Sikhism in Canada

Population distribution of Sikh Canadians by census division, 2021 census
Total population
771,790[1] 2.12% of the total Canadian population (2021)
Regions with significant populations
Ontario	300,435 (2.14%)
British Columbia	290,870 (5.92%)
Alberta	103,600 (2.48%)
Manitoba	35,470 (2.71%)
Quebec	23,345 (0.28%)
Languages
Canadian English •Punjabi Canadian French
Related ethnic groups
American Sikhs Australian Sikhs British Sikhs New Zealander Sikhs

Sikhism is thefourth-largest religion inCanada, with nearly 800,000 adherents, or 2.1% of Canada's population,as of 2021.^[1] The largest Sikh populations in Canada are found inOntario, followed byBritish Columbia andAlberta.^[1] As of the 2021 Census, more than half of Canada's Sikhs, Approximately 52.9% can be found in these 4 cities:Brampton (163,260),^[20]Surrey (154,415),^[21]Calgary (49,465),^[22] andEdmonton (41,385).^[23]

Canada is home to thelargest national Sikh proportion in the world (2.1%), and also has the second-largest Sikh population in the world, afterIndia. British Columbia has the third-largest Sikh proportion (5.9%) amongst all globaladministrative divisions, behind onlyPunjab andChandigarh in India. British Columbia,Manitoba, andYukon hold the distinction of being three of the only fouradministrative divisions in the world with Sikhism as the second most followed religion among the population.^[b]

In 1809,Charles Metcalfe, acting as the representative for theBritish East India Company, signeda treaty withMaharaja Ranjit Singh of theSikh Empire, which led to the safeguarding of thecis-Sutlej states.^[26] Metcalfe would form a relationship with a Sikh lady from the Lahore court, who would birth three sons.^[26] Metcalfe later moved to Canada and served as theGovernor General of theProvince of Canada and Lieutenant Governor ofCanada West andCanada East, from 1843–1845.^[26]

On 9 April 1867, in a letter written byJohn A. Macdonald to Sir Henry Sumner Maine on the topic of a potential future war between England and the United States, he stated: "War will come someday between England and the United States and India can do us yeoman's service by sending an army of Sikhs,Ghoorkas,Belooches etc. etc. across the Pacific to San Francisco and holding that beautiful and immortal city with the surrounding California — as security for Montreal and Canada."^{[26][27][28][29][30][note 1]}

The British East India Company annexed most of the Punjab after theSecond Anglo-Sikh war in 1849, incorporating the territory and its inhabitants into the colonial-empire.^[31] Sikhs were recruited into the British military forces immediately after, with Sikhs being rewarded with military ranks due to their loyalty to the British cause during theIndian rebellion of 1857.^[31]

Though not a religious Sikh, the first-person of Sikh ancestry in Canada wasPrince Victor Duleep Singh, son ofmaharajaDuleep Singh.^[32][26] Victor Duleep Singh was posted to Halifax in 1888 as Honorary Aide-de-Camp to General Sir John Ross.^[26] Victor Duleep Singh returned to England in February 1890.^[26]

Kesur Singh, aRisaldar Major in theBritish India Army, is credited with being the first Sikh settler in Canada.^{[33][dubious –discuss]} He was amongst a group of Sikh officers who arrived in Vancouver on boardEmpress of India in 1897.^[34] They were on the way toQueen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Sikh regiments were brought to Canada for the 1897 celebration.^[26]

A notable moment in early Sikh history in Canada was in 1902 when settlers first arrived inGolden, British Columbia to work at the Columbia River Lumber Company.^[35] This was a theme amongst most early Punjabi Sikh settlers in Canada to find work in the agricultural and forestry sectors in British Columbia.^[36] Punjabi Sikhs became a prominent ethnic group within the sawmill workforce in British Columbia almost immediately after initial arrival to Canada.^[37]

Sikhs found employment in laying the tracks of the Canadian Pacific Railway, in lumber mills and mines. Though they earned less than white workers, they made enough money to send some of it to India and make it possible for their relatives to immigrate to Canada. In 1902, a local Khalsa Diwan chapter was already established in the United States, it would not be until 1906 until a Khalsa Diwan chapter was established in Vancouver.^[26] In 1904, Man Singh brought over a Guru Granth Sahib scripture to Canada.^[26]

From 1904 to the 1940s, 95% of all South Asian immigration to Canada were Sikhs from the Punjab.^[31] Between the years 1903 to 1906, the early Sikh pioneers in Canada living on the west coast of British Columbia received little government or press attention, with them finding their newfound home welcoming and inviting.^[31] At the time, the Canadian government was focused on restricting Chinese and Japanese immigration, so the early Sikh migrants went relatively unnoticed between those years.^[31] However, this would not last long and in 1906, after 700 South Asian migrants arrived in Canada, their disenfranchisement began.^[31]

The early settlers inGolden built the firstGurdwara (Sikh Temple) in Canada and North America in 1905,^[38][39] which would later be destroyed by fire in 1926.^[40] The second Gurdwara to be built in Canada was in 1908 inKitsilano (Vancouver), aimed at serving a growing number of Punjabi Sikh settlers who worked at nearby sawmills alongFalse Creek at the time.^[41] The Vancouver Sikh temple's original structure was heavily influenced architecturally by theChief Khalsa Diwan temple inHong Kong, which was a common stopping-point for Sikhs on the journey to Canada.^[26] The Gurdwara would later close and be demolished in 1970, with thetemple society relocating to the newly built Gurdwara on Ross Street, in SouthVancouver.

As a result, the oldest existing Gurdwara in Canada today is theGur Sikh Temple, located inAbbotsford, British Columbia. Built in 1911, the temple was designated as anational historic site of Canada in 2002 and is the third-oldest Gurdwara in the country. Later, the fourth Gurdwara to be built in Canada was established in 1912 inVictoria on Topaz Avenue, while the fifth soon was built at theFraser Mills (Coquitlam) settlement in 1913, followed a few years later by the sixth at theQueensborough (New Westminster) settlement in 1919,^[42][43][44] and the seventh at thePaldi (Vancouver Island) settlement, also in 1919.^{[45][46][47][48]}

EarlySikh pioneers also settled in theAbbotsford area in 1905 and originally worked on farms and in thelumber industry.^[49] Although most of the immigrants from South Asia at the time were Sikhs, local ignorance of Eastern religions led to them frequently being assumed to beHindus. About 90% of these Sikhs lived in British Columbia. While Canadian politicians, missionaries, unions and the press were opposed to Asian workers^[50]British Columbia industrialists were short of labour and thus Sikhs were able to get an early foothold at the turn of the 20th century in British Columbia.

