Manpreet K Chandpuri

Toronto

When you love someone you don’t stop trying for their happiness and well-being.

Mum says, “Don’t be distracted from food while eating”; mum says, “Get 8 hours of sleep every single day instead of catching up over the weekend”; mum says, “rise and sleep with the sun”; mum says, “Don’t follow trends, develop your individual style”; mum says, “it’s better to be alone than to be in bad company”; mum says, “Don’t ever grovel before anyone”; mum says, “always do your duty regardless of whether it is appreciated”; mum says, “self-respect is more important than money”; mum says, “siblings are for keeps”; and mum says, “the most important thing in life is peace of mind.”

 All good things and the list goes on; but the best lessons that I have learned from my mother are the ones that she has not intended to teach me. Unbeknownst to her, mum has taught me more by the way she has led her life than by giving explicit advice. Actions always speak louder than words and leave a lasting impact on many an impressionable mind.

The biggest lesson from mum is to never give up on the happiness and well-being of the people you love. Every so often a friend, a relative or a child fails, either in life or in living up to our expectations; and we are quick to jump to the conclusion that the person is beyond redemption. We give up on people too quickly; but not my mum, she roots for her near ones and tries to do her best for them.

 A more practical person might think that she is fighting a battle lost from the word “go”. There are times when we are so exhausted from fighting life’s countless battles that we give up on our dreams and aspirations. In those times having a loved one who believes in us and is rooting for us, can change our perspective. My mum’s childlike faith in people is so touching that it has brought tears to my eyes on more occasions than one. The lesson that I have learned is that when you love someone you don’t stop trying for their happiness and well-being.

My mum is the ideal eldest sibling, the one who left no stone unturned to make sure that all the younger siblings were settled in their respective homes and careers. Being a daughter in a traditional Indian home settling the younger siblings wasn’t her responsibility but she willingly took that responsibility because she loved them and wanted the very best for them. Her siblings might have let her down but her loyalty and devotion to them never wavered. She still adores them and still stands up for them. All her siblings are well settled now and have grown-up children but my mum is still very protective of them and refuses to hear a word of criticism against them. The lesson that I have learned: “Siblings should protect each other.” Do not join the rest of the world in pulling a sibling down; shield them like a protective cocoon, and stand up for them.

I must have been about six at the time when I was playing around the house one day and I broke an ornate mirror; I was scared of telling my mother about it. Nevertheless, I mustered all my courage and told her about what I had done.

 Contrary to my expectations, she shrugged it off and said, “so what!” She assured me that it was too trivial a matter to be concerned about and ascertained that I didn’t have an iota of guilt. That was my first lesson that when it’s a case of things versus people the choice is very easy.

Mum has had her ups and downs but she hasn’t lost perspective that people matter more than things. She hasn’t lost sleep over material things but she has lost sleep over a near one’s suffering. All of us have had our share of monetary losses, its useless to shed tears over them; in the ultimate analysis, we are defined not by our material gains and losses but by the friendships and relationships that we nurture and the memories we create.

Amneet Singh

Ottawa

Growing up as Punjabi speaking kid, born and raised inLondon,Ontariowhere a turban and a beard were less than common, I always wondered what it felt like when my non-Punjabi or Sikh friends would celebrate Christmas, Channukah or Eid. To be honest, growing up as the only turbanned kid on the block, I kind of felt left out!

It wasn’t until a truly Canadian experience in my high schools years that I realized Vaisakhi to me, was what Christmas was to many of my friends. All the excitement, family, friends, laughs and joy, these were emotions that we shared in moments of celebration universally. Obvious, right? Well, not really.

Here’s how my genius was sparked. Every year my family and I would attend the large Vaisakhi Parade through the streets of downtownToronto, where we’d be greeted by a stage full of politicians, disconnected and speaking political lines upon deaf ears. But, one particular year that experience changed – as I walked through a sea of orange, amongst thousands of Punjabis and Sikhs, over my right shoulder was Jack Layton, hands folded, head raised, walking the Parade!

It may sound silly, but this simple gesture spoke volumes. For years, Vaisakhi was a political stage that no one really cared about, where politicians shook a few hands, struggled for more minutes on the microphone and left as quickly as they arrived, but for Jack, Vaisakhi meant more. For the first time ever, a politician took the time to enjoy the Punjabi-Canadian experience, to celebrate, share more than a few moments with the community and show a special kind of respect.

