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Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19349
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (wav) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (49 min., 21 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of an oral history interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. Raj Chouhan shares his ancestral background and personal experiences immigrating to Canada from India in 1973 and living and working in Canada as an immigrant…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (wav) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (49 min., 21 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Honourable Raj Chouhan Location of Interview: Residence of Honourable Raj Chouhan Interview Date: December 2, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: (00:49:21) Digital master recording (wav) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of an oral history interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. Raj Chouhan shares his ancestral background and personal experiences immigrating to Canada from India in 1973 and living and working in Canada as an immigrant and the organizations that he became involved with. Honourable Raj Chouhan recalls how he arrived in Burnaby with his family in 1973 and that his family worked in farming. Chouhan imparts his first hand experiences as a new immigrant working as a labourer in the farming industry and describes the unsafe and unfair working conditions that he and migrant workers faced. Chouhan conveys how this experience lead him to become an activist for better working conditions for migrant workers. This lead Chouhan and others to form the Canadian Farm Workers Union in 1980. Chouhan recollects his experiences flying from India to Canada with his wife, his first impressions after arriving in Vancouver and driving to Burnaby and what he brought with him. Chouhan explains his connections to Burnaby. Members of Chouhan's wife's family immgrated to Canada in 1957 and his wife and her three brothers joined them in 1970. Chouhan's father in law, Hardial Singh Grewal immigrated in 1957 and became president of the Sikh temple in New Westminster. Hardial Singh Grewal worked in a lumber mill in Vancouver and eventually bought a house in Burnaby. Chouhan married to his wife at the Sikh temple in New Westminster and lived in Burnaby for a period before moving to New Westminster where they could find more affordable housing. Chouhan shares that he first worked as a farm labourer in Abbotsford and then found a job in the sawmill which paid more. Chouhan describes the extreme racism and discrimination that he and other immigrants faced which lead to the formation of the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism under the leadership of Dr. Hari Prakash Sharma. Chouhan describes this organization that he was a part of and the Canadian Farm Workers Union that were both formed in Burnaby. Chouhan shares that he moved to Victoria in 1988 to serve on the Hospital Employee's Union and moved back to the mainland in 1993 and returned to Burnaby in 2001. Chouhan reflects on the history of South Asian immigration in Canada, how many of the migrants settled in the lower mainland including Burnaby, New Westminster and Vancouver establishing temples in Vancouver and New Westminster which became the centre for the South Asian community. He conveys how earlier occupations were limited to farming and millwork and how over time employment opportunities and education have broadened but there is still work to do. He imparts how second generation Canadians’ experiences differ from first generations providing examples of his own daughters’ and the occupations that they are working in. Chouhan provides his insights into the South Asian Canadian experience imparting “We make history every day and that history needs to be recorded and learned from.."... “People from different communities, different backgrounds who lived in Burnaby have contributed so much and South Asians are just like another community and participated in all aspects of social life, cultural, religious, economy. I'm so proud of our community, our forefathers who had that vision to fight for our rights. I'm inspired by people who struggled so much to gain basic rights, like the right to vote". Chouhan refers to these first immigrants as “Gadri Babbas” “revolutionary old people” who were also the main motivation that lead to India becoming a free country in 1947 and for fighting for basic rights here in Canada and how they made their contributions for future generations. Chouhan expresses what he imparts to students “Do not forget your past... if you remember your past then you are much more knowledgeable. Then we know what we need for the future. If we don't know the past, we don't know what the future is going to be like. To make a better future, you have to learn from the past and improve".
