Ontario's South Asian community raises concerns about Diwali and Election Day overlap

Ontario’s South Asian population is raising concerns regarding the overlap of Diwali and Election Day, saying it could cause issues for Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains trying to make it to the polls.

“Diwali is a festival of happiness,” Amandeep Kaur who has been busy preparing sweets at Prem Sweets in Brampton for the festival, told CTV News Toronto. The holiday is one of the most important south Asian religious and cultural celebrations on the calendar.

“People wear new clothes, go to the temples. This year, [after COVID-19 restrictions] they will be sharing their happiness with relatives, by hugging them, by taking the blessings," Kaur said.

But also this year, the ‘Festival of Lights’ falls on municipal election day in Ontario.

“A lot of people who would typically vote after work also would be participating in Diwali celebrations, which tend to be in the evening,” Ryan Singh, chair of the Indo-Caribbean Canadian Association, said.

“So people will probably prioritize being with their families and loved ones, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic rather than voting.”

Singh said with the province being so diverse, the conflict should have been addressed.

The association sent a letter to Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs asking for alternative dates, after the 2007 provincial election was moved for another religious observance.

“It’s systemic racism that there’s a solution the government can fix,” he said.

“We thought the government should be proactive at looking at an alternative, extending the voting period, having it the day after or the week after. Unfortunately I didn’t hear a response.”

In a statement to CTV News Toronto, the province said advance voting can begin 30 days before election day and the municipal elections act sets the date as the fourth Monday in October.

Ashwani Aggarwal is the founder of My Indians in Canada Association, which helps people with everything from housing, jobs and personal support. He is Hindu, concerned about Brampton issues and is voting Monday.

He said coordinating time to celebrate and vote will be challenging for some; however, he doesn’t believe the conflict is a big problem.

“There are so many places we can go and vote, it’s a minute walk or a minute drive,” he said.

Aggarwal said he’d like to see Diwali recognized as a holiday. New York City recently made it an official school holiday.

But for him, the political process is too important to miss.