Desi Today Magazine
Sukh Dhaliwal, MP from Surrey-Newton, played an important role in reuniting many South Asian families who were torn apart due to Pandemic flight restrictions. In an interview with Desi Today, he shares his experiences.
DT) It has been more than 6 months since our World was toppled down by the Coronavirus pandemic. Can you tell us some of the major concerns?
Our first priority as a government was to ensure that those that needed immediate support due to losing their job, received it. We introduced several benefit programs to ensure that in spite of the severe economic consequences of the pandemic, no one was left without the ability to pay their rent or buy groceries. The Canada Emergency Relief Benefit was introduced in April and extended until the end of September, and over 8.5 million Canadians received cheques through the program.
As we move into the second phase of our government’s pandemic response, our priority is to provide support to the provinces and territories so that they can reopen their economies in a safe and responsible manner. The Safe Restart Agreement is providing over $19 billion to supplement these efforts.
We have also modified Employment Insurance and introduced new transition benefits so that those who are self-employed or who are acting as primary caregivers (both who are groups that do not qualify for E.I.) will still be able to receive support.
Our number one priority has always been about introducing a range of programs to make sure that no Canadian fell through the cracks in these challenging times, and I am confident that we have done just that.
DT) You played an instrumental role in helping stranded Indo-Canadians come back to Canada once India decided to stop all international flights. Can you share your experience and tell us about the hardships you faced during initial days? Do you have any estimate on the number of Indo-Canadians that must have come back with your efforts?
It was one of the most rewarding experiences in my time as an MP, but yes you are correct in recognizing the significant challenges associated with our efforts.
We were dealing with an historic and unprecedented situation, and our government’s efforts to allow Canadians abroad to return home was complicated. As an example, we realized that certain countries, including India, had put strict measures in place to lock down their populations and restrict movement to stem the curve of infections. There were also countries that prevented Canadians from leaving in the hundreds of repatriation flights that we had organized.
In terms of India, I was taking calls 24 hours a day due to the time difference, and I was working with both local families and those who were in India, to ensure that they were able to secure seats on these flights. I got very little sleep, but I was so happy to help families who were in such distress due to being separated.
Global Affairs Canada worked with our consulates and embassies around the world, as well as working with foreign governments and a range of airline partners, to facilitate the return of Canadians. In total, over 40,000 Canadians flew back home as a result of our efforts, including over 15,000 from India.
DT) Can you tell us what you heard from those who returned or are still returning from India about the situation and the difficulties they faced? Any particular case that touched your heart?
There were many challenges. People could not move to the buses to get to airports due to domestic movement restrictions in India. There were also many scam artists trying to contact people and take their credit card information fraudulently. Of course, there were many seniors, young children and those who were dealing with medical conditions, who really struggled in the organization and then the actual journey home. Overall, it was a huge response organized in a matter of weeks, and while I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish, I also understand the frustrations and hiccups that occurred in the process.
There was not one particular case that I can isolate, as I shared tears with hundreds of my constituents, as well as moments of joy when families were reunited. Again, I can tell you that this is one of the most profound and fulfilling experiences in my tenure as an MP.
DT) How do you think the South Asian business community has done so far in terms of adapting to the new ways of operating businesses during the pandemic? What is your take on the recent order that asked banquet halls to shut down again?
For the most part I have been very impressed with the resilience and innovation that is happening with businesses dealing with the restrictions of the pandemic. Some companies have had hybrid workforces where certain employees come into the office while others work from home. Some businesses have staggered their hours and created 24-hour shifting to maintain physical distancing while working.
Overall, I am pleased with how seriously most business owners have taken this pandemic and adhered to the guidelines from our provincial health officials.
I am not going to comment on the orders from Dr. Bonnie Henry who I think has earned and deserves our faith that she is doing everything she can to maintain the health and safety of our population.
However, I will say this. I am troubled by the fact that hotels are still able to hold functions in their ballrooms while banquet halls have been shut down completely. I think that there needs to be consistency in the rules and equal application for everyone.
DT) How you and your office has been communicating with the people during this time? What are the measures you have taken to stay connected to the community?
Our workload has not slowed down and in fact, the volume of constituent files we are working on has increased.
We have made use of phone calls and a lot of zoom meetings when necessary. For me, my phone has been my link to residents in Surrey-Newton, and I have been able to connect with so many people despite not being able to meet in person.
Being flexible and accommodating while still following the rules of safety during the pandemic has been our approach, and it has worked. I am connecting with more constituents than ever before, and we are still one of the busiest MP offices in terms of files, in all of Canada.
DT) What is your message to the community?
We are seeing significant spikes in many provinces, including BC. As we are opening up the economy and kids are going back to school, there has been a degree of carelessness that is different from the first six months of the pandemic.
My message is simple – we can live our lives and get back to a lot of the activities we have missed out on for months, but we must continue to follow the basic rules of halting the spread of the coronavirus.
So please keep wearing your masks and following physical distance protocols. Continue to wash your hands frequently and to use hand sanitizer. If you feel ill, please contact the medical authorities in your area. And lastly, please download the Covid Alert app that can be found at both the Apple Store and Google Play. This will allow us to do proper contact tracing and it is one of the most important tools we have to stop the infection spread as we enter phase 2 of this pandemic.
(By Surbhi Gogia)
