Harper to try to Kiss Some More Minority A$$

Being a member of a visible minority, I feel I can rightfully use that title.

Anyways... Word has it, that in his continued attempt to buy minority votes, Stephen Harper may be making a key announcement at a Sikh Festival (Mela) in Surrey BC, today.

A few months ago, Stephen Harper was asked (while commenting on paying reparations to Chinese Canadians), about reparations for Sikh Canadians (or their families) who had perished or suffered during the Komagata Maru incident. Our wise "worldy" PM knew nothing about the incident, or the atrocities committed against East Indian Canadians in 1914 (see link above for details).

For years, members of my community have been asking for an apology, or some sort of reparations. We understand that there are many factors to consider (not the least, reparations for 100s of other groups who also feel they rightfully deserve consideration). We know that this decision has to be taken very carefully, or Canadian taxpayers could be on the hook for billions of dollars.

From what we hear, today our shameless PM - who had no idea what this incident was - is going to try to buy some urban Vancouver and Toronto votes, with the cheap cost of a verbal apology. Shame on the PM for stooping to such a level. Members of his party were the very people who lined up to sign petitions BANNING SIKHS WITH TURBANS FROM SERVING IN THE RCMP. Now this very conservative man - from a party whose policies would never to anything to help the vast majority of immigrants, or assist in their urban challenges - is going to try to buy some votes...

It is absolutely sickening to see this weak attempt to buy votes. Unfortunately, there will be those in my community (Gurmant & Nina Grewal) who will trade pride, principle, and ideology for a few brief moments of backbench ("shut up and speak when we ask you to") glory.

While ridiculous popularity contests of first generation Punjabis still occur in urban areas to this day, thankfully - with the elections of bright young second generation folks like Navdeep Bains and Ruby Dhalla - we will see an end to this "popularity over principles" politics. In the meantime, a community which could never benefit from most conservative policy (especially this brand of neoCon reactionary conservatism) will have to suffer through a few more months/years of the "new Conservatives".

I will be checking out the Mela tomorrow, and may have some pictures to post...