On a cloudy Friday afternoon of November 29, 1985 volunteered to take a visiting DHADI JATHA Ballad Singers Party to see the Parliament building of Canada My guests from Punjab all confirmed Sikhs were Sardar Prem Singh Sandhu of Rurka KaJan S Hardey Singh of Khraudi S. Gurmit Singh of Jaso Majara and Sardar Charan Singh of Talwandi Fattu.
Thad visited the Parliament Building several times in the past but generally on a weekend or a holiday when the Houses are not in session. On these occasions the guides take the visitors through the Hall of honor and the Lower House followed by Library the Senate and the Peace Tower. Friday being a working day the Parliament was in session which means 40 Visit to the Lower House in the beginning of the trip. However at the end of the tour the guard advised that a visit to the lower house was possible through the visitors gallery provided We obtain the visitor passes.
My guests were very impressed with the History of the Parliament building sand various monuments. They expressed their desire to see the lower house in session. We proceeded to the second floor deposited our overcoats and went through the metal detector to obtain the visiting passes when the metal detector sounded due to the presence of KIRPAN (SWORD) with each Singh; the RCMP officer on duty reluctantly asked us if we can take off the swords. He began by saying that he knows
About the religious importance of Kirpan to a confirmed Singh and it is not to be separated but he expressed concern that they do not allow Kirpan in the House of Commons. Although it was my first experience of this kind I was not surprised. However as a Canadian I decided to test the Charter of Rights which is so eloquently stated in the constitution of Canada. Towards this end I advised the RCMP officer that a few months back (12 April 1984) the Prime Minister of Canada the Right Honorable. Pierre Elliot Trudeau was honored and presented with a KIRPAN in the House by the President of the Federation of Sikh Societies of Canada Furthermore on 13 April 1984 Sardar Pritam Singh Aulakb of Vancouver a confirmed Sikh visited the House along with the NDP members of the Parliament of Canada. I also mentioned that the “Sword is a symbol of spiritual and Moral Excellence for a Sikh. It is not a weapon of offence or defense but a unique source of spiritual and moral courage and it cannot be separated from a Sikh. At this point the officer told us that he does not have the necessary authority to allow us in but he will ask his superiors to request the Sergeant of Arms to obtain the necessary permission from the Speaker of the House who has the final authority to permit us to enter the house with Kirpans. We agreed to his suggestion and waited for a few minutes. We were overjoyed when the officer came and handed us the visitors passes. We sat in the Gallery of the House of Commons that was discussing smoking and its health hazards. It was very interesting debate for us as smoking is sticky prohibited in Sikh religion. While on own way back my guests thanked the RCMP officer. At this point the officer asked me how you say “you are welcomed in your language.” I answered in Punjabi we say Ji Aian Noon to the guests. This brief report is to thank our Parliamentarians and RCMP for understanding and showing that they care Let me say that we the Sikhs are proud to be Canadians.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 23, 1986
