Canadian political institutions and traditions are imbued with Judeo-Christian values and symbols. Yet the separation of church and state maintains religion does not dictate the making of policy and law. However, in the game of politics, courting ethno-racial, national and religious identified voters has become a central art of party campaign strategists. According to Singh, his ability to remain cool under pressure was largely owed to his experience of being a brown, Sikh and turbaned man, growing up in the 1980s in Brampton, Ontario, just northwest of Toronto. His past experiences of religious and racist intolerance helped to fortify him against racist language and assault.
Within the space of a few moments, Jagmeet Singh became one of Canada's most admired politicians. His cool-under-pressure reaction to being confronted by an angry heckler is just one of the reasons he is considered to be the favourite contender for leadership of the federal NDP.
A video of the September 6 incident at Singh's campaign event in Brampton, Ontario, went viral and has been viewed millions of times in Canada and around the world. Moments into the event, an angry white woman interrupted Singh and shouted Islamophobic and vitriolic statements at him, and physically gesticulated, demonstrating her feeling of entitlement - to space, voice and position - in relation to others at the event.
Singh seemed undeterred by the outburst. His response to her rant was to rally his audience to help him relay his campaign message. He asked his guests to chant: "Love and courage."
What is the nature of Singh's call for love? His political slogan is based on a message of universal love and courage. Singh's message - and chant that evening - is uniquely situated among the slogans of the three other candidates: Charlie Angus "Got your back," Niki Ashton "Building a movement, together," and Guy Caron, "Let's Build a Progressive and Sustainable Economy."
The dramatic events at the meeting demonstrates something about Singh, as a person and as a candidate. It also points to new undercurrents of religion and spirituality and its role - not only in Canadian politics, but also in the leadership race for the NDP.
Singh's campaign and potential leadership arrives in a climate of increasing hatred, fear and division. His call for universal love is coherent with Sikhism, which challenges the division between daily life and a devotional love that guides all thought and action. How does the language of love and courage relate to a New Democratic Party trying to find its way in a shifting political landscape?
Singh's outward appearance solicits questions from some Canadians regarding his secular position: To what degree does Singh's religion relate to his policy ideas or conduct?
Political parties of all persuasions have had to navigate this division in a variety of ways. In Canada, the left social democratic tradition, represented now by the NDP, has had less experience with faith-based movements and the religious identity of its leaders than their right-wing counterparts and left-leaning parties elsewhere in the world. Singh's leadership challenge will likely change that.
While Singh is positioned as a secular politician, his ethos, sense of justice and identity is connected to a Sikh practice. The very essence of the message of universal love and courage is embedded in a Sikh devotion, rather than a secular idea of loving all humankind.
In the moment in which the racist woman yelled at him, she assumed he was a Muslim. Many wondered why Singh did not correct her misconceived perception; he is not a Muslim, but rather, a Sikh. Suggesting such a distinction in the moment, he said, would only further the misunderstanding that somehow being Muslim means such treatment is considered justifiable. Sikhs have been affected throughout the post-9/11 discourses of Islamophobia, mainly because of this misunderstood identity.
While there are those who, in similar vein as Singh, have sought to challenge Islamophobia by standing in solidarity, there have also been many instances where Sikhs in America, the U.K. and Canada painstakingly distinguish themselves from Muslims.
In Canada, the shooting deaths in Quebec's Sainte-Foy's Mosque, in which Azzedine Soufiane, Khaled Belkacemi, Aboubakar Thabthi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Mamadou Tanou Barry, and Ibrahim Barry were killed, was unmistakably an act of terrorism. Canadians across the country mourned this tragedy. And yet was it recognized as an act of terrorism against the citizens of this state?
The day-to-day effects of Islamophobia have led to many Muslims living with fear not knowing what they might encounter on a walk to school, a day at work or even waiting for a bus.
The left social-democrats of NDP hold steadfastly to their conception of justice, fairness and equality in a secular world. The ways in which people are encountering the public today, however, is seemingly much murkier.
