Jaskirat Singh Sidhu was responsible for the deaths of nearly an entire youth hockey team in 2018
A Canadian court has approved the last-minute deportation of Indian-origin truck driver Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, temporarily halting plans to send him back to India just days before he was due to be deported.The emergency order was issued by Judge Jocelyne Gagné, who paused Sidhu’s deportation while the court reviews the ongoing legal challenge. Sidhu is seeking to stay in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds after the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) refused to delay his deportation.Sidhu, a permanent resident of Canada, was scheduled to be deported next Monday. His legal team continues to challenge the decision, arguing that his personal circumstances were not fully considered.The case stems from a 2018 crash in Saskatchewan, one of the deadliest incidents in Canadian sports history. Sidhu drove a truck through a stop sign at a rural intersection near Tisdale and collided with a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team. Sixteen people died and thirteen were injured.He was later sentenced to eight years in prison for dangerous driving causing death and bodily harm. Sidhu was paroled after serving part of his sentence.The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada had previously ruled that he should be deported. Even Sidhu’s lawyer, Michael Green, said the case was inevitable under current law. Green said the ruling would only require proof that Sidhu is not a Canadian citizen and committed a serious crime.A federal court earlier rejected arguments by Sidhu’s legal team that border officials failed to take into account his clean record and his remorse before the crash.Meanwhile, opinions remain divided. Some victims’ families have called for Sidhu’s deportation, saying it is necessary to deliver justice. Meanwhile, campaigns have been launched on both sides, including a petition launched by media platform The Counter Signal, urging authorities to deport him immediately.
