Hardeep Grewal, an Ontario politician representing the Brampton East riding for the Progressive Conservatives, recently shared a distressing encounter he experienced while out with his family in downtown Muskoka. While enjoying ice cream, two strangers directed racist remarks towards him, with one yelling, “Hey turban head, go home,” and another stating, “You should all die.”
Expressing his exhaustion and pain from such incidents, Grewal emphasized the ongoing fight against hate and the need for unity in Ontario. This is not the first time he has faced such discrimination, highlighting the prevalence of such incidents in society.
Statistics Canada data reveals a concerning trend, showing a more than 200% increase in police-reported hate crimes targeting the South Asian community from 2014 to 2024. Grewal urged his Sikh community to remain vigilant, proud, and resilient, emphasizing that hate will never prevail, and goodness will triumph.