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{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{short description|Canadian social activist}}
{{Short description|Canadian social activist (1936–2021)}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Charan Gill
| name = Charan Gill
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|OBC|}}
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|OBC|}}
| birth_name = Charanpal Singh Gill
| birth_name = Charan Pal Singh Gill
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1936|06|17}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1936|06|17}}
| birth_place = [[Hong Kong]]
| birth_place = [[British Hong Kong]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|02|02|1936|06|17}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2021|02|02|1936|06|17}}
| death_place = [[Langley, British Columbia (city)|Langley, British Columbia]], Canada
| death_place = [[Langley, British Columbia (city)|Langley, British Columbia]], Canada
| alma_mater = {{hlist|[[Panjab University]]|[[University of British Columbia]]}}
| alma_mater = {{hlist|[[Panjab University]]|[[University of British Columbia]]}}
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}}
}}


'''Charanpal Singh Gill''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|OBC|}} (June 17, 1936{{Spaced en dash}}February 2, 2021) was a Canadian social activist and South-Asian community leader in British Columbia. Through his work, he focused on improving the living conditions, wages, and working conditions of farmworkers across British Columbia and Canada. He was an inductee to the [[Order of British Columbia]] in 1999 and the recipient of the [[Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal]] in 2002, and the BC Achievement Foundation Community Award in 2010 for his contributions toward community service and social justice advocacy.
'''Charan Pal Singh Gill''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|OBC|}} (17 June 1936{{Spaced en dash}}2 February 2021) was a Canadian social activist and South-Asian community leader in British Columbia. Through his work, he focused on improving the living conditions, wages, and working conditions of farmworkers across British Columbia and Canada. He was an inductee to the [[Order of British Columbia]] in 1999, a recipient of the [[Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal]] in 2002, and the BC Achievement Foundation Community Award in 2010 for his contributions toward community service and social justice advocacy.


== Early life ==
== Early life ==

Gill was born into a [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] family in Hong Kong on June 17, 1936. His family returned to India, two years after his birth in 1938. He was raised by his mother Harnam Kaur Gill, after the death of his father in 1939.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Charan Gill, Canadian Community and Social Justice Activist, Passes Away|url=https://financialpost.com/pmn/press-releases-pmn/business-wire-news-releases-pmn/charan-gill-canadian-community-and-social-justice-activist-passes-away|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=financialpost|language=en-CA}}</ref> He obtained a [[Master of Arts]] degree in [[Punjabi literature]] from [[Punjab University (Chandigarh)|Panjab University]] in 1959 and worked in Hong Kong at a bank through his 20s.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Charan Gill, human rights pioneer and B.C. South Asian community leader, dies at 84|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7616044/charan-gill-obit-bc/|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=Global News|language=en-US}}</ref> He moved to Canada in 1967 at the age of 31, with his family joining him in 1969.<ref name=":1" /> He would later go on to complete his Masters in Social Work (MSW) from the [[University of British Columbia]] in 1983.<ref name=":0" />
Gill was born into a [[Punjabis|Punjabi]] family in colonial Hong Kong on 17 June 1936. His family returned to India, two years after his birth in 1938. He was raised by his mother Harnam Kaur Gill, after the death of his father in 1939.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|title=Charan Gill, Canadian Community and Social Justice Activist, Passes Away|url=https://financialpost.com/pmn/press-releases-pmn/business-wire-news-releases-pmn/charan-gill-canadian-community-and-social-justice-activist-passes-away|access-date=February 3, 2021|newspaper=Financial Post|date=2 February 2021 |language=en-CA|archive-date=3 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203140729/https://financialpost.com/pmn/press-releases-pmn/business-wire-news-releases-pmn/charan-gill-canadian-community-and-social-justice-activist-passes-away|url-status=live}}</ref> He obtained a [[Master of Arts]] degree in [[Punjabi literature]] from [[Punjab University (Chandigarh)|Panjab University]] in 1959 and worked in Hong Kong at a bank through his 20s.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Charan Gill, human rights pioneer and B.C. South Asian community leader, dies at 84|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7616044/charan-gill-obit-bc/|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=Global News|language=en-US|archive-date=3 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203044425/https://globalnews.ca/news/7616044/charan-gill-obit-bc/|url-status=live}}</ref> He moved to Canada in 1967 at the age of 31, with his family joining him in 1969.<ref name=":1" /> He completed his Master's in Social Work (MSW) from the [[University of British Columbia]] in 1983.<ref name=":0" />


== Career ==
== Career ==
⚫
Gill started his career in Canada, working in a sawmill in [[Williams Lake, British Columbia|Williams Lake, BC]], where he worked until he was forced to stop working due to a broken wrist.<ref name=":1" /> The injury and subsequent work disruption had Gill shift focus to social work focused on northern communities in British Columbia based out of [[Prince Rupert, British Columbia|Prince Rupert]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> He subsequently moved to [[Surrey, British Columbia|Surrey]] in the [[Lower Mainland]] region of British Columbia and continued his social work. He co-founded the Farm Workers Organizing Committee, focused on improving the living condition for farm workers in the region and co-founded the [[Canadian Farmworkers Union]] in 1978 to improve the living and working standards of farmworkers and focus on human rights, health and safety of the workers across the country.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=1999 Recipient: Charan Pal Singh Gill – Surrey : Order of BC|url=https://orderofbc.gov.bc.ca/members/obc-1999/1999-charan-gill/|access-date=February 3, 2021|language=en}}</ref>


