Forget diaspora politics, invite Ujjal Dosanjh to Sikh events
Forget diaspora politics, invite Ujjal Dosanjh to Sikh events
I admire Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh, who was also former NDP premier of B.C., for coming out in the open and for being brave enough to say that Sikh extremism was on the rise in Canada. He blamed Canada's "political correctness" for letting it happen in the name of diversity.
"My worry is you have a level of political correctness that has been ailing us for some time and you combine that with this multiculturalism that is sometimes misused to hide all kinds of inappropriate behaviour or values," Dosanjh said in an interview.
Dosanjh has paid heavily in the past for saying such things. In 1985, the then young lawyer was physically assaulted following his denunciation of religious violence in the Sikh community leaving him with a head injury and a broken hand.
Last month, Dosanjh and another Sikh Canadian politician, Dave Hayer, were advised by an organizer of the annual Vaisakhi Parade in Surrey, B.C. to stay away from the large Sikh festival, because their safety could not be guaranteed.
Following those remarks, Dosanjh has received death threats, which police are investigating.
Canada is a multicultural country and its philosophy recognizes ethnic diversity within a society and it encourages others to be enlightened by worthwhile contributions by those of diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Immigrants, who have come here to seek a better future for themselves and for their children, and hence the diaspora community, be they Sikh, Irish, Indian, Tamil, Pakistani, Palestinian, Israeli or whatever, should forget their home politics once they enter Canada.
This is a non-aligned country and that is why Canada has been policing some of the world's trouble spots. In some cases, Canada's role has been to mediate between nations. Canada solves other nations' quarrels so we can't have other nations' quarrels at our doorsteps -- that's the argument in simple terms.
Canada is in Afghanistan to ensure that the Taliban don't take over the duly elected government. In Cyprus, Canada has been keeping peace between the Turkish and the Greek Cypriots.
When immigrants enter Canada and read that sign at the airport, " Welcome to Canada", that sign should tell them that they should forget their past political prejudices once they take a step past that sign. Once inside, they are in a new country, they have new obligations and responsibilities as new Canadians, which means that they have to forget diaspora politics.
Ireland has its own fight with Britain, India and Pakistan are at loggerheads over Kashmir, Tamils have been fighting in Sri Lanka, and the list, sadly, goes on and on. If every one of these diaspora politics were to really get their foothold in Canada and aggressively engage their fights in Canada, what would happen? Canada would be a war zone.
The demand for the creation of an independent Punjab state or Khalistan may be genuine, but its fight does not belong here in Canada. It should be fought in the geographical confines of India.
Many Palestinians do not agree with the Canadian government's stand over Israel as they feel that Canada favours Israel over Palestinian interests. However, it is Canada's foreign policy and the ethnic politics should not twist Canadian foreign policy. Simple as that. If Canada were to look after the interest of every ethnic community's political view, then it would be impossible for the country to have its own foreign policy.
Let's also not forget that Canada itself has its own problems of the threat of separation in Quebec, where the Quebecois are waiting to pounce on the slightest chance they can get to separate. The last thing Canada needs is to encourage the disintegration of another federation of states.
Dosanjh, as a Sikh himself and a former premier, deserves more respect, not death threats. He and Hayer should be cordially invited to all Sikh functions in the process of healing and reaching out.
When incidents like these threats of violence happen, the wider Canadian society looks at the multicultural community and says the ethnics are welcome to bring customs and traditions to Canada -- it's what made Canada Canada -- but not to change Canada to suit them. They came to Canada for the freedoms, for the values, for the customs and the traditions that Canada has to offer -- values like equality and tolerance for freedom of expression. How can they now turn around and deny the same freedoms and values to Ujjal Dosanjh?
Mansoor Ladha is a Calgary-based freelance journalist and author.
