From doctors, Olympians, and lawyers to cops and unionists, Indian-origin candidates take Canadian polls by storm

In all, 35 candidates in the fray have Indian roots, compared to 23 in 2020. While the National Democratic Party (NDP) has fielded 18 Indian-origin candidates, the Conservative Party has chosen 11.

The trailblazers

It was in 1986 that Moe Sihota, whose father migrated from Bada Pind near Phillaur in 1907, became the first Indian-origin MLA in British Columbia. There are quite a few trailblazers in these elections too.

Raj Chouhan, the NDP candidate from Burnaby-New Westminster, once the capital of BC, became the first South Asian Speaker of an assembly in North America in 2020. Chouhan, who was good friends with now deceased Cesar Chavez, the famous American labour and civil rights activist—a photo of the two hangs in his office—founded the Canadian Farmworkers Union soon after he came to Canada in 1973.

“The early settlers faced a lot of discrimination,” recalls the Speaker, who lived through the difficult 1980s when Indian immigrants were often targeted as ‘Pakis’ or ‘Hindoos’.

Immigration is again in focus in these elections. “It’s largely due to its impact on housing,” says Chouhan. Housing, healthcare, and public safety are the three main issues in these polls, says the politician, who has been consistently re-elected since his first win from Burnaby-Edmonds in 2005.

Baltej Dhillon, the NDP candidate for Surrey-Serpentine River, broke barriers in 1990 when he became the first Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer allowed to wear a turban, setting a precedent for turbaned Sikhs in Canada’s national police. A Surrey resident for 35 years, Dhillon is also a committed youth counsellor and works with BC’s anti-gangs unit.

Aman Singh made history as the first turbaned Sikh MLA in BC, winning the Richmond-Queensborough seat for the NDP in 2020. Born in Sultanpur Lodhi, Singh’s journey took him from Punjab to Hong Kong and then to Canada. He holds degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Victoria, and specialises in human and civil rights law. A cancer survivor, Singh is also fluent in Cantonese—an uncommon skill among Indian-origin candidates in BC, which has a strong presence of Chinese immigrants as well.

Ravi Parmar (R) Kamal Grewal (L).

At 30, Ravi Parmar, the NDP candidate from Langford-Highlands, is the youngest MLA in BC. His entry into politics, he says, was inspired by his parents’ struggles after they migrated to Canada in the 1990s to work in the healthcare sector. A bright student, Parmar began penning his concerns while he was in middle school. Shortly afterward, he made headlines in 2014 when he was elected the youngest school board trustee in Canada.

Amrit Birring, a contender from Surrey-Newton, added another chapter to BC politics in 2023 when he founded the Freedom Party of BC. A software developer with a passion for running, hunting, horse-riding, Taekwondo, and yoga, the man with a striking grey beard says he is driven by a desire for honesty and freedom in politics.

The immigrant experience

Many candidates in the BC elections draw on their immigrant journeys to connect with voters, reflecting the province’s growing immigrant population, particularly from Punjab.

Kamal Grewal, the NDP candidate for Kamloops Centre, moved to Canada at 16 and started her career as a student advisor at Thompson Rivers University. Now, she is deeply involved in Kamloops Immigrant Services and serves on the board of the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Harpreet Badohal, running for the NDP in Kelowna-Mission, arrived in Canada in 2006. He juggled farm work, pizza delivery, and raising his two young daughters while his wife pursued full-time studies. Today, he holds an MSc and works as an officer with WorkSafeBC, where he advocates for worker safety. Premier David Eby praised Harpreet’s ability to fight for working people, drawing from his own immigrant experiences.

Dr Devyani Singh (L) and Nikki Sharma(R)

Rachna Singh, the NDP candidate for Surrey North and current Minister of Education and Child Care, has been an MLA since 2017. A psychology postgraduate from Panjab University, she started as a drug and alcohol counsellor after moving to Canada in 2001. Her rival, Conservative Mandeep Dhaliwal, is a former national-level kabaddi player from Punjab who came to Canada in his 20s and now runs a small auto parts business. Dhaliwal also made headlines by raising $100,000 for Khalsa Aid through a record-setting motorcycle ride from Canada to India.

Players seem to thrive in Canadian politics. Jagrup Brar, the NDP’s Surrey Fleetwood candidate and a four-time MLA, was a member of India’s national basketball team before he came to Canada.

Challenging Premier David Eby in Vancouver-Point Grey is Devyani Singh, a climate scientist running for the BC Green Party. Originally from Uttarakhand, Devyani left a corporate job in the US to pursue a PhD in energy and climate policy at the University of British Columbia. Besides climate action, Devyani is a big advocate for affordable student housing. “I remember spending 80% of my stipend on rent as a student,” she recounts.

Sam Chandola (L) and Ravi Kahlon(R).

Deepak Suri, a Conservative candidate for Burnaby-New Westminster, moved from Delhi to Canada in 1999. Suri owns three Indian restaurants and hosts a radio show called ‘Bollywood Masala’ .

One of the recent immigrants contesting the election is Sam Chandola, the Conservative candidate for North Vancouver-Seymour. Chandola immigrated to Canada in 2012 at the age of 23 and was named to BC Business 30 Under 30 in 2014. Father to a one-year-old, this serial entrepreneur has founded numerous startups in sectors as varied as gaming, e-commerce, and data analytics.

Born in Canada

First- and second-generation Punjabi settlers may not always emphasise their Indian roots, but they remain vocal about immigrant issues. Sarah Kooner, the NDP candidate for Abbotsford South, proudly calls herself a “lifelong resident of Abbotsford” and focuses on ensuring children grow up healthy and happy. As Director of the Health Sciences Association, she champions the rights of healthcare workers.

Niki Sharma, Attorney General of British Columbia and NDP candidate for Vancouver-Hastings, is a leading legal figure in the race. Born in Lethbridge, Alberta, she was raised in Sparwood, BC. Her father, an immigrant, ran a small business, while her mother, Rose, a botanist, ran for municipal council three times unsuccessfully.

Jessie Sooner (L) and Rachna Singh (R)

Ravi Kahlon, standing 6 feet 3 inches tall, is easily one of the most recognisable Indian-origin candidates. The NDP Cabinet minister since 2020 and MLA for Delta North since 2017 was born and raised in Victoria. His parents—a restaurateur mother and sawmill worker father—supported his sporting ambitions, leading him to represent Canada in field hockey at the 2000 and 2008 Summer Olympics.

Several candidates bring a strong history of advocacy and trade unionism to the race.

Jessie Sunner, the NDP candidate from Surrey-Newton, is both a trade unionist and human rights lawyer. She takes the baton from Harry Bains, the sitting MLA from this seat and Minister of Labour, who decided to retire after being elected to the provincial legislature five times. Bains has firmly thrown his weight behind Sunner, often accompanying her on campaigning from door to door.

Women all the way

Observers say this election has arguably the highest ever number of women candidates with roots in Punjab. They include Jinny Joginder Sims, a veteran NDP MLA from Surrey-Panorama and Minister for Citizens’ Services. Then there is Sunita Dhir, the NDP candidate for Vancouver Langara, who has spent over 30 years helping newcomers learn English and settle in south Vancouver through her work with the non-profit SUCCESS.

Harwinder Sandhu, the NDP candidate for Vernon-Lumby, is a nurse and union leader, while Rhea Arora, running for the NDP in Burnaby East, serves as Director of Organizing at the BC Federation of Labour. Jody Toor, the Conservative candidate for Langley-Willowbrook, runs a holistic health clinic and supports local food banks.