Jalandhar, June 6: A large number of Punjabis are participating in the June 7 Ontario provincial polls again and in a big way.
All three major political outfits the Liberals, National Democratic Party (NDP) and the Progressive Conservative Party (PC) are not only banking heavily on South Asians in general and Punjabis in particular, but they have also given “adequate representation” to these communities by way of fielding them as their candidates.
Punjabi faces are dominating the lists of candidates of all three political parties of Ontario a sign of rising influence of the Punjabi diaspora on Canada’s political horizon.
Jagmeet Singh has already wrested the top position of the NDP as its national president. He is being considered a “potent threat” to the country’s top Liberal leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the times to come.
All 124 ridings (constituencies) of Ontario are going to the polls on June 7.
A perusal of lists of candidates indicates that the maximum number of nine Punjabi candidates have been fielded by the PC, followed by seven by the Liberals and four by the NDP in the Ontario polls.
Brampton and Mississauga — the two suburbs of Toronto dominated by Punjabis, South Asians and Muslims — have emerged as the epicentre of the provincial elections.
The Ontario polls were seen this time as an election for a change for the voters were seemingly looking for a new alternative after having been served by the Liberal Party for last 15 years.
The ‘winds of change’ were blowing so fast that the Liberal Party could even lose the official party status for which, a party needs at least eights seats.
The Liberals were considered to be the important political outfit for Punjabis for they have been claiming and projecting themselves as the “champions” of protection of rights of migrants. On the other hand, the PC had the image of a party which was considered to represent the Canadian natives more. The PDP was known for its slight left leanings.
The issues at play in Ontario polls: Hydro, healthcare and high auto insurance.
Source Tribune India
