First turbaned Sikh woman as judge |
Palbinder Kaur Shergill is the first turbaned (amritdhari) Sikh woman to be appointed judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in New Westminster. Jody Wilson-Raybould, minister of justice and attorney general of Canada, announced the appointment made with immediate effect as Justice Shergill replaces Justice EA Arnold-Bailey, who retired on May 31. A human rights advocate, Justice Shergill represented the interests of the Canadian Sikh community in several cases heard by the Supreme Court of Canada, including the one dealing with the right of Sikh students to wear the kirpan (ceremonial dagger) in schools. World Sikh Organisation president Mukhbir Singh welcomed her appointment and said this is another milestone for the Sikh community in Canada. She was born at Rurka Kalan in Jalandhar district and married into a family from Jagatpur village in neighbouring Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshahr). She immigrated to Canada with her family at the age of four. She grew up in Williams Lake, BC, and received her law degree from the University of Saskatchewan.
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