As with the large numbers of Japanese and Chinese workers already present in Canada, manywhite workers resented those immigrants and directed their ill-will toward the Sikhs, who were easily recognized by their beards andturbans.Punjabis were accused of having acaste system, an idea that goes against the foundations ofSikhism. They were portrayed as being riddled withtrachoma and as being unclean in general. To strengthen these racist characterizations, a song calledWhite Canada Forever was created. All this eventually led to a boat of Sikhs arriving in Vancouver being sent to Victoria.^{[citation needed]} In 1907, the year thatBuckam Singh came to British Columbia from Punjab at the age of fourteen,race riots broke out in Vancouver between Whites and Asians (Chinese and Japanese). Punjabis were initially also targeted but “sent attacking white mobs fleeing” as majority of the Punjabis were former soldiers of theSikh regiment andPunjab regiments, many of whom even after retirement and migrating to Canada, kept their service muskets and bayonets and at the minimum, daggers and swords in their households, often ceremonial religious swords which had been kept as sidearms during war.^[51][52]

Most of the Sikhs in Canada in 1907 were retired British army veterans and their families.^[52] These Punjabis had proved themselves as loyal soldiers in the British colonies in Asia and Africa. However, theCanadian Government did not prevent the use of the illegal scare tactics being used to monitor immigration and prevent Sikhs from seeking employment, and this soon resulted in the cessation of all Indian immigration to Canada. The Canadian Prime Minister, SirWilfrid Laurier claimed that Indians were unsuited to life in the Canadian climate. However, in a letter to the viceroy,The Earl of Minto, Sir Wilfred voiced a different opinion, stating that the Chinese were the least adaptable to Canadian ways, whereas Sikhs, which he mistakenly referred to as Hindus, were the most adaptable. Nevertheless, 1,072 Sikhs left for California in 1907. In the same year, the Khalsa Diwan society was set up in Vancouver with branches in Abbotsford,New Westminster,Fraser Mills, Duncan Coombs andOcean Falls.

In March 1907, provincial legislation was introduced in British Columbia to bar Sikhs from the right-to-vote.^[26] A month later in April, Sikhs were disallowed from voting in municipal Vancouver due to an amendment made to the Municipality Incorporation Act.^[26] As a result, Sikhs were effectively blocked from being able to vote in federal elections.^[26] This deprivation of the right-to-vote of Sikhs would continue for the next forty years.^[26]

In 1908, Indians were asked by the Canadian Government to leave Canada voluntarily and settle inBritish Honduras; it was stated that the "Mexican" climate would better suit Indians. A Sikh delegate was sent to what is nowBelize and stayed in the British colony for some time before returning. Upon his return, he advised not only Sikhs, but also the members of other Indian religious groups, to decline the offer, maintaining that conditions inLatin America were unsuitable for Punjabis, although they might be more amenable to South Indians. In 1908, 1,710 Sikhs left British Columbia for California. The first plans to build a temple were made in 1908. After a property was acquired, the settlers carried lumber from a localmill on their backs up a hill to construct agurdwara.^[49]

William Lyon Mackenzie King (not yet the Canadian Prime Minister) visitedLondon andCalcutta to express the Canadian view of Indian immigration. As a result, the Indian Government stopped advertising facilities and employment opportunities in North America. This invoked the provisions ofEmigration Act of 1883 which stopped Sikhs from leaving Canada. The Canadian Government passed two laws, one providing that an immigrant had to have 200 dollars, a steep increase from the previous requirement of 20 dollars, the other authorizing the Minister of the Interior to prohibit entry into Canada to people not arriving from their birth-country by continuous journey and through tickets purchased before leaving the country of their birth or citizenship. These laws were specifically directed at Punjabis and resulted in their population, which had exceeded 5,000 people in 1911, dropping to little more than 2,500.

TheImmigration Act, 1910 came under scrutiny when a party of 39 Indians, mostly Sikhs, arriving on a Japanese ship, theKomagata Maru, succeeded in obtaininghabeas corpus against the immigration department's order of deportation. The Canadian Government then passed a law intended to keep labourers and artisans, whether skilled or unskilled, out of Canada by preventing them from landing at any dock in British Columbia. As Canadian immigration became stricter, more Indians, most of them Sikhs, travelled south to the United States of America.

TheGur Sikh Temple opened on February 26, 1911; Sikhs and non-Sikhs from across British Columbia attended the ceremony and a local newspaper reported on the event. It was the third Gurdwara to open - after Golden (1905) and Kitsilano (1908) - not only in North America, but also anywhere in the world outside of South Asia, and as the oldest existing Gurdwara in Canada in the contemporary age has since become a national historical landmark and symbol, the only Gurdwara to have similar status outside India. The Khalsa Diwan Society subsequently built Gurdwaras in Vancouver and Victoria.^[53] The first and only Sikh settlement in Canada,Paldi, British Columbia was established as a mill town in 1916.^[54]

Though the objectives of the Khalsa Diwan Society were religious, educational and philanthropic, problems connected to immigration and racism loomed in its proceedings. Alongside the Sikh Diwan, other organizations were set up to counteract the policies of the immigration authorities. The United India League operated in Vancouver, and the Hindustani Association of the Pacific Coast opened inPortland, Oregon. Gurdwaras became storm centres of political activity. TheGhadar Party was founded in America in 1913 by Sikhs who had fled to California from British Columbia as a consequence of Canadian immigration rules. Despite originally being directed at the racism encountered by Sikhs in theSacramento Valley and inSacramento itself, it eventually moved to British Columbia. Thousands of Ghadar journals were published with some even being sent to India.

In 1908, a series of ordinances were passed by the federal government, by which Indian immigrants entering Canada had to have 200 Canadian dollars (vs. 25 forEuropeans). They also had to arrive directly from the area of birth/nationality- even though there was no direct route between India and Canada. Because of this legislation, in 1914, a Japanese ship called Komagata Maru chartered by a Sikh businessman which sailed from Hong Kong to Vancouver (with multiple stops) was not allowed to dock at the final port. The ship, which had 376 passengers (340 Sikhs), had to spend over 2 months offshore and only 20 former Canadian residents were allowed to disembark.^[55]In 1914, Buckam Singh moved to Toronto. Also in 1914,Gurdit Singh Sandhu, fromSarhali, Amritsar, was a well-to-do businessman in Singapore who was aware of the problems thatPunjabis were having in getting to Canada due to exclusion laws. He initially wanted to circumvent these laws by hiring a boat to sail from Calcutta to Vancouver. His aim was to help his compatriots whose journeys to Canada had been blocked. In order to achieve his goal, Gurdit Singh purchased theKomagata Maru, a Japanese vessel. Gurdit Singh carried 340Sikhs, 24Muslims, and 12Hindus in his boat to Canada.

