Vaisakhi, let us also celebrate all the incredible contributions of this community," he said in a speech after he walked in a parade Saturday organized by the Khalsa Diwan Society. The society formed in 1902 and built the first Sikh Gurdwara in Canada several years later, according to its website.


    Trudeau joined other politicians and community members in walking amongst floats and performers. On the sidelines, people handed out free food along the route, including snacks and full meals to passersby.


    Sikhs have helped to build Canada for more than 120 years, Trudeau said, adding there are now Sikh entrepreneurs, politicians, artists and true leaders in every field.


    He said the values celebrated during the holy day, like equality and social justice, are values that make Canada stronger.


    Before the parade, Trudeau visited one of the largest Sikh temples in the country, Vancouver's Ross Street Gurdwara, where he delivered a speech with similar sentiments. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan also attended the festivities.


    Attendees at the morning ceremony sat on the floor, many of them in colourful turbans, as speeches by several political leaders were broadcast on two massive screens.


    His morning speech came just hours after the federal government agreed to remove a reference to Sikh extremism from a report on terrorism.


    The language was changed late Friday to remove any mention of religion, instead discussing the threat posed by "extremists who support violent means to establish an independent state within India."


    The 2018 Public Report on the Terrorism Threat to Canada drew the ire of the Sikh community when it was released in December.


    For the first time, the report listed Sikh extremism as one of the top five extremist threats in Canada.


    Although the objections were largely about the inclusion of Sikhs at all, because of the report's lack of evidence to back it up, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said he would at least ask for a review of the language the report used.


    He said entire religions should never be equated with terrorism.


    There are roughly half a million Canadians who identify as Sikh, most of them in the Greater Toronto Area and suburban Vancouver.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale Says Report On Terror Threats Unintentionally 'Maligned' Certain Communities

    Goodale says the language used in his department's 2018 terror-threat report "unintentionally maligned" certain communities and is not in keeping with Canadian values.  

    Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale Says Report On Terror Threats Unintentionally 'Maligned' Certain Communities

    Stormy Daniels To Make Stop In Kamloops, B.C. Nightclub For Book Tour

    Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, will be holding a meet and greet at the Duchess nightclub on June 2 to promote her book "Full Disclosure."

    Stormy Daniels To Make Stop In Kamloops, B.C. Nightclub For Book Tour

    B.C. Fire Chief Says 911 Dispatch System Change Risks Patient Safety

    B.C. Fire Chief Says 911 Dispatch System Change Risks Patient Safety
     Patient safety is at risk in British Columbia because of changes to the 911 dispatch system, says a fire chief 

    B.C. Fire Chief Says 911 Dispatch System Change Risks Patient Safety

    Metro Vancouver Drivers See Another Painful Record As Gas Prices Jump To 168.9

    For The Third Time This Week, Gas Prices Have Hit A New Record-High In Metro Vancouver. 1

    Metro Vancouver Drivers See Another Painful Record As Gas Prices Jump To 168.9

    SAF Vaisakhi Fest

    Sikhi Awareness Foundation, known popularly as SAF International, will be holding a free, family event, SAF Vaisakhi Fest, from 12-5 pm at the Central City Plaza (SFU Entrance) in Surrey.

    SAF Vaisakhi Fest

    The History of Minorities in Hockey

    ‘We Are Hockey’ highlights historic racism and persistent racially-motivated inequitable representation within public representation in the game of ice hockey.

    The History of Minorities in Hockey