Friday, June 19, 2026
ADVT 
National

Punjabi Now Third Language In Canada's House Of Commons

Darpan News Desk IANS, 02 Nov, 2015 11:12 AM
    In total, 23 MPs of Indian-origin were elected after October 19 general elections. Three of the 23 MPs do not speak Punjabi, Hill Times online reported on Monday.
     
    Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau, who won from Papineau, Quebec constituency, will unveil his cabinet later this week. Some of Punjabi-speaking MPs are expected to be included in the Cabinet.
     
    Meanwhile, Navdeep Bains of Liberal Party said that the elected 20 Punjabi-speaking MPs represent all constituents regardless of their party affiliation or ethnic origin.
     
    "It speaks to our commitment to diversity and allowing individual to play an important role in our political institutions," Bains said.
     
     
    "The main issue to understand is that we have a very clear mandate to execute our platform and we also have a responsibility to represent our constituents, which are very diverse," he added.
     
    "The voice of the Indo-Canadian community will now be very well represented in the parliament. In the overall aspect of it, the South Asian community won," Deepak Obhrai of Conservative Party was quoted as saying.
     
    According to Statistics Canada's 2011 National Household Survey, 430,705 Canadians identified Punjabi as their mother tongue, making it the third most common language after English and French, the report in the daily said.
     
    The 430,705 native Punjabi speakers make up about 1.3 percent of Canada's population and the 20 Punjabi-speaking MPs represent almost six percent of the House of Commons, the report added.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Manitoba Cabinet Minister Who Challenged Premier Seeks Federal Office

    Manitoba Cabinet Minister Who Challenged Premier Seeks Federal Office
    A former Manitoba cabinet minister who questioned Premier Greg Selinger's leadership plans to resign her provincial seat and run for the federal New Democrats in the Oct. 19 election.

    Manitoba Cabinet Minister Who Challenged Premier Seeks Federal Office

    Nurse Practitioner Sets Up Easy Access Auto Injectors To Help With Severe Allergic Reactions

    Nurse Practitioner Sets Up Easy Access Auto Injectors To Help With Severe Allergic Reactions
    A nurse practitioner hopes to prevent needless deaths from severe allergic reactions by installing publicly accessible auto injectors of epinephrine in prominent locations in Sussex, N.B.

    Nurse Practitioner Sets Up Easy Access Auto Injectors To Help With Severe Allergic Reactions

    Leader Of Quebec's Third Party Says Province Needs More Say On Language, Immigration

    Leader Of Quebec's Third Party Says Province Needs More Say On Language, Immigration
    Francois Legault, leader of Coalition for Quebec's Future, asked Quebecers to embrace his call for a new nationalism, which would "create a strong Quebec in Canada."

    Leader Of Quebec's Third Party Says Province Needs More Say On Language, Immigration

    Quebec Government Mulls Lowering Income Taxes, Raising Qst To Increase Revenues

    Finance Minister Carlos Leitao told reporters today the government would reduce income taxes first before following up with sales tax hike.

    Quebec Government Mulls Lowering Income Taxes, Raising Qst To Increase Revenues

    Laura's To Close Just 15 Stores After Security Lower Rents, Supplier Discounts

    Laura's To Close Just 15 Stores After Security Lower Rents, Supplier Discounts
    The Montreal-based company will close 15 stores on Sept. 13, according to a court filing in Quebec Superior Court. None of the locations were disclosed.

    Laura's To Close Just 15 Stores After Security Lower Rents, Supplier Discounts

    Targeted Shooting In Abbotsford Claims Life Of Innocent 74-Year-Old-Man Standing Outside His House

    Targeted Shooting In Abbotsford Claims Life Of Innocent 74-Year-Old-Man Standing Outside His House
    An innocent bystander has been killed in Abbotsford, B.C., after being caught in the violence of a targeted shooting.

    Targeted Shooting In Abbotsford Claims Life Of Innocent 74-Year-Old-Man Standing Outside His House