When the ship arrived in Canada, it was not allowed to dock. TheConservativePremier of British Columbia,Richard McBride, issued a categorical statement that the passengers would not be allowed to disembark. Meanwhile, a "Shore Committee" had been formed with the participation of Hussain Rahim and Sohan Lal Pathak. Protest meetings were held in Canada and the USA. At one, held in Dominion Hall, Vancouver, it was resolved that if the passengers were not allowed off, Indo-Canadians should follow them back to India to start a rebellion (or Ghadar). The shore Committee raised $22,000dollars as an instalment on chartering the ship. They also launched a test case legal battle in the name of Munshi Singh, one of the passengers. Further, theKhalsa Diwan Society (founded 1907 to manage Vancouver's gurudwara) offered to pay the 200 dollar admittance fee for every passenger, which was denied.^[55]

On July 7, the full bench of the Supreme Court gave a unanimous judgment that under new Orders-In-Council it had no authority to interfere with the decisions of the Department of Immigration and Colonization. The Japanese captain was relieved of duty by the angry passengers, but the Canadian government ordered the harbour tug Sea Lion to push the ship out on its homeward journey. On July 19, the angry passengers mounted an attack. Next day the Vancouver newspaper The Sun reported: "Howling masses of Hindus showered policemen with lumps of coal and bricks... it was like standing underneath a coal chute".

The Komagata Maru arrived in Calcutta, India on September 26. Upon entry into the harbour, the ship was forced to stop by a British gunboat and with the passengers subsequently being placed under guard. The ship was then diverted approximately 27 kilometres (17 miles) to Budge Budge, where the British intended to put them on a train bound for Punjab. The passengers wanted to stay in Calcutta, and marched on the city, but were forced to return to Budge Budge and re-board the ship. The passengers protested, some refusing to re-board, and the police opened fire, killing 20 and wounding nine others. This incident became known as theBudge Budge Riot. Gurdit Singh managed to escape and lived in hiding until 1922. He was urged byMohandas Gandhi to give himself up as a true patriot. He was imprisoned for five years.

At least ten Sikh soldiers are known to have fought in the Canadian military during the First World War.^[56] The names of these men are as follows.^[57][56]

1. John Baboo^[57][58]
2. Sunta Gougersingh^[57][59]
3. Buckam Singh^[57][56]
4. Hari Singh^[57][60]
5. Harnom Singh^[57][61]
6. John Singh^[57][62]
7. Lashman Singh^[57][63]
8. Ram Singh^[57][64]
9. Sewa Singh^[57][65]
10. Waryam Singh^[57][66]

Buckam Singh enlisted with theCanadian Expeditionary Force in the spring of 1915.^[67] Buckam Singh was one of the earliest known Sikhs living in Ontario at the time as well as one of only 9 Sikhs known to have served with Canadian troops in theFirst World War. Private Buckam Singh served with the 20th Canadian Infantry Battalion in the battlefields ofFlanders during 1916. Here, Buckam Singh was wounded twice in battle and later received treatment at a hospital run by one of Canada's most famous soldier poets the Doctor Lt. ColonelJohn McCrae.

While recovering from his wounds inEngland, Private Buckam Singh contractedtuberculosis and spent his final days in a Kitchener, Ontario military hospital, dying at age 25 in 1919. His grave in Kitchener is the only known First World War Sikh Canadian soldier's grave in Canada. Despite being forgotten for ninety years and never getting to see his family again, Buckam Singh is now being celebrated as not only a Sikh hero, but a Canadian hero.^[68]

Due to immigration restrictions, South Asians were not able to bring their relatives from India to Canada. Therefore, they resorted to illegal means to bring them to Canada. This was through the Washington-British Columbia border. When theCanadian Government became aware of the happenings along the borderline, they tightened immigration regulations and South Asian men who stayed even three days longer outside of Canada were denied entrance for violating the three-year limit.

In 1937, a controversy surfaced with there being almost three hundred illegal South Asian immigrants inBC. The case was investigated by theRCMP who had eventually solved the case. The Canadian government, however, decided to take this as an opportunity to negotiate with India and refused to deport illegal Sikh immigrants. In fact, the Canadian government pushed the Sikhs into gaining residency in Canada.

During the 1940s, South Asians in Canada began to establish their livelihoods despite deep social and economic disturbances. Unemployment was common and the average British Columbian's wage had dropped over 20 percent. White employers were willing to accept Asian workers, this produced insecurities amongst the mainstream community of British Columbia. The result of this was a British Columbia minimum wage law, a law that was ultimately flawed. 25 percent of the employees would be paid 25 percent less and these were invariably Asians. South Asians continued to live under one roof and in extensive families; this support helped them during the Depression period.^[69]

In 1943, a twelve-man delegation including members of theKhalsa Diwan Society presented the case of South Asian voting rights to Premier Hart. They said that without the ability to vote, in Canada they were nothing more than second-class citizens. The Premier then made it so that South Asians in British Columbia that had fought in World War II would be granted voting rights, this law was passed in 1945. By 1947, all South Asians had the right to vote due to the Sikh Khalsa Diwan Society. In 1944, aKhalsa Diwan Society survey showed there to be 1,756 Canadian Sikhs with 98% of them (1,715) living in British Columbia, the initial major port of immigration for Canadian Sikhs.^{[70][71][72]: 131–132}

It was in the 1950s that major immigration toOntario would start to occur. The celebration of the birth ofGuru Nanak was first celebrated in 1954 after a group of Sikhs from England arrived because of the liberalization of the laws due to the acts of the Khalsa Diwan Society. The construction of many gurdwaras had an immense effect on the Sikh population in Ontario.^[81] Following the founding of theEast Indian Welfare Association by Sikhs, the first ever Sikh was elected to a city council in Mission, B.C. It was reported the following year that there were 2148 Sikhs in Canada.^[82]

A significant event in Sikh-Canadian history occurred in 1950 when 25 years after settling in Canada and nine years after moving to British Columbia from Toronto, Naranjan "Giani" Singh Grewall became the first Sikh individual in Canada and North America to be elected to public office after successfully running for a position on the board of commissioners inMission, BC against six other candidates.^{[83][84][85][86][87]} Grewall was re-elected to the board of commissioners in 1952 and by 1954, was elected to become mayor of Mission.^[83][86][87]

"Thank you all citizens of Mission City [...] It is a credit to this community to elect the first East Indian to public office in the history of our great dominion. It shows your broad-mindedness, tolerance and consideration.".^[85]

