OTTAWA: Member Parliament, Mr. Svend Robinson had moved a private member’s Motion in the House of Commons on September 23, 1989. The motion came up for debate on October 27, 1989 the motion had called for the acceptance of RCMP Commissioner Norman Inkster’s recommendations to accept Turban as a part of the RCMP dress for Sikhs.

Alberta MP Bobbie Sparrow (Calgary Southwest) and her fellow MP Faltham (both Conservatives) have spearheaded an effort to oppose the wearing of turbans in the RCMP. All opposing parties have submitted a petition from about 90,000 people, majority of them from the province of Alberta. This is a second largest petition ever launched in Canadian history. The largest one from about 124,000 Canadians in 1975 was to stop change over the metric system.

It was anticipated that the Conservative government will not let the NDP or Liberals who had gathered required support to pass this private member’s motion, take credit for this very prominent piece of law for the Sikhs in Canada since our arrival in the country about a century ago.

Instead of letting it become law, the conservative MP continued his argument until the allotted time for the bill had expired. The term “Talking out” a bill is traditional way of blocking a vote on a seemingly popular private member’s bill that could become law of the land.

To us, it is very clear that the conservative government lacks backbone to make decision, and is stalling the issue. Please call your Member Parliament and I ask him her to persuade the Justice Minister and the Solicitor General to make a favorable decision,

World Sikh Organization has written to the Justice Minister, as well as the Solicitor General seeking their cooperation.

Quick relief

Stockton: The Sikh Community of California is generously Contributing to the California earth quick victims relief fund. Accor ding to the latest information the management committee of Sikh temple San Jose presented a check of $2500 to the mayor of San Francisco, Art Agnos, on Monday ,Oct. 30.

It is worthy to add that the temple had already given blankets worth $1500. S. Mohinder Singh Thandi from Fresno donated $500 00 to the Red Cross society for the earth quake victims.

Article extracted from this publication >>  November 3, 1989