- History
- Interviewee biography: Honourable Raj Chouhan was born in the city of Ludhiana in the Province of Punjab in India and immigrated to Canada in 1973. After arriving in Canada, Raj's family settled in Burnaby. Raj grew up in Burnaby and attended schoool. Honourable Raj Chouhan was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as the MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds in 2005 and was re-elected in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2020. He was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on December 7, 2020. Honourable Chouhan is the founding president of the Canadian Farmworkers Union and the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism and has served as a director of the Hospital Employees' Union, the Labour Relations Board of B.C. and the Arbitration Bureau of B.C. Honourable Chouhan has also served as the Vice President of B.C. Human Rights Defenders since 2003 and has taught courses in Human Rights, the B.C. Labour Code and Collective Bargaining since 1987. Interviewer biography: Kate Petrusa is the Assistant Curator at the Burnaby Village Museum. In her role, she manages all aspects of the collection – including caring for physical artifacts and making their digital counterpart accessible. Before coming to Burnaby Village Museum in 2019, Kate has worked at several Museums around the Lower Mainland as a Curator and contractor since 2013.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Occupations - Agricultural Labourers
- Migration
- Organizations - Unions
- Rights
- Rights - Human Rights
- Agriculture
- Agriculture - Farms
- Government - Provincial Government
- Government
- Names
- Chouhan, Raj
- British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism
- Sharma, Dr. Hari Prakash
- Grewal, Hardial Singh
- Canadian Farmworkers Union
- Hospital Employees Union
- Khalsa Diwan Society
- Responsibility
- Petrusa, Kate
- Accession Code
- BV022.29.4
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022
Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0004_002.mp3
Rooted : Chinese Canadian stories in Burnaby
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary7646
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Publication Date
- 2023
- Call Number
- 971.133 ROO
to recognize the diverse roots of
our community and to share stories of Burnaby’s
unique history.
The publication has been timed to coincide with the
100th anniversary of the introduction of the Chinese
Exclusion Act by the Government of Canada in 1923.
This federal legislation followed decades of discrim
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection
- Digital Reference Collection
- Material Type
- Digital Resource
- ISBN
- 978-0-9689849-2-5
- Call Number
- 971.133 ROO
- Contributor
- Fong, Denise
- Lemke, Jane
- Codd, Lisa
- Place of Publication
- Burnaby
- Publisher
- City of Burnaby
- Publication Date
- 2023
- Printer
- Metropolitan Fine Printers
- Physical Description
- 203 p. : ill. ; 30.5 cm
- Library Subject (LOC)
- Chinese Canadians--British Columbia--Burnaby--History
- Race discrimination -- Canada
- Subjects
- Persons - Chinese Canadians
- Agriculture
- Agriculture - Farms
- Persons - Families
- Rights
- Rights - Human Rights
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Notes
- There are two versions of the book: English and Simplified Chinese (left, below) and the other in English and Traditional Chinese (right, below).
- From the late 1800s to the present day, Chinese Canadians have made Burnaby into a more vibrant and livable city. Rooted: Chinese Canadian Stories in Burnaby brings together a collection of diverse stories and photographs from the community, celebrating the legacy and contributions of Burnaby’s Chinese Canadian community spanning over a century. This coffee-table book features oral histories and interviews with descendants of multigenerational family farms, green grocers, corner stores, restaurants, and places of worship. Also included are archival research and community perspectives on anti-Asian racism, community activism, courage, and resilience.
- The publication has been timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the Chinese Exclusion Act by the Government of Canada in 1923. This federal legislation followed decades of discriminatory legislation by Canada’s federal, provincial and municipal governments that targeted Chinese Canadians by limiting opportunities to live, work and raise families in Canada. The Chinese Exclusion Act banned almost all migration from China and remained in place until 1947. Publishing this book in 2023 is an effort by the City of Burnaby to recognize the impact of discriminatory legislation on Chinese Canadians in our community, including discriminatory bylaws and practices implemented by Burnaby’s early municipal government.
- Edited by Denise Fong (Lead Researcher), Jane Lemke (Burnaby Village Museum Curator) and Lisa Codd (City of Burnaby Heritage Planner).
