Mewa Singh Lopoke and Criminality

Given the facts of the case, should Mewa Singh be exonerated posthumously?

 

Mewa Singh Lopoke and Criminality

This lesson is a look into the case of Mewa Singh, who shot and killed a Canadian Immigration Officer, William C Hopkinson who, for many immigrants, represented British oppression and racial discrimination. For this, Mewa Singh was sentenced to death by hanging for the assassination of Hopkinson and on January 11, 1915, at 7:45 am Bhai Mewa Singh was executed in New Westminster.

Given the facts of the case, should Mewa Singh be exonerated posthumously?

Focus Questions.

  • How did the Canadian government benefit from having an individual like William C Hopkinson?

  • Given the circumstances of the time, was Mewa Singh justified in his actions?

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Mewa Singh Lopoke
(Lesson Plan)

Courses + Big Ideas

Social Studies 10

  • Historical and contemporary injustices challenge the narrative and identity of Canada as an inclusive, multicultural society

Law Studies 12

  • A society’s laws and legal framework affect many aspects of people’s daily lives.

  • Laws are interpreted, and these interpretations may evolve over time as a society’s values and worldviews change.

Philosophy 12

  • While philosophical questions often examine issues with no definitive answers, logic and reasoned arguments can show which answers have more or less value

Social Justice 12

  • Individual worldviews shape and inform our understanding of social justice issues

First People’s Principles of Learning

  • Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story

  • Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one’s actions

 
 

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