As many of us know, we lost Jack over a year ago now and with him we lost a great politician and a human being. But Jack gifted us with a new kind of politics, one that was about everyday people and making the experience of all Canadians, a little better with every gesture.

Today, the NDP carries on that legacy, with Tom Mulcair as the Leader of the Official Opposition andCanada’s New Democrats. Vaisakhi isn’t a political opportunity for New Democrats but a renewal of a bond forged with every step taken by Jack during that Parade. With each passing year, Tom Mulcair has demonstrated that stages mean less and respect means more.

Last year, Tom Mulcair made a Vaisakhi promise and he kept it. As Leader of the Official Opposition of Canada, he dedicated his first Opposition Day motion as leader of Canada’s New Democrats with a demand that the Government of Canada apologize for the Komagata Tragedy officially in the House of Commons, the Conservatives disagreed.

This year, Tom Mulcair initiated the largest and most successful consultation withCanada’s Punjabi community in the Party’s history to mark Vaisakhi. But, that’s not all. After hearing the concerns of Punjabi Canadians across the country about the lack of recognition for a community that has over one hundreds years of history inCanada- Tom Mulcair andCanada’s New Democrats acted.

On April 6^th, 2013 in the city ofBramptonOntario,Canada’s NDP announced their support for the recognition of Punjabis inCanada by calling for establishment of April to be designated as Punjabi Heritage Month in all ofCanada.

For me, with real politics for real people – Vaisakhi has become a little more Canadian every year.

You can support the petition by logging onto www.punjabiheritagemonth.ca

Ontario Soccer Association in Vaughan was a sight of Garba celebrations on Oct 20^th. Men, women, and children dressed in traditional dresses celebrated Navratri with great deal of zeal. Navratri is a very important and major festival in the western state of Gujarat and Mumbai, during which the traditional dance of Gujarat called ‘Garba’ is widely performed. This festival is celebrated with great zeal in North India as well including Bihar, West Bengal and the northern state of Punjab.

The festival at Ontario Soccer Association was organized by Swar Sadhana Music School. More information about the school can be found at www.swarsadhana.ca.

Garba is good for “culture inCanada” says Varun Panchal, a photographer who has a degree in Business Finance fromCentennialCollege. It is an opportunity for all communities “to come together and dance on one floor,” he told Generation Next.

Born inCalcutta, Mallika Kapur is now studying to be a doctor atMcMasterUniversity. She wanted to be a lawyer initially, only to discover that “I didn’t really like arguing with people,” however she was also not sure if she was “ready for the commitment” to study long and hard to be a doctor.

Mallika is also leading a research study looking into the implications of diabetes management within the South Asian population in Canada. Her family moved back toIndiafromCanadaas her “dad wanted to work inIndia,” she told Generation Next.

An accomplished Bharatnatyam dancer, Mallika aspires to be a source of pride for Indo Canadian community.

Varun, who moved to Canada only a few years ago, cannot find a job in his area of studies and has taken up photography as a weekend job. During the week, he does a manufacturing job. He says his interviewers ask him for experience, but “if you don’t get a job, how will you get experience,” he wonders.

Staff Writer

There is an artist in all of us but how many of us know about it. There is always some inspiration or teachings that inspire and guide us in life.  AsmaArshadMahmood also has such learning and inspirations which she shared with us, exhibiting through her art in a colorful display.   “This exhibition is a tribute to my father who taught me to enjoy everything in life as an adventure. He taught me to draw. He taught me to dream’’ said Asma. 

AsmaMahmood is a Mississauga based artist who completed her masters in Fine Arts and studio practice from York University.  Asma works as a General Manager for Cre8iv80 Studio and as Artistic Director for Promenade Gallery in Mississauga.  Established as an art gallery located at the premier location in Mississauga with major transit routes in immediate vicinity, this gallery aims to serve artists and community as an arts and events venue. Her art work is informed by her personal experiences.  Her work inspires from old letters, cards, mountains, landscapes and most of all her father.

There were a lot of people that applauded her work. I spoke to one such admirer at the art exhibition that said, “it’s great to have an art gallery in the heart of Mississauga area.”   Going back in time, Asma tells us “I remember my good friend NazirSabir, encouraging and keeping my dream to scale to Himalayas. He made me fall in love with mountains”.  She continues “the exhibition is also a way to thank Raja Changez who trusted me with his technique of scaling these massive mountains with my paint brush.”

