Toronto: Speaking at the Sikh Heritage Month, Conservative Party leader and Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre said, “The time has come to recognise and take guidance from the incredible contribution that the Sikh community has made to our country.” The month of April is celebrated as Sikh Heritage Month in Canada every year.
He said that since the early days of the 20th century, Sikhs started coming to Canada and brought with them the essence of their history, culture and traditions. With this, our land was also enriched and we started adopting diversity openly and we opened our arms to others as well. Poilievre said that the Sikhs who left the land of five rivers opened the way for new lives not only for themselves but also for their children and others.
Sikhs also brought with them their values, love, compassion, charity and loyalty. Many Sikhs were able to bring with them very little money and only a few selected things in the name of their property. But the values that the Sikhs have built by coming here will not be erased for many generations to come and will become an example for many generations of Sikhs to come.
Today, 800,000 Sikhs call Canada their home and our country is proud that we have such a larger Sikh community than anywhere else in the world. Sikhs have established their own identity in every sector and industry of our country and have also played an important role in the development of our country. For the past 120 years, their gurdwaras have been a beacon of light for communities, where the needy are always helped and shown a ray of hope.
Pierre Poilievre said that on behalf of the Conservative Party of Canada, he extends his advance greetings to the entire Sikh community for this month’s Baisakhi celebrations and thank them for their selfless contribution to the country.
He also said that he encourages all Canadians to take the time to learn more about the remarkable history of the Sikhs and the heritage of the Sikhs.