Statement from Premier Pillai on Vaisakhi

Premier Pillai has released the following statement: 

“Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

“April is recognized internationally as Sikh Heritage Month, and on April 14, Vaisakhi – one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar – is celebrated.

 “Vaisakhi commemorates the 1699 establishment of the Khalsa – the collective name given to baptised Sikhs – by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It is celebrated through community gatherings, baptisms into the Khalsa, and prayers for a good year to come.

“Sikhs have a long history in the Yukon and are an important part of the territory’s cultural fabric. The first Sikhs in the Yukon helped construct the railroad around Whitehorse and Carcross in 1906, with more Sikh families moving North in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1988, the Guru Nanak Sikh Organization of Yukon was established to commemorate important festivals like Vaisakhi. Finally, in 2020 a permanent gurdwara was established in Whitehorse.

“Vaisakhi is culturally significant as a harvest festival and is celebrated by Sikhs across India and around the world.

 “The values at the heart of Sikhism – equality, honesty, generosity, and seva – the selfless service to others – are Yukon values as well.

“I am pleased to see the diversity reflected in the Yukon’s cultural fabric. I wish growth, health and peace to all who celebrate Vaisakhi.”