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A Book of Condolences for the Families of the Oak Creek Shootings

As we are all aware, the incidents of Oak Creek almost two weeks ago have been painful for everyone around the world. As a result, the World Sikh Organization is setting up a channel to collect condolence messages which will be delivered to the families of the victims, as well as to the heroic police officer who risked his life and saved countless lives. If you would like to leave messages of condolences and hope and love for the families, you can do so here: http://www.worldsikh.ca/contact Read more »

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Police officer of the year award in Surrey, BC

WSO's Senior Policy Advisor S. Gian Singh Sandhu attended the Police Officer of Year Award ceremony in  Surrey  on the evening of Oct. 5, 2011. The Surrey Board of Trade puts these events  on every year to showcase community policing.  The awards recognize excellence in policing and focus on excellent role models, not only for fellow police officers but also for the entire community.

This year's winner is Staff Sgt. Robert McCloy.  

The flip side of India’s economic boom

Re: Universities go to school in India, Opinion June 9


Haroon Siddiqui praises M.S. Swaminatham, father of “the green revolution” as “one of the most influential Asians of our time.” He fails to mention that this very same “green revolution” is directly responsible for the displacement of hundreds of millions of Indian farmers who now live in hellish urban ghettos and who certainly are not part of “pulling the millions out of poverty” but the opposite.

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Help save Prof. Bhullar

Prof. BhullarProf. BhullarHelp Save Prof. Bhullar:  Let's do our part!
Prof. Davinderpal Singh Bhullar needs our help.  Canadian Sikhs can play an important role in stopping his execution by writing to our elected officials and letting them know about the situation. 


Prof. Bhullar's was convicted of the charge of plotting terrorist attacks and sentenced to death in 2001 based on a confession made under torture while in police custody.

World Sikh Organization Excluded from Quebec National Assembly

WSO groupWSO groupQUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC–(Jan. 18, 2011) – Today the World Sikh Organization of Canada was excluded from the Quebec National Assembly and prevented from speaking in favour of religious accommodation for veiled Muslim women because the Sikhs also wear articles of faith the Assembly has prohibited in its government buildings.

WSO protests visa for Indian politician with tainted human rights record

ModiModi

Ottawa (January 17, 2011):  The World Sikh Organization of Canada has written a letter of protest to Minister of Immigration Jason Kenney over government plans to host an Indian politician who was implicated in the massacre of more than 1,000 Muslim citizens in 2002 and was barred from visiting the U.S. in 2005. 

Narendra Modi, 60, is chief minister of Gujarat, India, a state of 60 million with a mostly Hindu population, and a Muslim minority of about 9 per cent.  Gujarat is a leader in oil and gas production and welcomes many large foreign investors including DuPont, Shell, and General Motors. It is known for approving environmental permits quickly. 

WSO Expresses Concern at Conviction of Indian Human Rights Activist

Binayak SenBinayak SenOttawa (December 24, 2010): The World Sikh Organization of Canada expresses its concern at the conviction of human rights activist Dr. Binayak Sen in Chhatisgarh India on charges of treason and sedition.

Today an Additional District and Sessions Court in Raipur India convicted Dr. Binayak Sen and two others of sedition and treason and sentenced them to life imprisonment. The court found Dr. Sen guilty of carrying letters with “seditious content”. He was sentenced under the Special Public Security Act which restricts public meetings, organised protests and opposition of government policies.

Dr. Sen is an office holder in the People’s Union for Civil Liberties and a well known physician and human rights activist who has worked with tribal populations in Chhatisgarh region for decades. Dr. Sen highlighted police and Maoist atrocities in the region and has also been openly critical of the Salwa Judum, the state government’s militia, which has been implicated in widespread abuses.

World Sikh Organization Statement on International Human Rights Day

Ottawa (December 10, 2010): The World Sikh Organization of Canada and Canadian Sikhs join the rest of the world in marking International Human Rights Day 2010. 62 years ago on this day, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which guarantees amongst other rights, the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the right to be free from torture. Read more »

World Sikh Organization Disappointed by ‘Air India Action Plan’

Ottawa: (December 7, 2010) The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) is disappointed by the Government of Canada’s ‘Air India Action Plan’. The Plan omits many of the key recommendations made by Justice John Major’s report including the establishment of a National Security Adviser, universal air cargo screening and appropriate compensation for the victims’ families.

