CALGARY — The truck driver who caused the horrific bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team was ordered Friday to be deported to India.
An Immigration and Refugee Board hearing for Jaskirat Singh Sidhu announced its decision in a 15-minute virtual hearing.
"I can't consider humanitarian and compassionate factors,” Trent Cook from the immigration division of the board, who oversaw the hearing, told Sidhu.
“My sole role today is to make a finding on whether the minister has established the facts that support their allegation that you're inadmissible for serious criminality.
"I am satisfied that the minister's report is well founded.
“I am required by law to issue you with a deportation order."
Reporters were given online access to the hearing. Key participants, including Sidhu, were shown on the screen.
Sidhu remained impassive as the decision was read.
His lawyer, Michael Greene, had said the decision was a foregone conclusion, as all that was required to deport Sidhu was proof he's not a Canadian citizen and he had committed a serious crime.
Sidhu is from India and arrived in Canada in 2014.
in 2018, the rookie truck driver, living in Calgary, barrelled through a stop sign and into the path of the junior hockey team's bus at a rural intersection near Tisdale, Sask.
Sixteen people on the bus were killed and 13 were injured.
Sidhu pleaded guilty to dangerous driving offences and was sentenced to eight years in prison. He was granted full parole last year.
Greene said there are more legal and procedural steps to follow and Sidhu may not be deported for months or even years.
Greene said he plans to soon file an application asking the government to return Sidhu's permanent resident status on humanitarian grounds.
He said immigration officials would look at the Sidhu's offence, his remorse, and whether he is a security risk or a danger to the public.
"They also look at other factors including the person's establishment in Canada. Are there family ties? The best interests of any child involved, and any hardship that would occur were he to be removed," Greene said.
Sidhu and his wife now have a child who was born in Canada, Greene said. The child has severe heart and lung complications.
“It's been a rough ride for them and that child requires a lot of medical attention,” Greene said.
Several family members of those killed in the crash have said they want Sidhu deported.
However, Scott Thomas, whose 18-year-old son, Evan, was killed, has said he has forgiven Sidhu. Thomas advocated for Sidhu to stay in Canada.
Chris Joseph, whose 20-year-old son, Jaxon, was killed, called the deportation ruling a relief.
"This is not a death sentence that some people want to make it out to be. He's simply just lost the privilege to stay in this country,” Joseph said in an interview.
“We can't begin to heal, as long as we keep seeing (Sidhu's) face everywhere in the media and hearing the different opinions from people who have no skin in the game. This should be about the victims and their families."
Shauna Nordstrom, whose 18-year-old son was killed, said deportation would see justice served.
"Logan was never given a chance, let alone a second chance," she said in a statement.
"If Sidhu wanted to be truly remorseful and do the right, honourable thing, he would have left Canada years ago."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2024.
Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
