Some critics say Canadian leaders may be taking their cues from political discourse south of the border. A social media post by Canadian political figure Daniel Terry, who questioned the presence of Indian-origin officials in government, sparked a sharp backlash online, reigniting debate over immigration, identity and representation in public institutions.Canada is home to a rapidly growing population of Indian origin. The community is estimated to number between 1.8 million and 2.9 million people, making it one of the largest Indian communities abroad and representing approximately 5.1% of Canada’s total population. Census data also shows that the community has grown by 17.5% over the previous census, reflecting its increasing presence in business, politics and public service.
The controversy began after Terry posted on X asking, “How are Canada’s world affairs managed entirely by Indians?” In the post, he shared photos of several South Asian officials working within the Canadian government, presenting them as evidence of what he described as overrepresentation.His post included pictures of officials including Arun Thangaraj, Maninder Sidhu, Randeep Sarai and Anita Anand.Arun Thangaraj, Canada’s Deputy Minister of Transport, was born in Canada.
Maninder Sidhu, Parliamentary Secretary, was born in India but immigrated to Canada as a young child. His parents arrived in the early 1980s as international students before settling in Surrey, British Columbia, where they later built the family business.Randeep Sarai, Liberal MP for Surrey Centre, was born on April 15, 1975 in Vancouver and grew up in Burnaby. His Sikh parents had migrated from Punjab before his birth.Anita Anand, former Minister of National Defense and current Member of Parliament for Oakville, was born in Kentville, Nova Scotia, in 1967. Her father, SV Anand, was a surgeon from Tamil Nadu and her mother, Saroj D Ram, an anesthesiologist from Punjab. They both immigrated to Canada in the early 1960s.
When X users pointed out that many of the officials he mentioned were Canadian-born, Terry defended his argument.He wrote: “To be Canadian is to be part of a generational lineage that extends back to the pioneers who settled and built this great nation.”He continued: “A person born to Indian parents in Canada is still an Indian. This is not rocket science.”Terry also argued that racial diversity has been incorrectly framed. “There is nothing ‘diverse’ about four Indians. Unless you use the modern definition of diversity, i.e. non-white.”His comments quickly sparked criticism online, with users accusing him of misrepresenting officials’ backgrounds and ignoring the broader makeup of the government.“That’s not the case. They’re all Canadian. Moreover, they were all born in Canada. And you forgot to show the white guy, Dominique LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs,” one user replied.Another user questioned the focus on race altogether, writing: “Whatever their background.. the main question is.. are they doing a good job or not, if not, fire them. The Secretary of State is doing a good job so far.”