I am in love with colors this season. Everywhere that I go, it makes me so cheerful to see all the nice and bright colors around me.  And so were the paintings. There is fabulous use of vibrant colors on canvas, carefully projected by Asma. She said, “The painted mountains and landscapes are another chapter in my development as a visual artist. I have created large canvases to go back to the basic skills and visual temptation of a colorist”.

Bhaswati Ghosh

The debut venture of Barefoot Films Canada, BadaShayarChhotaAadmi, also the first Urdu telefilm venture in Toronto was launched over the weekend. Renowned Indian playwright and filmmaker, Mahesh Dattani inaugurated the Mahurat ceremony by “clapping” the first shot. The mahurat took place at Open Space studioin Mississauga.

Barefoot Films is the venture of Jawaid Danish, a leading theatre director and the main force behind Rangmanch Canada. Speaking about the film, he said it was a unique love triangle based on the lives of South Asians in Canada and how some of them misuse the system or their privileges.

Mahesh Dattani said he was thrilled to inaugurate the first Indian telefilm venture in Toronto and felt confident about the capabilities of South Asians in this country.

The film is expected to take eight weeks of shooting and is scheduled to release in the Fall of 2012.

Father’s day is just around the corner, a day in which to celebrate all Father’s everywhere. There are many things that Father’s teach us all. I asked a few people what they have learnt from their Fathers, What they learnt about their Fathers and what gift they plan on giving their Fathers.

What do I think? Well for me my dad has taught me to always keep a goal in life and to accomplish that goal, always remember that the most important thing in life is NOT money but is education, and lastly always remember that to do your best and work hard at everything; it’s the only way you will get farther in life. As for a gift, I don’t usually give him anything for father’s day because he’s not big on material things. Once I graduate from university I think that will be the biggest gift of all for him!

Here’s a look at what some others had to say;

Shereen Mohiuddin:

I have learned the value of hardwork, perseverance, and the importance of living life outside the box through my father. This Father’s day I plan to gift him a simple “thank you”

Chris Bharat:
The 3 things I’ve learned about my dad are:
He’s a family man, he puts his family first when making decisions regarding the household. He has great personal relationships which each of his children. He teaches us from when we were younger till now right from wrong. He passes down his teachings from what he learned in his household growing up to his own household now onto the family. He is a fun individual whom we are grateful to call our dad.

He is a life teacher for the subject of experience, which from his personal experience growing up when he used to be living with his family, to his own young life with his friends & seeing his older siblings & friends moving on with their lives.

I am very similar in my personality & character matched up with my dad. Most people are either like somewhat like one parent, a mix of both, or completely nothing like any of the parents. I’ve been compared to both of my parents in regards to looks, personality, & character however, I am a bit more like my dad. I am social, have a sense of humor, quiet & so much more.

Over the years we used to get my dad numerous amounts of gifts such as tools, money, guy stuff, but this year we want to give him a vacation that he deserves, from all the hard work he has provided our household with as well as how hard he works for his family also for his own personal needs & wants.

Navi Singh: 

Hard work
How to respect others and their feelings
Being positive in life , even in hard times ,

GIFT —> He has everything but I would like to give him a new car.

Akanksha Bhalla: 
My Dad taught me to live life to the fullest, never be so cheap because no ones taking money to heaven/hell and always treat people like you would want to get treated. As a gift, I want to capture all his pictures with his family, and my childhood and build it together. So later on in life he can go through the memories.

Ziad Safdar:

My father has taught me three very important things in life. Responsibility, maturity and purpose in life.

Junaid Alam:

Fathers day is probably the most difficult event I’ve ever planned for in my life. It was a little different growing up, but in the past 5-7 years; things have been a little different. 

Although there have been many things I’ve took from him; three of my favorite ones are not compromising with education, understand my priorities and most importantly to not depend on anyone.

I could elaborate forever as to why I learned these things from my father, but we all have a past and we all have our reasons to pick up on certain things.

Finally, for a fathers day gift, the only good present I can give my dad is a perfect report card. Material items have very little importance in his life, but its education that impresses him. Seeing as how I am doing so far in my courses; I doubt he will be disappointed after seeing my gift!

Fathers teach us a lot in life, whether it be something small or something big that could affect us in the long run. In the end, I just want to wish all Fathers out there, especially mine a Happy Fathers Day!

