The fuse has been lit by Ottawa on how fireworks are regulated. It led to a showdown Tuesday at Edmonton City Hall, as members of the Hindu and Sikh communities pressed city council about this weekend’s Diwali festival.
Diwali, the festival of lights which symbolizes the victory of good over evil, is one of the most celebrated festivals in India and around the world.
“It is really celebrated, with a whole bunch of lights, and with fireworks and at this particular location there is probably 4,000 to 5,000 people. We have lots, probably 3,000 sparkles for little kids because that’s the number of kids you’re going to see there,” said former Edmonton-Ellerslie MLA Naresh Bhardwaj, who’s representing the Bhartiya Cultural Society.
“I think this is absolutely important for our culture, and for our tradition, especially living in a multicultural city where we’re encouraging our youngsters to get involved.”
He said the tradition of scaring away demons has gone on at a two-acre site at 95 Street and 39 Avenue for 15 to 16 years.
Ottawa changed the federal Explosives Act, yet the city raised concerns because the act “does not speak to the discharge of fireworks in a public place, an aspect that has traditionally been dealt with by the Alberta Fire Code 2014,” according to a report before council.
“We have the permit to discharge a certain kind of fireworks,” Bhardwaj told reporters. “What we’re really asking is, we’ve been doing aerial fireworks as part of consumer fireworks and that’s what we’re asking them (the fire department) to look at and why the change all of a sudden.”
Council was told by fire chief Ken Block that the change in regulations will happen on Dec. 1. Council postponed making amendments to the city bylaw to a Nov. 20 council committee meeting, which means this weekend’s event can go ahead as planned.
“Absolutely, it’s business as usual. So whatever has been permitted is good to go,”
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