Baptised Sikh woman Navjit Kaur Brar elected councillor in Brampton

An Indo-Canadian healthcare employee Navjit Kaur Brar has emerge as the primary baptised Sikh woman to be elected as a councillor of Brampton town in Canada.

Brar, a breathing therapist, became on Monday elected the Brampton town councillor withinside the latest municipal council (MC) polls after she gained the race in Wards No. 2 and 6.

A mom of 3 beat Jermaine Chambers, a former Conservative MP candidate for Brampton West. She secured 28.eighty five according to cent of the votes solid in MC polls.

Chambers, the closest contender obtained 22.fifty nine according to cent and Carmen Wilson got here in 1/3 with 15.forty one according to cent votes, the Brampton Guardian reported.

As a part of her campaign, Brar knocked on over forty,000 doorways and spoke to over 22,500 citizens withinside the remaining months.

“I am so pleased with @Navjitkaurbrar. She became a selfless and devoted front-line healthcare employee in the course of the pandemic. She has stepped up for public service. I am assured that she could be an exceptional addition to Brampton City Council,” Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, who gained a 2d time period withinside the latest election, tweeted.

Brar, who formerly ran because the Ontario NDP candidate in Brampton West, had misplaced to the cutting-edge Progressive Conservative MP Amarjot Sandhu.

Another Sikh candidate, Gurpartap Singh Toor, knocked off his opponent Gurpreet Dhillon in Wards No. nine and 10 via way of means of a scant margin of 227 votes.

The file stated as many as forty Punjabis have been withinside the fray for Brampton civic elections and handiest 87,one hundred fifty five of the 354,884 eligible citizens became as much as solid ballots, an abysmal voter turnout of about 24.fifty six according to cent.

The Indo-Canadian community, at the side of councillor candidates, had raised issues over the election date overlapping with Diwali, one of the most-awaited gala’s celebrated via way of means of the huge swathe of Indian diaspora in Canada.

“It may be very elaborate that the elections are taking area on Diwali day, particularly the municipal polls which have constantly visible a low voter turnout,” stated Gurpratap Singh Toor.

Elections for the municipal authorities are held each 4 years at the fourth Monday of October, which fell on October 24 this time.

Brar, who has little political experience, stated, “I suppose a variety of human beings can relate to me. I’m only a breathing therapist. I’ve surely labored with a variety of human beings. I’m a mother of 3 and a variety of human beings in Brampton are families.”

Brar targeted on 3 areas, which consist of constructing new infrastructure, lowering crime and enhancing street safety.

Brar stated she deliberate to paintings difficult to symbolize all demographics in her ward. “I’m excited. I’m so pleased with all Bramptonians, who’ve voted, ensuring our voices are being heard greater than ever earlier than,” she stated earlier than the announcement.