OTTAWA: Eight executive meetings and four general body meetings of the WSO Ottawa Chapter were held to discuss and take possible action on Sikh concerns. In addition Mr. Ajit Singh Sahota and Mr. Karnail Singh Gill attended all the monthly meetings of the Ontario Region, held in Toronto. Our representatives also attended many meetings of other organizations, such as the Ottawa Sikh Society, Sikh Human Rights Group, Canadian Jewish Congress, Human Rights Group of the University of Ottawa and various committees, (Police, Education, Media etc.) of the National Capital Alliance on Race Relationships. Ottawa multicultural Folk Arts Council, and a meeting of the International Sikh Youth Federation. In all these meetings many Sikh matters were discussed and the concerns raised were appropriately followed up.

Members of our chapter participated whole heartily in all Gurdwara activities, celebrating Gurpurbs, Martyrdom days, fundraising and construction projects of the Gurdwara Sahib helping financially and physically. At a cost of $1500.00 to the National Office for typing and photocopying services, the Ottawa Sikh Society was given a free service.

A sum of $200.00 to hold a competition for children and youth of all ages for their knowledge. of Gurbani and Sikh History was paid to the Ottawa Sikh Society.

Eighty properly framed pictures with captions on Sikh History were installed in the Gurdwara Sahib, at a total cost of more than a thousand dollars, according to the wishes of the late Sardar Dalip Singh Sahota. Mr. Sahota was a life member of the WSO, and the Ottawa Sikh Society as well as a human rights activist. He used to write many letters and briefs on behalf of the Sikhs. With his passing away, the Sikh Community has lost an untiring crusader. The Sikhs offered their tributes to the departed soul and shared the grief of the family. WSO donated a large cooking pot in his memory to the Ottawa Gurdwara Sahib.

Our members offered help to put up bonds for the 174 refugees who landed in Nova Scotia in 1986. Since most of the refugees went to Toronto and Vancouver, WSO members in these cities completed the cash bonds required to free our refugee brothers form detention by the Canadian government. Our members also contributed toward the $1,000.00 donated to the Fire Hall in Charlesville Nova Scotia, where the refugees landed. Financial help was provided by our members to defray the cost of airfare and accommodation for Rosalie Stoddard and her husband to bring them to Ottawa. We were pleased to honor them at the Gurdwara Sahib and again at the Basaiki Celebration on Parliament Hill, in spite of all the opposition from the Indian High Commission and the External Affairs Department in Ottawa. As in previous years, financial assistance for the success of Basaiki day celebration on Parliament Hill by the Canadian Sikhs,

In the first week of March 1988, our members helped the National Office preparing and editing information and briefs, with other WSO collaborators and well-wishers, to present to the Parliamentarians for a discussion in the Canadian Parliament on March 10, 1988. Subsequent help in preparing briefs and attendance at the two multicultural committee meetings and one Justice Committee meeting was provided.

Help to PHRO

In the early part of 1988 and in September of 1989, help was provided to Justice Ajit Singh Bains, chairman of the Punjab Human Rights Organization and Sardar Dalbara Singh Gill, Secretary of the PHRO for arranging visiting visas, meeting the parliamentarians, interviews with the media and Human Rights Organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights groups in the universities. Lecture in the Gurdwara was also delivered.

An amount of $3,700.00 was collected through the Gurdwara Sahib for the Punjab Human Rights Organization branch in Canada. Help in local transportation in Ottawa and to and from Montreal was given.

Lucheon meeting with Mr. Rajni Kothari and a lecture regarding human rights violations in India was attended and meetings with Media arranged.

Many lecturers by various persons such as Dr. J.W. Spellman, Mr. Keith Spicer, Dhadi jathas, Poets and local WSO members, and local politicians were arranged at the Gurdwara Shaib with close cooperation of the Gurdwara management committee. Through these lecturers, the community was made aware on Sikh matters, Sikh history and human rights violations of the Sikhs in India and Punjab. Many publications, newspapers clippings, leaflets, audio and video tapes were distributed. Brochures and papers $3,500.00 was contributed toward the publishing and mass distribution of two brochures by the Sikh Resource Center, Preston Ont. (1) Human Rights Violations and State Terrorism by Indian government on Sikhs. (2) Sinister Design of Indian government to defame Sikhs.

Several letters on Sikh issues and information on Human Rights violations and state terrorism by the Indian government were sent to all parliamentarians, individuals and organizations.

Participation and help was provided to organize and hold a successful protest March on Parliament Hill to protest the unjust and brutal hanging of Saheed Satwant Singh Ji and Saheed Kehar Singh Ji in January 1989. These State murders were committed by the Indian government against all norms of a just and civilized Society.

In accordance with the efforts of the National Executive, an Intercommunity Banquet was held successfully in Ottawa on April 1, 1989. Help was provided in hosting a National Executive meeting in the first week of April.

WSO members helped to establish liaison with media in Ottawa and arranged a visit to the Ottawa Citizen offices. A dinner meeting with some of the editors and their staff followed.

Blood donation

As usual, our members donated blood at the Ottawa Red Cross in the first week of June 1989, to honor the martyrs of Sat akal Takkhat Sahib.

Our members donated freely for the fund raising marathon run by Kartar Singh for sick children.

Funds for eye operation projects in India were donated by our members through the Ottawa Sikh Society.

Funds for the united way appeal were also donated.

Visits by local police force and the Ontario Provincial Police representative’s to the Gurdwara Shaib were arranged.

Help in monitoring media on Sikh matters was provided to the National Office. An appeal against a local newspaper was favorably up held by the Ontario Press Council.

Members took part in many cultural activities in the Ottawa area including Homelands festival and a Conservation Party functions at Parliament Hill.

 

About 1,500 signatures were collected on a petition to the Justice Ministry, requesting that Sikhs in the RCMP should be allowed to wear a turban and the 5k’s.

Gurmat camps

Nine children in 1988 and 14 children in 1989 participated in two week Gurmat Camps arranged by the Sikh resource center. Help in registration and transportation was provided by WSO members.

As in previous years $1,000.00 for WSO membership fee of the Ottawa Sikh Society was donated by WSO members, each year. (1988, 1989).

Letter to Ottawa Police force regarding the appointment of a co facilitator and observer at a police course was written.

Article extracted from this publication >>  December 8, 1989