Reinstate Punjabi Hockey Broadcast

Punjabi is the fourth most spoken language in Canada after English, French and Chinese, according to an official census.

What began as a pilot project by CBC during the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals fired up Punjabis across Canada as they tuned in every week to watch NHL hockey games in Punjabi. Hockey Night in Canada's Punjabi Edition became a favorite past time for Punjabi families; an activity which was enjoyed by all generations of the family from Grandparents to Grandkids.

After the Punjabi broadcasts began, from within the community, stories were being shared about how the hockey games were bringing families together. Immigrant children had always wanted to watch hockey but older generations in the household did not always understand the game. Amazingly, youth, their parents, and grand-parents began watching the same show together, creating more family time and bringing generations together. Another incredible effect of the show was that new immigrants were getting a taste of Canadian culture. People who recently moved to Canada were able to learn the rules and partake in conversations about the sport at their work places, quickly becoming fans of the game.

The impact the broadcast has had on the community is tremendous, making South Asians feel more Canadian than ever before.

The Punjabi broadcasts were shown across Canada for free on Digital TV through Rogers, Shaw and Bell as well as online on cbcsports.ca. CBC has cited a lack of funding as the primary reason for cancelling the broadcast stating that online viewers reverted back to the regular English broadcast. However, the majority of viewers watched the Digital TV Punjabi broadcast rather than the online broadcast. CBC has yet to provide statistics for the Digital TV Broadcast.

Please sign this petition and send a message to CBC that Hockey Night in Canada’s Punjabi broadcast has tremendous support across Canada from the South Asian community.