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Book a FREE* hearing test today. 888.408.7377 connecthearing.ca For some, tigers are bigFor some, tigers are bigF and scary looking, but this Tiger can show a softer side, especially when it's dressed as Santa Claus. Tiger Jeet Singh Jr., also known professionally as Ti- ger Ali Singh, the former pro wrestler and current philan- thropist, stood before a group of police officers and businesspeople recently, wearing a Santa suit, saying what it means to him to be a Canadian and why he enjoys talking to youth about the importance of being accept- ing of different cultures, tra- ditions and religions. Singh was inside the new Halton Regional Police headquarters on Nov. 30 as the face of the Miracle on Main Street - along with his father Tiger Jeet Singh Sr. -father Tiger Jeet Singh Sr. -f an annual fundraiser of the Tiger Jeet Singh Founda- tion. The organization col- lects unwrapped toys and corporate monetary dona- tions on behalf of the Milton Salvation Army, Halton Women's Place shelter, theWomen's Place shelter, theW Toronto Hospital for SickToronto Hospital for SickT Children and McMaster Children's Hospital. The Singhs also were at police headquarters to ac- knowledge the new partner- ship between the Tiger Jeet Singh Foundation and Hal- ton Regional Police and its Toys for Tots Christmas gift-Toys for Tots Christmas gift-T giving program. For nine years the SinghFor nine years the SinghF foundation often receivesfoundation often receivesf thousands of dollars in do- nations annually from vari- ous corporate sponsors, as well as donations of toys from the public. Halton po-from the public. Halton po-f lice's Toys for Tots initiative is in its 19th year; last year it collected about $350,000 in toys for kids. The new partnership brings together more than 150 volunteers and is expec- ted to realize in excess of $600,000 value in combined toy and financial donations. Singh, who was in the room with his mother, fa- mous pro wrestling father Tiger Jeet Singh and broth- er Garry Hans, a Halton po- lice officer, asked the small crowd the same question he says he's asked kids of late when he talks at school as- semblies: when did the greeting "Merry Christmas" become "Happy Holidays," and why? "They didn't know and neither do I." Singh Jr. speculates that perhaps at some point a non- Christian thought it would be more inclusive to others to change the phrase to the neutral "Happy Holidays." Singh thinks it does the opposite; he doesn't agree with the change in wording. He added that if he was to stop saying "Merry Christ- mas" to people he would also refrain from saying "Happy Hanukkah" or "Happy Kwanzaa," something heKwanzaa," something heK doesn't want to happen and won't with him, he insists. "My mom raised us with a Christmas tree in the house," he said, even though they are Sikh. He said then, and still now, it was about acknowledging and cele- brating the traditions of their adopted country. "How boring would the world be if all the colours of the rainbow were one col- our?" he asked the crowd. "We were raised in the outback of Milton, one of the first visible minority fami-first visible minority fami-f lies in the town. No one faced as much bullying andfaced as much bullying andf racism as I did," said Singh Jr. As an adult, a big man of six-foot-four and 280 pounds, he said he also faced ridicule for being a "Sikh in a Santafor being a "Sikh in a Santaf suit," being told by some that it was sacrilege, blasphemy, a mockery, but he stands by his desire to promote a Ca- nadian festive holiday. "We are more the same than we are different," he says. For Singh Jr. it is aboutFor Singh Jr. it is aboutF spreading cheer to children and trying to educate them about inclusivity and ac- knowledging there are those in need. Major Dean Locke, direc- tor of the Salvation Army in Burlington, also spoke at po- lice headquarters. He said his group also sees that need all-year round. "We live in an affluent community (but) in Burling- ton we see 900 families at Christmastime. There are so many people in need and we see them every day, and the numbers seem to be grow- ing," said Locke. TOYS FOR TOTS, MIRACLE ON MAIN STREET JOIN FORCES FOR KIDS Halton police's Toys for Tots and Miracle on Main Street held a joint campaign kick-off event as the two Christmas toy fundraisers have merged. Jessica Buckley, president of Woodbine Mohawk Park, presented a cheque for $5,000 to this year's Miracle on Main Street campaign. Accepting the cheque was famed wrestler Tiger Jeet Singh (far left), Halton police deputy chief Nishan Duraiappah and Tiger Jeet Singh Jr. Graham Paine/Metroland TIM WHITNELL twhitnell@metroland.com NEWS