Saturday, March 29, 2025
On April 28, 2025, Canada held its federal election to choose members of the 45th Canadian Parliament. The Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, secured a significant victory by winning 169 seats, positioning them to form the next government. The Conservative Party won 144 seats, while the Bloc Québécois claimed 22 seats, the New Democratic Party (NDP) won 7, and the Green Party secured 1 seat.
A historic feature of this election was the success of 22 candidates of Punjabi origin, marking a notable increase from previous elections where fewer Punjabis were elected. Among these, 12 belong to the Liberal Party and 10 to the Conservative Party. Geographically, 11 of these successful Punjabi candidates represent ridings in Ontario, 5 in British Columbia, 5 in Alberta, and 1 in Quebec.
In Ontario, notable Liberal Punjabi winners include Sonia Sidhu (defeating Conservative Sukhdeep Kang in Brampton South), Amandeep Sodhi (Brampton Centre), Maninder Sidhu (Brampton East), Ruby Sahota (Brampton North), Bardish Chagger (Waterloo), Ekwinder Singh Ghaher (Mississauga Malton), and Anita Anand (Oakville East). British Columbia saw Liberal leaders like Sukh Dhaliwal (Surrey Newton) and Randeep Sarai (Surrey Centre) re-elected, while in Quebec, Anju Dhillon won decisively.
On the Conservative side, Ontario’s Amarjeet Gill defeated former minister Kamal Khera in Brampton West, with other victors including Harb Gill (Windsor West), Parm Gill (Milton East–Halton Hills South), and Arpan Khanna (Oxford). Alberta’s successful Conservative Punjabi candidates included Jasraj Singh Hallan, Dalvinder Gill, Jagsharan Singh Mahal, and Tim Uppal. British Columbia’s Sukhman Singh Gill also won as a Conservative.
A remarkable aspect was the victory of six Punjabi candidates with the surname “Gill,” all representing the Conservative Party, highlighting a strong community presence.
The election was largely influenced by economic concerns and tensions with the United States, especially due to trade disputes and provocative remarks by then-US President Donald Trump, who had suggested annexing Canada as the 51st US state. Mark Carney, a former central bank governor in both Canada and the UK, campaigned on his experience managing economic crises and his promise to diversify Canada’s trade relations beyond the US. His leadership and anti-Trump stance resonated with voters, contributing to the Liberal Party’s fourth consecutive term-a rare achievement in Canadian politics.
The election also saw prominent Punjabi leaders from other parties, such as NDP’s Jagmeet Singh, lose their seats. Despite this, Singh vowed to continue advocating for hope and optimism in Canadian politics.
In summary, the 2025 Canadian federal election reaffirmed the Liberal Party’s leadership under Mark Carney, showcased the growing political influence of the Punjabi community across multiple provinces, and underscored the impact of international relations on domestic electoral outcomes.
