Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney joined the Diwali celebrations by the Hindu community in Toronto, and highlighted the message of the festival — the victory of light over darkness — while connecting it to his government’s efforts to tackle rising crime in the country.
Speaking at the Trillium Diwali Gala 2025 held in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) on Friday evening, Carney said the festival’s values of hope, renewal, and virtue align with his government’s mission to ensure safety and justice for all Canadians.
“In Canada, everyone should be able to get to work in their car, go to a temple, come home, sleep soundly at night,” Carney said, according to a video shared by Y Media.
Carney said the gala’s spirit of togetherness and generosity embodied
the “values that are central to Diwali,” a festival symbolising “the triumph of light over darkness, the renewal of hope, and the pursuit of virtue.”
He added that the festival of lights, now celebrated across Canada, not only showcases the nation’s rich diversity but also strengthens the sense of unity that binds Canadians together.
The Prime Minister also spoke on rising public concern over crime in the GTA, including a spike in carjackings, home invasions and extortion cases in recent months. Alluding to his government’s recent moves, Carney added that actions were already in progress to rebuild public trust and make law enforcement more robust. One of the steps that he noted was the listing of Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist organisation, in its bid to quash organised crime gangs operating trans-nationally.
In the measures he cited was the notification of Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terror organisation, an initiative targeting organised criminal groups that operate in cross-border regions. He also addressed recent changes to Canada’s Criminal Code that would impose stricter bail rules and harsher prison sentences for serious crimes.
The proposed legislation, Carney said, would introduce reverse-onus bail for major crimes, allow consecutive sentencing, and impose harsher penalties for organised retail theft. It would also restrict conditional sentences for certain sexual offences.
While Carney has extended greetings for Diwali at several recent community events, including the Diwali Razzmatazz at Mississauga’s Celebration Square and the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce’s Dhanteras Gala, this was his first in-person appearance at a Diwali celebration since becoming Prime Minister in March 2025.
The event, filled with lights, performances, and messages of unity, concluded with Carney reiterating his commitment to building a safer, more inclusive Canada — one that truly embodies the Diwali message of light conquering darkness.
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