AdminBRAMPTON — On the special occasion of Vaisakhi, the Canadian government Monday announced the implementation of a policy accommodating the wearing of kirpan — a ceremonial sword or dagger — in Canadian diplomatic missions around the world. Under the new policy, Sikh visitors to Canadian diplomatic missions will be permitted to wear kirpans provided they […]
BRAMPTON — On the special occasion of Vaisakhi, the Canadian government Monday announced the implementation of a policy accommodating the wearing of kirpan — a ceremonial sword or dagger — in Canadian diplomatic missions around the world.
Under the new policy, Sikh visitors to Canadian diplomatic missions will be permitted to wear kirpans provided they are secured within a sheath, attached to a fabric belt, and worn under clothing across the torso. The individual should also be in possession of the four other Sikh articles of faith. Minister of State Tim Uppal made the announcement at a ceremony at Brampton’s Khalsa Community School to mark the birth of the Khalsa — the Order of the Pure Ones, introduced by Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Guru of Sikhs in 1699.
“Canada’s diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and freedom of religion is a fundamental Canadian value,” said Uppal, who was making the announcement on behalf of Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird. “Our government’s new kirpan policy will serve as an example and promote Canadian values around the world.”
The strategy follows recent accommodation policies for the kirpan in courthouses in Toronto, Alberta and British Columbia. World Sikh Organisation (WSO) works with the government to craft such policies.
“The accommodation of the kirpan at Canadian diplomatic missions around the world is a deeply significant move that shows that the Government of Canada understands and respects the significance of the kirpan to Sikhs,” said Amritpal Singh Shergill, president of WSO Canada.
~ Nouman Khalil
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