A century-old law in Canada has been struck down by a court, marking a significant victory for Sikh lawyer Pargat Singh Virk, who challenged the requirement for new lawyers to pledge allegiance to the British monarch. The law, which was in place in the Canadian province of Alberta, mandated that all new lawyers take an oath of allegiance to the king. However, Virk argued that this requirement was in conflict with his Sikh faith, which prohibits him from showing allegiance to anyone other than his spiritual leader, Guru Gobind Singh.
Virk’s stance was that the oath of allegiance was a form of idolatry and that he could not take it in good conscience. He also argued that the requirement was a form of coercion, forcing him to choose between his faith and his profession. The court initially rejected his application, but Virk appealed to the higher courts, and in 2022, he decided to take the case to the Supreme Court of Alberta.
On December 16, 2025, the Alberta Court of Appeal ruled in Virk’s favor, declaring that the requirement for lawyers to pledge allegiance to the British monarch was a breach of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The court also ordered the province to remove the requirement, effectively ending a tradition that had been in place since 1912.
The ruling has been hailed as a significant victory for religious freedom in Canada, and it is seen as a landmark decision that will have implications for the rights of religious minorities in the country. The case highlights the tension between the demands of a particular profession and the rights of individuals to practice their faith freely.
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