Amillwright and union official, and known as a sportsman and humanitarian philanthropist as well as a lumberman, Grewall eventually established himself as one of the largest employers and most influential business leaders in the northern Fraser Valley, owned six sawmills and was active in community affairs serving on the boards or as chairman of a variety of organizations, and was instrumental in helping create Mission's municipal tree farm.^{[83][85][86][87][88]} With strong pro-labour beliefs despite his role as a mill-owner, after a scandal embroiled the provincial Ministry of Forestry under the-thenSocial Credit party government, he referred to holders of forest management licenses across British Columbia asTimber Maharajahs, and cautioned that within a decade, three or four giant corporations would predominantly control the entire industry in the province, echoing similarities to the archaiczamindar system in South Asia.^[86][88] He later ran unsuccessfully for theCo-operative Commonwealth Federation (the precursor of today'sNew Democratic Party) in theDewdney riding in theprovincial election of 1956.^[87][88]

While by the 1950s, Sikh-Canadians had gained respect in business in British Columbia primarily for their work in owning sawmills and aiding the development of the provincial forestry industry, racism still existed especially in the upper echelons of society.^[86][89] As such, during the campaign period and in the aftermath of running for MLA in 1956, Grewall received personal threats, while the six mills he owned along with his house were all set ablaze by arsonists.^[89][h] One year later, on July 17, 1957, while on a business trip, he was suspiciously found dead in a Seattle motel, having been shot in the head.^{[h][i][89][90]} Grewall Street in Mission was named in his honour.^[91]

“Every kid in the North Fraser, who thinks he or she is being discriminated against, should read the Grewall story and the challenges he faced.”.^[h]

In the 1960s and 1970s, tens of thousands of skilled Sikhs, some highly educated, settled across Canada, especially in the urban corridor fromToronto toWindsor. As their numbers grew, Sikhs established temporarygurdwaras in every major city eastward to Montréal, with the firstgurdwara in Eastern Canada being made in 1965. These were followed in many instances by permanent gurdwaras and Sikh centres.

Most cities now have several gurdwaras, each reflecting slightly different religious views, social or political opinions. Through them, Sikhs now have access to a full set of public observances. Central among these are Sunday prayer services, and in many communities the prayers are followed bylangar (a free meal) provided by members of the sangat (governing council of holy men) and the congregation. Near the end of the decade in 1979, the Canadian Sikhs, now more racially diverse, celebrated the 500th birthday ofGuru Amar Das to mark the start of the annual Nagar Kirtan's, which would occur in Canada every year following. The Khalsa Diwan Society grew to a much larger amount during the immigration boom of this period. To celebrate the centennial birthday of the guru, the Khalsa Diwan Society purchased an adjoined building which included a school, museum, daycare and Gurdwara and named it after Guru Amar Das.

In the early 1980s, the Khalsa Diwan Society grew slightly more and built a sports complex. Canada would also have its first officially registered Sikh organization, the Federation of Sikh Societies of Canada in the early 1980s. In the months prior toOperation Blue Star, Sikh seats were granted to theUniversity of British Columbia and theUniversity of Toronto. The launching ofOperation Bluestar enraged many Sikhs in Canada, who had left their homeland long ago in search of better prospects.^[82][92]

In 1986, following the British Columbia provincial election,Moe Sihota became the first Sikh-Canadian to be elected to provincial parliament. Sihota, who was born inDuncan, British Columbia in 1955, ran as the NDP Candidate in the riding ofEsquimalt-Port Renfrew two years after being involved in municipal politics, as he was elected as anAlderman for the city ofEsquimalt in 1984.

In 1986, it was allowed by the Metro Toronto Police to have Sikhs wear turbans while on duty. Later that year, the Khalsa Credit Union was also established. In 1988, for the first time, the Canadian Parliament broached the topic of Operation Bluestar in regards to the Canadian Sikh population. In 1993, the Vancouver Punjabi Market was recognized as bilingual signs in English and Punjabi were established due to the high Sikh population in the area. In 1993, Sikhs were denied entry to theRoyal Canadian Legion when invited to attend a Remembrance Day Parade.^[93] In 1995, the Canadian government officially recognized the Vaisakhi Nager Kirtan parade.^[94] Due to this, the civil unrest eventually began to fade as more and more cities outside of British Columbia and Ontario began to join in on the parades, includingMontreal in 1998.^[95]

In 2002, theGur Sikh Temple was designated a national historic landmark by Prime MinisterJean Chrétien on July 26, 2002. It is the only gurdwara declared a national historic landmark outside of South Asia.^[53] In 2007, the temple was completely renovated and reopened. In 2011, the Gur Sikh Temple in Abbotsford celebrated its one-hundredth birthday. To celebrate, the Government of Canada is funding the building of a museum dedicated to Canadian Sikhism. During the anniversary celebration, Prime MinisterStephen Harper gave a speech to the Punjabi Community as to how the Gur Sikh Temple is a shrine to all immigrants into Canada, not just Sikh ones. 2011 was declared the Centennial year for Canadian Sikhs.^[53]

Upon the announcement, many Canadian Sikhs, regardless of race, took upNishan Sahib (the Sikh flag) and began to protest against the Indian government, and against the execution of Rajoana, in the city ofVancouver. Other protests happened worldwide in the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, New Zealand and even India itself. Following the release of Kishori Lal, a murderer who had decapitated three innocent Sikhs with a chopper knife, the announcement led Canadian Sikhs to believe that the Indian government was targeting Sikh people.^[96] In Canada, a large protest inEdmonton took place on March 25, six days prior to the pending execution. On the day before his impending execution, 5000 Sikhs walked in front of Parliament Hill in the capital city ofOttawa. That same day, an announcement was made that Rajoana's hanging would be stayed.^[97]

Many members of theCanadian Parliament supported the Sikh rallies and their protests against the death penalty in India. These politicians included, but were not limited to,Justin Trudeau,Parm Gill,Jasbir Sandhu,Wayne Marston,Don Davies,Kirsty Duncan andJim Karygiannis.^[98] Around this time, a group ofSkinheads called "Blood and Honour" would attack two Sikh men inEdmonton.^[99]

To celebrate the 2012Vaisakhi festival, the local Sikh community decided to sponsor a new Canadian Army Cadet Corps, which was being formed by the Department of National Defence.^[100] Whilst happening on April 13 in 2012, Vaisakhi was celebrated in Vancouver on April 14. The Vancouver Sun made their estimation of the Metro Vancouver Sikh population to be at 200,000 during an article about the 2012 Vaisakhi.^[101] The Vancouver Vaisakhi ended up attracting thousands of people as well as various politicians including BC PremierChristy Clark.^[102] At the April 21 Surrey Vaisakhi, the Sikh peoples demonstrated support for Rajoana through various posters, with large banners calling India the world's largest democracy. The response to the support was positive.^[103]