“We have always felt that the families should be compensated. Justice Major recommended an arm’s length body be established to determine appropriate compensation but six months after the release of the Air India Report, it’s clear the Government is not taking this seriously and is in fact contributing to the ongoing frustration of the victims’ families.” said WSO President Prem Singh Vinning. Read more »

STATEMENT BY THE WSO ON THE NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE AND ACTION ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Ottawa December 6, 2010: The World Sikh Organization of Canada commemorates the National Day of Remembrance and Action Violence Against Women. On December 6, 1989, a gunman opened fire and took the lives of 14 innocent young women at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal.

On this day, we face some very grim statistics about violence against women in Canada: Read more »

Obama Head-Covering Controversy Unnecessary: WSO

Ottawa October 20, 2010:  The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) is disappointed to learn that US President Barack Obama may cancel his visit to Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple)  in Amritsar India due to concerns over the Sikh tradition of covering the head.  While all people, regardless of background, religion, gender or class are welcome to visit Gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship), visitors must cover their heads as per Sikh tradition. Read more »

My, how we have changed

Surrey Now
03/08/2010
SPECIAL TO THE SURREY NOW

When he was a boy, his classmates threw eggs at him the first day he worea turban to school. Today, Sarj, as he’s known to his friends, is moved to tears when he thinks about how his beloved city has grown to embrace his culture.

SURREY – July was such a big month as far as celebrations go. It’s really is the start of summer, as the weather really warms up around this time. 

We also have some of Surrey’s biggest events happen during the month of July. Specifically, I am talking about the City of Surrey’s Canada Day celebration and the Fusion Festival.  Read more »

Turban-wearing women buck trend

The Toronto Star has published an article about turban wearing Sikh women.

Disputing Sikh extremism

Ottawa Citizen
16/07/2010
Citizen Special

As a Sikh Canadian, who was born in a Toronto suburb, roots for the Leafs, did law at the University of Ottawa, and works for a human rights organization, I'm astounded to hear claims from politicians that so-called "Sikh extremism" in on the rise.

If that's the case, there's no word of it among the more than 400,000 members of the Canadian Sikh community. The only thing we see on the rise is racism fuelled by these reckless comments. Read more »

Opening Remarks - Prem Singh Vinning, President WSO Canada

June 3, 2010

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Honourable Guests; Ladies and gentlemen:

It gives me immense pleasure to welcome you to the 25th Parliamentary Dinner organized by the World Sikh Organization of Canada.

For the benefit of our guests let me briefly touch on who Sikhs are and what WSO does.

The Sikh religion was revealed and taught through Guru Nanak in the form of Ten Gurus (1469 -1708), and now through Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh Scripture) and the community of Sikhs. We are a world wide community of 25 million. Read more »

Why Canada should not have backed off on visa

The Times Of India
04/06/2010

Friends, I am honored by this opportunity to speak to such a distinguished audience, including so many MPs and diplomats. I am also honored to be speaking at this historic venue of the Canadian Parliament. Since my visit to Canada comes close on the heels of a controversy over the denial of visas to security personnel from India, I cannot help starting my address with a reference to it. This unforeseen controversy had served to highlight the seamy side of the Indian democracy. Read more »

Rise in Extremism or Rise in Hysteria? Canadian Sikhs Setting the Record Straight

It has been a tough month for Canadian Sikhs. The festival of Vaisakhi is supposed to be a time of celebration – when Sikhs have a public opportunity to share their values and explain their faith to their fellow Canadians. Instead, numerous incidents have occurred in recent weeks shifting the focus away from the Sikh principles of equality, compassion, freedom of expression, and religious freedom. Fuelled by misinformation and irresponsible leadership, public hysteria has grown over a supposed increase in extremism in the Sikh community. Read more »

RCMP probes threats against Dosanjh

Toronto Sun
23/04/2010

RCMP probes threats against Dosanjh
By QMI AGENCY
News: Toronto Sun
Last Updated: April 23, 2010 3:13pm

OTTAWA - Parliamentarians and the World Sikh Organization Friday condemned death threats against Ujjal Dosanjh as the RCMP launched an investigation of violent statements on a Facebook site that targeted the Vancouver South MP. Read more »

Understanding, not anger, is what we need

The Province
21/04/2010

Qualities of hospitality, friendliness have been forgotten in wake of weekend's unpleasantness

The friendliest welcome I have ever received while travelling abroad for The Province was when I visited Punjab in 2000.

