The Ontario Gurdwaras Committee (OGC; Punjabi: ਓਨਟੇਰੀਓ ਗੁਰਦੁਵਾਰਾਜ਼ ਕਮੇਟੀ) is an independent, non-profit organization representing over 20 gurdwaras—Sikh places of worship—located in Ontario and Quebec.[1][2] It organizes such events as the annual Khalsa Day parade in Mississauga.[3]
ਓਨਟੇਰੀਓ ਗੁਰਦੁਵਾਰਾਜ਼ ਕਮੇਟੀ | |
_logo.jpg){kind=logo} Official logo | |
 Gurdwara Dasmesh Darbar in Brampton, Ontario | |
| Abbreviation | OGC |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1985 |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Purpose | Management of gurdwaras and safeguarding Sikh interests |
| Headquarters | Sri Guru Nanak Sikh Centre, Brampton, Ontario |
Region | Ontario, Quebec, Eastern Canada |
Membership | 20 gurdwaras |
Spokesperson | Amarjit Singh Mann |
| Affiliations | British Columbia Sikh Gurdwaras Council, Sikh Sports Club Ontario, Sikh Students Association, Sikh Federation UK |
Staff | 1 |
Volunteers | over 500 |
| Website | ontariogurdwarascommittee |
It should not be confused with the Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwara Council (OSGC), another organization.[4]
Community activities edit
Khalsa Day Parade edit
The OGC organizes the annual Khalsa Day parade in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), crossing two different cities in two different regional municipalities.
From 2001 until 2004, the route of the parade was wholly in the City of Mississauga, where it began at Sri Guru Singh Sabha and culminated at the Ontario Khalsa Darbar. In 2001, the parade had over 100,000 attendees.[5]
Since 2009, the parade has been held during the first Sunday in May every year—the date was chosen by OGC so that it will be the sole major event in the GTA that weekend.[6]
Over 100,000 people attended the parade in 2012.[3] In 2013, over 100,000 again participated in the celebrations which started at the Sri Guru Singh Sabha located in the Malton neighbourhood of Mississauga and culminated at the Sikh Spiritual Centre located in Toronto, Ontario.
In 2018, the Khalsa Day Parade saw over 250,000 people attend. The parade was started by First Nations in a move towards reconciliation of the fact that diaspora Sikhs are settlers in traditional First Nations lands.[citation needed]
Other edit
The Ontario Gurdwaras Committee also participates in various community and interfaith dialogues.
On August 11, 2012, at Nathan Phillips Square located within Toronto City Hall, the OGC along with other Sikh and non-Sikh organizations and institutions held a candlelight vigil in honour of those murdered in the Wisconsin Sikh Temple Shooting.[7] Also in 2012, the OGC stood in solidarity with the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting which took place in Newtown Connecticut. In addition to attending a multi-faith vigil, a simran was held in memory of the victims at Sri Guru Singh Sabha, a OGC member gurdwara in Malton Ontario.[8]
In 2013, OGC was part of an interfaith coalition against casinos in Ontario, as a signatory to the "Interfaith Statement Opposing Casino Expansion in Ontario" in April that year.[9]
Through its member gurdwara, Sri Guru Nanak Sikh Centre (Glidden Road), the OGC also supported the Campaign against Child Poverty.[10]
On April 1, 2014, the Ontario Gurdwaras Committee took part in the inauguration of April as Sikh Heritage Month in the Province of Ontario.[11] These celebrations were held in Queens Park and hosted by Jagmeet Singh, Member of Provincial Parliament for Bramalea—Gore—Malton.[12]
In 2016, the OGC, along with the OSGC and the Punjabi media in Ontario, made a joint effort to provide aid to those affected by the Fort McMurray wildfire by collectively donating over $400,000 dollars on behalf of the Sikh community of Ontario. The funds were provided directly to Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and the mayor of RM of Wood Buffalo Melissa Blake.[13]
On a local level, the OGC held a community town hall in cooperation with United Sikhs to address the increase in youth violence in the Brampton area of Ontario.[14] Hundreds of community residents attended the town hall, so much so that many had to be turned away at the door. Members of the Peel Regional Police as well as local elected officials made a number of promises to community members. The OGC promised to work with youth by having anti-violence and newcomer orientations at its member gurdwaras.[15]
Lobbying against Government of India edit
In early 2018, the OGC led a worldwide initiative to stop the continued interference of the Government of India in the domestic and internal affairs of the Sikh diaspora.[16]
OGC instigated a ban of Indian officials from entering the premises of Sikh places of worship in any official capacity.[17] Eventually, over 400 gurdwaras in Canada, Australia, Europe and the United States of America, as well as many other countries, signed on to this effort.[18]
That year, the OGC also wrote a notice and lobbied Canadian Members of Parliament regarding the matter.
