BC Liberals Award Medal Of Good Citizenship To Komagata Maru Apology Seeker Whom They Hope To Turn Into “Vote Herder” In Surrey

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BC Liberals with probably some assistance from “King-Maker” Prem Vinning has chosen to give Medal Of Good Citizenship to man who made it his mission to get an official apology for the Komagata Maru incident and whom the Liberals are hoping will become a “Voter-Herder” for them in Surrey where they have messed up big time with their Indo-Canadian backers with Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Peter Fassbender will most likely do down to a focused Jagrup Brar and even former Cop Amrik Virk is in trouble of losing his seat.

VANCOUVER – BC Liberals with probably assistance from “King-Maker” Prem Vinning has chosen to give Medal Of Good Citizenship to man who made it his mission to get an official apology for the Komagata Maru incident and whom the Liberals are hoping will become a “Voter-Herder” for them in Surrey where they have messed up big time with their Indo-Canadian backers with Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Peter Fassbender will most likely do down to a focused Jagrup Brar and even former Cop Amrik Virk is in trouble of losing his seat.

Fassbender, on behalf of Premier Christy Clark, presented Sahib Thind, a well-known for annual Mela Gadri-Babayan Da event, with the province’s newest honour, the Medal of Good Citizenship, which Clark is conveniently using to gather up support, in this case in the ethnic hub of Surrey, ahead of the upcoming elections.

“Honouring Sahib Thind with the Medal of Good Citizenship is another way that the Province can recognize the deep hurt that was done to a community more than a 100 years ago when the Komagata Maru and its passengers were turned away. With his perseverance, he has shown that it is never too late to heal history’s wounds, learn from past mistakes, and for a civil society to find a common path forward,” said Clark.

The ceremony was held at 3:15 p.m. last Friday, March 17, in the Drawing Room at the Teahouse in Stanley Park, 7501 Stanley Park Dr., Vancouver.

“I am humbled to receive this honour. It will be shared with the diverse group of members of our secular, non-partisan human rights foundation. These men and women stood with us for almost a quarter century, as we worked to obtain an official commons apology for the Komagata Maru tragedy. Today, I thank them all. We will continue to support human rights and promote peace and harmony through our annual Mela (Festival) Gadri Babeyan Da, and our other efforts, both in Canada and abroad,” Thind said.

Launched in July 2015 by Clark, the prestigious Medal of Good Citizenship recognizes individuals who, through exceptional long-term service, have made outstanding contributions to their communities without expectation of remuneration or reward. The medal reflects their generosity, service, acts of selflessness and contributions to community life. Nominations for the Medal of Good Citizenship are accepted year-round.

Thind will be honoured with the medal for his dedication to his unwavering dedication to human rights, although his opponents and enemies would probably disagree with that assessment.

For almost a quarter century, he had been the driving force for a formal Parliamentary apology for the 1914 Komagata Maru incident in which hundreds of passengers from India who sought refuge in the country and province were denied entry to Canada and turned away without benefit of the fair and impartial treatment benefitting a society where people of all cultures are welcomed and accepted.

His foundation, the Professor Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation, criss-crossed Canada, and travelled abroad to bring attention to the cause and lobby for an official Parliamentary apology in various legislative assemblies, including those in B.C. and in the Indian State of Punjab. All of the travel costs were personally paid for by Thind.

The Professor Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation lobbied the B.C. provincial government for an apology for its role in this tragedy. After 94 years, the B.C. legislature unanimously passed a motion on May 23, 2008, apologizing for the Komagata Maru incident. “This house deeply regrets that the passengers who sought refuge were turned away,” said Liberal House Leader Mike de Jong.

In May 2016, the federal government apologized for the Komagata Maru incident and for his part in this struggle, Thind and his organization, has been recognized in the Punjab State legislature in India, and in the Canadian Parliament.

With the official Komagata Maru apology in hand, Thind is continuing his efforts, and expanding his actions to include issues faced by many other communities by working to establish diverse curricula in all Canadian provinces.

As well the non-partisan, non-denominational, human rights foundation hosts the Mela Gadri Babiyan Da in Bear Creek Park in Surrey, with Thind leading all organizational efforts. The festival, which invites South Asian performers from around the world, is attended by 70,000-100,000 festival-goers. It is all put on by volunteers, and the foundation charges no admission.

Quick Facts:

* The Medal of Good Citizenship was launched in 2015 to recognize individuals who, through exceptional long-term volunteer efforts, have made outstanding contributions to the well-being of their communities.

* Nominations for the Medal of Good Citizenship are accepted year-round.

* An independent Selection Committee reviews nominations and recommends recipients.

* All regions in the province were represented on the Medal of Good Citizenship Selection Committee and members came from various professional backgrounds.