Article/Interviews By: AabidaDhanji

Photos By: Jennifer Vaz

I’m sure you have all heard about DesiFest, a full-day outdoor concert that happens once every year in Toronto at Yonge and Dundas Square. This year marked the 6^th year of DesiFest. This year’s line-up of performers comprised Parichay, Dav-eh, Deep Jandu, Gangis Khan a.k.a Camoflague. Urvah Khan, Synsational Jdhee & Reality Raj, Stephanie Braganza, Anusha Sivalingam, Nick Pandya, A-Slam, K-Square, Shweta Subram, Dhol N Bhol, Triple or Nothing,Blitzkrieg, Roach Killa, Sajid Ali Khan, and all the way from the UK; The Stranger Family! In between acts there were also many performances. The crowd also got a chance to see performances by Toronto’s own, Broken Dance from Canada’s Got Talent. 

From what I’ve been hearing from many people that went, this year was probably one of the best years at DesiFest!

There were some people that were there from 10am just so they could be at the front. The performances were just GREAT! There was Deep Jandu who performed with Gangis Khan, Parichay who performed some songs with Joe Louis, Roach Killa and Blitzkrieg, Beautiful vocal talents from Nick Pandya, Anusha Sivalingam, Shweta Subram and more. It was just absolutely AMAZING! The crowd went crazy!

I had the opportunity to talk to some of the performers when they were backstage. Here’s a bit of what we got from them.

This year was Gangis Khan and Deep Jandu’s first year at DesiFest. They performed a few songs with together. They said, “They were ready for Toronto and were excited to be there.” They both thank all their fans for their support.

Dav-eh was at DesiFest last year for the first time after releasing his first single in 2010, Fly Away. This year he was back with his new single Aaja Let Me Love Ya. The fans at DesiFest were the first to hear the entire song, since the official release is on June 1, 2012. Being his second year, he “feels at home” at DesiFest!

The Stranger Family came down to Toronto to perform for DesiFest all the way from the UK! This was their first time here at DesiFest. The Stranger Family consists of Mumzy Stranger, Junai Kaden, Tasha Tah, Char Avell, and Ramee. They were happy to perform and be the headline of DesiFest 2012. They love how the crowd was so multicultural and that the crowd went crazy! A message from them to their fans, “Thank you for all the support, fans make it happen, it’s all love.” 

This was Shweta Subram’s third year at DesiFest this year. She just wanted to say, “Make sure you follow me on facebook and thanks to all my fans for their support and unconditional love and because of you guys I keep going.”

Dhol N Bhol has been at DesiFest for about 5 years. They were solo artists and have recently collaborated. They are planning to “bring back the funk” with this new collaboration.

Roach Killa has been at DesiFest almost every year! He says, “I am DesiFest!”  He expressed his great Thanks to all his fans for their support and love.

Blitzkrieg has been at DesiFest quite a few years. He says, “It’s cool, because we don’t get an opportunity to perform in Toronto a lot. It’s always fun to come back home and have people see you and be like wow look at you.” He wants his fans to support local talent, even if it’s not him.

Parichay has been at DesiFest almost every year. He says, “Thank you for all your love and support. I’m gonna keep making music, rock with me and we gonna take things to the next level.”

As you can see, DesiFest was rocking this year! Hopefully everyone had an AMAZING time this year, and if you didn’t come out this year don’t worry there’s always next year! So make sure you come out next year!

Here’s some twitter links to all the artists that I talked to at DesiFest! Support and follow these amazing talents!

Dav-eh: www.twitter.com/dav_eh

Dhol N Bhol: www.twitter.com/DholnBhol

Blitzkrieg: www.twiter.com/blitzmusic1

Deep Jandu: www.twitter.com/deepjandu

Gangis Khan: www.twitter.com/Gangeezy_Camo

Shweta Subram: www.twitter.com/shwetasubram

Roach Killa: www.twitter.com/roachkilla1

Parichay: www.twitter.com/ParichayOnline

The Stranger Family: www.twitter.com/_STRANGERFAMILY

Samuel Getachew

The month of May has been declared as South Asian Heritage Month as well as Asian Heritage Month in the City of Toronto by Mayor Rob Ford. The proclamation of the South Asian proclamation reads – “WHEREAS on December 14, 2001, with the enactment of Bill 98, the Government of Ontario proclaimed the month of May as South Asian Heritage Month and declared May 5 to be South Asian Arrival Day, with the earliest recorded arrival occurring on May 5, 1838”.

