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Sikhs fight to name cadet corps
Sikhs from across Canada are banding together to persuade the Canadian military to allow the formation of the first ever Sikh Cadets.
A petition launched this week has already garnered thousands of signatures, said Babbar Singh Tumber, a director of the Friends of the Sikh Cadet Corps Society.
The campaign was launched after the Canadian military voiced opposition to the cadet group including the title 'Sikh' saying that it implied non-inclusiveness.
The story broke on Vancouverdesi.com this week, and has already garnered worldwide reaction.
According to Kimberley Caron, spokeswoman for director cadets and junior Canadian rangers, they believed the name gave the wrong idea, reported Vancouverdesi.com.
“The issue is it’s got to be all inclusive,” she said, adding the name might insinuate non-Sikh youth can’t join.
“You want to make sure that the program is all inclusive for all Canadian youth between the ages of 12 and 18,” she said. “We want Sikh youth to join, we want non-Sikh youth to join… everybody.”
But according to Sewak, the cadet constitution clearly states that any youth, regardless of background, is permitted to join an cadet corps, regardless of the heritage that corps draws inspiration from - be it Highlanders, Hussars, Scots, or Irish. On those grounds, there is no basis for the exclusivity allegation against a corps that just happens to be drawing inspiration from Sikh soldiers.
He added also that the Scoeity had been in discussions with the military for about a year and no one had objected to the new unit’s name and they had received the green light each step of the way.
The society has used the name to open a bank account, send out official letters, and recruit members. Uniforms and shoes and special turbans have already been ordered. An official launch was scheduled for Sept. 19 at the Sikh Academy in Surrey.
Narinder Singh, Head Priest Gurudwara Dukh Niwaran said the Canadian Forces are wrong to reject the use of the Sikh name.
“After all the sacrifices Sikh soldiers made fighting both world wars and so many other campaigns, to name a cadet unit is justly deserved. Sikh regiments in the British and Commonwealth Armies fought on the front lines of those wars - they did not fight only for Sikhs, they fought for all free people in the World,” he said.
Narinder Singh said Sikhs practice an open faith, there are no restrictions for others to come to Sikh places of worship.
“Our faith is based on the recognition of one humanity.”
Gian Singh Gill, Dasmesh Darbar President said the community has been monitoring closely the development of the Sikh Cadets.
“It was our understanding everyone was on the same page, that the name had been granted. “
We feel betrayed. If the Canadian Armed Forces had no intent of honouring their commitment they should not have strung us along. They should have been honest with the community from the beginning.”
The World Sikh Organization of Canada is also offering their full support to the Surrey community in the fight for the Surrey Sikh cadet corps, it announced Tuesday.
“We'll back up any petition they have put out,” Senior Policy Advisor Gian Singh Sandhu told media.
“(We're) insisting that the government needs to come to the table and discuss with the community.”
According to Director of the Friends of the Sikh Cadet Corps Society, Parghat Singh Bhurji, numerous community members visited him after the story broke.
“The community is really upset,” said Bhurji. “Everybody wanted their kids in it because of the name.”
Bhurji, along with members of Surrey’s South Asian community – including school boards and temples - have united to put together a petition in an effort to fight for the Sikh Cadet Corps.
And according to Sandhu, the WSO is backing them 100 per cent.
But Friends of the Sikh Cadet Corps Society have yet to hear anything from the government.
“We served with distinction in world wars and no one had a concern,” said Sandhu. “If they had a concern they should have at least sat with the committee and discussed it.”
“Being called the ‘Surrey Sikhs’ would honour and celebrate the history of Sikh regiments and would be no different than names currently in use honouring other historic regiments such as the Highlanders, Irish or Hussars,” WSO President Prem Singh Vinning said in a release.
The organization is calling for a review of the decision
Harbinder Singh said however, that he is optimistic that once a dialogue is renewed, a solution can be reached to the current impasse.
"We do not want our kids to be deprived of this valuable opportunity to learn the common ground that exists between Sikh principles and Canadian values."
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