Around this time, Sikh comedians Jasmeet Singh (JusReign), andLilly Singh (Superwoman) would gain international fame for their videos onYouTube.^[104]

In May 2012, the classic Victoria Gurdwara, which was once broken down, but later rebuilt, would experience its one hundredth anniversary. It was the second Gurdwara to celebrate one hundred years in Canada after the Gur Sikh Temple in the Sikhs' Centennial Year. The Gurdwara houses over 3000 people per month.^[105] It was then announced that Sikhs would be allowed to wear kirpans in Toronto courthouses.^[106] In June, a Khalsa School in Brampton would be vandalized by racists who would put up signs of theKu Klux Klan and withswastikas.^[99]

NDP Party LeaderThomas Mulcair would demand justice for the1984 Anti-Sikh Pogroms. Mulcair would demand that a full investigation be put into the riots and those harmed be compensated.^[107] Soon after this statement, neo-Nazi gunman Wade Michael Page would commence a shooting at a Sikh Temple in Wisconsin, America, which would be described as a domestic terrorism act. Despite the fact that the shooting occurred outside of Canada, Canadian Sikhs would take full responsibility to spread the message of Sikhism, explain the religion, honour the dead and wounded as well as give their reactions to the shootings.^[108]

Stephen Harper is pushing back at suggestions that Ottawa needs to do more about Sikh separatist activity in Canada, saying his government already keeps a sharp lookout for terrorist threats and that merely advocating for a Khalistan homeland in the Punjab is not a crime. He said violence and terrorism can't be confused with the right of Canadians to hold and promote their political views.^[109]

Following, onCKNW'sPhilip Till Show would feature Dave Foran, a man who would demand Canadian Sikhs to lose their religious aspects, namely turbans, beards, clothes and "waddling" while walking, claiming the features to make "real" Canadians "sick".^[99] Soon after, the Friends of the Sikh Cadet Corps would run into issues with the 3300 British Columbian Royal Army Cadet, over their choice of name. The resulting turmoil would put months and months of planning into disarray.^[97]

The Sikhs of Canada would once again take solidarity and hospitality, much like they had done with the Rajoana situation, to supportDaljit Singh Bittu and Kulbir Singh Barapind. The two had previously been arrested and abused on false charges, resulting in their most recent arrest to raise the ire of the Canadian Sikhs, who would go on to trash the policing forces in Punjab.^[110]

2013 was a monumental year for Sikhs as the April of that year was declared theSikh Heritage Month by the Government of Ontario.^[111] In 2014, history was made when a park inCalgary was named after Harnam Singh Hari, the first Sikh settler who was able to successfully farm on fertile land inAlberta. This happened shortly after the announcement of Quebec's Charter of Values, which threatened the use of religious items at government workplaces. This Charter was opposed by the Sikhs, Hindus, Jews, Christians, and Muslims whose symbols would be affected by the charter. In May 2014,Lieutenant ColonelHarjit Sajjan became the first Sikh to command a Canadian regiment, ironically it was theBritish Columbia Regiment (Duke Connaught's Own), which opposed the Komagata Maru a century prior.^[112] In 2015, theSurrey Nagar Kirtan was declared the largest parade of its kind outside of India.^[113] In August 2015,Corporal Tej Singh Aujla of the 39th Brigade Group,Royal Westminster Regiment became the first Sikh soldier to guard and watch over the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier" at Canada's National War Memorial.^[114] In regards to the2015 Canadian election, it was internationally noted that in over twelve constituencies Sikh politicians were riding against each other, a highlight of the successful integration of the Sikh populace as Canadian citizens. It was also noted that of these politicians, Martin Singh was a Caucasian convert to Sikhism and potentially the first "white" Sikh to run for a constituency in the federal elections.^[115]

In the 2015 Canadian election, twenty Sikh MPs were elected, the most ever. Of these, four Sikh MPs went on to become a part of theCabinet of Canada under Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau. This marked the first time the Cabinet of Canada had more Sikhs as ministers than theCabinet of India.^[116] This disparity was acknowledged by Trudeau in March 2016.^[117] Of these MPs,Bardish Chagger ended up becoming the first Sikh woman to hold a post in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister. Also, MP Lt. Col. (ret.) Harjit Singh Sajjan became the firstAmritdhari Sikh to hold a Cabinet position since theSikh Empire asMinister of National Defence.^[118] That same year, Punjabi became the third most spoken language of the Parliament of Canada.^[119] Concurrently, many Canadian Sikhs held solidarity with the protests of Sikhs in India following the sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib. Many Sikh organizations in Canada held discussions on how to address the situation in regards to Canada. Many Canadian Sikh youths took toTwitter to protest the sacrilege with the hashtag #SikhLivesMatter.^[120]

On April 11, 2016, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that a formal apology for the Komagata Maru incident would finally be given after 102 years.^[121]

In 2016 Dr. Mohan Singh Virick, a PunjabiSikh doctor who served Indigenous people in Cape Breton for 50 years, donated 140 hectares (335 acres) of land toEskasoni First Nation.^[122] He also donated a building in Sydney to help house Eskasoni's growing population.^[123]

On October 1, 2017,Jagmeet Singh, was elected leader of the federalNew Democratic Party on the first ballot of that party's2017 leadership race. Upon his election, Singh became the first Sikh and the first person of a visible minority group to be elected leader of a Canadian federal political party.^[124] Previously, Singh had also held the distinction of being the first turban-wearing Sikh to sit as a provincial legislator in Ontario.^[125] At the2019 Canadian federal election The NDP won 24 seats, down from 44 seats at the 2015 election.^[126] It was the lowest seat count for the NDP since 2004.^[127] The NDP lost all but one of its seats in Quebec, where it was suggested that Singh's Sikhism may have been negatively received by voters in the context of theQuebec ban on religious symbols.^[128] After the2025 Canadian federal election Singh announced that he would step down as party leader

In the early 20th century, Sikh and other Punjabi migrants to theWest Coast of Canada referred to theindigenous peoples asTaae Ke (Punjabi term meaning "elder uncle's family"), a sign of respect and due to the early-migrants seeing similarities between themselves and the native peoples.^[129][130] However, relations between the early Indian migrants and Aboriginal peoples deteriorated as the Indian community grew richer, leading them to disparage the Aboriginal people and the decline of the term.^[129][130] Despite this shift, some Sikh individuals and organizations continued to show solidarity with and support for the Aboriginal community, such as Sadhu Binning andHarsha Walia.^[130] Some Indian immigrant men married Aboriginal women in-order to obtain permanent residency and abandoned their Aboriginal wives afterwards.^[130]