It continues – “South Asian Heritage Month is a time to honour the rich cultural heritage and accomplishments of people of South Asian heritage and pay tribute to them and the organizations that contribute to the social, cultural, economic and political life of our city. Immigrants from Asia constitute the largest source of immigration to Toronto. South Asian Heritage Month provides us with an opportunity to learn about the experiences of people of South Asian heritage and the vital role they have played throughout our shared history.”

In celebration of this historic moment, the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians teamed up with South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALCO), and the Alliance for South Asian Aids Prevention (ASAAP) in hosting an information display in the rotunda inside city hall as well as a well-attended event on Monday, May 14th. The information display runs until May 21st. According to the coalition group, the hope is to “to showcase how agencies contribute to bring about positive changes in lives of South Asian communities in Ontario through display of material pertaining to projects involving South Asian communities”.

The Monday information evening event had a slew of impressive speakers. Former Toronto Ombudsman Fiona Crean, DrAlok Mukherjee, chair of the Toronto Police Services Board, activists ZiadhRabbani and Dr. RobinderKaurSehdev attended. Dr. Mukherjee, who was a onetime advisor to former Mayor David Miller, gave the audience a glimpse of policing and civic involvement.

Fiona Crean, who was also a one-time Assistant Deputy Minister at the Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, addressed the issues of systemic racism and sexism and how best to address them.  There were about 100 attendees including former TTC Chair Adam Giambrone.

The well attended event concluded with a closing statement of Neethan Shan, who reminded the audience the importance of civic engagement and grassroots work. He proceeded and presented certificates to about a half dozen volunteers. The Executive Director of CASSA, Shan, who was recently elected as President of the Ontario NDP had been a trailblazer to the South Asian community as the community is becoming more engaged in electoral politics in Canada more than ever.

Harminder Magon

Over the last two centuries, immigrants have journeyed to Canada from many different parts of Asia, bringing with them a rich cultural heritage with many languages, ethnicities and religious traditions.

This diverse, vibrant and growing community has contributed to every aspect of life in Canada, from arts and sciences to sport, business, and government. In December 2001, the Senate passed a motion to officially designate May as Asian Heritage Month.          

Since the inaugural Asian Heritage Month celebration in Toronto in 1993, cities across Canada have been holding annual festivities during this month to recognize Asian heritage. Ottawa, Toronto, Halifax, Montréal, Calgary, Winnipeg and Vancouver have been holding annual festivities during this commemorative month.           

Canada’s cultural diversity strengthens us socially, politically and economically in many ways. Asian Heritage Month is a great time for all of us to celebrate the beauty and wisdom of diverse Asian cultures. It gives us an opportunity to learn more about the history of Asian Canadians and to celebrate their contributions to the growth and prosperity of Canada.     

Unfortunately, the history of Asian Canadians has too frequently been marred by exploitation and lack of access to basic human rights, such as the exploitation of Chinese railway workers and the internment of Japanese Canadians during the Second World War.          

Today, the Conservative government’s temporary foreign worker program plays a central role in the ongoing exploitation of Asian workers and the denial of human rights. For example, a disproportionately high number of women from the Philippines come to Canada through the live-in caregiver program. In most provinces and territories, these women can’t unionize because the domestic arena isn’t recognized as a workplace. They often lack many basic workers’ rights, earn significantly less than Canadian citizens or permanent residents, work excessively long hours, and face racism and sexism in the workplace. They’re often unable to choose where they live, or to change employers without government permission. They’re vulnerable to exploitation, and because they do not have permanent status, they cannot integrate into Canadian society and contribute to their full potential.  

Last year, the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted the convention concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers that would grant basic labour rights to domestic workers, like reasonable hours of work, weekly rest of at least 24 consecutive hours, and clear information on terms and conditions of employment. It’s up to us now to ensure that governments recognize this agreement and ensure that these basic rights are protected.

We stand in solidarity with Asian workers and proudly celebrate Asian Heritage Month. Celebrating this month in your local area helps raise awareness of the exploitation of Asian workers and acknowledges the unique contributions of our Asian members. It’s a great way to build solidarity across cultural lines and strengthen our collective fight for social and economic justice.

Have a great Asian Heritage Month.

Harminder Magon the National Anti-Racism Coordinator for Canada’s largest Union CUPE – Canadian Union of Public Employees. He came to Canada in 1966 from Nairobi – Kenya, with roots in North India.