Barack Obama was a black man with a large number of white supporters and the right resume ( as a senator) to run to be the first black president in a country where blacks were once slaves. Once he had a real chance it became a cultural craze and it was a landmark moment for a country where they have always been a major part of the culture and history. Are Sikhs really central to the history of Canada? Not really. They are less than 1% of the population. I don't think Canadians will view having a turban wearing Sikh as their PM in the same way as having a black man become President of the United States. Sikhs are well integrated into Canadian life despite the religious clothing and are not a long oppressed group. Prior to the 1970s there were hardly any Sikhs in Canada.