At every stop, I was graciously invited into people's homes for meals and cups of sweet tea. They were invariably proud of their village and were anxious to share their stories with a visitor from Canada.

On the day I visited Amritsar, it was during a festival called Holi -- the festival of colours. Read more »

Vaisakhi celebration: A community of givers

Canwest News Service
16/04/2010

Doling out the hot jelebis at the communal kitchen in Surrey's Dasmesh Darbar Sikh temple, Babar Singh Tumber calls out to a group of young men enjoying his fare to remind them of the work to be done.

"We need to clean the Nishan Sahib," says the turbaned contractor, referring to the towering flagpole, which rises some 42 metres above the ground outside the gurdwara at the foot of 85th Avenue in Surrey.

The annual Vaisakhi parade draws thousands to the streets of Surrey: Photo by Arlen RedekopThe annual Vaisakhi parade draws thousands to the streets of Surrey: Photo by Arlen Redekop

Some key dates in a century of Sikhism in B.C.

The Province
16/04/2010

1904: The arrival of the first wave of Sikh immigrants. The census listed 258 Sikhs. Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Sikh Holy book was first brought to Canada by Bhai Arjan Singh. The scriptures were located at a house in Port Moody.

1905: For the next three years, 5,000 Sikhs came to Canada.

1906: A house was rented in Vancouver to start a Gurdwara or Sikh place of worship.

1907: Foundation stone of the Gurdwara for Khalsa Diwan Society was laid at 1866 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver. Read more »

In India, beaten US journalist becomes focus of police torture probe

A report on 'widespread and systemic' police torture in India was published today, focusing on the case of US journalist Joel Elliott. Mr. Elliott claims that Indian police beat him severely while he was in their custody.

"In India, beaten US journalist becomes focus of police torture probe"

By Ben Arnoldy, Staff writer The Christian Science Monitor

World Sikh Organization of Canada Offers Services Free Across Canada

Date: April 6, 2010

Time: 12:00pm

We would like to thank all of you for attending this Press Conference today, which is being held by the World Sikh Organization of Canada.

Let me first begin with the Introductions. My name is Gurdit Singh. I am the Vice President of BC region for WSO of Canada. With me I have Prem Singh Vinning the current President of the WSO Canada and Balpreet Singh Boparai, in house legal counsel for the WSO.

I will turn the stage to Balpreet Singh . Read more »

Apology for beard cutting incident not enough, Sikh leader says

Surrey Leader
26/03/2010

WSO President Prem Singh Vinning

Published: March 26, 2010 2:00 PM

A non-profit group that represents Sikh interests in Canada says the Fraser Health Authority (FHA) must do more than say it is sorry about an incident where a nurse cut off the beard of an elderly Sikh man shortly before he died. Read more »

Sikhs demand education training

Vancouver Province
26/03/2010

Elderly Sikh man had his beard cut off in care facility weeks before he died.

Dr. Nigel Murray, president and CEO of the Fraser Health Authority, appeared on a Punjabi radio station, Red FM, to apologize Wednesday after the incident of a Sikh man having his beard cut off became public.
Photograph by: Gerry Kahrmann File, The Province, The Province
An elderly Sikh man had his beard cut off weeks before he died while he was in a long-term health-care facility in New Westminster. Read more »

An apology just won't cut it this time

CKNW
26/03/2010

An apology just won't cut it this time
VANCOUVER/CKNW(AM980)
Brett Mineer Email news tips to Brett
3/26/2010

The World Sikh Organization of Canada wants the Fraser Health Authority to go a step further and implement cultural sensitivity training, after a Sikh man's beard was cut off by some well-intentioned workers. Read more »

Sikhs protest Toronto visit by Indian minister

Toronto Star
23/03/2010

An Indian minister’s visit and a private meeting with Premier Dalton McGuinty have unleashed a political maelstrom among Sikhs in the Toronto area, who say they will work to unseat the Liberals.

