Conservative MP Jasraj Singh Hallan
WSO, Conservative MPs disappointed on exclusion of Punjab from expanded Canada-India Air Agreement, call to start direct flights between Amritsar and Canada
OTTAWA, ON: Conservative MPs and World Sikh Organization (WSO) have expressed their disappointment in excluding Punjab from the recently expanded Canada-India Air Agreement that lifted the limit on number of flights between India and Canada.
While expanded transport relationships and the potential of greater flight options are a positive development, Sikhs in Canada were disappointed to see that airports in Punjab were not included in the agreement.
The Agreement provides for unlimited flights between Canada and India between selected airports, however, excludes Amritsar and Chandigarh in Punjab, which is home to the majority of the Sikh community and the destination of the majority of travellers from Canada.
The World Sikh Organization of Canada has written to Canadian Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra.
Also in a letter addressed to Air Canada, MPs Tim Uppal, Jasraj Singh Hallan, Bradley Vis and Mark Strahl called for direct flights between Canada and Amritsar to bolster tourism and empower families to stay connected.
“As Conservative MPs, it’s our mission to empower people and cut unnecessary bureaucratic red tape. Thanks to the over 14,000 Canadians who signed my petition to establish direct flights between Canada and Amritsar, government is clearing the way for take-off,” said Vis.
Many families living in Canada have direct ties to family, friends and businesses in the Punjab, however current travel between destinations is lengthy and arduous.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the significant need of flights from Amritsar directly to Canada. At the time of initial lockdowns, 30,000 Canadians were in India when border closures and flight cancellations took effect forcing the federal government to instate 37 repatriation flights, many directly out of Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport to Pearson International Airport in Toronto. “The pandemic has shown us that direct flights from Amritsar to Canada is both feasible for airlines and met by a high demand for travellers,” mentioned the letter by Conservative MPs.
There are currently no direct flights between Canada to Amritsar, India, requiring travellers to make multiple stops along their journey. As the city of the Golden Temple and an important pilgrimage site for hundreds of thousands of our constituents establishing a direct flight would lend to stronger relationships between our countries.
“As you know, Canada is home to a large Sikh community which has strong connections to Punjab. Many Sikhs in Canada have advocated for years to create direct flight options between Canada and Amritsar, without success. A majority of travelers between Canada and India are connected to Punjab. As a result of no direct travel options between Canada and Punjab, these travelers are forced to spend substantial extra time and money in order to reach their destinations,” said Tejinder Singh Sidhu, President, WSO of Canada.
Since the start of the pandemic, Canadian travelers to India continue to face significant hardships such as the continued suspension of the Indian e-visa scheme, which has been restarted for countries such as the USA, Australia, France, Mexico and many others. As a result, Canadians seeking Indian visas are forced to wait between four and six weeks for a visa or wait in line outside of Indian Visa Application centres for hours. Indian ten-year visas which were restored for citizens in other countries, continue to be suspended in Canada.
“So, while the expanded Canada-India Air Transport Agreement may be a positive development for travelers to Kolkata and Chennai, it has left many Sikhs in Canada disappointed and wondering why Punjab has once again been excluded. We would request that you work with your Indian counterparts to ease the hardships faced by Canadian travelers to India but also to heed the long-standing demand of creating direct travel links between Canada and Punjab,” the letter stated.
