Biker Sikh in Canada

March 11, 2008 by Jenn Sierra
Filed under News

I received this from a Canadian friend:

A group of Seiks demonstrates in Brampton in defiance of the helment laws in Ontario Canada, after one of them is fined $150 for riding without his helment. They feel the law does not apply to them because of their religious requirements. We have an RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] Officer who was granted permission to wear a turbin in place of his uniform’s hat for religious reasons. Where is the equality for naturally born Canadians? You might notice there are no Harleys in this group.

Clutch and Chrome reports that this all started when Baljinder Badesha received a ticket in 2005 for not wearing a helmet, because he needed to wear a turbin, instead, and appealed. Judge James Blacklock, who dismissed the case, explained:

Helmets appear to me more likely than not to substantially reduce the risk of head injuries and death to motorcycle riders.

It is certainly clear that in permitting Mr. Badesha and all Sikh adherents who hold his religious views to ride motorcycles without a helmet would not achieve the same level of safety for them.

Marni Soupcoff of the National Post comments that while the “human rights” activists defend the Sikhs “freedom of religion”, and many in Canada feel the Sikh’s should follow the law like everone else, the real question should be whether or not the government has a right to mandate headwear in the first place:

The Ontario Superior Court on Thursday rejected a Sikh man’s claim to a religious-freedom exemption from the province’s law on mandatory motorcycle helmets. Supporters of safety as the holiest of political principles upheld the ruling as a triumph of reason; Sikh organizations denounced it as an act of naked discrimination against their faith. Few stepped forward to defend the idea that an adult in a free society should be able to wear what he wants and take the risks he wants where only his own body is concerned.

That is not only a shame, but it is a development that is awfully hard to account for according to the myth of liberal progress….(more)

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5 Responses to “Biker Sikh in Canada”

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Alex on March 11th, 2008 10:23 am

In respect for their religious beliefs, they SHOULD NOT be required to wear helmets! Nor should they be required to stop at stop signs, or yield to oncoming traffic. They should, however, be required to travel at least 50 miles per hour above the posted speed limit.
jelly on October 20th, 2008 4:23 am

The WEARING of a turban is compulsoryfor a sikh because of their religion and if religious freedom is given to all the people of canada, then they should be allowed to dress according to their religious beliefs. But speed limit is the other case.
Bob on October 25th, 2008 9:27 am

When they all took thier bike licence tests they were all made to wear their helmets .. Now they want to change the laws of Canada when even us Canadians cannot do so ?
I believe they are really dumb not wanting to have a helmet on while riding thier bikes , if ever in a accident that little bit of rag isn’t going to protect too much ,now is it ,and cost us taxpayors millions in health care
These people come over here to canada for a free and better life for their familys and then they wish to change our rules and laws
This is CANADA people …!!!!!
Like it or GET OUT
Thanks
Bob on November 13th, 2008 10:55 am

WTF…
” WEARING of a turban is compulsoryfor a sikh ”
Well they should have all thought of this before coming to OUR LAND CANADA
And not come and try to change our laws
Get it togther
Us Canadians are the minority here any more and we cant even yell Discrimination
I would appreciate the laws of Canada , They make these laws for a reason !!!!

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