International Desk
24 May
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, the truck driver involved in the tragic Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team bus crash, has been ordered deported by the Immigration and Refugee Board during a hearing in Calgary. Sidhu, a permanent resident from India, had been sentenced to eight years for dangerous driving, resulting in the deaths of 16 people and injuries to 13 others in the 2018 Saskatchewan incident. He was paroled recently, having served a portion of his sentence.
Sidhu’s lawyer, Michael Green, indicated that the deportation decision was anticipated, given the criteria: Sidhu is not a Canadian citizen and has committed a serious crime. Green highlighted the rigid nature of the immigration laws, stating that permanent residents have limited grounds to contest deportation based on individual circumstances.
Despite the deportation order, Sidhu will not be taken into custody immediately. Green explained that a risk assessment must be conducted before deportation, and Sidhu could seek to delay the process until his request to reinstate his permanent resident status on humanitarian grounds is reviewed. This bureaucratic procedure could extend over several months or even years.
In a prior legal battle, Sidhu’s appeal was dismissed by a federal court in December. His legal team had argued that border officials failed to take into account Sidhu’s previously clean criminal record and his evident remorse. The court, however, did not mandate a second review by the border agency.
The deportation order has sparked mixed reactions, particularly from the families of the victims. Many have expressed their desire to see Sidhu deported. Green, however, lamented the inflexibility of the current system, which does not allow consideration of personal circumstances in such cases.
Sidhu’s future remains uncertain as the legal processes unfold, with potential delays stretching the resolution timeline considerably. The tragic accident continues to cast a long shadow, affecting all those involved.