Sikh MPs in Canada Urged to Address Quebec’s Turban Ban
Tarlochan Singh, the former chairman of India’s National Commission of Minorities, has urged Sikh MPs in Canada to take a stand against Quebec’s controversial law, known as Bill 21. Adopted in June 2019, the law bans public servants, such as police officers, teachers, and judges, from wearing religious symbols, including turbans, kippahs, and hijabs, while at work. Singh has called on the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Sikh leaders to follow the example of their UK counterparts, who successfully had similar legislation amended to protect Sikh symbols.
Singh, who is on a brief visit to Canada, expressed his dismay at the ongoing enforcement of the law, which was upheld by Quebec’s Court of Appeal in early 2024. “This is more serious than the law in France,” Singh stated, referring to the ban on turbans for Sikh students in French public schools. He highlighted that Sikhs are the only religious group where long, uncut hair covered by a turban is a religious requirement and expressed confusion over the silence of Sikh MPs in Canada on the issue.
Singh emphasized that the Sikh community must appeal to the Chief Minister of Quebec to reconsider the law and called for support from other religious leaders, particularly the Catholic hierarchy. He praised the persistence of Sikhs in the UK for securing legal protection for their symbols and urged similar efforts in Canada to fight discrimination.