Images
Digital Books
A Family Farm
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription14268
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 2020
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (mp3) (00:13:57 min)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of part one in a series of three “Back to the Roots” podcasts about the history of Chinese-Canadian farming in Burnaby and the lower mainland. Part one is titled “A Family Farm”. The podcasts were created by students Rose Wu and Wei Yan Yeong from the Faculty of Land an…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- UBC Partnership series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (mp3) (00:13:57 min)
- Material Details
- Podcasts hosts: Rose Wu; Wei Yan Yeong Persons from recorded extracts: Denise Fong; Josephine Chow Music: prod. riddiman Podcast Date: October 2020 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all tracks: 00:13:57 min Photograph info: Store front of Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co in Victoria, B.C., 1975. BV017.7.191
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of part one in a series of three “Back to the Roots” podcasts about the history of Chinese-Canadian farming in Burnaby and the lower mainland. Part one is titled “A Family Farm”. The podcasts were created by students Rose Wu and Wei Yan Yeong from the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia Faculty and while student interns at Burnaby Village Museum. In this series the students connect their knowledge of food systems to their shared Chinese heritage in order to discover how Chinese Canadian history is rooted in their local food systems. 00:00-02:21 The podcast opens with Wei Yan Yeong and Rose Wu introducing themselves and their topic- the Chinese Canadian experience in Burnaby and the people who have made important contributions to the city’s development. “A Family Farm” talks about Chinese-owned businesses which are family run. “The family-oriented nature of Chinese-owned businesses also extend to many of the early (and current) Chinese-owned farms in the Burnaby Big Bend area. When Chinese men first began farming in BC in the 1860s, a lot of them worked as labourers because they weren’t allowed to own land. After World War II many of these farmers were allowed to purchase lots, thanks to the Veterans Land Grant. These grants allowed returning veterans to purchase small parcels of land with government loans. Eventually, these men would start families on the farm, and many Chinese-owned farms became family-operated businesses where every member, male, female, child, and extended relatives were enlisted to work the grounds. And it was hard work, often from dawn to dusk, 6-7 days a week.” 02:23 – 07:50 This portion includes excerpts from Oral History interview with Josephine Chow (nee Hong) of Hop On Farms in the Burnaby Big Bend area. The interview was conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong. Josephine recalls growing up on the family farm with her six siblings. She tells of how the family pulled together money to purchase twelve acres along Marine Drive in 1951, her family’s background, daily life on the farm , responsibilities on the farm for her and her siblings and of how her mother had to balance working on the farm and providing for a family of ten to twelve people. 07:51 – 08:10 In this portion, hosts comment and reflect on their own experiences. “While it’s likely that a lot of this was done out of necessity and not being able to afford additional paid labourers, having grown up in Chinese households ourselves, we can definitely understand the rationale for these family-operated businesses and how it connects back to the Chinese understanding of family and kinship.” 08:11 – 09:06 In this portion, Rose and Wei provide information on the roots of the Chinese character for family “jia” in mandarin or “gah” in Cantonese. They explain that the term family is composed of two parts: the upper element is like a roof, symbolizing shelter, and the bottom part represents a pig which symbolizes food, whereby the Chinese character for family represents that of a farm. They provide a quote from the writings of Francois de Martin-Donos “In ancient China, the farm is an enterprise, a shelter that insures one food and work. The farm is a place to rely on, but in return, needs to be maintained, including a set of responsibilities. In other words, “family” is the insurance of a stable life.” 09:07 – 10:27 In this portion, the hosts speak about how traditional Chinese thought is heavily influenced by the teachings of Confucius and Confucius philosophy. They explain how Confucius emphasized five sets of human relationships that form the basis for society: ruler and minister, husband and wife, parents and child, sibling and sibling, friend and friend. Of these five, three are familial relationships also known as Filial piety – the respect and care for one’s familial superiors (such as parents, elders, and ancestors). They speak of how this is one of Confucianism’s main teachings and in this respect caring for family members is seen as a moral obligation. In China housing arrangements are in the form of siheyuan”s — a type of residence that featured a courtyard surrounded on all four sides with buildings. These traditionally housed one large extended family if they were wealthy enough. 10:28 – 13:08 In this portion, hosts provide further information on Josephine Chow’s family experience working and living on the “Hop On” family farm through the decades. An excerpt from the interview with Josephine Chow conducted by Denise Fong is included. In this excerpt, Josephine reflects on her past experiences on the farm and her present day experiences of her siblings running the farm. 13:09 -13:56 Final summary, credits and acknowledgements.