“Unless they make amends quickly, the Liberals will definitely lose this community’s votes,” said Harbans Jandali, president of Ontario Sikh and Gurdwara Council. “This is a sensitive issue for the Sikhs.” Read more »

Response of Some Politicians to Sikh Community’s Concerns Disappointing

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(March 23, 2010) - The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) is deeply disappointed by the response of some federal and provincial politicians to the concerns of the Sikh community about the visit of Indian cabinet minister Kamal Nath to Canada. Mr. Nath has been implicated in leading a mob that attacked Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, a prominent Sikh shrine, and burnt several Sikhs alive. While the Sikh community welcomes the statement by NDP Leader Jack Layton acknowledging the Sikh community's concerns and urging his caucus to not attend events featuring Mr. Read more »

Sikhs plan protest over politician's visit

Toronto Star
22/03/2010

Sikhs have called him a war criminal. A Nazi. Pol Pot.

He was one of the many accused of organizing pogroms against Sikhs in November 1984 after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards in New Delhi. More than 3,000 Sikhs were killed in four days.

Now Kamal Nath, minister for road transport and highways in India, is in Toronto. He is speak Tuesday at a reception hosted by the Canada-India Business Council at the King Edward Hotel.

Outraged Sikhs across the country are demanding that he be sent packing. Read more »

B.C. Sikh community raises $1.5M for Haiti

CBC News
22/01/2010

A Sikh temple and three South Asian radio stations in the Metro Vancouver area say they've raised $1.5 million in donations and pledges for victims of the Haitian earthquake.

At a joint news conference at the Guru Nanak Sikh temple in Surrey, east of Vancouver, temple president Bikramjit Singh Sandhar said members of the community opened their hearts and wallets after the Jan. 12 earthquake rocked Haiti. Read more »

WSO Calls on Sikh Community to Support Haiti Relief Effort

Ottawa – January 17, 2010:  The World Sikh Organization offers condolences to the victims of the tragic earthquake in Haiti and their loved ones. WSO encourages the Sikh community to offer its full assistance and support to the relief effort taking place.  The earthquake, which registered 7.0 on the Richter scale, has left Haiti, the western hemisphere’s poorest nation, in ruins and the dead numbering in the tens of thousands.
Read more »

World Sikh Organization of Canada Celebrates 25 Years and Announces New Executive

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 15, 2009) - The World Sikh Organization of Canada celebrated 25 years of service to the Sikh community in its Biennial Convention held on December 12th and 13th, 2009 in Mississauga Ontario. Sikhs from all across Canada assembled to focus on WSO's history and achievements as well as to shape the direction of WSO's advocacy going forward. The event culminated with the selection of WSO's newest President and Executive for the 2009-2011 term. Read more »

Sikh community donates $75,000 to Edmonton's Food Bank

Posted By Kevin Maimann/EXAMINER STAFF

Posted 4 days ago

Each and every (person) on this earth should be fed.
Edmonton's Sikh community stepped up with a hefty holiday donation for Edmonton's Food Bank last week.

The group gave over $75,000 and four tonnes of food in celebration of the 540th anniversary of the birth of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism.

"The response was tremendous," says radio host Gursharan Buttar of the Punjabi Media Association, who used a radio-a-thon to gather donations. Read more »

The new face of Canada's Sikhs

Globe And Mail
16/11/2009

Vancouver — From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Published on Monday, Nov. 16, 2009 10:03PM EST
Last updated on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009 4:18AM EST

Nineteen-year-old Gursimran Kaur puts gender equality and fighting domestic violence at the top of her agenda as a new member of the management committee at one of the largest Sikh temples in North America. Read more »

India: Prosecute Those Responsible for 1984 Massacre of Sikhs On 25th Anniversary of Revenge Killings, Organizers Remain Free

Human Rights Watch has posted an article titled Prosecute Those Responsible for 1984 Massacre of Sikhs

(New York) - The failure of successive Indian governments to bring to justice those responsible for mass revenge attacks on Sikhs after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi 25 years ago is a severe blot on India's legal system and democracy, Human Rights Watch said today... Read more »

Vanoc permits Sikhs to wear kirpans at 2010 Winter Games venues

VANCOUVER (October 15, 2009) – To ease access to 2010 VancouverOlympic and Paralympic Games events for those adhering to Sikh religious tenets, the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit (V2010 ISU) has developedguidelines that enable the wearing of the kirpan as an article of faith for initiatedor Amritdhari Sikhs.

