With roots dating back to 1800s, April is Sikh Heritage Month in Canada
Darpan News Desk IANS, 03 Apr, 2023 11:41 AM
Chandigarh, April 2 (IANS) With roots dating back to the 1800s, April is Sikh Heritage Month -- a time to celebrate and honour the rich history and culture of Canada's Sikh community.
"With 800,000 Sikhs calling Canada home, we have the largest Sikh diaspora, with roots of the first Sikh in Canada dating back to the 1800s," said Punjab-origin Member of Parliament (MP) from Brampton West, Kamal Khera.
At 26, Khera was the youngest to have won in the elections in Canada in 2015. She represents Canada's ruling Liberal party.
"As a Sikh, I am proud of the contributions and achievements of our community!" she tweeted.
In one of her visits to Punjab, she said: "My counterpart in India is always with heavy security, I move freely."
Proud of vibrant Sikh community, Sonia Sidhu, MP from Brampton South, tweeted, "April 1 marks the beginning of Sikh Heritage Month in Canada and as Canadians, we are proud of our country's strong and vibrant Sikh community."
"This month, let's continue to learn about Sikh Heritage in Canada."
Mayor of Brampton, Patrick Brown, said this year "we celebrate 10 years of Sikh Heritage Month in Ontario".
Among many of the events listed, he said he would also be hosting a special event to award Gurbax Singh Malhi the key to the Brampton city on April 18.
As a mark of respect for Canada making it the second largest Sikh population in the world, the Mississauga Civic Centre clock tower was lighted with orange, part of the city's Community Recognition Programme.
Learning the faith of the Sikhs, another MP Francesco Sorbara said, "During this month we recognise the contributions to our country by the more than 800,000 Canadians of Sikh heritage, learn about their faith and rich history."
Randeep Sarai, Member of Parliament for Surrey Centre, said, "This month, I encourage you all to take this opportunity to learn more about the Sikh faith!"
India-origin Minister of National Defence, Anita Anand, said Sikh Heritage Month "is a time to recognise the many contributions of the Sikh community across Canada. Today, I joined members of the Oakville and Halton Sikh community at the flag raising at Oakville Town Hall".
"This is an opportunity for Ontarians to come together to learn more about the Sikh faith and celebrate the many ways Sikh Ontarians help build a stronger and better Ontario," said Ontario's Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, Michael Ford.
MP for Vancouver South, Harjit Sajjan, said, "Learn about how the Sikh values of equality and 'seva' (selfless service) are reflected in what we as Canadians strive toward."
Another Punjab-origin Aman Singh, MLA for Richmond-Queensborough, added, "On behalf of our British Columbia New Democratic Party government, our caucus and colleagues at your opening gala for Sikh Heritage Month. I know there are many events planned throughout the month."
According to Sikh Heritage British Columbia, its philosophy is providing a space where the Sikh community can connect with each other and with neighbouring communities to help each other prosper, learn and grow.
Its promise is, "Create a space where Sikhs and non-Sikhs can come together to create connections and relationships for prosperity."
A statement from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the bodies of 24-year-old Kiesha Garie and 30-year-old Umair Kasim were inside the vehicle, parked in a neighbourhood in northwest Burnaby.
The next target is set for 2030, and requires Canada to get emissions to 55 to 60 per cent of what they were in 2005. That's a more-ambitious version of a previous target the Trudeau government set when it came into power.
Several media reports say the officer was killed while assisting a bylaw officer at a homeless camp site. Federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said he was devastated by the news of the loss of the officer in the line of duty.
At the House of Commons health committee, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said the Public Health Agency of Canada is keeping a particularly careful eye on the evolution of Omicron variants, which are the most common subvariants in the country, along with any new mutations.
Kamaljit Arora was charged despite being unable to appear for his arraignment — either in person or by video from hospital — before a judge at the courthouse in Laval, Que. Arora is charged in the killings of his daughter, 13, and son, 11, both identified in court documents by the initials "A.A." He was also charged with assault by strangulation of his wife.
Jay Chalke's annual report for 2021-2022 says the office received almost 1,300 complaints or inquiries focused on programs and services provided by the Ministry of Health. The figure is more than 15 per cent of all 8,215 complaints lodged with the office in that period.
