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Prime Minister Paul Martin's parliamentary secretary has condemned VIA Rail for ordering a Sikh student off a train for wearing a ceremonial sword, or kirpan, saying he intends to take the matter up with Transport Minister Jean Lapierre. Navdeep Bains, an Ontario Sikh and MP for Mississauga-Brampton South, said yesterday he also plans to raise the incident with VIA Rail executives and the board of directors. Mr. Bains noted that he wears the kirpan in the House of Commons without any problem and is disappointed that a Crown corporation, such as VIA, would order a man out of a train for wearing an article of religious significance. "It is unfortunate and it is unacceptable. It is disappointing to see an institution like VIA Rail taking a position like this, because you expect better from them," Mr. Bains said. "I want to make sure that the appropriate authorities that I am aware of -- ultimately the transport minister -- are brought up to speed on this. The management of VIA Rail and the board of directors have accountability on this particular issue and I'll probably communicate in an appropriate fashion with them." Controversy over kirpans, long a subject of debate and litigation in the courts, erupted once again after University of Ottawa law student Balpreet Singh was taken off a train twice in a month after someone complained that he had a weapon. His explanation that the kirpan is a religious symbol worn by baptized Sikhs wasn't acceptable to VIA officials, who took him off a train once in Toronto and last Friday in Ottawa. A VIA spokeswoman said the company prohibits all kinds of weapons from its trains and the kirpan falls under a ban on weapons that includes "collectibles, antiques and those of a ceremonial nature." VIA said the ban is in the larger interest of public safety and security. Mr. Bains acknowledged that public safety is of paramount importance to Canadians, but said people ought to know the difference between a weapon and the Sikh religious artifact. In a democracy, every effort should be made to strike a balance between public safety and religious freedom to make sure people's rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms are respected. After more than 100 years in Canada, Mr. Bains said the incident shows that Sikhs still have a major task of educating Canadians and the likes of VIA Rail about their religion. "Public safety is always an important part of sound public policy, but I think it has been demonstrated, through various cases, that there should be a balance with respect to articles of faith," he said. "At the end of the day, the issue is very clear -- Balpreet poses no threat. He is simply practising his beliefs and it is important for VIA Rail to understand that, and enforce a policy that is mindful of that." This is cache, read story here
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