There is a historical connection between Sikhs and theAhousaht people due to the kidnapping of Maggie Sutlej, whom was named after theSutlej river in Punjab, a river considered sacred by the Sikhs.^[131][132] In-remembrance,Khalsa Aid donated $200,000 to the Ahousaht First Nation in 2018 and hosted a gala event in Vancouver Island which was attended by both Sikhs and Ahousahts.^{[133][134][135]} During theKomagatu Maru incident, theMusqueam people helped the passengers to survive by paddling out in canoes to give them food and other supplies.^[136] A 4,000-square foot mural titledTaike-Sye’yə was painted on the side of the former Harry Stevens Federal Building in East Vancouver to commemorate this.^[136]

Unlike in South Asia and India, Sikhs have formed the main religious group among the South Asian Canadian,Indo-Canadian, and Punjabi Canadian communities from the onset of first settlement in the late 19th century into the present-day. In India, Sikhs comprise 1.72% of the population, while Hindus make up the largest religious group at close to 79.8%.

Until the 1950s, Sikhs formed up to 95% of the entire South Asian Canadian population,^[2]: 4 declining to 31.5% of the total South Asian Canadian population by 1981.^[3]: 40 The Sikh proportion among the South Asian Canadian community declined further to 29.7% in 2001;^[137][138] in the same year, Sikhs represented 34% of the totalIndo-Canadian population.^[139] In 2021, Sikhs made up 29.6% of the total South Asian Canadian population,^[140] a slight increase over the 2011 proportion of 28.5%.^[141]

Most Canadian Sikhs are immigrants.

The proportion of non-permanent residents amongst Sikh Canadians has risen rapidly in recent years, primarily due to the surge in the number of Punjabi international students studying in Canadian colleges. Most of the students plan to eventually become permanent residents.

As of the2021 Canadian census, there were 771,790 Sikh Canadians, forming 2.12% of the total population;^[1] the same census indicated that the vast majority (761,960 persons or 98.73%) of Sikh Canadians are ofSouth Asian origin.^[140]

Sikhs make up 2.35% of the Canadian workforce versus 2.12% of the general population. The largest proportion, 20.5%, of Sikh workers are employed in the "Transportation and warehousing" industry, making up 9.24% of the Canadian workforce in the industry and thus being the industry in which Sikhs are the most over-represented.

From the onset of early Sikh settlement to Canada beginning in 1897, into the 1900s, 1910s and onwards throughout the 20th century, the most common industry for Sikh Canadians was forestry, however many left the industry after it declined during the 1990s and 2000s.^[145] This resulted in a decline in Sikh populations in small sawmill-based towns throughout theBritish Columbia Interior andVancouver Island likeFort St. James,Quesnel,Williams Lake,Merritt,Golden,Houston,Lillooet,Mackenzie,Terrace,Kitimat,Lake Cowichan,Tahsis, andPort Alberni. In contrast, theSikh population of Greater Vancouver on the other hand continued to grow as Sikhs were able to shift away from forestry to other local industries.

Today, most Sikhs in British Columbia live in theLower Mainland, with large populations inSurrey,North Delta, and WestAbbotsford, and smaller, older enclaves in theSunset neighbourhood ofVancouver (Punjabi Market) and theQueensborough neighbourhood ofNew Westminster. Outside of British Columbia, Sikh Canadians similarly primarily live in major metropolitan regions, where they are concentrated in the areas associated with transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing, such asBrampton,Caledon,Malton, andRexdale in theGreater Toronto Area, NortheastCalgary andChestermere, SoutheastEdmonton, and NorthwestWinnipeg.

In recent years, the number of Sikhs living on Canadian farms has grown, from 1,530 (0.14% of the total Canadian farm population) in 1981 to 3,440 in 2001 (0.47%) and 8,960 (1.52%) in 2021, with Sikhism being the second most common religion on Canadian farms.^{[146][147][148]} In 2021,94.75% of the Sikh Canadian farm population was in British Columbia as opposed to37.69% of the Sikh Canadian population overall, with Sikhs making up15.48% of the provincial farm population, up from5.26% in 2001 and2.07% in 1981.^{[148][147][146]} The rise in the Sikh farm population is primarily associated with recent acquisition of vineyards and fruit orchards in theOkanagan aroundOliver andCawston by Sikhs, although Sikhs have long made an impact onagriculture in British Columbia asfarm workers in theFraser Valley, where they were responsible for starting theCanadian Farmworkers Union in 1978.^[149] In 1998, 97% of harvest workers in British Columbia were Punjabi-speaking.^[150] In 2004, British Columbia joined theSeasonal Agricultural Worker Program, which supplanted mostly Punjabi-speaking immigrants withtemporary foreign workers, mostly fromMexico.^[151]

Notable Sikh Canadian politicians includeHarjit Sajjan, who became Canada's first non-Whitedefense minister in 2015,Ujjal Dosanjh, who became the first non-WhitePremier of British Columbia in 2000,Bardish Chagger, the first female or non-WhiteLeader of the Government in the House of Commons of Canada,Jagmeet Singh, who became the first non-White major party leader in Canadian history after winning the2017 New Democratic Party leadership election,Tim Uppal, who has served asDeputy Opposition Leader since 2022,Jyoti Gondek, who became the first femalemayor of Calgary in 2021, andAmarjeet Sohi, who became the first non-Whitemayor of Edmonton in 2021.

Moe Sihota was the first Sikh to be elected to provinical Parliament in1986, while the first provinical Cabinet minister was Ujjal Dosanjh in 1995. Dosanjh would later become the first Sikh to lead a province in 2000. The first Sikh MPs,Jag Bhaduria,Gurbax Malhi, andHerb Dhaliwal, were elected in1993, while the first Sikh Cabinet member,Herb Dhaliwal, was appointedMinister of National Revenue by Prime MinisterJean Chrétien in 1997. The first Sikh Senator wasSabi Marwah from Ontario, appointed in 2016.

There have been thirty-seven Sikh MPs, nine Sikh Cabinet members, and one Sikh Senator in Canadian history.^[r] Currently, there are zero Sikh Senators, fifteen Sikh MPs, and three Sikh Cabinet members; Sikhs make up0% of theSenate,4.44% of theHouse of Commons, and7.69% of theCabinet, while making up2.12% of the Canadian population. Peak Sikh representation in the Cabinet and House of Commons occurred after the2015 general election, when 18 Sikh MPs were elected (5.33% of the House of Commons) and four Sikh Cabinet ministers (11.43% of the Cabinet) were appointed by Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau.

