The Hindu Public Affairs Council of Canada (Canada HPAC) is founded by Chandra Arya, Member of Parliament from 2015 to 2025, and the lone, unwavering voice for Hindu Canadians in the Parliament of Canada.

A principled and fearless national leader, Arya consistently spoke out—often at great personal and political cost—against Khalistani extremism and emerged as the foremost champion of Hindu Canadian interests in public life.

A Legacy of Action and Leadership

As a trailblazer for the Hindu community in Canada, Arya led several historic initiatives:

• Hindu Heritage Month: Arya’s Private Member’s Motion officially designated November as the national Hindu Heritage Month in Canada. On November 1, 2022, Arya marked the beginning of this historic month by raising a flag bearing the sacred symbol 'Aum', calling it the start of a new era for Hindu Canadians. He faced nearly a year of backlash from anti-Hindu groups for this act of raising the flag.
• Amending Criminal Code on Hate Crimes: Arya’s Private Member’s Bill amended a subsection of the Criminal Code to expand protections beyond places of worship—such as churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples—to also include educational institutions such as schools, community centers, playgrounds, and residences for seniors.
• Restoring the Truth About the Swastika: Arya took a spirited stand in the House of Commons by delivering a formal statement distinguishing the sacred Swastika—an ancient Dharmic symbol of well-being—from the Nazi symbol of hatred (Hakenkreuz or Hooked Cross).
• Preventing Historical Misrepresentation: Arya prevented a motion in Canadian parliament to label the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India as a genocide. While unequivocally condemning the horrific violence and the loss of innocent Sikh lives, Arya asserted that mislabeling the riots as genocide distorts historical truth, fuels the anti-Hindu agenda, and risks creating a dangerous divide between Hindu and Sikh communities in Canada. His intervention prevented what he called a “monumental mistake” by the Canadian Parliament.

A Target of Extremism, A Voice of Resolve

Arya’s principled stand made him a regular target of Khalistani extremists and to ilustrate:

• At a Hindu event in Edmonton, he required RCMP protection to participate safely, while facing disruptive protests by Khalistani activists.
• He publicly opposed the House of Commons observing a moment of silence for Hardeep Singh Nijjar, arguing that such tributes are reserved for individuals who have rendered immense service to Canada. Citing a Globe and Mail investigation, he reminded that Canadian authorities had expressed concerns about Nijjar’s ties to extremism. Arya reaffirmed that while Canada's sovereignty is sacrosanct and any interference by foreign state actors within Canada, in any form, is unacceptable, glorifying individuals linked to extremism undermines respect the Canadian parliament deserves.

Parliamentary and Public Service

As a Member of Parliament, Arya served with distinction on key committees, including: Standing Committee on International Trade; Standing Committee on Industry and Technology; Public Accounts Committee

His contributions went far beyond Parliament. Prior to his political career, Arya held several leadership roles in civic and economic development:

• Board Member, Invest Ottawa – the City of Ottawa’s economic development agency
• Board Member, Unity Non-Profit Housing Corporation Ottawa
• Vice President, Ottawa Community Immigrants Services Organization
• Chair, Indo-Canada Ottawa Business Chamber
• President, Indo-Canadian Community Centre
• Vice President, Hindu Society of Ottawa-Carleton
• Founding Director, Federation of Canadian Brazilian Businesses

Professional Excellence

Before entering politics, Arya was an executive in high-technology sector. Previously, he has worked as an engineer, then in a financial institution funding small industry, as an entrepreneur owned a small manufacturing company, and promoted industrialization in several countries. Arya was also as an investment advisor in a major Canadian bank.

He has over three decades of global experience at the intersection of international trade, industrial policy, technology, and geopolitics. Arya has engaged with heads of state, prime ministers, ministers and top officials in over 20 countries in discussions ranging from geopolitical & strategic issues to economic & trade matters.

Thought Leadership and Public Discourse

Arya has written and spoken extensively on key issues, including: Canada’s Economic and Industrial Productivity; Citizenship-Based Taxation, Credit Guidance to Banks; Canadian Public Institutions; Mandates of Canadian Pension Funds; Investment in Defence and Advanced/Strategic Technologies; Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy; Economic Relations with India, Africa, and ASEAN; EV Strategy: Mines to Mobility.

Education and Personal Life

Chandra Arya holds a Bachelor's degree in Engineering and a Master's degree in Business Administration. He is married to Sangeetha, who works with the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Their only son, Siddanth, is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA).