A Sikh man in Canada has alleged religious discrimination after he was reportedly denied the opportunity to write a police recruitment exam because he refused to remove his kirpan — one of the sacred articles of faith for initiated Sikhs.
Jaspal Singh Gill, who moved from India to Canada in 2021, said becoming a police officer had always been his dream, following the footsteps of his father and grandfather who served in the police force in India.
After becoming a permanent resident in 2024 and moving to Winnipeg, Gill prepared for the Winnipeg Police Service recruitment exam. But before the test began, he claims he was stopped over wearing his kirpan.
Gill says the restriction violates religious freedom and points to the 2006 Supreme Court of Canada ruling that banning kirpans goes against constitutional rights. He also noted that Sikhs are permitted to carry kirpans in courthouses, legislative assemblies, and even on domestic flights in Canada.
He has now sought details of the police department’s policy under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and may approach the Manitoba Human Rights Commission.
