With the passage of the Turban Day Act by Manitoba’s Legislative Assembly, April 13 will henceforth be recognised as Turban Day throughout the province. While introducing the Bill, Diljeet Singh Brar, the MLA for Burrows, stated that it was vital to establish a day that recognises the turban as a part of Canada’s diversity and pluralism.
The Turban Day Act was filed as a private member’s bill in the Manitoba House of Assembly. On March 24, 2022, the Bill received its first reading, followed by a second reading on April 7 and a third reading on May 26. On June 1, it received Royal Assent.
Despite the fact that the New Democratic Party (NDP) is the primary opposition party in the Manitoba legislature, Diljeet Singh Brar, MLA Burrows, claims that the Bill was approved unanimously and without any opposition. 35 members of the Progressive Conservative Party, 18 members of the New Democratic Party, and three members of the Liberal Party make up the House’s 57 members. “There was not a single vote against the law, and it had bipartisan support,” Brar added.
“Each year, April 13 is to be known across Manitoba as Turban Day,” according to the Act. It goes on to say that the turban is significant not just as a religious symbol of ultimate faith for the Sikh community, but also as a statement of respect and dignity. Giving the turban formal status would also help to raise awareness about the bigotry that Sikhs still suffer in Canada, according to the Act.
The birth of the Khalsa Panth is commemorated on Baisakhi or Vaisakhi, which happens on April 13 or 14 each year. On this day in 1699, the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, established the Khalsa Panth among his disciples at Anandpur Sahib. Baisakhi is an important event commemorating the founding of the Khalsa Panth.
MLA Brar, who introduced the bill, claims that despite contributing significantly to Canada’s development and being an integral part of society, Sikh Canadians continue to face racism and discrimination on a variety of levels, and that a day that officially recognises the turban as a part of Canada’s diversity and multiculturalism was urgently needed.
After the Federal Parliament enacted the Bill in 2019 and it received Royal Assent, April is designated as Sikh Heritage Month in Canada.
Sikhs make up only 1.4 percent of Canada’s population (about 5 lakh), yet they hold important positions in the government and political system. Canada is still the most popular immigration destination for Punjabis, not only Sikhs.