- History
- Podcast hosts, Rose Wu and Wei Yan Yeong are University of British Columbia students in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems and student interns at Burnaby Village Museum.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Persons - Chinese Canadians
- Agriculture - Farms
- Agriculture
- Gardens - Market Gardens
- Social Issues - Discrimination
- Social Issues - Racism
- Names
- Fong, Denise
- Responsibility
- Wu, Rose
- Yeong, Wei Yan
- Geographic Access
- Marine Drive
- Accession Code
- BV020.28.3
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- 2020
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Big Bend Area
- Related Material
- BV020.28.4; BV020.28.5
- Notes
- Title based contents of sound recording
- See also Interview with Josephine Chow by Denise Fong February 7, 2020 - BV020.6.1
- Compilation of Research Resources used by authors Rose Wu and Wei Yan Yeong include:
- Why is family important in China? https://medium.com/@francois_dmd/why-is-family-so-important-in-china-1617b13a67
- Burnaby Village Museum - Interview with Josephine Chow by Denise Fong Feb. 7, 2020. BV020.6.1 https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/permalink/museumsoundrecording12337
- Covered Roots: The History of Vancouver's Chinese Farms https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4WHS2Uf3JU
- Burnaby Village Museum Shares Chinese-Canadian Farming History This Summer https://westcoastfood.ca/burnaby-village-museum-shares-chinese-canadian-farming-history-this-summer/
- Chinese Market Gardeners in the City of Burnaby BC Continue to Practice Urban Agriculture https://cityfarmer.info/chinese-market-gardeners-in-the-city-of-burnaby-bc-continue-to-practice-urban-agriculture/
- Chinese Market Gardening in BC https://www.bcfoodhistory.ca/chinese-market-gardening-bc/
Images
Audio Tracks
A Family Farm, 2020
![Survey and Subdivision plans in New Westminster District Group 1 and Group 2 – Vancouver, ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Indian Reserve, Burnaby, Surrey
, [1910-1911] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Cartographic_Material/1977/1977_0093_0017_001.jpg?width=280)
Survey and Subdivision plans in New Westminster District Group 1 and Group 2 – Vancouver, ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Indian Reserve, Burnaby, Surrey
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription6986
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1910-1911]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Map collection
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 9 plans : 4 plans : blueprint ink on paper + 4 plans : black ink on paper + 1 plan : graphite on paper mounted on 2 sides of cardboard 76 x 102 cm
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a large board of three survey plans in New Westminster District Group 1 mounted on one side and six survey and subdivision plans of District Lot 85, New Westminster District Group 1 mounted on the other side. Side A: 1. Plan : blueprint on paper ; 30.5 x 80 cm. Title reads: "Fras…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Map collection
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 9 plans : 4 plans : blueprint ink on paper + 4 plans : black ink on paper + 1 plan : graphite on paper mounted on 2 sides of cardboard 76 x 102 cm
- Material Details
- Scales vary (One chain equals 792 inches)
- Indexed number on tape on edge of board reads "17"
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a large board of three survey plans in New Westminster District Group 1 mounted on one side and six survey and subdivision plans of District Lot 85, New Westminster District Group 1 mounted on the other side. Side A: 1. Plan : blueprint on paper ; 30.5 x 80 cm. Title reads: "Fraser River Bridge / Plan of South Approach". Plan covers area of land north of the Fraser River and Great Northern Railway with approach for a bridge running through the "ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Indian Reserve" (ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nation) and lots marked as Dominion Government and the east half of Lot 2 identified as "C. F. Brown" "Plan 851". Plan is identified as "Plan 851 / traced / Mar. 17, 1911". (Geographic location in Vancouver) Scale: 100 feet = 1 inch, Signed by Albert J. Hill / P.L.S." 2. Plan : blueprint on paper ; 36.5 x 35 cm (no title). Includes three plans