Ottawa, Canada: The World Sikh Organization of Canada has welcomed the news that an official apology by the Office of the Prime Minister in the House of Commons is forthcoming in the following weeks. The Komagata Maru incident has been a blemish in Canadian history when fear, xenophobia and racism dictated immigration policies, blocking a ship of legally landed migrants from entering Canada.
The WSO is proud to have worked alongside other organizations in expanding the awareness of the Komagata Maru incident amongst many in Canada. The apology evidences this government’s commitment to correcting historical wrongs so we can all move forward as one unified people. We are hopeful that this once horrific chapter in Canadian history can serve to remind us of our collective duty as Canadians to help those seeking refuge an opportunity to start over while contributing to the very fabric of Canadian society.
WSO Senior Vice President, Jasbir Kaur Randhawa said, “This was long overdue and the people of Canada have been asking for this for 102 years now. We are pleased that this was announced and are hopeful that Canadians will use this as positive momentum to reaffirming our commitment to our collective duty of helping those in need no matter where they come from.”
WSO President, Mukhbir Singh said, “Yesterday’s Vaisakhi celebration program on Parliament Hill was a great celebration of the birth of the Khalsa and Sikhs’ history in Canada. The Prime Minister’s announcement of the forthcoming apology allows Canadians to finally move away from a sad chapter in our history. This announcement was the right action to take and we are pleased to hear the forthcoming apology.”
To learn more about the Komagata Maru incident please visit: http://komagatamarujourney.ca