Vaisakhi parade Toronto also draws top political leaders, including Mayor Rob Ford, Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney and Tim Uppal
News East West
TORONTO: Over 85,000 people joined in the 2014 annual Vaisakhi parade here on April 27.
As in the previous years, leaders from all political parties and Toronto mayor Rob Ford joined the Sikh community on a beautiful Sunday in celebrating the most important day in their history as it was on Vaisakhi day in 1699 that the last Sikh Guru Gobind Singh gave Sikhs the distinct identity of Khalsa.
The Vaisakhi parade started with thousands of Sikhs and floats leading the march from Exhibition Place to Nathan Phillips Square. Floats and martial arts during the almost three-hour-long parade displayed events of Sikh history and traditions.
With the Vaisakhi parade Toronto culminating at Nathan Phillips Square, the whole place was turned into a sea of colourful turbans and veils (dupattas) as closing ceremonies began with the singing of Sikh hymns and the national anthem of Canada.
Toronto mayor Rob Ford greeted the Sikh community on Vaisakhi and presented a plaque declaring April as Sikh Heritage Month in the city.
Then began speeches by Sikh leaders and political leaders.
The anti-Sikh flyer distributed this week in Toronto’s suburb city of Brampton (where Sikhs make up about 20 percent the population) and the 100th anniversary of the Komagata Maru event loomed in the speeches of political leaders as they tried to reassure the community.
Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney, who was accompanied by Sikh federal minister Tim Uppal, MP Parm Gill and others, read Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s greetings to the community.
Kenney, who greeted the huge gathering with some Punjabi sentences, said Canada was committed to religious freedom for all ethnic groups. He highlighted how his government last year opposed Quebec’s proposed charter of values which aimed to ban turbans, headgear and jihabs in public offices.
The Multiculturalism Minister also mentioned the recently introduced order which allows Sikhs to wear kirpan inside Canadian missions and consulates around the world.
Referring to the Komagata Maru centenary this year, Kenney said his government will issue a stamp on May 6 to mark the event for which `the prime minister has already apologized.’
NDP leader Andrew Cash, representing his leader Tom Mulcair, said the Sikhs have part of Canadian society for more than a hundred years and contributed immensely in the two world wars and development of the railway across Canada.
He said the Komagata Maru event was “a dark chapter’’ in Canadian history and his party wouldn’t stop till a formal apology on the floor of House of Commons is issued to the Sikh community.
Condemning the anti-Sikh flyer distributed in Brampton this week, Andrew Cash said his party condemns this racist act, adding how his party has always fought for the rights of the Sikhs, including the declaration of April as Sikh Heritage Month.
From the Liberal Party of Canada, MP Christy Duncan presented a special copy of the historic 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedom signed by the then prime minister Pierre Trudeau and his son and current Liberal leader Justin Trudeau to the Sikh community.
In her speech, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne lauded the Sikhs as “compassionate and hard working’’ people who keep their doors open throughout the year to help the needy.
About the racist flyer targeting Sikhs, she said her government won’t tolerate “the politics of hatred’’ and those who try to pull people apart will be defeated in their designs.
Referring to the demand of the Sikhs in Ontario to be allowed to drive motorcycles with turbans (instead of helmets), the premier said it is a difficult issue because of safety concerns.
But she said she is committed to the religious freedom of the Sikhs and discussing the issue with the judiciary, police and community leaders.
Vaisakhi parade Toronto was another day for free feast for everyone and thousands enjoyed the langar (free kitchen) organized by Sikh bodies.
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