Of the fifteen incumbent Sikh MPs, six are from Ontario, five are from British Columbia, three are from Alberta, and one is from Quebec. Sikhs thus make up11.9% of British Columbia's federal delegation,8.82% of Alberta's federal delegation,4.96% of Ontario's federal delegation, and1.28% of Quebec's federal delegation, even as Sikhs only make up5.92%,2.48%,2.14%, and0.28% of their provincial populations respectively. Twelve incumbent Sikh MPs are from theLiberal Party while two areConservatives and one is from theNew Democratic Party.

A 2024 poll indicated that 54% of Canadian Sikhs would vote for Conservatives, 21% for Liberal, and 20% for the NDP inthe next general election.^[154]

Prominent Sikh neighbourhoods exist in many of Canada's major cities, and their suburbs.^[156]

According to the 1981 Canadian census,1991 Canadian census,2001 Canadian census, the2011 Canadian census, and the2021 Canadian census, the number of Sikhs living in each of the Canadian provinces and territories is as shown in the following table. Additionally, the number of Sikh Canadians in 1944, as measured by aKhalsa Diwan Society survey, is also shown. Finally, the number of "Sikhs and Hindus" in the 1931, 1921, and 1911 censuses is shown, with most of these being Sikhs.

British Columbia is home to the highest proportion of Sikhs in the country and also most of the longest established Sikh communities. Although Sikhs can be found in most towns and cities within the province, the majority are concentrated in theLower Mainland. Historically, the highest concentrations of Sikhs in British Columbia existed in rural regions throughout the province, includingVancouver Island,the interior, and the north.

TheGur Sikh Temple is located in Abbotsford. It is the oldest Sikh gurdwara building in North America that is still standing.^[159] In 1975 the Khalsa Diwan Society of Abbotsford separated from theparent organization in Vancouver, as the title of the Abbotsford gurdwara was transferred to the separated entity. The Abbotsford Sikhs wanted to have local control over their gurdwara.^[160]

Sikhism is the second largest religion in theVancouvermetropolitan area where they form 8.5% of the total population, according to the2021 census.

In 2011 28,235 persons in theAbbotsford-Missionmetropolitan area stated that they were of the Sikh religion, making up 16.9% of the population.^[161] Of allmetropolitan areas in Canada, Abbotsford had the highest Sikh percentage in 2011.^[162] This was an increase over the 2001 census when 16,780 persons in the Abbotsford-Mission metropolitan area stated that they were of the Sikh religion.

According to the1991 census, subdivisions in British Columbia with the highest proportions of Sikhs includedFort St. James (21.6%),Quesnel (12.0%),Williams Lake (10.1%),Merritt (9.7%),Surrey (8.6%),Tahsis (8.3%),Golden (8.1%),Houston (7.0%),Abbotsford (6.2%),Lillooet (6.0%),Squamish (5.6%), andTerrace (5.4%).^[17]

Subdivisions with the highest proportions of Sikhs in British Columbia as per the2001 census includedSurrey (16.3%),Okanagan-Similkameen Subdivision C^[v] (15.1%),Abbotsford (13.4%),Squamish (11.2%),Cawston (10.6%),Fort St. James (10.3%),Delta (8.6%),Okanagan-Similkameen Subdivision A^[w] (8.3%),Merritt (8.0%),Williams Lake (7.6%),Mackenzie (7.1%),Quesnel (7.1%),Houston (7.0%), Mission (5.1%), and New Westminster (5.1%).^[144]

According to the2011 census, subdivisions in British Columbia with the highest proportions of Sikhs includedSurrey (22.6%),Abbotsford (20.0%),Okanagan-Similkameen Subdivision A^[w] (16.9%),Okanagan-Similkameen Subdivision C^[v] (15.7%),Delta (10.6%),Cawston (10.1%),Mission (5.9%),Okanagan-Similkameen Subdivision G^[x] (5.8%),Osoyoos (5.6%),Squamish (5.4%), andOliver (5.2%).

Thecity of Surrey, asuburb situated in the southeastern sector of theMetro Vancouvermetropolitan area and theMetro Vancouverregional district, has the highest proportion of Sikhs in asubdivision in British Columbia, forming 27.5% of the population, as per the2021 census. Within the city, Sikhs form a majority in theNewton andWhalley neighbourhoods. Surrey's Sikhs can be found in large numbers across the city, with the exception of South Surrey.

Thecity of Abbotsford, anexurb situated in the southwestern area of theAbbotsford-Missionmetropolitan area and theFraser Valleyregional district, has the next-largest concentration of Sikhs in a subdivision in British Columbia, at 25.5% of the population, as per the2021 census. According to the2011 census, 16.3% of persons in Abbotsford self-identified as East Indian, and 2.3% as Punjabi.^{[168][failed verification]} The west side of the city of Abbotsford specifically hosts a large Sikh community, forming over 60% of the population in some parts of theClearbook and Townline Hill areas. Similar to New Westminster, the establishment of Abbotsford's Sikh community goes back generations to 1905.^[49]

Following Surrey (27.5%) and Abbotsford (25.5%), subdivisions in British Columbia with the highest proportions of Sikhs as per the2021 census included Delta (17.9%), Cawston (16.3%),Okanagan-Similkameen Subdivision A^[w] (15.9%),Okanagan-Similkameen Subdivision C^[v] (14.3%),Mission (8.1%),McBride (8.0%),Oliver (7.6%),Squamish (5.4%),100 Mile House (5.3%), andNew Westminster (4.8%).

In thecity of Vancouver, Sikhs form over 30% of the population in theSunset neighbourhood, with the traditionalPunjabi Market being the epicentre of Vancouver's Sikh community.

Sikhs inthe city of New Westminster can be found in theQueensborough area, where they are upwards of 30% of the population, and have lived since 1919.^[169]

The southern half ofOliver, BC, a small town in the Okanagan Valley, also has a Sikh population above 40%.^[170][171]

In Alberta, most of the province's Sikhs live in eitherCalgary orEdmonton. Although many are first or second generation immigrants, Sikhs have lived in Calgary since at least 1908.^[176] The majority of Sikhs in Calgary are concentrated in theNortheast section of the city.^[177] Sikhs form over 20% of the population in some Northeast Calgary neighbourhoods, particularlyMartindale,Taradale,Coral Springs andSaddle Ridge. Most of Edmonton's Sikhs can be found in the Southeast section of the city, particularlyThe Meadows, andMill Woods.^[178] In The Meadows neighbourhood of Edmonton, Sikhs form over 30% of the population ofSilver Berry.

The Sikh community in Manitoba is significant, at 2.7%, and largely concentrated in Winnipeg. Within Winnipeg, are established Sikh neighbourhoods in the northwest quadrant of the city, notably in The Maples and Mandalay West in the far north end of the city which are over 20% Sikh.

