Caste Discrimination Impacts Quality of Life for Canadians

Posted on by

Caste Discrimination Impacts Quality of Life for Canadians

While the majority of Canadians may not ever think about the word caste, for some people, it is a facet of life that they can’t escape even after immigrating to Canada. Caste discrimination is a form of oppression that activists in the Indian subcontinent and the Himalayas have fought against for decades. Unfortunately, with thousands of years of cultural normalcy, this form of discrimination is still deeply embedded in the psyches of people even after they leave their home countries. Read on to learn about how caste discrimination impacts the quality of life for Canadians.

What Is Caste Discrimination?

Caste discrimination is a form of oppression based on the perception of a person’s caste. That oppression can include violating a person’s economic, social, political, cultural, or individual rights. In the Indian subcontinent and parts of the Himalayas, people divided society into different groups based on caste, equating to a type of social order that determines what people are allowed to do for work, where they are allowed to go, and who they are allowed to interact with. 

Within the traditional caste system, caste boundaries are fixed, meaning that, no matter what someone does in their life, neither they nor their descendants can escape the caste they are born into. The people who experience caste discrimination are those who others label as being of the lowest castes. In the past, some Hindus referred to this group as Untouchables. Today, activists from these groups call themselves Dalits and fight for full rights and acknowledgment under the law. 

Does It Happen in Canada?

Caste discrimination is illegal, but it still happens, not only in India and Nepal but also in Canada. In March 2023, a taxi driver, Manoj Bhangu, who had immigrated from Punjab, India, received a settlement order from the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal after experiencing caste discrimination at a work party. Two men, also originally from Punjab, used a caste-based slur against him, and the altercation turned physical. The Tribunal ruled that Mr. Bhangu deserved more than $9,000 in compensation and that the brothers, Inderjit and Avninder Dhillon, would have to pay up for the harm they caused. 

While this case garnered national media attention, many other instances of caste discrimination in Canada continue unabated. People who come from Dalit backgrounds often get denied housing, promotions, and networking opportunities when upper-caste Hindus control those opportunities. Nor is Canada the only place where people have to face this kind of oppression. It also happens in the U.S., Australia, and the U.K. In 2023, Seattle, Washington, was the first city to put a law on the books that bans caste discrimination.

How Can People Seek Justice?

Seeking justice isn’t easy for people who face caste discrimination in Canada, but one way to do so is by pursuing a case in front of a tribunal or the courts. Although caste is not an inherent social category in Canada, it can still count as a protected characteristic.

In Canada, all people have a right to freedom from discrimination. There are many characteristics that the law considers protected under this legal structure, including the following: 

  • Race
  • Gender
  • Place of origin
  • Ethnicity 
  • Religion
  • Disability

The list of protected characteristics is extensive, which makes it possible for people who experience discrimination to fight for justice within the legal structure. Since caste is not something that people choose but something that is forced upon them by others, it results in a protected characteristic similar to place of origin, ancestry, and race.

Canadians who experience caste discrimination are not taking it lightly. Like Mr. Bhangu, they are fighting for their right to freedom and safety in their new home.

Caste Discrimination Impacts Quality of Life for Canadians

While the majority of Canadians may not ever think about the word caste, for some people, it is a facet of life that they can’t escape even after immigrating to Canada. Caste discrimination is a form of oppression that activists in the Indian subcontinent and the Himalayas have fought against for decades. Unfortunately, with thousands of years of cultural normalcy, this form of discrimination is still deeply embedded in the psyches of people even after they leave their home countries. Read on to learn about how caste discrimination impacts the quality of life for Canadians.

What Is Caste Discrimination?

Caste discrimination is a form of oppression based on the perception of a person’s caste. That oppression can include violating a person’s economic, social, political, cultural, or individual rights. In the Indian subcontinent and parts of the Himalayas, people divided society into different groups based on caste, equating to a type of social order that determines what people are allowed to do for work, where they are allowed to go, and who they are allowed to interact with. 

Within the traditional caste system, caste boundaries are fixed, meaning that, no matter what someone does in their life, neither they nor their descendants can escape the caste they are born into. The people who experience caste discrimination are those who others label as being of the lowest castes. In the past, some Hindus referred to this group as Untouchables. Today, activists from these groups call themselves Dalits and fight for full rights and acknowledgment under the law. 

Does It Happen in Canada?

Caste discrimination is illegal, but it still happens, not only in India and Nepal but also in Canada. In March 2023, a taxi driver, Manoj Bhangu, who had immigrated from Punjab, India, received a settlement order from the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal after experiencing caste discrimination at a work party. Two men, also originally from Punjab, used a caste-based slur against him, and the altercation turned physical. The Tribunal ruled that Mr. Bhangu deserved more than $9,000 in compensation and that the brothers, Inderjit and Avninder Dhillon, would have to pay up for the harm they caused. 

While this case garnered national media attention, many other instances of caste discrimination in Canada continue unabated. People who come from Dalit backgrounds often get denied housing, promotions, and networking opportunities when upper-caste Hindus control those opportunities. Nor is Canada the only place where people have to face this kind of oppression. It also happens in the U.S., Australia, and the U.K. In 2023, Seattle, Washington, was the first city to put a law on the books that bans caste discrimination.

How Can People Seek Justice?

Seeking justice isn’t easy for people who face caste discrimination in Canada, but one way to do so is by pursuing a case in front of a tribunal or the courts. Although caste is not an inherent social category in Canada, it can still count as a protected characteristic.

In Canada, all people have a right to freedom from discrimination. There are many characteristics that the law considers protected under this legal structure, including the following: 

  • Race
  • Gender
  • Place of origin
  • Ethnicity 
  • Religion
  • Disability

The list of protected characteristics is extensive, which makes it possible for people who experience discrimination to fight for justice within the legal structure. Since caste is not something that people choose but something that is forced upon them by others, it results in a protected characteristic similar to place of origin, ancestry, and race.

Canadians who experience caste discrimination are not taking it lightly. Like Mr. Bhangu, they are fighting for their right to freedom and safety in their new home.

Comments are closed.

Comments are closed.