Punjabis in the House: A record to cheer in Canada

Punjab’s Sujapur village erupted in celebration on Tuesday (April 29) as native son Sukh Dhaliwal secured his sixth term in Canada’s federal elections. Contesting on a Liberal Party ticket, Dhaliwal won from Surrey Newton, defeating Conservative candidate Harjit Singh Gill.

The 64-year-old businessman-turned-politician is among 22 Punjabi-origin candidates elected to the Canadian House of Commons this year. The Liberal Party, which emerged victorious in the federal polls, fielded several candidates of South Asian and Punjabi descent, reflecting the growing influence of the diaspora in Canadian politics.

Dhaliwal, who earlier represented Newton—North Delta, has now retained Surrey Newton for the third consecutive time after wins in 2011, 2015, and 2019.

Back in his native Sujapur village in the Jagraon region of Ludhiana, the mood was jubilant. Locals danced to dhol beats, burst crackers, and distributed sweets in celebration. His elder brother credited the win to Dhaliwal’s deep connection to his roots and regular visits to the village.

Gurcharan Singh Grewal, general secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Dhaliwal’s former classmate, expressed pride over the win. “He has always stayed close to the people of the village. It’s a proud moment for all of us,” he said.

Two more candidates from Punjab’s Moga district—Amanpreet Singh Gill (Calgary Skyview) and Sukhman Gill (Abbotsford–South Langley), both Conservatives—also emerged victorious, prompting celebrations in their respective hometowns.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and AAP MLA from Moga Amandeep Kaur Arora congratulated the winners, expressing hope for stronger diplomatic and cultural ties between India and Canada.

Other prominent Punjabi-origin winners in the election include:
Anita Anand (Liberal, Oakville East), Bardish Chagger (Liberal, Waterloo), Anju Dhillon (Liberal, Dorval–Lachine), Randeep Sarai (Liberal, Surrey Centre), Dalwinder Gill (Conservative, Calgary McKnight), Arpan Khanna (Conservative, Oxford), Tim Uppal (Conservative, Edmonton Gateway)

Reacting to the results, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami called the victories “a matter of great pride” for the Sikh and Punjabi communities globally. He attributed the success to the candidates’ hard work, honesty, and humanitarian values, and urged them to uphold Sikh principles while serving in office.

Dhami also extended congratulations to the Liberal Party and its leader Mark Carney, commending their inclusivity and diverse representation.

A record 22 Punjabi-origin candidates were elected as Members of Parliament in the 2025 Canadian federal election, the highest ever, up from 20 in 2019 and 17 in 2021.

These winners represent both major parties: 12 are Liberals and 10 are Conservatives, showing strong cross-party support from the Punjabi community.

Out of 65 Punjabi-origin candidates who contested (across Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba), the successful MPs include 6 women and 6 turbaned Sikh men, reflecting the community’s diversity.

Key results include:

* NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, one of the most prominent Punjabi-Canadian politicians, lost his seat in Burnaby Central and announced he will step down as party leader.
* Liberal minister Kamal Khera lost her Brampton West seat to Conservative Amarjit Gill.
* Liberal ministers Anita Anand (Oakville East) and Bardish Chagger (Waterloo) retained their seats.
* Conservative Tim Uppal held on to his Edmonton Gateway seat.
* Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal was re-elected in Surrey-Newton.

This election marks a milestone for the Punjabi diaspora’s influence in Canadian politics, with their largest-ever representation in Parliament.

(Input from other agencies)