of lots on the east and west sides of North Road. Note on bottom of blueprint reads: "I.E.B. McKay Surveyor General - hereby certify / that this is a correct tracing from the field / notes of the Royal Engineers on file in the / Lands Department / E.B. McKay (signature) / Surveyor General / Victoria B.C. April 11th 1911" . Plan in top left titled "Page 11 / Vol. 1. / R.E. Notes" covers District Lots east of North Road including Lot 5, Lot 7, Lot 41, Lot 9 and Lot 107 in Coquitlam. Plan in top right corner titled "Page 17 / Vol. 1. / R.E. Notes" covers District Lots east of North Road including Lot 104, Lot 54, Lot 105, Lot 55, Lot 106, Lot 9 and Lot 107 in Coquitlam and Port Moody. Plan in lower left corner titled "Page 15 / Vol. 1 / R.E. Notes" covers District Lots west of North Road including Lot 147, Lot 148, Lot 100, Lot 15 in Burnaby. 3. Plan : blue print on paper ; 29.5 x 41.5 cm. (no formal title). Plan of the North 1/2 of Section 18. Plan covers area in the "North 1/2 of Sec.18 B.5 N RGE 1 W" and "Sec. 18 B.5 N. RGE 1 W" bordered by Section 7, Section 13, Section 17 and Section 19. Bon Accord Road runs through Sec. 18. The plan is signed by surveryor "I.H. Neville Smith... C.E.B.C.L.S. / Mar. 26th 1910" and signed by "Ludwig Pillath". (Geographic location: Surrey) Side B: 1. Plan : blueprint on paper ; 43.5 x 49.5 cm. Title reads: "Plan / of Subdivision / of a Portion / of / Lot 85 / Group One / New Westminster District. Plan covers portion of land east of Deer Lake and Pole Line Road (Sperling Avenue) and south of Hastings Road in District Lot 85 in Burnaby with section 4 and a portion of section 2 coloured in red. Plan is signed by "Albert J. Hill, B.C.L.S." Plan is initialed by: "RB" [sic] (in blue pencil crayon) Scale: 4 chains = 1 inch 2. Plaln : black black ink on linen ; 39 x 37 cm. Title reads: "L.C. Hill's Property, / Burnaby". Plan covers a triangular portion of land east of Pole Line Road (Sperling Avenue) and south of Hastings Road in District Lot 85 in Burnaby. Plan is intitaled by "RB" [sic] (in blue pencil crayon). Scale: 3 chains = 1 mile 3. Plan : graphite on paper ; 23 x 17 cm. Title reads: "Portion of Lot 85 / Gr.1". Plan covers portion of land north east of Deer Lake and west of Pole Line Road (now Sperling Avenue) in District Lot 85 in Burnaby. Plan is stamped in red ink: "Albert J. Hill, Civil Engineer". Plan is initialed by: "RB" [sic] (in blue pencil crayon). Scale: 1 chain = 1 inch 4. Plan : black ink on linen ; 16 x 19 cm. Title reads: "Lot 85". Plan covers the intersection of Pole Line Road (Sperling Avenue) and Hastings Road at the north west section of District Lot 79 and District Lot 85 in Burnaby. Plan is stamped: "A.J. Hill, Civil Engineer" with identitifed in blue pencil crayon. 5. Plan : black ink on paper ; 28.5 x 37 cm. (no formal title) Plan covers an area of land, west of Pole Line Road (Sperling Avenue) and south of Deer Lake in District Lot 85 in Burnaby. Plan is initialed by: "RB" [sic] (in blue pencil crayon) 6. Plan : black ink on paper ; 21 x 34 cm (no formal title). Plan covers an area of land, west of Pole Line Road (Sperling Avenue) and south of Deer Lake in District Lot 85 in Burnaby. Plan is initialed by: "RB" [sic] (in blue pencil crayon)
- Accession Code
- HV977.93.17
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1910-1911]
- Media Type
- Cartographic Material
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Burquitlam (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Morley-Buckingham Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 2023-06-26
- Notes
- Title based on contents of file
- Scale is measured in chains and feet. (One chain equals 792 inches).
- The term "Lot" also refers to a "District Lot”
- Some plans are stamped: "Albert J. Hill, Civil Engineer / and / Provincial Land Surveyor, / New Westminster, / B.C." and intialed: "RB" [sic]
Zoomable Images
![Survey and Subdivision plans in New Westminster District Group 1 and Group 2 – Vancouver, ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Indian Reserve, Burnaby, Surrey
, [1910-1911] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Cartographic_Material/1977/1977_0093_0017_003_seadragon/1977_0093_0017_003.jpg?w=280)
Survey and Subdivision plans in New Westminster District Group 1 and Group 2 – Vancouver, ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Indian Reserve, Burnaby, Surrey , [1910-1911]
Zoom into Image