⚫
Gill started his career in Canada, working in a sawmill in [[Williams Lake, British Columbia]], until he was forced to stop due to a broken wrist.<ref name=":1" /> The injury and subsequent work disruption had Gill shift focus to social work focused on northern communities in British Columbia based out of [[Prince Rupert, British Columbia|Prince Rupert]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> He subsequently moved to [[Surrey, British Columbia|Surrey]] in the [[Lower Mainland]] region of British Columbia and continued his social work. He co-founded the Farm Workers Organizing Committee, focused on improving the living conditions for farm workers in the region and co-founded the [[Canadian Farmworkers Union]] in 1978 to improve the living and working standards of farmworkers and focus on human rights, health and safety of the workers across the country.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=1999 Recipient: Charan Pal Singh Gill – Surrey : Order of BC|url=https://orderofbc.gov.bc.ca/members/obc-1999/1999-charan-gill/|access-date=February 3, 2021|language=en|archive-date=15 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115203400/https://orderofbc.gov.bc.ca/members/obc-1999/1999-charan-gill/|url-status=live}}</ref>
⚫
He was also the co-founder of British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism in the early 1980s, which was set up to counter the actions of right wing extremist groups including the local [[Ku Klux Klan]].<ref name=":1" /> During the 1980s and 90s, the organization's offices were repeatedly vandalized and the family subjected to many threats for their lives as they advocated actions against racially motivated attacks.<ref name=":1" />


⚫
He was the co-founder of British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism in the early 1980s, which was set up to counter the actions of right-wing extremist groups including the [[Ku Klux Klan in Canada|local Ku Klux Klan]].<ref name=":1" /> During the 1980s and 1990s, the organization's offices were repeatedly vandalized and the family subjected to many threats to their lives as they advocated actions against racially motivated attacks.<ref name=":1" />
⚫
Some of his other roles as a human rights activist included serving as an executive member of the B.C. Human Rights Coalition and serving as the the President of the B.C. Organization to Fight Racism. He was also the founder of Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society, and also of the Rainbow Community Health Co-operative. Through these organizations he worked for the health and social justice actions for the South-Asian community in British Columbia.<ref name=":2" /> Some of the other causes advanced by these organizations included combating domestic violence, elders abuse, and support programs for visible minorities.<ref name=":1" />


⚫
Some of his other roles as a human rights activist included serving as an executive member of the BC Human Rights Coalition and serving as the president of the BC Organization to Fight Racism. He was also the founder of Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society, and also of the Rainbow Community Health Co-operative. Through these organizations he worked for the health and social justice actions for the South-Asian community in British Columbia.<ref name=":2" /> Some of the other causes advanced by these organizations included combating domestic violence, elder abuse, and support programs for visible minorities.<ref name=":1" />
⚫
He was an inductee to the [[Order of British Columbia]] in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 2, 2021|title=OBITUARY: Charan Gill, founder of Surrey’s PICS and champion of farmers, was ‘a living legend’|url=https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/charan-gill-founder-of-surreys-pics-organization-has-died/|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=Surrey Now-Leader|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> He received the BC Achievement Foundation Community Award in 2010 with the nomination statement stating that he was known "for doing more for his community in one single day than most will do in an entire lifetime”.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Charan Gill|url=https://www.bcachievement.com/awardee/charan-gill/|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=BC Achievement Foundation|language=en-US}}</ref> He was also the recipient of the [[Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal]] in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|title=KEATCA – Daljit and Charan Gill Grant|url=https://keatca.org/charan-gill-grant.php|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=keatca.org}}</ref>

⚫
Gill was inducted to the [[Order of British Columbia]] in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 2, 2021|title=OBITUARY: Charan Gill, founder of Surrey's PICS and champion of farmers, was 'a living legend'|url=https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/charan-gill-founder-of-surreys-pics-organization-has-died/|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=Surrey Now-Leader|language=en-US|archive-date=2 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202231950/https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/charan-gill-founder-of-surreys-pics-organization-has-died/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> He received the BC Achievement Foundation Community Award in 2010 with the nomination statement stating that he was known "for doing more for his community in one single day than most will do in an entire lifetime”.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Charan Gill|url=https://www.bcachievement.com/awardee/charan-gill/|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=BC Achievement Foundation|language=en-US|archive-date=6 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206211527/https://www.bcachievement.com/awardee/charan-gill/|url-status=live}}</ref> He was also the recipient of the [[Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal]] in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|title=KEATCA – Daljit and Charan Gill Grant|url=https://keatca.org/charan-gill-grant.php|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=keatca.org|archive-date=3 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203021427/https://keatca.org/charan-gill-grant.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2010, Gill was one of the recipients of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards presented by [[Canadian immigrant magazine|''Canadian Immigrant'' magazine]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Canada's Top 25 Immigrants 2010|url=https://canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants/canadas-top-25-immigrants-2010|access-date=2021-06-18|website=Canadian Immigrant|language=en-US|archive-date=14 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814133656/https://canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants/canadas-top-25-immigrants-2010|url-status=live}}</ref>


