JOIN USThe upcoming federal general elections in Canada will have a sizeable presence of Punjabi expatriates vying for a place in the House of Commons. The elections are scheduled for October 19.
The number of Indo-Canadian candidates in fray this time is close to double since last elections. In certain constituencies including Brampton, Surrey Newton and Edmonton, all the three major political parties – the Conservative, Liberal and the New Democratic Party (NDP) – have shown far greater reliance on Punjabi candidates, positioning them against each other.
In at least seven constituencies, Punjabi candidates are pitted against each other, assuring at least the same number of MP’s to the House of Commons.
None of the parties is willing to let go of the political advantage of the increasing vote bank of the community that has prospered and contributed to nation building both in Canada and back home in Punjab.
Over 38 prominent Indo-Canadian candidates are in fray against 23 in the 2011 elections. Indications are that the House of Commons could see a rise in the number of Parliamentarians of Indian origin.
Currently, there are eight MP’s of Indian origin in the House of Commons. The nearly two-fold jump in the number of Punjabi candidates points towards the mounted reliance of prime political parties on Indian candidates to secure votes of the community.
Constituencies of Brampton, Surrey, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and more have a significant presence of Punjabis.
The community flaunts its significant nearly 30 per cent of proportion in population in Brampton East alone.
Consider Surrey Newton, where the poll contest is being keenly watched. This is the place which has a sizeable Punjabi community which is why all the three major parties have preferred an Indo-Canadian face to woo voters.
While the Liberals have gone with Sukh Dhaliwal, the NDP is content with its sitting MP Jinni Sims as its nominee. The Conservatives have gone with Harpreet Singh as the party candidate against the two.
In Brampton East, NDP’s Harbaljit Singh is pitted against Raj Grewal of the Liberal party.
In Edmonton, sitting MP Tim Uppal, who is one of the two MP’s of the outgoing federal cabinet, is contesting against Amarjeet Kohli of the Liberal party. The federal general elections are being held for 338 seats in the House of Commons.
In the fray
Bal Gosal, Rameshwar Sangha, Martin Singh, Parm Gill, Kamal Khera, Narinder Thind, Navdeep Bains, Jagdish Grewal, Darshan Kang, Devinder Shory, Amarjeet Kohli,
Tim Uppal, Sukh Dhaliwal, Harpreet Singh, Jinni Sins, Harbaljit Singh, Raj Grewal, Nina Grewal, Deepak Oberoi.