OTTAWA: On Nov.19,1992 the Right Hon. Ramon J.Hnatyshyn, Governor General of Canada informed Alice Basarke that she has been awarded the Commemorative medal for the 125th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation.

This award is made to persons who have made a significant contribution to Canada, their community or to their fellow Canadians. The decoration is a reminder of the values of service, individual respect, and community effort on which Canada was built and on which its quality of life will always depend.

At the award ceremony on Dec.15, Liberal Human Rights Critic, Beryl Gaffney, MP. Cited Mrs. Basarke as an excellent spokesperson for Sikhs, always drawing upon common and positive cultural interpretation of their beliefs and background. Her work in various areas of Race Relations has been a major contribution 1owards creating a truly multicultural society, which is a great contribution to Canada’s whole. Also, she is the founder of the Nelson House of Ottawa Carleton, a $500,000. Women’s shelter with an annual operating budget of $625,000. She serves on its Board of Directors.

Among her many accomplishments, Basarke was instrumental in having the name of the road upon which the Ottawa Gurdwara is built changed to Gurdwara Road. She served as President of the Sikh Women’s Forum for three years. This group wrote and produced plays which were presented to audiences in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. These plays dealt with the plight of Punjab as well as problems faced by Sikh immigrants in Canada. Basarke has done presentations to Parliamentary Committees giving Sikh perspective and concerns to the Electoral Reform Committee and Bill C86 (immigration) and organized material as well as a Protest March against Bill C86 through M.P. Dan Heap, N.DP. Immigration Critic’s office. She has worked in an advisory capacity with the Immigration and Refugee Board and met with SIRC (Security, Intelligence Review Committee. She has served four years on the Liberal Party’s Policy Advisory Committee.

She has served on various multicultural advisory commissions. She sits on the Nepean Police Service Race Relations Board and has done presentations on behalf of the Ottawa Sikh Society to the Canadian Police College. Daring the recent Canadian Referendum, she worked on the “No” side, to safeguard individual rights and erosion of the Charter of Rights, thus ensuring that Sikhs did not become the Shudras of Canada.

Her efforts and hard work are greatly appreciated by her family, friends and colleagues.

Article extracted from this publication >>  January 8, 1993