== Personal life ==
== Personal life ==

Gill and his wife, Daljit Gill, had three children. The family moved to Canada from India in 1969, two years after Gill moved. He died on February 2, 2021, in [[Langley, British Columbia (city)|Langley, British Columbia]], from cancer.<ref name=":1" /> He was aged 84.<ref name=":1" />
Gill and his wife, Daljit Gill, had three children. The family moved to Canada from India in 1969, two years after Gill moved. He died on 2&nbsp;February 2021, in [[Langley, British Columbia (city)|Langley, British Columbia]], from cancer.<ref name=":1" /> He was 84.<ref name=":1" />


== References ==
== References ==

{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


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[[Category:Canadian human rights activists]]
[[Category:Canadian human rights activists]]
[[Category:Canadian social workers]]
[[Category:Canadian social workers]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Punjabi descent]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in British Columbia]]
[[Category:Hong Kong emigrants to Canada]]

Latest revision as of 22:35, 4 February 2024

Charan Gill
OBC
Born
Charan Pal Singh Gill

(1936-06-17)17 June 1936
British Hong Kong
Died2 February 2021(2021-02-02) (aged 84)
Langley, British Columbia, Canada
Alma mater
Known forSocial activism and human rights advocacy

Charan Pal Singh Gill OBC (17 June 1936 – 2 February 2021) was a Canadian social activist and South-Asian community leader in British Columbia. Through his work, he focused on improving the living conditions, wages, and working conditions of farmworkers across British Columbia and Canada. He was an inductee to the Order of British Columbia in 1999, a recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002, and the BC Achievement Foundation Community Award in 2010 for his contributions toward community service and social justice advocacy.

Early life

[edit]

Gill was born into a Punjabi family in colonial Hong Kong on 17 June 1936. His family returned to India, two years after his birth in 1938. He was raised by his mother Harnam Kaur Gill, after the death of his father in 1939.[1] He obtained a Master of Arts degree in Punjabi literature from Panjab University in 1959 and worked in Hong Kong at a bank through his 20s.[2] He moved to Canada in 1967 at the age of 31, with his family joining him in 1969.[2] He completed his Master's in Social Work (MSW) from the University of British Columbia in 1983.[1]

Career

[edit]

Gill started his career in Canada, working in a sawmill in Williams Lake, British Columbia, until he was forced to stop due to a broken wrist.[2] The injury and subsequent work disruption had Gill shift focus to social work focused on northern communities in British Columbia based out of Prince Rupert.[2][1] He subsequently moved to Surrey in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia and continued his social work. He co-founded the Farm Workers Organizing Committee, focused on improving the living conditions for farm workers in the region and co-founded the Canadian Farmworkers Union in 1978 to improve the living and working standards of farmworkers and focus on human rights, health and safety of the workers across the country.[2][3]

He was the co-founder of British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism in the early 1980s, which was set up to counter the actions of right-wing extremist groups including the local Ku Klux Klan.[2] During the 1980s and 1990s, the organization's offices were repeatedly vandalized and the family subjected to many threats to their lives as they advocated actions against racially motivated attacks.[2]

Some of his other roles as a human rights activist included serving as an executive member of the BC Human Rights Coalition and serving as the president of the BC Organization to Fight Racism. He was also the founder of Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society, and also of the Rainbow Community Health Co-operative. Through these organizations he worked for the health and social justice actions for the South-Asian community in British Columbia.[3] Some of the other causes advanced by these organizations included combating domestic violence, elder abuse, and support programs for visible minorities.[2]

Gill was inducted to the Order of British Columbia in 1999.[4][3] He received the BC Achievement Foundation Community Award in 2010 with the nomination statement stating that he was known "for doing more for his community in one single day than most will do in an entire lifetime”.[5] He was also the recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.[6]

In 2010, Gill was one of the recipients of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards presented by Canadian Immigrant magazine.[7]

Personal life

[edit]

Gill and his wife, Daljit Gill, had three children. The family moved to Canada from India in 1969, two years after Gill moved. He died on 2 February 2021, in Langley, British Columbia, from cancer.[2] He was 84.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Charan Gill, Canadian Community and Social Justice Activist, Passes Away". Financial Post. 2 February 2021. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Charan Gill, human rights pioneer and B.C. South Asian community leader, dies at 84". Global News. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "1999 Recipient: Charan Pal Singh Gill – Surrey : Order of BC". Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  4. ^ "OBITUARY: Charan Gill, founder of Surrey's PICS and champion of farmers, was 'a living legend'". Surrey Now-Leader. 2 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Charan Gill". BC Achievement Foundation. Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  6. ^ "KEATCA – Daljit and Charan Gill Grant". keatca.org. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Canada's Top 25 Immigrants 2010". Canadian Immigrant. Archived from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
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