An alarming rise in anti-immigrant sentiment in Canada, particularly targeting the Indian and Sikh communities, has prompted calls for action from Indo-Canadian leaders. Hardeep Grewal, a Sikh member of Ontario’s Provincial Parliament, publicly shared a recent hate-filled encounter while with his family in Muskoka. In a post on X, Grewal detailed being subjected to slurs, including “Hey turban head, go home,” and “You all should die,” describing the experience as “exhausting and painful.”
This incident follows other troubling signs. In Mississauga, hateful graffiti reading “Indian rats” appeared near a children’s park, stoking fear in the community. The Peel Regional Police, which oversees much of the Greater Toronto Area, has now established a centralised Hate Crime Unit. Deputy Chief Mark Dapat stated, “Acts of hate have no place in our community.”
Experts link this surge in xenophobia to economic struggles and the influence of anti-immigration rhetoric in the U.S. under former President Donald Trump. Naresh Chavda of the National Alliance of Indo-Canadians called the silence from political leaders “unacceptable.”
Sikhs, in particular, are more visible due to religious attire, making them frequent targets. A recent survey found that 60% of Canadians believe the country no longer needs new immigrants, underscoring the growing societal shift.
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