Canadian Lawyer

w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m N o v e m b e r / D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 4 29 When Singh looks back at his time as a lawyer, the cases he recalls are of fundamentally good people caught up in bad situations — the community activist who grabbed a gun from a drug dealer and shot him in self-defence, or a man overloaded with debt, who steals someone's identity and then becomes a model citizen. As a lawyer, the fact that Singh stood out won him clients. "People would see me in court and say, listen, I like your style, I like your confi- dence, I like your swagger." Singh would often volunteer his time with various social justice-related causes. One of them would eventually lead him to politics. Kamal Nath, an Indian politician who is alleged to have led an armed mob that slaughtered Sikhs in Delhi 30 years ago, was coming to Canada to speak and meet with the government. "And we went to our local politicians for some assistance," says Singh, "and they turned a blind eye." The group of activists decid- ed they needed one of their own in political office and they chose Singh as their man. "It took about six months of strong persuasion and some serious guilt-tripping, but I eventually caved in." He decided to run under the NDP banner in the 2011 federal election, but lost by 539 votes. The Ontario NDP recruited him for the provincial election that same year, and he beat incumbent Kuldip Kular, giving the NDP its first- ever victory in Peel region. At Queen's Park, Singh has served as the party's justice critic and the point man for auto insurance issues. And he continues to frame these debates through a social justice lens. For Singh, auto insurance isn't just a pocketbook issue, but a problem of discrimination. He lik- ens the tactics of the insurance industry to "redlining," the practice of charging more to people based on the racially determined areas that they live in. Singh has also emerged as the most high-profile advocate for Sikh rights in Canada. He's helped pass laws allowing kirpans, the ceremonial daggers worn by observant Sikhs, into courthouses. He's fought for exemptions to helmet laws for turban-wearing Sikh motorcy- clists. And when a white supremacist massacred Sikhs at a Wisconsin gurd- wara, Singh went down in solidarity. For his efforts, Singh was acclaimed as Sikh of the Year in 2013 by SEWA, an India-based non-profit that promotes Sikhs globally. But when he tried to go to India to collect his award, Singh's visa was denied. "I am not liked by the Indian government very much," he says. That's because of his criticism of that government's human rights track record, especially when it comes to its decision to not prosecute officials accused of organizing the 1984 Delhi pogrom. While his activism and profile have gained him plaudits around the world, Singh has also been rumoured to be a possible successor to Andrea Horwath for the NDP leadership. For now though, while Singh continues to stand out of the crowd, he's a little bit taken aback by his meteoric rise. "It's such a shock to me still that I've received so much attention," he says. Let the experts help you to narrow your search and save you research time. Canadian Patent Reporter has been Canada's leading intellectual property law report since 1942. This renowned resource, available online and in print, includes precedent-setting intellectual property law judicial and board decisions from across Canada. This publication provides practitioners with the leading decisions on patent, industrial design, copyright and trade-mark law. Topical catchlines in bold print show the key issues involved in each decision. Expert case selection, editing and headnoting are a tradition with Canadian Patent Reporter. Weekly updates via email and in print, plus an annual cumulative index volume, ensure that this publication continues to be the prime reference source for intellectual property case law. Includes eReports (weekly electronic pdf version) Stay current as cases are issued with eReports emailed weekly to your desktop, with topically indexed case summaries linked to the full text judgments. Edited by Marcus Gallie, Ridout & Maybee LLP Fourth Series (Volumes 1 to 65): Edited by Glen Bloom, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP First, Second and Third Series: Edited by Gowling, Strathy & Henderson Founding Editor: Gordon F. Henderson, C.C., Q.C., LL.D. Canadian Patent Reporter Available risk-free for 30 days Order online: www.carswell.com Call Toll-Free: 1-800-387-5164 In Toronto: 416-609-3800 Order # A26520 $489 price per volume Subscription price includes parts, bound volume and eReports Shipping and handling are extra. Price(s) subject to change without notice and subject to applicable taxes. 00226MM-A47749

• Cover