The issues of racism, religious intolerance and social justice are not central issues for any federal political party. These issues, however, should no longer be viewed as separate from major policy platforms including health, welfare reform, employment, national defense, national security, aboriginal relations and education. Perhaps a political leader such as Jagmeet Singh will be able to navigate these debates with an alacrity and style we have yet to witness in the Canadian political world.
Within the space of a few moments, Jagmeet Singh became one of Canada's most admired politicians. His cool-under-pressure reaction to being confronted by an angry heckler is just one of the reasons he is considered to be the favourite contender for leadership of the federal NDP.
A video of the September 6 incident at Singh's campaign event in Brampton, Ontario, went viral and has been viewed millions of times in Canada and around the world. Moments into the event, an angry white woman interrupted Singh and shouted Islamophobic and vitriolic statements at him, and physically gesticulated, demonstrating her feeling of entitlement - to space, voice and position - in relation to others at the event.
Singh seemed undeterred by the outburst. His response to her rant was to rally his audience to help him relay his campaign message. He asked his guests to chant: "Love and courage."
What is the nature of Singh's call for love? His political slogan is based on a message of universal love and courage. Singh's message - and chant that evening - is uniquely situated among the slogans of the three other candidates: Charlie Angus "Got your back," Niki Ashton "Building a movement, together," and Guy Caron, "Let's Build a Progressive and Sustainable Economy."
The dramatic events at the meeting demonstrates something about Singh, as a person and as a candidate. It also points to new undercurrents of religion and spirituality and its role - not only in Canadian politics, but also in the leadership race for the NDP.
Singh's campaign and potential leadership arrives in a climate of increasing hatred, fear and division. His call for universal love is coherent with Sikhism, which challenges the division between daily life and a devotional love that guides all thought and action. How does the language of love and courage relate to a New Democratic Party trying to find its way in a shifting political landscape?
Singh's outward appearance solicits questions from some Canadians regarding his secular position: To what degree does Singh's religion relate to his policy ideas or conduct?
Political parties of all persuasions have had to navigate this division in a variety of ways. In Canada, the left social democratic tradition, represented now by the NDP, has had less experience with faith-based movements and the religious identity of its leaders than their right-wing counterparts and left-leaning parties elsewhere in the world. Singh's leadership challenge will likely change that.
While Singh is positioned as a secular politician, his ethos, sense of justice and identity is connected to a Sikh practice. The very essence of the message of universal love and courage is embedded in a Sikh devotion, rather than a secular idea of loving all humankind.
In the moment in which the racist woman yelled at him, she assumed he was a Muslim. Many wondered why Singh did not correct her misconceived perception; he is not a Muslim, but rather, a Sikh. Suggesting such a distinction in the moment, he said, would only further the misunderstanding that somehow being Muslim means such treatment is considered justifiable. Sikhs have been affected throughout the post-9/11 discourses of Islamophobia, mainly because of this misunderstood identity.
While there are those who, in similar vein as Singh, have sought to challenge Islamophobia by standing in solidarity, there have also been many instances where Sikhs in America, the U.K. and Canada painstakingly distinguish themselves from Muslims.
In Canada, the shooting deaths in Quebec's Sainte-Foy's Mosque, in which Azzedine Soufiane, Khaled Belkacemi, Aboubakar Thabthi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Mamadou Tanou Barry, and Ibrahim Barry were killed, was unmistakably an act of terrorism. Canadians across the country mourned this tragedy. And yet was it recognized as an act of terrorism against the citizens of this state?
The day-to-day effects of Islamophobia have led to many Muslims living with fear not knowing what they might encounter on a walk to school, a day at work or even waiting for a bus.
The left social-democrats of NDP hold steadfastly to their conception of justice, fairness and equality in a secular world. The ways in which people are encountering the public today, however, is seemingly much murkier.
The issues of racism, religious intolerance and social justice are not central issues for any federal political party. These issues, however, should no longer be viewed as separate from major policy platforms including health, welfare reform, employment, national defense, national security, aboriginal relations and education. Perhaps a political leader such as Jagmeet Singh will be able to navigate these debates with an alacrity and style we have yet to witness in the Canadian political world.
