Pariahs to power brokers, Oct. 9
The Star published an article recounting the rise of Sikhs in Canada. While the authors skimmed through the accomplishments of a dozen Sikh men, the only woman mentioned at all was Minister Bardish Chaggar.
From their arrival in Canada, Sikh women have been pivotal in shaping the country’s landscape. The first Sikh woman in Canada in 1912, Harnam Kaur, was a community organizer and changed the immigrant narrative. Sikh women in the House of Commons include (the aforementioned) Bardish Chaggar, Ruby Sahota and Sonia Sidhu. Most recently, the first Sikh judge appointed to the B.C. Supreme Court was a turbaned woman, Palbinder Shergill.
As we write the history of Sikhs in Canada, it is vital to know that Sikh women exist, too. They worked twice as hard as their male counterparts and deserve to have the authors write their names and know their stories.