Over thirty Indo-Canadian candidates are seeking seats in the House of Commons in the upcoming election, torepresent ridings across the country. In some ridings, these candidates are even running against each other.

Ten Indo-Canadian MP’s were elected in 2006. For the upcoming October 14th election, eight will be running for the Liberals, two for the Greens, 14 for theNew Democrats, and 12 for the Conservatives.

Most of these candidates are Sikh-Canadians, who actually have a greater number of MP’s than their share of the population. Many Sikhs live in Mississaugaand Brampton, Ontario, where they comprise 15 and 19 per cent of the population respectively.

“The Sikhs are united and know they have to be politically active to defend their interests,” states Ryerson University Professor Myer Siemiatycki.

Immigration is among the most significant issues for Sikhs, along with the recognition of foreign work credentials.