Saturday, June 20, 2020

Canada PM backs Sikh leader Jagmeet Singh, calls his expulsion for calling out racism disappointing


Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP politician Jagmeet Singh

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday criticised political party Bloc Quebecois for not recognising systematic racism in the country., reported Global News. Trudeau also supported Opposition party leader Jagmeet Singh who was temporarily expelled from the House of Commons for calling another MP racist.
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP politician Jagmeet Singh
On June 17, a controversy began after Bloc Quebecois’ politician  Alain Therrien refused to sign Singh’s New Democratic Party’s motion recognising systemic racism in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, according to CBC. The motion highlighted that “several indigenous people have died at the hands of the RCMP in recent months....” Following a heated debate, Singh accused Therrien of being racist and was subsequently asked to leave the House for the remainder of the day.
It is disappointing that the Bloc Quebecois continues to refuse to accept that systemic discrimination, systemic racism exists within our country, in every part of our country and in all our institutions,” Trudeau said during a media briefing on Thursday. “Recognising systemic discrimination is the important first step towards being able to address it.”
Canada PM backs Sikh leader Jagmeet Singh, calls his expulsion for calling out racism disappointing
Trudeau added that Singh had raised a conversation that was bound to make some people uncomfortable, but asserted that they were still necessary. “[With] regards to Mr Singh, I think it’s important that we recognise that racialised Canadians whose lived reality is discrimination...all too often...are allowed to make people uncomfortable in bringing out these issues,” he said.


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