53,000 Canadian Sikhs Turn Out in Ottawa Despite Snowstorm
OTTAWA 23 November 2025 — Not even freezing temperatures, icy winds, or Canada’s first major winter blast could stop the Sikh community from delivering one of the largest political mobilizations in recent Canadian history.
More than 53,000 Canadian Sikhs from Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec converged on Ottawa to cast their ballots in the Khalistan Referendum, held Sunday at the McNabb Community Centre.
Families stood in lines stretching nearly two kilometres, enduring snow, ice, and sub-zero windchill. From newborns wrapped in blankets to seniors leaning on walkers, voters waited for hours — long after the official 3:00 PM closing time — determined to make their voices heard.
Organizers said the turnout demonstrated that not even extreme weather or India’s extrajudicial killing campaigns abroad can stop Sikhs from advancing the Khalistan freedom movement.
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G20 TIMING SPARKS OUTRAGE: CARNEY–MODI TALKS QUESTIONED
Secessionist advocacy group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) designated 23 November as “Canada’s Referendum on Khalistan.”
But the group sharply criticized the Carney Government for holding a high-profile G20 meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the same day — even as Canada’s own intelligence agencies continue to warn about:
Assassination plots on Canadian soil,
Foreign interference networks, and
Extortion operations linked to the Modi Government.
SFJ questioned why Ottawa would prioritize trade conversations over accountability for Shaheed Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination, which Canadian security services say involved agents of the Indian state.
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PANNUN: “MODI IS COMMITTING ECONOCIDE AGAINST PUNJAB”
Addressing voters from abroad via satellite, SFJ General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said the movement had entered a new phase 41 years after the 1984 Sikh Genocide.
“Modi’s government is now committing econocide against Punjab,”
Pannun stated, adding that
“the democratic way forward today is the political death — not the assassination — of Modi’s policies, achieved through ballots, international accountability, and the continued rise of the Khalistan movement.”
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CANADIAN SIKHS REJECT CARNEY–MODI TRADE TALKS
After casting their ballots, voters were asked a direct question by SFJ volunteers:
“Do you agree with the Carney Government opening trade talks with India without accountability for Shaheed Nijjar’s assassination?”
According to SFJ, the result was overwhelmingly and nearly unanimously: “No.”
Organizers say the combination of:
Record-breaking voter turnout,
Political clarity, and
Community unity across provinces
sends a message not just to Ottawa and New Delhi, but to governments globally:
Canadian Sikhs will not tolerate trade deals or diplomatic overtures that ignore assassination findings, intelligence warnings, and the political rights of the Sikh nation.
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A CLEAR MANDATE FROM THE DIASPORA
SFJ stated that Sunday’s vote was both:
1. A referendum for the independence of Punjab from Indian occupation, and
2. A rebuke of Western governments willing to overlook India’s covert actions on foreign soil.
The organization emphasized that Canadian Sikhs expect justice and accountability for the killing of Shaheed Nijjar — and will oppose any government posture that normalizes relations with India without confronting the evidence released by Canada’s own security agencies.