My first racial experience of Canada in 1980
British Columbia, Dec. 12, 2008
By Lt Col Pritam Singh Jauhal (Retd) World War II Veteran
Immigrating to Canada in April 1980, the very first thing I was
told was that hardly any Sikh wears his turban in Canada, because
Caucasians make fun of him, using disrespectful and derogatory
language and by calling him names. I also learnt that though Canada’s
Human Rights Act 1971 forbids discrimination based on race, colour,
ancestry, place of origin, political belief and religion, the
Sikhs generally continued to be discriminated against. Racially
motivated incidents including scribbling insulting and derogatory
phrases on walls of their houses and cars, rocks throwing, burning
their houses and other properties, was a daily affair. Not only
that, even death threats were made against them more often than
not.
Having worn a turban all my life including during fighting in
World War II alongside the Canadians, I was shocked and taken
aback to learn that incidents of racism continue to occur in a
well-known multicultural, multiracial and multi-religious country
such as Canada, where antiracial Day is celebrated during the
last week of March every year.
I had half a mind to go back to India. But after a serious and
thorough consideration, especially because my children had also
migrated to Canada, I decided to stay here, come what may and
face untoward situations tactfully and boldly, in the future.
As luck would have it, few days later, during my evening walk
on a sidewalk East of Intersection formed by King George Highway
and 100 Avenue in Surrey, I noticed an old blue car coming from
the opposite direction. Seeing me wearing a turban, the car occupants,
yelled at me from a distance and said “Hey Paki! Go back
to your Country.” They repeated it a number of times. As
the light at the Intersection ahead of their car, turned red,
it slowed down and came to a halt. I also stopped nearly 10 metres
away from their car. I noticed that two teen-aged boys and a girl
between them, were seated on front seat of the car.
One of the guys and a girl came out of the car. I asked them as
to why they had been yelling at me? The boy replied “ We
want you to go back to your country“. He spoke in a normal
voice for a change this time. There was no shouting whatsoever.
I responded that Canada, like him, was also my country. That was
why I was here. They retorted that they were Canadian-born, whereas
I had come from some other country. I replied, that being the
case, their elders too, like me have come from other counties.
The arguments from both sides continued for a while
Suddenly, the girl, maybe realizing that they had not been able
to convince me or my arguments were not to their liking, got a
fully grown German Shepherd dog out of their car. Both, the girl
and boy ordered their dog repeatedly to attack me. Despite their
repeated orders, the dog did not move even an inch towards me.
If that was not a miracle what else could it be? Since I had done
no harm to the teenagers or their car, the dog did not obey his
masters. It appeared that the Almighty God has bestowed the dog
more wisdom than the two teenagers. Seeing this, I told them firmly
and unhesitatingly that I had seen enough of blood during World
War II and other Wars. I am therefore, not scared of their dog
or them.
As the boy and girl along with their dog were getting into car,
I approached them and asked them to take a personal message from
me for their forefathers. I said you tell them that you came across
a retired Indian Army Colonel and narrate exactly what transpired
between you and me. I further said, you tell them that the Colonel
has challenged them that if they, accompanied by all members of
their families leave Canada for good tomorrow, I will take my
children away from Canada, the day following. That day has yet
not come, nor it ever will.
To be on the safe side, I reported the matter to the Surrey R.C.M.P
telephonically.