Sikh communities are found in most cities and towns inSouthern Ontario, while few are found living north ofBarrie.

TheGreater Toronto Area is home to the second largest community of Sikhs in Canada, after the Vancouver-Abbotsford area of British Columbia. Sikhs in Toronto traditionally lived in theRexdale neighbourhood of Etobicoke, andArmadale in Scarborough. An older established Sikh community can be found inMalton, Mississauga as well, where Sikhs form nearly 25% of the population.^[179] Over half of Ontario's Sikhs can be found in Brampton, where they account for 19% of the city's total population.^[180] While Sikhs can be found living in all parts of Brampton, they form upwards of 35% of the population in the neighbourhoods ofChurchville,Springdale andCastlemore.

Quebec is home to a more educated,upper-middle class Sikh community. Virtually the entire Sikh population of Quebec is found in theMontreal area. In the Montreal area, working class Sikhs are found inPark Extension, while wealthier Sikh families can be found inDollard-des-Ormeaux,Vaudreuil-Dorion, andLaSalle, Quebec.

Surrey—Newton and Brampton East are the only national electoral districts outside ofPunjab where Sikhism is the most followed religion.

Since 2009, Sikh members of theCanadian Forces (CF) have attended the annual Sikh Remembrance Day service which is held at the Mount Hope Cemetery inKitchener, Ontario. This cemetery holds the only military grave in Canada belonging to a Sikh soldier, Private Buckham Singh who fought in World War I. In 2012, NCdt Tejvinder Toor, OCdt Saajandeep Sarai & OCdt Sarabjot Anand representedRoyal Military College of Canada at the event in uniform.^[181]

VariousNagar Kirtan celebrations happen in Canada, with most starting in British Columbia. In British Columbia, various places celebrate the Nagar Kirtan, though it is mainly celebrated in the cities ofVancouver and Surrey. In Vancouver, the Nagar Kirtan, is used to celebrate theVisakhi and the birth ofKhalsa. Various Canadian Sikhs, of various ethnic origins, are present in the parade, which usually happens onEaster Weekend. In Abbotsford, the celebration happens onLabour Day Weekend and is commemorated in the celebration of the Parkash Divas of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The parade in Abbotsford takes place near the Kalgidar Durbar.

Vaisakhi celebrations happen in both British Columbia and Ontario, with many including a Nagar Kirtan parade. In Ontario, the Vaisakhi celebrations are reported to get bigger and bigger in terms of festivities and attending populace every year. Many Sikh academies and institutes also participate in the Ontario parades, such as the Akal Academy Brampton. While the Nagar Kirtan in the Ontario Vaisakhi celebration starts at the Malton Gurudwara and ends at the Sikh Spiritual Centre, festivities go on until the Rexdale Gurudwara is reached, it is organized annually by theOntario Gurdwara Committee. Nagar Kirtan parades also take place in Alberta. Both the cities of Calgary and Edmonton hold them around the May long weekend.^[182]

Punjabi is the native language of the Sikh faith; it is spoken commonly throughout both converts and Indo-Canadians. There is a large population of Sikh people in the city of Surrey; this has led to the availability of a course in the Punjabi language in the fifth grade using the British Columbia Punjabi Language Curriculum. In specific schools in the city of Abbotsford, the Punjabi language too is available as a course that can be taken following the fifth grade in elementary school levels.^[183] For Abbotsford, however, when the curriculum was suggested to a more mainstream stray of schools, controversy was brought up, despite Punjabi being Abbotsford's second largest language. Many comments brought up were those who stated that only English and French should be taught in the district and that the costs to parents would be high, as always these comments were believed to be racially driven due to other secondary languages being taught for free in the district.^[184]

Various controversies have arisen involving the sacred Sikh dagger, theKirpan. Most of these cases have taken place in the Canadian province ofQuebec.

In February 2011, theQuebec National Assembly banned religious daggers, of which the kirpan was included. Upon the announcement, Canadian Sikh Liberal MPNavdeep Bains revealed his surprise and anger as he had worn the kirpan to theSupreme Court of Canada and theUnited States Congress without any trouble. The ban sparked a small debate amongst the Canadian Legislatures and news programs as well as backlash from theWorld Sikh Organization.^[185] Following this was a vote that the kirpan be banned from all parliamentary buildings including theHouse of Commons of Canada. The vote happened in favour of the kirpan, despite fierce opposition from theBloc Québécois.^[186]

In the 2006Supreme Court of Canada decision ofMultani v. Commission scolaire Marguerite‑Bourgeoys the court held that the banning of the kirpan in a school environment offended Canada'sCharter of Rights and Freedoms, nor could the limitation be upheld under s. 1 of the Charter, as perR. v. Oakes. The issue started when a 12-year-old schoolboy dropped a 20 cm (8-inch) long kirpan in school. School staff and parents were very concerned, and the student was required to attend school under police supervision until the court decision^[187] was reached. In September 2008, Montreal police announced that a 13-year-old student would be charged after he allegedly threatened another student with his kirpan. However, while he was declared guilty of threatening his schoolmates, he was granted an absolute discharge for the crime on April 15, 2009.^[188]

The World Sikh Organization representative Jasbeer Singh, who had involvement in the Multani Kirpan case, represented the WSO who had called on the Calgary Telus Convention Center for an apology on another kirpan case. In the Calgary stadium, aGurdas Mann concert in 2009 had to be shut down after Sikh ticket holders had refused to remove their kirpans. Jasbeer was reportedly furious due to the case having occurred after it was proven that the kirpan was allowed to legally be worn in public areas due to the Multani v. Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys case. Concert promoter Nirmal Dhaliwal revealed his intent on suing the centre due to the lack of revenue brought by the case.^[189]

TheRoyal Canadian Mounted Police came under fire when they refused to let turbaned Canadian Sikh officers join their service. In doing so they had indefinitely banned all RCMP officers from wearing a turban, requiring them to wear the standard and traditional RCMP headdress. The ban was a result of the activism of a petition leader namedHerman Bittner,^[190] who maintained that he was preserving history rather than discriminating. The ban was lifted in 1990 and turbaned Sikh officers were permitted to join the RCMP.^[191]

• List of Canadian Sikhs

• Indian Canadians
• South Asian Canadians
• South Asian Canadians in British Columbia
• South Asian Canadians in Greater Vancouver
• South Asian Canadians in the Greater Toronto Area
• Anti-Sikh Hate in Canada
• Sikh Heritage Month
• Sikhism in the United States
• Sikhism in Australia
• Sikhism in the United Kingdom
• Sikhism in New Zealand