Brampton – Gurbax Singh Malhi was awarded the Key to the City of Brampton for his outstanding achievements as a trailblazer for the Sikh and South Asian community. Mayor Patrick Brown presented the Key to the City of Brampton at a ceremony at The Rose Brampton, which included a panel discussion with Sikh municipal elected officials; Navjit Kaur Brar, Regional Councillor, Wards 2 and 6, City of Brampton, Harkirat Singh, Deputy Mayor; City Councillor, Wards 9 and 10, City of Brampton, Gurpartap Singh Toor, Regional Councillor, Wards 9 and 10, City of Brampton, Harjinder Niijar, Deputy Mayor, City of Stratford, Raj Sandhu, Deputy Mayor, Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury and Nrinder Nann, City Councillor, City of Hamilton.
The Key to the City is a symbolic honour that the City of Brampton bestows upon a highly valued member of the community, or a celebrated or dignified guest of the City who has made an impact on the lives of people living in Brampton.
As the first turban-wearing Sikh elected to the House of Commons, Malhi paved the way for the representation of turban-wearing individuals and minorities in Parliament and was a fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion. Serving for 18 consecutive years as the Member of Parliament for Bramalea-Gore-Malton, Malhi helped open the doors for minorities, bringing a positive awareness to minorities of all ethnic backgrounds during a time when there was a lack of representation at the national level.
He was born in a small village in Punjab, India, in 1949. During the 1960s, while still in India, Malhi started actively participating in politics. In 1975, he and his family arrived in Canada where he quickly gained a reputation as someone who would offer a helping hand. In 1993, he was elected to represent the Liberal Party in the Bramalea-Gore-Malton.
Malhi’s objective as a politician was to fight for inclusion of all people that call Canada home, and to be reflective of the diverse ethnic backgrounds that co-exist in Canada. As such, Mayor Patrick Brown is honouring him by awarding the Key to the City during Sikh Heritage Month.
“We are grateful for the outstanding contributions of Gurbax Singh Malhi, and his unwavering commitment to inclusive policy making and community building. We are so very lucky to have this advocate in our city and we must celebrate those, like Malhi, who go above and beyond to create supportive, vibrant communities where all can be their best. An immeasurable thank you to my friend and mentor, the Honourable Gurbax Singh Malhi for his years of service.” – Patrick Brown, Mayor of Brampton
“Mr. Malhi is a trailblazer, friend and mentor. It is an honour to award him the Key to the City to celebrate his dedication to moving the needle forward for the multicultural community here in Brampton and beyond. We are forever grateful for his advocacy and dedication to creating strong, connected communities.” – Harkirat Singh, Regional Councillor, Wards 9 and 10; Deputy Mayor, City of Brampton
“I am deeply honoured to accept the key to the city, where I have lived and served for over 30 years. Service and the betterment of our community have been the cornerstone of everything that I do, it has been a privilege to give back to a city, a province and a country that have given me and my family so much opportunity to reach heights that I never imagined possible. I am grateful to Mayor Patrick Brown, Deputy Mayor Harkirat Singh and Brampton City Council for recognizing my work in the community”. – Gurbax Singh Malhi