Dosanjh says temple’s Vaisakhi apology falls short

METRO VANCOUVER — Two B.C. politicians who complained to police about controversial comments made by a director of a Surrey Sikh temple last week say a purported apology issued to the media Wednesday is not good enough.

Neither Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh, nor MLA Dave Hayer were contacted directly by anyone from the Dasmesh Darbar temple, nor was a news release containing a general apology even sent to them.

The statement did not mention either Hayer nor Dosanjh by name, but said the temple wanted to "apologize to the Canadian community for the misconstrued statements made by Inderjit Bains during a press conference."

Both politicians were singled out by Bains, who said they weren’t invited to last Saturday’s Vaisakhi parade and that if they did come, they should bring their own security.

Dosanjh said Wednesday the temple statement, which he got from a reporter, did not even "address the specific threat that was made to Dave Hayer or myself."

"It should win the Governor General’s award for literary creativity," Dosanjh said.

He said he didn’t really expect the parade organizers to backtrack, though he thanked both Premier Gordon Campbell and Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff for demanding apologies.

He said the parade organizers only issued a public statement because Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts has said she may not issue the group a permit next year because of the comments and a float glorifying as martyrs leaders of banned terrorist groups.

Hayer also said the statement was "a half-baked apology."

"The original statement was a very direct attack on us and this doesn’t deal with it," Hayer said.

He also said the temple’s news release should have condemned the images on the controversial float, including a dead leader of the banned Babbar Khalsa terrorist group.

"They are recognizing people as heroes who have done really bad things," Hayer said.

The temple statement said Bains’ comments "were not intended as threats."

"The Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar Committee does not believe in excluding any individuals from any of its events, regardless of any political differences," it said.

But Dosanjh said it is alarming to see Sikh extremism rising up again 25 years after Air India Flight 182 was brought down by a B.C. bomb off the coast of Ireland, killing all 329 aboard.

"The extremism now is much more entrenched than it was in 1984," Dosanjh said. "It is much more sophisticated."

Meanwhile Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts met with parade organizers Wednesday and issued a news release.

"As part of the event de-briefing, they have identified issues that need to be addressed and will be working on those issues," she said.

"Vaisakhi is a very important community event and our goal is to ensure the Vaisakhi celebrations in Surrey are inclusive and welcoming to everyone."

Federal Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said he is concerned about radical extremism in any community in Canada.

"To bring extremist views from old conflicts is not acceptable in Canada," Toews said in an interview.

"Our government and these communities themselves have to be vigilant to isolate extremism."

And he said both Hayer and Dosanjh "did the right thing by coming out and saying they would not bow to any threats."

In Ottawa Wednesday, Toews introduced the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, which would allow victims to sue perpetrators and supporters of terrorism.

"This government is responding to calls from victims who seek justice, and demonstrating leadership in the global fight against terrorism," Toews said. "Perpetrators and supporters of terrorism must be held accountable for their actions."

He said the new law will life immunity for states listed by Canada as supporters of terrorism.

"It is a very practical tool people can use," Toews said.

kbolan@vancouversun.com

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