Canada: Pierre Poilievre steps up outreach to Indo-Canadians ahead of federal polls
Poilievre was at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, in Toronto, on Friday, and performed a puja at the temple
Toronto: As the campaign for the Canadian Federal election enters its home stretch, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre reached out to the Indo-Canadian community, visiting a major Hindu temple in Toronto and then attending a Khalsa Day parade in Surrey, British Columbia.
Poilievre was at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, in Toronto, on Friday, and performed a puja at the temple.
“Thank you to Toronto’s BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir and the Hindu community for your inspiring service to Canada through faith, community, and selfless giving,” he posted on X.
The temple, in a post on Facebook, said that Poilievre “experienced the vibrant spirit of community, service, and faith.”
“He joined in prayers alongside community members, sharing hopes for peace and prosperity in Canada and beyond,” it added.
Hours later, Poilievre was at the Surrey Khalsa Day parade, which attracted over 500,000 visitors, making it the largest such gathering outside India.
The outlet Vancouver Sun and Surrey Now-Leader marked his presence at the Surrey celebration.
However, the parade also witnessed a visible presence of pro-Khalistan separatists including Sikhs for Justice or SFJ, which is organising the so-called Khalistan Referendum.
Asked what SFJ’s presence was like at the event, its general counsel Gurpatwant Pannun described it as “big time.” He shared videos of pro-Khalistan slogans being raised at the parade, along with banners and a float with effigies of Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, shown behind bars. He said that “thousands carrying Khalistan flags marched in solidarity behind it.”
In a statement, Pannun said it “launched” its “provocative Kill India-Khalistan Referendum” campaign at the parade with voting scheduled in Vancouver on November 1.
Canadian Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Mark Carney was not at the parade, as he was campaigning in Whitby in Ontario.
Carney, though had also visited the BAPS Mandir in Toronto earlier this month.
New Democratic Party or NDP leader Jagmeet Singh also attended the Surrey parade.
Reacting to Poilievre’s visiting the BAPS temple, the Hindu Canadian Foundation or HCF, in a post on X, asked, “How do you perceive the impact of Khalistani extremism on Canadians, and what measures would you support to address this issue?”
