TORONTO: “Out of 1, 50,000 Indians living in Metro Toronto, 80,000 are Sikhs”, informed my host as we sat sipping coffee in the revolving restaurant atop the highest tower in the world, the Scan Tower.
“What are the main activities of Sikhs in Canada?” I asked.
“The Sikh community in Canada is quite active socially and politically, we have also tried to preserve our Cultural heritage. In the past two years, we have built three new gurdwaras at a cost of $10 million. In all, now there are nine gurdwaras in Toronto where every evening a large number of people gather,” Singh enthusiastically told me. The Sikhs first came to Canada some 100 years ago through West Coast in Vancouver. Most of them were army men. However, like most other Indians, they migrated in large numbers in 1972 in search of jobs and better living conditions.
At present, almost one sixth of the total Canadian population, they have spread to all nooks and corners of the country though they still tend to cluster in and around the two big cosmopolitan centers Toronto and Vancouver. Economically a flourishing community, there are many outstanding professionals among them in all fields doctors, engineers, professors, traders and businessmen.
Real estate, restaurants, export-import houses, transport business, taxis and tucks even sari sales are their traditional strongholds.
Politically, too, they are quite active; there are two Sikh MLAs in Canada for the second term in office. Gulzar Singh Cheema, a Sikh from Gurdaspur, living in Canada since 1987, has won from British Columbia and Moe Sahota, a lawyer from Vancouver, has bagged the Winnipeg seat in Manitoba.
“Gurdwaras are the centers of community life,” says Inderjeet as our car comes to a halt in front of anew Gurdwara in Brumpton. Sure enough, there is its golden dome, bathed in the dusk light, shining brightly.
There was the community kitchen next (o the’ prayer hall and we partook the Guru’s langar. After the delicious meal, we were ushered in a room where children were learning to chant the holy verses; some were playing the table while others were trying their hand on the harmonium. Most of them were wearing the traditional dresses and the girls instinctively covered their heads with chunnis as they saw us approaching.
Gurdwaras in Canada are indeed centers of all social, educational, political and even economic activities, Regular gurmat classes are held at all gurdwaras and there are competitions in Gurbani recitation, symposiums on books and competitions in indoor and outdoor games. Classes in the Punjabi language are held after 6 pm. almost every Sikh is aware of the dictum: “If you want to kill a community, kill its language.” Therefore, the Punjabi language is receiving a great boost in Canada. On weekends there are even three hour long government aided classes and many other heritage and language programmes.
Meeting a large number of Sikhs, their families and friends, is a privilege. Everyone is eager to talk to you, to learn about Punjab and to tell you more about Canada and also to show you around. However, each of them is deeply perturbed, in fact gravely concerned about the recent happenings in Punjab. Many even harbor the feeling that the Sikhs are not treated well in India.
As lasting solutions to the Punjab problem, they suggest that all violence should stop immediately and the state should take the initiative first. Fake encounters should end. Delhi riot victim should be rehabilitated and the guilty should be brought to book. Those in police custody without any cases against them should be released. The government should invite the Sikh leaders in Punjab for talks. The political activities of the community have not gone unnoticed by the government of Canada. There have been many a discussion in the legislative bodies but the Sikhs have been successful to a great extent in campaigning for their cause. Whatever may be the political aspirations of the community, there is no doubt that the Sikhs in Canada are fast gaining a place of pride in all spheres of life. The first turbaned Sikh, an Amritdhari) Mr Gopal Singh Sidhu, was allowed to join the Canadian police a year ago. Recently, the first Canadian Kabaddi Cup was held in the Varsity Stadium at Toronto with teams participating from many developing countries and India. A few some gurdwaras. Interacting with the Sikh community in Canada as a visitor from Punjab is indeed a great pleasure but one desperately wishes to see them fully emerge from the political turmoil facing them both at home and abroad. Courtesy of the Tribune.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 20, 1993
