The truck driver responsible for the 2018 bus crash that killed 16 members of a Canadian junior ice hockey team could be deported to India within weeks, potentially leaving behind his wife and two young children as legal efforts to keep him in the country continue.
Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, who was driving the semi-trailer that collided with a team bus carrying players and staff from the Humboldt Broncos, said he intends to pursue all legal avenues to remain in Canada.
Speaking recently to CBC said he wanted to “fight for my family” and would continue to challenge the removal order.
The crash on 6 April 2018 near Armley in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan remains one of the country’s deadliest road tragedies.
Sixteen players and team personnel were killed and 13 others were injured when Sidhu’s truck entered an intersection and struck the bus as the team travelled to a playoff game.
Investigators later found the truck driver had failed to stop at a marked intersection despite clear signage.
As per CBC, the court documents indicate Sidhu, who was on only his second solo long-haul journey after limited training, had been repeatedly checking his mirrors after a tarp covering his load became loose. In doing so, he apparently missed several warnings of the approaching stop sign.
Sidhu pleaded guilty in 2019 to dangerous driving causing death and bodily harm and was sentenced to eight years in prison – the longest sentence in Canada for the offence where alcohol, drugs or deliberate intent were not factors. He was granted full parole in 2023.
The following year, the immigration tribunal revoked his permanent residency and ordered his deportation. Authorities have since requested his travel documents to begin the removal process, which typically provides four to six weeks’ notice before departure.
Sidhu has said he continues to experience nightmares about the crash and receives therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder. Expressing remorse, he said he wished he could remove the pain suffered by victims’ families and acknowledged he lives with the consequences of the mistake every day.
It is reported, if deported, Sidhu may have to leave Canada alone. His wife, Tanvir Mann, and their two children are Canadian citizens. Their nearly three-year-old son has a rare lung disorder, and doctors have warned the family that India’s poor air quality could worsen his condition.
Sidhu’s lawyer, Michael Greene, has filed an application asking that he be allowed to remain in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, arguing that deportation would harm his young family and exacerbate his mental health challenges.
Greene said immigration authorities were already moving forward with removal arrangements but could be asked to delay the deportation until the humanitarian application is decided.
It is reported that even if deported, Sidhu’s humanitarian application could continue to be assessed. If successful, he could potentially be allowed to return to Canada in the future.
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