Harjit Sajjan in K-W to honour WWI soldier Pte. Buckam Singh

Canada's Minister of National Defence,Harjit Sajjan, was in Kitchener-Waterloo on Sundayto take part in the annual Sikh Remembrance Day Ceremony and tohonour the grave of First World War hero Private Buckam Singh.

"PrivateBuckamSingh is a representative of all those who have not only served in the past, butwhoare currently serving now,"Sajjansaid.

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Pte.Singh is recognized as the first Sikh manto enlistwith the Canadian armyduring the First World War. He served overseas in France and Belgium and waswounded in two different battles.

Singh's grave lies in Mount Hope Cemetery inKitchener.

"It was a verypoignant reminder that you had people from all walks of life joining Canada to fight in different wars,"Sajjansaid.

Ceremony

More than 100 people from the communitycame out to honour Singh and other Sikh soldiers and veterans.Sunday's ceremony started with a Sikh prayer, known asArdas, followed by the call to remembrance and recitation ofLt.-Col.John McCrae's famous poemInFlanders Field.

During Minister Sajjan's opening remarks, he spoke about similaritieswithSingh, as they wereborn in Punjab,India, before moving to Canada.

He also recognized that soldiers like Singh help break barriers for future Sikh soldiers.

"From a personal sense, it was poignant because I had just become a commanding officer at the time and I realized thatif it wasn't for people likePte.BuckamSingh who broke down those barriers, I wouldn't have been able to be potentially a commanding officer," said Sajjan.

Honouring Singh and others

For SandeepBrar, the organizer of Sunday's ceremony and the person who discovered Singh's grave, having Minister Sajjanat the ceremony was a moment of pride.

"To have the defence minister here is so relevant in so many ways," Brarsaid. "He is representing all of Canada and by coincidence healso happens to be a Sikh. It's really a moment of pride for the community."

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Braraddedthat Sikh Rembrance Dayhas grown since it began nine years ago.

"It's a remembrance day ceremony that just happens to be hosted by the Sikh community," Brarsaid.

"We not just focusing on Pte. Singh anymore but on all Canadian sacrifices in war."