The office of Canada’s opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has cancelled a Diwali celebration scheduled to take place at Parliament Hill amid the ongoing diplomatic standoff with India.
No explanation was given to the event’s organisers—the Overseas Friends of India Canada (OFIC)—regarding the cancellation of the celebration, which was to be hosted by Conservative Member of Parliament Todd Doherty.
The group flagged the issue in an open letter alleging “racial bias” by the Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre. OFIC president Shiv Bhasker wrote a letter to Pierre Poilievre, expressing dismay over the decision.
In a letter to Pierre Poilievre, Bhasker wrote that several political leaders, who had attended the event in previous years, suddenly withdrew this year, leaving the community “feeling betrayed and unjustly singled out.”
OFIC President has called for an apology from Pierre Poilievre, condemning what he described as an “insensitive and discriminatory act.” He emphasised that while tensions between New Delhi and Ottawa are serious, they should not lead to unfair treatment of Canadians of Indian origin, who have no ties to the Indian government.
At the November 2023 Diwali celebration, Poilievre and then-High Commissioner of India to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, were among those who addressed the gathering, which saw around 540 guests in attendance.
“This is not just about a cancelled Diwali event or an event where the politicians renege on their commitment to attend; it is about a much deeper and insidious problem. Racism and discrimination are thriving in Canada, and this latest development has laid bare the systemic biases that still exist,” Bhasker wrote.
Diaspora group demands apology for ‘insensitive act’
The group chief further demanded an apology for the “insensitive and discriminatory act” of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and said that they expect actionable course of action to address the “systemic racism and bias that led to this decision”.
“We need to see a commitment to ensuring that no community in Canada is ever made to feel like second-class citizens because of their cultural or ethnic background,” he said.
The ties between India and Canada hit an all-time low after Ottawa alleged Indian diplomats were involved in collecting information and using criminal gangs for targeting members of the pro-Khalistan movement. India recalled its top envoy to Ottawa and expelled six Canadian diplomats from the country.
