Charan Gill

Early Life and Education

Charan Gill was born Charan Pal Singh to a Sikh family in Hong Kong. In 1937–38, his family travelled back to India due to the ongoing war in Hong Kong. His father, a police officer, passed away when he was two years old. Charan Gill’s mother was left to raise him and his five siblings in a rural village in Punjab.

In 1959, Charan Gill earned his master’s degree in Punjabi from Mohindra College. In his early 20s, he decided to return to his country of birth, where he thought he could learn more about his father. He lived in Hong Kong for a few years working various jobs. In 1967, due to the tense political climate in the British colony, he relocated to Canada upon his sister’s suggestion to sponsor him. (See also Immigration to Canada.)

Immigration to Canada

In 1967, Charan Gill flew directly from Hong Kong to Vancouver. He worked briefly as a berry picker before finding employment in a sawmill in Williams Lake, British Columbia (but left after breaking his wrist). After completing some training, he began working as a social worker in Prince Rupert (see Social Work).

Community Activism

After working for five years as a social worker, Charan Gill became a registered social worker after obtaining his bachelor's degree from the University of British Columbia in 1970 (see Social Work). While at university he was exposed to the New Left movement. He began to volunteer and became involved in labour organizing and anti-racism and immigrant rights, particularly among the South Asian community in British Columbia. (See also South Asian Canadians; Anti-Asian Racism in Canada; Labour Organization.)

Canadian Farmworkers Union

Charan Gill was involved with the Indian People’s Association in North America (IPANA) in Vancouver. Founded in Montreal in June 1975, IPANA was a left-wing social group initially focused on generating support for the Naxalite movement in India. In 1979, Gill with IPANA in Vancouver played significant roles in the formation of the Farm Workers Organizing Committee (FWOC). Its objective was “to expose the conditions of farmwork for seasonal workers in the Fraser Valley.” (See also Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Programs.)

On 6 April 1980, the FWOC transformed into the Canadian Farmworkers Union (CFU) (see Union). Its first convention was held in New Westminster, British Columbia, and was largely attended by immigrant women workers of Punjabi origin. The CFU became the first union in Canada’s history centred on farmworkers. Charan Gill was elected CFU founding secretary (by 2004 he also served as secretary and treasurer). He also became the editor of the Farmworker, the CFU’s newspaper (published in English and Punjabi). (See also Languages in use in Canada.)

While contributing towards the CFU, Gill pursued postgraduate studies and earned his master’s degree in social work in 1983. For much of his professional career he worked for the BC Ministry of Human Resources and Ministry of Social Services and Housing.

BC Organization to Fight Racism

In November 1980, Charan Gill co-founded the volunteer organization British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism (BCOFR). Emerging from his union work, the group was instrumental in combating racism when people of colour were routinely targets of racism and right-wing groups in British Columbia. In a 1981 interview with the Province, he said, “It is not easy for someone coming from India to come to terms with the Western system. I felt right away the racism and social injustice here and knew I had to fight back." Gill faced numerous threats, and the offices of the BCOFR were repeatedly vandalized throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.

From community activism, Gill also ventured into electoral politics. He believed racism could be eliminated through legislative reforms. He was a frequent candidate for municipal council in Surrey since 1981, but he was unsuccessful in getting elected (see Municipal Government). Then, he tried to run federally (see Federal Government). In 1988, he sought the Member of the Parliament seat for the Surrey-White Rock-Langley riding. He also ran in the BC provincial elections in 1991 and 1996 representing the BC New Democratic Party, but was not elected.

Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society

In 1985 Charan Gill established a new service provider catering to the immediate needs of the South Asian community in British Columbia (see South Asian Canadians). The charitable organization was originally known as the Progressive Indo-Canadian Community Services Society and later became the Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS). Gill served as the organization’s chief executive officer until 2017.

Did You Know?
PICS became one of the first groups to commemorate the anniversary of the Komagata Maru tragedy. It published the proceedings of a 1990 Vancouver conference, Beyond the Komagata Maru: Race Relations Today. (See also Komagata Maru).

Gill gradually retired from social work while working with PICS. He also served on the boards of various organizations, including the agriculture cooperative AgSafe (formerly FARSHA) since 1993; Rainbow Community Health Co-operative since 1998; Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) since 2011; and the BC Non-Profit Housing Association from 2008 to 2012.

Personal Life

In India, Charan Gill was wed to Daljit Kaur through an arranged marriage. In 1969, his wife and their three children moved to join him Canada. In Canada, he and his family also fostered a child.

In Canada, Gill faced harassment and racism as an immigrant and Sikh. In an interview with the South Asian Studies Institute, he recalled being pressured to stop wearing his turban and to cut his kesh [uncut, long hair].

Death and Legacy

Charan Gill, who was predeceased by his wife, died on 2 February 2021. He passed away in Langley Memorial Hospital following a battle with cancer.

Through the CFU and his efforts, major reforms in BC labour legislation were passed acknowledging the rights of immigrant farm workers. (See also History of Labour Migration to Canada.) Gill was the recipient of numerous awards and honours in recognition of his activism and contributions to human rights and workers’ rights.

Honours and Awards

• Human Rights Award, MOSAIC (1983)
• Member, Order of British Columbia (1999)
• VanDusen Community Service Award, United Way (2002)
• Community Award, BC Achievement Foundation (2010)
• Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award, Canadian Immigrant magazine (2010)
• Distinguished Service Award, BC Association for Social Workers (2011)
• Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012)
• Honorary Doctor of Laws, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (2013)
• Lifetime Achievement Award, Drishti magazine (2016)
• Denise LeBlond Lifetime Achievement Award, BC Non-Profit Housing Association (2017)