<p>In a major surprise for the million-strong Indo-Canadian community, first-time MP Bal Gosal from the Toronto constituency of Bramalea-Gore-Malton was made minister of state for sport by Prime Minister Stephen Harper whose Conservative Party was returned to power with a majority in the May 2 elections.<br /><br />A Sikh from Mukundpur village near Jalandhar, 50-year-old Gosal, who is an insurance broker by profession, had defeated Sikh stalwart and six-time MP Gurbax Malhi. Malhi himself had created history in 1993 by becoming the first Sikh turbaned MP in the western world.<br /><br />Tim Uppal, a 37-year-old Canadian-born turbaned Sikh from Edmonton, was also made minister of state for democratic reform. This is Uppal's second term in the Canadian parliament.<br /><br />However, what shocked many in the Indo-Canadian community was the omission of senior-most MP Deepak Obhrai from the ministry. A six-time MP from Calgary, Obhrai was a parliamentary secretary in the outgoing ministry. Many community leaders, who had pushed his name for a Cabinet berth, were disappointed with his omission.<br /><br />"I have nothing to say and will talk to you later,'' Obhrai told IANS when asked about his exclusion from the cabinet.<br /><br />"A cabinet berth for Obhrai looks impossible now as all 39 ministerial berths are full. Hopefully, they will accommodate him in some diplomatic position,'' former Canada-India Business Council president Kam Rathee tol IANS.<br /><br />"I think the PM has done a smart job by including two Indians in Cabinet for the first time - one MP from eastern Canada (Bal Gosal) and one from western Canada (Tim Uppal). But Obhrai deserved a berth for his work to promote Canada-Indian ties,'' said Gujarati business Hemant Shah.<br /><br />Indeed, it is the first time that there will be two Indian faces in the Canadian cabinet. <br /><br />Former health minister Ujjal Dosanjh of the Liberal Party was the last Indian face in the Canadian Cabinet from 2004 to 2006.<br /><br />In the new cabinet, John Baird will be Canada's next foreign minister. Jason Kenney retains his immigration portfolio.<br /><br />In the 308-member parliament, there are nine MPs of Indian origin.<br /><br /><br /></p>
<p>In a major surprise for the million-strong Indo-Canadian community, first-time MP Bal Gosal from the Toronto constituency of Bramalea-Gore-Malton was made minister of state for sport by Prime Minister Stephen Harper whose Conservative Party was returned to power with a majority in the May 2 elections.<br /><br />A Sikh from Mukundpur village near Jalandhar, 50-year-old Gosal, who is an insurance broker by profession, had defeated Sikh stalwart and six-time MP Gurbax Malhi. Malhi himself had created history in 1993 by becoming the first Sikh turbaned MP in the western world.<br /><br />Tim Uppal, a 37-year-old Canadian-born turbaned Sikh from Edmonton, was also made minister of state for democratic reform. This is Uppal's second term in the Canadian parliament.<br /><br />However, what shocked many in the Indo-Canadian community was the omission of senior-most MP Deepak Obhrai from the ministry. A six-time MP from Calgary, Obhrai was a parliamentary secretary in the outgoing ministry. Many community leaders, who had pushed his name for a Cabinet berth, were disappointed with his omission.<br /><br />"I have nothing to say and will talk to you later,'' Obhrai told IANS when asked about his exclusion from the cabinet.<br /><br />"A cabinet berth for Obhrai looks impossible now as all 39 ministerial berths are full. Hopefully, they will accommodate him in some diplomatic position,'' former Canada-India Business Council president Kam Rathee tol IANS.<br /><br />"I think the PM has done a smart job by including two Indians in Cabinet for the first time - one MP from eastern Canada (Bal Gosal) and one from western Canada (Tim Uppal). But Obhrai deserved a berth for his work to promote Canada-Indian ties,'' said Gujarati business Hemant Shah.<br /><br />Indeed, it is the first time that there will be two Indian faces in the Canadian cabinet. <br /><br />Former health minister Ujjal Dosanjh of the Liberal Party was the last Indian face in the Canadian Cabinet from 2004 to 2006.<br /><br />In the new cabinet, John Baird will be Canada's next foreign minister. Jason Kenney retains his immigration portfolio.<br /><br />In the 308-member parliament, there are nine MPs of Indian origin.<br /><br /><br /></p>