Canada Opposition leader Poilievre cancels Diwali event at Parliament Hill, slammed for 'insensitive act'
Canada’s opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has cancelled the Diwali celebrations, slated to take place at Parliament Hill, amid the ongoing diplomatic row with India.
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FollowAmid already strained diplomatic relations between India and Canada, a fresh controversy has erupted involving Canada’s Leader of the Opposition, Pierre Poilievre. His office abruptly canceled a planned Diwali celebration at Parliament Hill, a move that has left the Indian diaspora feeling alienated and unrepresented. According to the Overseas Friends of India Canada (OFIC), the event, originally set to be hosted by Conservative MP Todd Doherty on October 30, was canceled without “any explanation whatsoever,” only adding fuel to the ongoing diplomatic rift.
The backdrop of this tension dates to mid-October, when Canada expelled several Indian diplomats, connecting them to the 2023 assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. In response, India swiftly ordered the expulsion of Canadian diplomats from its soil, escalating the already fraught relations between the two nations.
OFIC, the organizing body behind the Diwali festivities, conveyed its “extreme disappointment” in a letter to Poilievre, criticizing the sudden decision. “For the past 23 years, Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs have looked forward to participating in this joyous occasion to share and celebrate this day with all our Canadian brothers and sisters,” OFIC President Shiv Bhasker stated in the letter.
He added that the cancellation, fueled by recent political tensions, has left many Indo-Canadians feeling “betrayed” and “unjustly singled out.”
Bhasker argued that these recent developments unfairly target Canadians of Indian descent, who “have no connection to the actions or decisions of a foreign government.”
The letter further expressed frustration over how the political leaders have blurred the lines between the Canadian Indian community and India’s governmental actions. “By canceling their participation, our political leaders have failed to draw a necessary distinction between the Canadian Indian community and the actions of the Indian government,” Bhasker continued.
“This is not just about a cancelled Diwali event or an event where the politicians renege on their commitment to attend; it is about a much deeper and insidious problem. Racism and discrimination are thriving in Canada, and this latest development has laid bare the systemic biases that still exist,” Bhasker wrote.
OFIC demands apology
The OFIC called on Poilievre’s office to issue a formal apology, terming the cancellation of Diwali celebrations event as “insensitive and discriminatory" act. Bhasker said, “More than just words, we expect a clear and actionable course of action to address the systemic racism and bias that led to this decision. It is not enough to offer empty platitudes or generalized statements of support—we need to see real change. We need to see a commitment to ensuring that no community in Canada is ever made to feel like second-class citizens because of their cultural or ethnic background.”
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