Sikhs in Vancouver - Discussion

November 9th, 2005 by admin

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa,
Vaheguru ji ki fatheh!

There were some interesting posts made on the Gurdwara Tapoban Sahib website phorum regarding Sikhs in Vancouver.

We are posting them here, and we request you to e-mail us at sikhyouth@shaw.ca with your comments and suggestions or go directly to the Tapoban.org forum and post your comments there.

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa,
Vaheguru ji ki fatheh!

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Author: “” “”

October 2002 – Oswal Hospital Ludhiana. At a conference on Radiotherapy and cancer organized by the hospital Dr. Hoskins from Vancouver came as a participant. I inquired from Dr. Hoskins that he must have come across several Sikhs in his town and what does he know about the Sikhs. He remarked that “I have seen their noisy processions and that they are a law and order problem for their country.” I had the small booklet on Guru Granth Sahib – Light House of Humanity and asked Dr. Hoskins to read a few lines from the book. When he read, “Men of charity gift away the riches they gather through sin……. Women love their men for their money……. The Kazi mutters Khuda-Khuda (God) and accepting bribes does injustice………..Greed like that of a dog, cheating and slander…….and self-praise are our actions”. He read underneath Guru Nanak and asked me, Who was Guru Nanak? I informed him that Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism. He was extremely surprised and felt that how could Guru Nanak be the founder of the religion which was being portrayed by the Sikhs at Vancouver. He was very happy to get the small booklet containing extracts from Guru Granth Sahib.

EXTRACT from:-
DR. KULDIP SINGH
M.S. (Pb.) F.R.C.S. (Edin), D.M.R.T. (London)
F.R.C.R. (England), M.A.M.S. (India)
Ex. Prof. & Head Radiotherapy CMC Ludhiana (1973-76)
Retd. Professor & Head (1982-87)
Department of Surgery
PGIMER, CHANDIGARH Telefax : 772980
Ex President Institute of Sikh Studies Chandigarh (1992-98)
Founder Trustee: SatyaMev Jayate Mission Trust Regd.

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Author: Jagjit Singh

waheguru ji kekhalsa, waheguru ji ke fateh

Pyare jio, Sikhs in vancouver seem to have managed to makes themselves the “pakistanis” of canada. By this I mean, as the UK look at the pakistani youth, in the same way Sikhs are percieved in BC.

Since in every other part of the world, Sikhs have earned themselves a good name, why specifically in BC are they getting such a bad name?

Firstly Sikhs have to accept the criticisim has some truth. The level of violence between punjabis in BC is at crisis point. In UK, if 3 punjabi boys were shot dead, you would have a national outcry. But if you believe the Vancouver Sun, then over 100 youths have been shot dead in BC. This is far too many.

Secondly Sikh youth in BC have yet to hit the media and community with positive youth projects to get the youth away from drugs and community seva.

Thirdly, the Gurdwaras have lost control of the community and seem incapable of addressing these problems.

Lastly, you have the Kim Bolan effect. This one journalist has demonised a whole community. Is there not one educated Gursikh in BC who can sit down go through all her reports and create a report highlight her numerous inaccuracies, assumptions and exaggerations? if you do this, then community leaders can present this to the vancouver Sun for a response. You have to create a dossier of her mis-information.

SOLUTIONS

1) Create a sikh youth organisation which highlights positive sikh stories to the media. Stories of high accomplishments, and humanity.
2) Be far more vocal and start condemning the gang violence and tackle the problem by working with the authorities.
3) Start using the internet to start countering Kim Bolan by responding with articulate debate against her “sensationalistic” brand of journalism.
4) Start working with young kids doing Sikhi camps to stop kids getting into gangs.
5) Challenge Gurdwara leaders to take responsibility for the community problems, especially when gangs are linked to Gurdwara committees.
6) BC SIKHyouth and other Sikh organisations should call a joint conference with Police, politicians, community leaders to create Sikh awareness and show that the community is ready to confront its problems.
7 ) Start projects where weekly Gurdwaras are giving langar to homeless.

Essentially, sikh youth have to start to create their own vioce via their own groups, and cannot waste time waiting for Gurdwara committees, but you can start challenging them to do more.. Create groups like we have SCAN -Sikh Community Action Network in Slough to address social probelms.

If Sikhs in vancouver continue to sit in their homes and ignore it. It will bite you anyway, with a stereotype being built that will reduce opportunities for you and your kids in BC.

waheguru ji kekhalsa, waheguru ji ke fateh

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