Vancouver
They call it the 'Obama Effect' and every political campaign since November 4 is being judged on whether the victory is proof of youth and new ideas prevailing or a sign that the status quo has won.
In Vancouver, the near landslide victory of political novice Gregor Robertson as the new mayor was credited to the so-called Obama Effect. Now, in the Vancouver suburb of Surrey, the election of a new, youthful slate of South Asians to the leadership of one of the country's most prominent Sikh temples is also being hailed as a sign of change.
The election of the president and executive leaders in a place of worship doesn't make headlines anywhere else. The exception is at the Guru Nanak temple in Surrey, a site so influential beyond its 20,000 members that no politician campaigning for a seat dares miss making a stop to show their respect to the community.
The Guru Nanak temple is the second largest in North America, and among the 1 million South Asians across the country - of whom a vast majority are Sikhs - it holds a special place of prominence. British Columbia has the oldest South Asian population in Canada, with immigrants arriving in the early 20th century for jobs in sawmills.
Ten years ago, factional rivalry within the Guru Nanak temple led to a battle between traditional and moderate worshippers. The more traditional Sikhs wanted the tables and chairs removed from inside the langar halls where the faithful have their meals, arguing that members should sit on the floor as a sign of being equal.
The moderate Sikhs, who held the leadership within the temple, wanted to keep the furniture.