A commemoration, a retraction, and a donation will be among the highlights of this year’s mammoth Vaisakhi parade in Surrey, which is expected to draw around 300,000 people from the Pacific Northwest.

Held annually to commemorate one of the most important religious events on the Sikh calendar, the Surrey celebration is one of the largest Vaisakhi or Khalsa Day parade in the world outside of India.

“It’s a special day to celebrate the Sikh religion and Canadian values,” said Kirpal Mann, a Surrey resident.

“This year it's extra special because of what has happened in the last few days,” said Mann.

He was referring to Ottawa’s decision last Friday to remove references to the Sikh religion that was in the 2018 Public Report on the Terrorism Threat to Canada.

The change to the language in the report follows several months of advocacy and protests by the Sikh community.

World Sikh Organisation President Mukhbir Singh said: “the removal of the term ‘Sikh (Khalistani) Extremism’ from the 2018 Public Safety Terror Report is an important step in addressing the concerns of the Sikh community.”

The change was made just before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan joined the Vancouver Vaisakhi parade last Saturday.

The updated version of the report no longer lists “Sikh extremism,” but rather discusses the threat posed by “extremists who support violent means to establish an independent state within India.”

Earlier, the B.C. Government declared April 13, 2019, as “The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Day” to mark one of the darkest days in India that occurred 100 years ago.

On April 13, 1919, troops from the British army in India, which was under UK rule, fired on a group of unarmed Punjabi civilians in Jallianwala Bagh public garden. The crowds were gathered to protest the British government's forced conscription of Indians to join the armed forces and also the war tax which threatened to cripple the Indian economy. The holy city of Amritsar was placed under martial law and the direct rule of Brigadier General Reginald Dyer to quash demonstrations. Thousands of Sikhs gathered in Amritsar on April 13 for the religion's annual Baisakhi festival, with many of these crowdings in Jallianwala Bagh, unaware of Dyer's ban on public events. Without warning, Dyer commanded his troops to surround the group and open fire, killing 379 and injuring thousands.

The proclamation urged British Columbians to reflect on the event and recognize the contribution of Indian Canadians over the past 100 years.

April is also Sikh Heritage Month in British Columbia.

In honour of Vaisakhi, B.C. premier John Horgan announced $1 million in funding for the historic Victoria-based Sikh Gurdwara last weekend.

The Gurdwara – a Victoria-based Sikh temple on Topaz Avenue – was designed in 1912 for the Khalsa Diwan Society (KDS), pioneers of the city’s original Sikh community. It is one of the two oldest operating Gurdwaras in North America and members say it is in need of repairs and upgrades to meet the needs of its growing and aging community.

“Vaisakhi celebrations are an opportunity for everyone to come together, experience the generosity of the Sikh community and share in delicious food, great entertainment and colourful festivities.

“Our government will always champion human rights, diversity, and inclusion, and work to make life better for every person, in every community.”

The Surrey parade, which will begin and end at the Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar on 85th Ave., flows with the float carrying the Guru Granth Sahib, the religious text of Sikhism.

Along the route there will also be live music and dancers and free distribution of food.