Indian-Origin Truck Driver Involved In 2018 Bus Accident That Killed 16 Hockey Players In Canada Faces Deportation

Reportedly, Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, a newly married permanent resident from India, barrelled through a stop sign at a rural intersection near Tisdale, Saskatchewan in 2018, and drove into the path of the bus carrying the junior hockey team to a playoff game.

The tragic bus crash in Canada in 2018, caused by Indian-origin truck driver Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, resulted in the death of 16 members and injury of 13 others from a junior hockey team. The incident occurred when Sidhu, a resident of Calgary, disregarded a stop sign and collided with the Humboldt Broncos’ bus in Saskatchewan Province. Following the ruling at an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing in Calgary, Sidhu has been ordered to be deported to India. Despite having permanent resident status in Canada, the deportation decision was inevitable due to Sidhu’s non-Canadian citizenship and involvement in a severe crime.

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Sidhu’s lawyer Michael Greene has said the decision was a foregone conclusion, as all that’s required to deport Sidhu is proof that he’s not a Canadian citizen and he committed a serious crime, CBC news reported. Sidhu is from India and has permanent resident status in Canada.

“It’s pretty open and shut,” Greene was quoted as saying by the Canadian Press news agency. There’s nothing to contest, so those are as clear as day. These hearings are usually done lickety-split.”

He was granted parole after being sentenced to eight years for dangerous driving in the 2018 bus crash.

Earlier in December, the Federal Court rejected applications from Sidhu’s lawyer, who had said that border officials did not consider Sidhu’s previously clean criminal record and remorse. He wanted the court to direct the border agency to carry out a second review.

Before the hearing on Friday, Greene said, This is part of the sadness of the whole process. We’re left with a situation where permanent residents have no rights whatsoever to have their personal circumstances considered,” CBC News reported.

“This is part of the sadness of the whole process. We’re left with a situation where permanent residents have no rights whatsoever to have their personal circumstances considered,” Greene said, before Friday’s hearing.

“Our only mechanism is (that) after he’s ordered deported, we’re going to ask them to give back his (permanent resident) status (based) on humanitarian grounds.

“But in the meantime, he has no status.”

(With inputs from agencies)