The Punjabi community in Canada made history on Wednesday when two turbaned Sikhs, among four Indo-Canadians, were sworn in as cabinet ministers, as 42-year-old Justin Trudeau took oath as the country's 23rd prime minister at a grand public ceremony here.
While 44-year-old Indo-Canadian Harjit Sajjan was appointed Defence Minister, 38-year-old Navdeep Bains got the portfolio of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. Bains, who played a key role in Trudeau's election as the Liberal Party leader in 2013, has been awarded with the important cabinet berth. Another Sikh, Amarjeet Sohi, has been sworn in as Minister for Infrastructure. A young Sikh woman, Bardish Chagger, who is a first-time MP, has been sworn in as minister for small business and tourism.
Here is how distinguished members of the South Asian community in BC reacted to the appointment of Indo-Canadian leaders into Justin Trudeau’s cabinet.
Former BC Attorney General Wally Oppal reacted to the news saying: I am delighted with the diversity of the cabinet and it is so gratifying as a South Asian to see four people from our community appointed. I am particularly pleased at Harjit Sajjan. I am also very pleased that Jody Wilson-Raybould was appointed as she brings a diverse background with wealth of practical experience.
Sirish Rao, artistic director and co-founder of Indian Summer Festival noted:This is a cabinet that looks like Canada and I think that in every part of society we need to see that happening. It’s not just Indo-Canadians but I’m also really happy that people of First Nations are in parliament. I was so thrilled to see that we have a Minister of Defence now who has served in that role and who has won accolades internationally for the kind of sensitive work that he does. It’s so rare I think when you think of defence to think of Minister of defence in Canada being someone wearing a turban when we’ve just had this huge shameful debacle about clothes that people wear and how that matters to people.
Radio broadcaster, Harjinder Thind also spoke on the matter and added: Our (South Asians) expectations are no different than any other Caucasian or main stream community expectations for better health, education, infrastructure and rejuvenation of family reunification as it was before as they promised. This is a country where immigrants have contributed a lot for the progress of the country and the prosperity of the Canada is depending on the immigrants.
CEO for Surrey Board of Trade, Anita Huberman also spoke on the matter and said: I am very proud of this new federal government. I would expect the new government is open to new ideas. They are going to need to prioritize their short term and long-term goals. They can’t do everything at once so they’re going to have to show results in a very short period of time.
Pediatrician and Neonatologist, Dr. Pargat Singh Bhurji also spoke to us and said: Harjit Singh Sajjan has vast experience and he is a very humble person, devout Sikh and his whole family is committed to humanity in general. This is a proud moment for Canada and this could have only happened in Canada. Justin Trudeau and his team took this initiative to hand over national defence, which is one of the biggest issues globally and locally. We can enhance Canada’s image in peacekeeping missions so that we are more friendlier than what we have been in the past.
Bains, who became MP for the third time last month by winning from Mississauga-Brampton, previously served as parliamentary secretary to the prime minister in 2005 when he was MP from 2004 till 2011 when he lost. Considered very suave, Bains has been a distinguished visiting professor at Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University in Toronto till now.
India-born first-time Sikh MP Harjit Sajjan is Canada's new defence minister. A decorated police and army official, Sajjan has been the first Sikh to command a Canadian regiment, called the Duke of Connaught's Own which is a reserve regiment based in British Columbia province. A father of two, the 45-year-old Sajjan was with the Vancouver Police Department for 11 years and served as a detective for the gang crime unit.
However, Sajjan's nomination as the Liberal Party candidate from Vancouver South last year attracted controversy when many Sikh leaders resigned from the Liberal Party, alleging that the party leadership has been 'manipulated' by hardliner Sikhs of the World Sikh Organization. Sajjan's father Kundan Sajjan is a board member of the WSO which is alleged to have hardline sympathies. But Sajjan told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation last year: "I am not a member of the WSO. I've had no negative vibes from anybody." Harjit was five when his father moved to Canada from Punjab. His wife Kuljit Kaur is a family doctor.
Justin Trudeau, the 42-year-old son of charismatic former prime minister Pierre Trudeau who is credited with opening Canada to new immigrants in the 1970s, led the Liberal Party to win 184 seats in the 338-member House of Commons.
Trudeau is the second youngest prime minister of Canada.
