Former Air India investigator and first turbaned Sikh RCMP officer Baltej Dhillon was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently and this week he was sworn into the Senate, a position that can be held till the age of 75. “Today is a profoundly humbling milestone—I have officially signed in as a Senator of Canada. Seeing my name added to the Senate list is a powerful reminder of the privilege, responsibility, and trust placed in me to serve our country and its people,” Dhillon said.

By PD Raj – Senior Reporter DESIBUZZCanada

OTTAWA – Former Air India investigator and first turbaned Sikh RCMP officer Baltej Dhillon was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently and this week he was sworn into the Senate, a position that can be held till the age of 75.

“Today is a profoundly humbling milestone—I have officially signed in as a Senator of Canada. Seeing my name added to the Senate list is a powerful reminder of the privilege, responsibility, and trust placed in me to serve our country and its people,” Dhillon said.

“The Senate plays a crucial role in shaping policy and legislation, and I am eager to bring my experience, voice, and dedication to this work, striving to make a meaningful impact.

“I am deeply grateful to my family, friends, mentors, and community for your unwavering support. This journey is not mine alone—it belongs to all of us who believe in service, equity, and progress,” he added.

Dhillon is described as a retired career police officer, a community leader, and a lifelong advocate for diversity and inclusion. 

In 1991, Dhillon made history as the first Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer to wear a turban. He went on to have a successful 30-year career with the RCMP, playing a key role in several high-profile investigations. Since 2019, he has worked with British Columbia’s anti-gang agency, while remaining active in his community as a youth leader.

Emigrating from Malaysia in 1983, Mr. Dhillon made history in 1991 as the first Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer to wear a turban, advocating for the right to practise his faith while serving Canada. 

Dhillon went on to have a successful 30‑year career with the RCMP as an accomplished major crime investigator, police interrogator, polygraph examiner, intelligence officer, and emergency planner. He played a key role in several high-profile investigations, including the Air India Flight 182 tragedy and the Robert Pickton case. 

Dhillon also held various leadership roles, including overseeing the British Columbia RCMP Divisional Emergency Operations Centre and the federal Serious and Organized Crime’s Intelligence section, also in British Columbia, as well as establishing and managing intelligence operations at the Provincial Intelligence Centre of British Columbia (now the Real-Time Operations Centre of British Columbia), the first of its kind in Canada.

In 2013, Dhillon led the Sikh Leadership and Police Committee on Gang Violence to support youth prevention strategies within the Sikh Community. Since retiring from the RCMP in 2019, he has worked as Program Manager for the Crime Guns Intelligence and Investigations Group with the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia, the province’s anti-gang agency.

Dhillon is also deeply involved in community service. He serves on various committees and has led youth camps. He has received numerous distinctions and awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Times of Canada, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, and the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award.

In addition to his extensive police education and training, Dhillon is the recipient of honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from McMaster University and Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

“Congratulations to Mr. Dhillon, Ms. (Martine) Hébert, and Mr. (Todd) Lewis on their appointment as Parliament’s newest independent senators. Their broad range of experience will be a great benefit to the Senate, and I am confident they will continue to be strong voices for their communities,” Trudeau said.

With these three additions, there have been 93 independent appointments to the Senate made on the advice of Trudeau. All of them were recommended by the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, created in 2016.