TORONTO, Oct 30 — The Canadian government will release a new commemorative stamp this Sunday to honour more than 100 years of service by Sikh soldiers in the Canadian military. The stamp, produced by Canada Post, also pays tribute to Sikhs currently serving in the Canadian Armed Forces and will be unveiled during the 18th Annual Sikh Remembrance Day ceremony on November 2.
Former Member of Parliament Tarlochan Singh said the decision was both historic and symbolic. “The Canadian government has decided to release a commemorative stamp in honour of Sikh Canadian soldiers. Produced by Canada Post, it will be unveiled at the Sikh Remembrance Day ceremony hosted by the community,” he said. “The stamp honours Sikh soldiers who have served for over a century, dating back to the 10 Sikh soldiers accepted into the military during the First World War.”
He said the ceremony — which pays homage to Sikh soldiers who fought alongside Canada’s allies during the World Wars — is the ideal moment to release the stamp publicly. “This annual ceremony salutes the sacrifices of Sikh soldiers who served with the British Indian Army and laid down their lives in Europe,” Singh noted.
The Sikh Remembrance Day ceremony takes place each year at the grave of Private Bukkan Singh, believed to be the only known military grave of a Sikh soldier in Canada from the World Wars. Historical records show that only 10 Sikh soldiers were accepted into the Canadian army during the First World War, despite thousands applying to serve.
Private Bukkan Singh fought with the 20th Canadian Infantry Battalion in France and Belgium before succumbing to injuries at a Canadian military hospital in Kitchener, Ontario, in 1919. He was buried with full military honours, and his 106-year-old grave now serves as the site for the annual remembrance event.
Canada has earlier issued two stamps honouring the Sikh community. The first was released in 1999 to mark the 300th anniversary of Baisakhi, featuring the Khanda — a double-edged sword symbolising divine knowledge. The second, issued in 2014, commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Komagata Maru incident, in which 376 Indian passengers — mostly Sikhs and Hindus — were denied entry to Canada in 1914.
Historical accounts suggest that the first Sikhs arrived in Canada in 1897 as part of a British Army unit. The new stamp continues this long legacy, recognising the contributions and sacrifices of Sikh soldiers who have served Canada for more than a century.