Read more: Forget diaspora politics, invite Ujjal Dosanjh to Sikh events
Forget diaspora politics, invite Ujjal Dosanjh to Sikh events
By Mansoor Ladha, For The Calgary Herald
Read more: Forget diaspora politics, invite Ujjal Dosanjh to Sikh events
Read more: Forget diaspora politics, invite Ujjal Dosanjh to Sikh events
I admire Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh, who was also former NDP premier of B.C., for coming out in the open and for being brave enough to say that Sikh extremism was on the rise in Canada. He blamed Canada's "political correctness" for letting it happen in the name of diversity.
"My worry is you have a level of political correctness that has been ailing us for some time and you combine that with this multiculturalism that is sometimes misused to hide all kinds of inappropriate behaviour or values," Dosanjh said in an interview.
Dosanjh has paid heavily in the past for saying such things. In 1985, the then young lawyer was physically assaulted following his denunciation of religious violence in the Sikh community leaving him with a head injury and a broken hand.
Last month, Dosanjh and another Sikh Canadian politician, Dave Hayer, were advised by an organizer of the annual Vaisakhi Parade in Surrey, B.C. to stay away from the large Sikh festival, because their safety could not be guaranteed.
Following those remarks, Dosanjh has received death threats, which police are investigating.
Canada is a multicultural country and its philosophy recognizes ethnic diversity within a society and it encourages others to be enlightened by worthwhile contributions by those of diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Immigrants, who have come here to seek a better future for themselves and for their children, and hence the diaspora community, be they Sikh, Irish, Indian, Tamil, Pakistani, Palestinian, Israeli or whatever, should forget their home politics once they enter Canada.
This is a non-aligned country and that is why Canada has been policing some of the world's trouble spots. In some cases, Canada's role has been to mediate between nations. Canada solves other nations' quarrels so we can't have other nations' quarrels at our doorsteps -- that's the argument in simple terms.
Canada is in Afghanistan to ensure that the Taliban don't take over the duly elected government. In Cyprus, Canada has been keeping peace between the Turkish and the Greek Cypriots.
When immigrants enter Canada and read that sign at the airport, " Welcome to Canada", that sign should tell them that they should forget their past political prejudices once they take a step past that sign. Once inside, they are in a new country, they have new obligations and responsibilities as new Canadians, which means that they have to forget diaspora politics.
Ireland has its own fight with Britain, India and Pakistan are at loggerheads over Kashmir, Tamils have been fighting in Sri Lanka, and the list, sadly, goes on and on. If every one of these diaspora politics were to really get their foothold in Canada and aggressively engage their fights in Canada, what would happen? Canada would be a war zone.
The demand for the creation of an independent Punjab state or Khalistan may be genuine, but its fight does not belong here in Canada. It should be fought in the geographical confines of India.
Many Palestinians do not agree with the Canadian government's stand over Israel as they feel that Canada favours Israel over Palestinian interests. However, it is Canada's foreign policy and the ethnic politics should not twist Canadian foreign policy. Simple as that. If Canada were to look after the interest of every ethnic community's political view, then it would be impossible for the country to have its own foreign policy.
Let's also not forget that Canada itself has its own problems of the threat of separation in Quebec, where the Quebecois are waiting to pounce on the slightest chance they can get to separate. The last thing Canada needs is to encourage the disintegration of another federation of states.
Dosanjh, as a Sikh himself and a former premier, deserves more respect, not death threats. He and Hayer should be cordially invited to all Sikh functions in the process of healing and reaching out.
When incidents like these threats of violence happen, the wider Canadian society looks at the multicultural community and says the ethnics are welcome to bring customs and traditions to Canada -- it's what made Canada Canada -- but not to change Canada to suit them. They came to Canada for the freedoms, for the values, for the customs and the traditions that Canada has to offer -- values like equality and tolerance for freedom of expression. How can they now turn around and deny the same freedoms and values to Ujjal Dosanjh?
Mansoor Ladha is a Calgary-based freelance journalist and author.
Read more: Forget diaspora politics, invite Ujjal Dosanjh to Sikh events