The new guidelines were developed in consultation with representatives of theSikh community to ensure those who carry the kirpan as part of their religious practice are able to attend Olympic and Paralympic events. Read more »

Une nouvelle directive de sécuritépermet aux sikhs Amritdhari deporter le kirpan sur les sites desJeux d’hiver de 2010 à Vancouver

VANCOUVER (15 octobre 2009) – Dans le but de faciliter l’accès des personnes deconfession religieuse sikhe aux activités entourant les Jeux olympiques etparalympiques de 2010 à Vancouver, le Groupe intégré de la sécurité –Vancouver 2010 (GIS V2010) a élaboré une directive qui permet aux sikhs initiér ouAmritdhari de porter le kirpan comme « marque de foi ».

BC Sikhs Making It Happen

The Sikh Research Institute located in San Antonio, Texas, have releaed a paper titled "BC Sikhs Making It Happen". Read more »

Corrupt Democracy in India

Corrupt Democracy in India is an article posted over at The Nation that is worth a read:

Sexual abuse in police stations. Crimes "solved" by countless extrajudicial killings. Life-threatening prison conditions. Widespread torture. Thousands of unpunished murders in politically inspired pogroms. Sixty million children in forced labor. Read more »

Respect diversity, accept the kirpans

Calgary Herald
05/08/2009

What is all the fuss about kirpans? And why did they suddenly become an issue at Gurdas Maan's concert at the Telus Convention Centre when they've never been an issue at public venues in Calgary before? Read more »

Sikhs' knives out over kirpan controversy

Owen Sound Sun Times
Posted By TARINA WHITE, SUN MEDIA

The World Sikh Organization of Canada is calling on Calgary Telus Convention Centre management to apologize for shutting down a concert after some ticket holders refused to remove their ceremonial daggers.

Jasbeer Singh, spokesman for the World Sikh Organization of Canada, yesterday said he's furious about the decision because the Supreme Court of Canada has already ruled that banning kirpans infringes on Charter guarantees of religious freedom. Read more »

Sikhs want apology from convention centre over kirpan issue

Calgary Sun
05/08/2009

The World Sikh Organization of Canada is calling on Calgary Telus Convention Centre management to apologize for shutting down a concert after some ticket holders refused to remove their ceremonial daggers.

Jasbeer Singh, spokesman for the World Sikh Organization of Canada, yesterday said he's furious about the decision because the Supreme Court of Canada has already ruled that banning kirpans infringes on Charter guarantees of religious freedom. Read more »

World must help Tamil victims of Sri-Lankan war against LTTE

Ottawa – June 29, 2009:  The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) calls upon the world community and specifically the United Nations and the governments of Canada, the United States and U.K. to take timely and effective actions to put an end to the suffering of the innocent Tamil people of Sri Lanka who, after three decades of hardship resulting from a conflict between LTTE and the state, are now displaced from their homes. Read more »

Ethnic Minorities Continue to Face Employment Challenges in Canada

Ottawa (May 21, 2009) – The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) expresses its deep concern over a CBC report in ‘The National’ on May 20, 2009 indicating the severe degree of discrimination faced by Canadians with non Anglo-Saxon names, as they seek to join Canada’s work force.

Long believed to be the case, it has now been factually and statistically established very credibly by the University of British Columbia, that people with non-English names are 40% less likely to be called for an interview. Read more »

World Sikh Organization Extends Condolences

The Sikh community of Canada joins the nation of Pakistan and all friends of democracy in mourning the tragic death of Mrs. Benazir Bhutto.

Her love for the people and nation of Pakistan and pursuit of economic, political and societal development through democratic means gave her the courage of conviction and conscience to continue her struggle against formidable odds. Read more »

Breaking the Silence

The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) has read the story "Operation Silence" by Tehelka.com with considerable interest. Read more »

WSO Intervener in the Air India Inquiry

Ottawa - As an intervener in the Air India Inquiry, the World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) made an opening statement outlining today presented information regarding the Sikh community to the Air India Inquiry, and requested vigilance in the terminology employed to discuss the events surrounding Air India, flight 182. Read more »

Canadian Brig Gen Parsons's recruiting pitch to Halifax Sikhs.

Brig.- Gen. Rick Parsons, right, flanked by Maj. Harjit Sajjan, listens to a musical performance at the Maritime Sikh Society Gurdwara in Halifax on Sunday. (PETER PARSONS/Staff) Read more »

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