[Photograph of Gordon Campbell and Patty Sahota at the Sikh temple in Vancouver]

Photograph of Gordon Campbell being interviewed by press at the Sikh Temple (gurdwara) located in Vancouver, British Columbia (B.C.). Patty Sahota can be seen standing next to Campbell. Individuals had gathered at the Sikh Temple for the Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan, an annual event hosted and organized by the Khalsa Diwan Society in Vancouver.

Gordon Campbell was sworn in as British Columbia's 34th Premier on June 5, 2001. Campbell was elected leader of the B.C. Liberal Party in September 1993. He was elected to the B.C. Legislature in 1994 in a by-election to represent the riding of Vancouver-Quilchena and was re-elected in 1996 and 2001 for Vancouver-Point Grey. Campbell attended public school in Vancouver. After graduating he received a scholarship to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. He worked his way through university in the dining hall and as the associate to the secretary of the college, and received his bachelor of arts degree. He later received a master's of business administration from Simon Fraser University. He was a secondary school teacher, basketball and track coach in Yola, Nigeria, working under the auspices of CUSO. He then became an assistant to former Vancouver mayor Art Phillips. From 1976 to 1981, he worked with Marathon Realty, where he became general manager of development. In 1981, he founded Citycore Development Corporation. In 1984, Campbell was elected to Vancouver City Council. From 1986 to 1993, he served as Mayor of Vancouver for three successive terms. From 2001 to 2011, Campbell served as Premier of British Columbia, and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2011 to 2016. During his tenure as Premier, Campbell reduced taxes, restrained spending, revolutionized the measurement and management of regulations, and markedly improved the economy of the province. Among his recognitions and awards, Campbell received the Order of British Columbia as well as the Order of Canada. In 2014, he was presented an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Thompson Rivers University. He was awarded both the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002) and the Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012) for his contributions to the province and country.

Patty Sahota was a Canadian politician who served as the Minister of State for Resort Development in British Columbia from 2005. She was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 2001, representing Burnaby-Edmonds. During her tenure, she played a key role in securing the 2009 World Police and Fire Games for Burnaby and contributed to various legislative committees on Aboriginal affairs, finance, health, and policing. Before politics, she worked in the forestry industry and commercial real estate. Sahota held a BA in political science from the University of Victoria and had been actively involved with the B.C. Liberal Party. Born in India, she grew up in Merritt, B.C. She passed away February 12, 2024, at the age of 54.

Vaisakhi is one of the most important festivals in Sikhi, marking the formation of the Khalsa in 1699 by the tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It is a time of renewal, gratitude, and unity, celebrated with processions, prayers, and acts of service. Beyond its significance in Sikh history, Vaisakhi is also a harvest festival in Punjab, observed with joy and thanksgiving. Additionally, Vaisakhi holds special significance for Hindus, as it marks the beginning of the solar new year and is celebrated in various regions of India under different names, such as Pohela Boishakh in Bengal and Puthandu in Tamil Nadu.

The Khalsa Diwan Society of Vancouver oversees the Vaisakhi celebrations in Vancouver. The Khalsa Diwan Society is a pioneer Sikh society, one of the oldest in Vancouver, formed on July 22, 1902 in British Columbia, Canada, formally established in 1906. In 1908, the Society purchased and built the first Sikh temple in Vancouver, which was located on West 2nd Avenue. This is believed to be the first Sikh temple in the whole of the American continent. This temple served the Sikh community until a new temple was occupied on April 25, 1970. The original temple was sold to build a bigger (present) temple located on Ross Street. The Khalsa Diwan Society has been a pioneer in raising Sikhi related issues and getting recognition for Sikhs in Canada. It continues to build a strong community based on Sikh values and principles. Every year the society organizes sports activities, including soccer and wrestling tournaments.