Following lobbying in regards to the Indian government's pressure tactics on the City of Brampton to not allow an independent Punjab Pavilion in the annual Carabram program, the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland offered a stiff reply against the Government of India.[19] In May 2018, an improvised explosive device was set off outside the Bombay Bhel restaurant in Mississauga by unknown individuals. After the Government of India set up an information line, both the OGC as well the Peel Regional Police rebuked the move for immediately undermining and interfering with an ongoing police investigation.[20]
In March 2023, following the 2021 federal election and ahead of the 2025 election, the OGC teamed up with the British Columbia Gurdwaras Council to publish a report calling out alleged Indian interference in Canada's politics.[21] The report notes:[2]
These activities include infiltrating Sikh Gurdwaras, recruiting informants and agent provocateurs within the community, deceptively interjecting the Indian narratives into Canadian media reporting, and influencing Canadian diplomats, security officers and MPs.
The report called on the Canadian government to take a tougher approach on the foreign interference file—legally, through the Criminal Code and the Canada Elections Act, and diplomatically, by declaring diplomats persona non grata where the evidence warrants so. The OGC and BCGC also called on Canada's national security agencies to disclose relevant information about India's record of election meddling and political interference in Canada.[2][21]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Sikh Canadians celebrate religious festival Vaisakhi with parade". Toronto Star. 6 May 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
- ^ a b c "Indian Foreign Interference in Canada" (report). British Columbia Gurdwaras Council and Ontario Gurdwaras Committee. March 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
- ^ a b "Thousands to participate in Sikh religious parade Sunday, expect road closures". Etobicoke Guardian. Zuza.com. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
- ^ "Gurdwaras in Ontario Reaffirm Akal Takhat Hukamnama Forbidding Anand Karaj Ceremonies in Banquet Facilities, Golf Courses and Hotel Resorts". Sikh Siyasat News. Sikh Siyasat Bureau. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ "Sikh fest spectacular". Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
- ^ "Khalsa Day in Malton". 29 April 2009.
- ^ "GTA vigil this Saturday for gurdwara shooting | South Asian Focus". Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
- ^ "Ontario Gurdwara Committee (OGC) offer condolences to the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting | Sikh Siyasat News". sikhsiyasat.net. Archived from the original on 6 June 2017.
- ^ http://nocasinotoronto.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Signatories-Interfaith-April-4-2013.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ http://www.childpoverty.com/eng/pdf/Faith_Ad.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Brampton MPP's bill passes to create Sikh Heritage Month". 11 December 2013.
- ^ "Canadian MPP Jagmeet Singh Officially Launches Sikh Heritage Month in Ontario". Sikh24.Com. 4 April 2014.
- ^ "Rachel Notley on Facebook". Facebook. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022.[user-generated source]
- ^ "Ontario Gurdwaras Committee organizes community town hall after violent events in Brampton | Indo-Canadian Voice". 22 June 2018.
- ^ "Brampton town hall on youth violence attracts hundreds". 26 June 2018.
- ^ "Canada: Ontario gurdwaras ban officials representing India". 2 January 2018.
- ^ "14 gurdwaras in Canada ban entry of Indian officials". 3 January 2018.
- ^ "16 more gurdwaras in Canada, 96 in US ban entry of Indian officials". 9 January 2018.
- ^ "Freeland criticizes Indian diplomats for interfering in Ontario cultural festival".
- ^ "Bombay Bhel owners grateful the 15 victims of bomb explosion released from hospital". Toronto Star. 27 May 2018.
- ^ a b Tunney, Catharine. 2023 March 21. "A public probe of foreign election interference should also look at India, Sikh organizations say." CBC News. Retrieved 2023-04-28.