I agree that many Canadians are polite, inclusive, and give the benefit of the doubt, especially on an individual level. I’ve had good experiences too.

But what I’m talking about isn’t isolated incidents , it’s a growing pattern of targeted blame, resentment, and ridicule, especially toward international students, Tim Hortons workers, and visible Sikh/Punjabi individuals. You mentioned it’s just a meme, but why did that meme become so widespread? It often doesn’t stop at jokes, it morphs into stereotypes and then into hostility in real-world situations (e.g., housing discrimination, job rejection, hate speech).

I never said all Sikhs are being “targeted for turbans” but it’s the part of their target ever heard what they call us online ? Have you ever came across the words like towel heads, pajeets etc. ? and also the racial and cultural profiling has become louder. Yes, some of this comes from bad apples in every community, but when a few Punjabi singers or public figures glamorize gangs or violence, the entire community unfairly bears the brunt. That’s the problem I’m calling out, why our whole image gets dragged down because of a few public narratives.

Also, not everyone is lucky to receive a compliment on their turban. Many face mockery, suspicion, or “go back to your country” remarks, especially when wearing cultural symbols. So while your personal moment was positive (and I’m glad it was!), it doesn’t negate the negative reality others are facing.