DEEPAK Obhrai, Conservative MP, hosted the 18th National Diwali Celebration on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday (October 30).
He was joined by MPs representing all political parties and an enthusiastic crowd of over 500 from Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Ottawa. There were diplomatic representatives from 18 countries, led by India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Vikas Swarup.
Obhrai pointed to the Bill he recently presented in Parliament to establish the month of October as Hindu Heritage Month throughout Canada. “This Bill recognizes the important role played by Hindu Canadians in our country’s social development and economic growth,” he said.
Obhrai added: “The National Diwali Celebration in Parliament has always been a community-driven event. This is your Diwali. It will continue with your support.”
This year’s Diwali Celebration was organized with the cooperation of Hindu temples and Indo-Canadian community organizations from across Canada. Among the institutions were Canada-India Foundation; Overseas Friends of India Canada; Sikh Society of Ottawa; BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Toronto; Hindu Bhajan Mandly of Calgary; Laxmi Narayan Mandir Toronto; Bharat Mata Mandir Brampton; Vishwa Shakti Durga Mandir Ottawa; Jai Durga Hindu Society of Scarborough; Canadian Hindu Association Toronto; Shiv Shakti Mandir of Ottawa; Hindu Mission Montreal; Hindu Temple of Ottawa-Carleton; Shri Hanuman Mandir Brampton; Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA) Canada; India Canada Organization of Montreal; Indo Canadian Council for Arts and Culture Ottawa; Canadian Hindu Association Toronto and Canada-India Global Forum Montreal.
