OTTAWA: An Indian-origin truck driver, Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash, lost the bid in Canada against his deportation to India, Canada-based CBC News reported.
A judge dismissed applications from the truck driver, who pleaded guilty to the dangerous driving charges on Thursday. Sidhu lost his bid to stay in Canada. The crash killed 16 people and injured 13 others.
Sidhu was sentenced to eight years in prison and was employed for less than a month before the crash. The crash occurred on April 6, 2018, at the intersection of Saskatchewan Highway 35 and Saskatchewan Highway 335 near Armley, Saskatchewan.
According to CBC News, Sidhu, a newly married permanent resident, barrelled through a stop sign at a rural intersection near Tisdale, Saskatchewan, and drove into the path of the bus carrying the junior hockey team to a playoff game.
Earlier this year, Sidhu was granted parole and the Canada Border Services Agency had recommended his deportation.
Sidhu’s lawyer, Michael Greene, argued before the Federal Court in September that border services officials didn’t consider Sidhu’s previously clean criminal record and remorse.
Greene further urged that the agency be ordered to conduct a second review of the case and set aside the decision.
“The facts underlying Sidhu’s applications to this court were devastating for everyone involved. Many lives were lost, others were torn apart, and many hopes and dreams were shattered,” Chief Justice Paul Crampton wrote in his decision.
“Unfortunately, nothing this court decides can change much of those truly tragic consequences,” he added.
Crampton said border officials were fair in their assessment and addressed both Sidhu’s record and “extraordinary degree of genuine, heart-wrenching remorse,” CBC News reported.
“The officer’s decision was appropriately justified, transparent and intelligible,” Crampton wrote. “It also reflected an internally coherent and rational chain of analysis and meaningfully engaged with the key issues raised by Sidhu.” The Chief Justice said that Sidhu now faces deportation to India after spending years of hard work establishing a life with his wife in Canada, CBC News reported.
He, however, added that Sidhu can still ask to be allowed to stay on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
Sidhu’s deportation has also drawn reactions from the families of those killed in the deadly attack around five years ago.
Toby Boulet’, whose 21-year-old son Logan was killed in the crash, said that for him, moving forward doesn’t mean Sidhu must stay in prison, but at the same time, he also doesn’t want him in Canada.
“We have no ill feelings towards the man–we just don’t want to see him ever again,” Boulet said. “We don’t want to run into him. We don’t want to have an actual incidental passing with the gentleman. We want him gone–and gone means, in this case, deported.” Chris Joseph, whose 20-year-old son, Jaxon, was also killed in the crash, had been calling for Sidhu’s deportation.
“It’s the right decision and sends the right message,” Joseph said after the ruling. “It’s been five years of pain for our family and many other families…For all of us, it’s been ongoing pain that’s never left.” However, not all family members of those killed in the crash agree that Sidhu should be deported, CBC News reported.
Scott Thomas, the father of Evan Thomas (18) has forgiven Sidhu and long advocated for him to remain in Canada. However, he’s not surprised that it’s becoming increasingly likely Sidhu will be deported.
“He’s in a prison in his mind for the rest of his life, so to our family, it doesn’t matter where he is,” said Thomas. “Whether he’s here or over in India, I think he’s going to suffer with his actions and the consequences of those for the rest of his life.”