In a first, turbaned Sikh appointed Dy Mayor of Canada's Brampton
Toronto, Nov 21: Harkirat Singh has become the first turbaned Sikh to be appointed as Deputy Mayor of Canada's Brampton city for a four-year term period from 2022-2026. He has served as Brampton's City Councillor for Wards 9 and 10 from 2018-2022.
As a Deputy Mayor, Singh will preside at Council and other Committee meetings and assume ceremonial and civic event duties on behalf of the Mayor if the Mayor is absent or unavailable.
"I am proud to have Councillor Harkirat Singh serve as this Term of Council's Deputy Mayor. He is a dedicated, hardworking Councillor with proven results in delivering what is best for Brampton," said Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown.
"Entering his second term as Councillor, and holding a School Trustee role before that, he is a known and trusted elected official to many who I am confident will represent and serve the City of Brampton well in this role," Brown said in a release by Brampton City Council.
Prior to his role as City Councillor, Singh served a four-year term as School Trustee at the Peel District School Board. As a Trustee, he sat on the Audit Committee, Instructional Program/Curriculum Committee and Physical Building and Planning Committee.
"It is an honour to be appointed by my Council colleagues as this Term of Council's Deputy Mayor. With the opportunity that lies ahead of us in Brampton, I am excited and proud to support Mayor Brown and Councillors in prioritizing the community while we move our City forward," Singh said.
The position of Deputy Mayor was established by the City of Brampton in April 2022, and was divided into East and West parts.
Singh was also the regional representative at the Ontario Public School Board Association (OPSBA).
Alongside his role as a Trustee, he spent two and a half years as a Professor at Lambton College and two years as a Professor at Humber College teaching Marketing & Entrepreneurship.
To promote community development, Singh runs mentorship workshops and career fairs in local schools.
In 2016, he was nominated for a mentorship award by the Brampton Board of Trade for his work with youth.
He holds a B.A. from the University of Toronto, where he majored in Economics and Public Administration.
He is an M.Sc. in Economics from London Metropolitan University and has an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, specialising in Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Organizational Behaviour.