Search Results | Heritage Burnaby

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…

1 document 1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: South Asian Canadian Interviews subseries

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

2022_0029_0004_003

Audio Tracks

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

Heritage Seed Program : 1991 seed listing

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary6698

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Author: Canadian Organic Growers

Publication Date: 1991

Call Number: 635 HER 1991

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection: Reference Collection

Material Type: Textual Record

Call Number: 635 HER 1991

Author: Canadian Organic Growers

Place of Publication: Uxbridge, Ont.

Publisher: Heritage Seed Program

Publication Date: 1991

Physical Description: 34 p. ; 28 cm.

Library Subject (LOC): Seeds; Periodicals

Subjects: Agriculture; Agriculture - Crops

Notes: Includes index (back cover).

Heritage Seed Program : 1992-1993 seed listing

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary6699

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Author: Canadian Organic Growers

Publication Date: 1991

Call Number: 635 HER 1992-1993

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection: Reference Collection

Material Type: Textual Record

Call Number: 635 HER 1992-1993

Author: Canadian Organic Growers

Place of Publication: Uxbridge, Ont.

Publisher: Heritage Seed Program

Publication Date: 1991

Physical Description: 41 p [2]. ; 28 cm.

Library Subject (LOC): Seeds; Periodicals

Subjects: Agriculture; Agriculture - Crops

Notes: Includes index.

Heritage Seed Program : preserving and enjoying our horticultural heritage, December 1992, vol. 5, no. 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary6695

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Author: Canadian Organic Growers

Publication Date: 1992

Call Number: 635 HER v. 5 no. 3

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection: Reference Collection

Material Type: Textual Record

ISBN: 0848-0753

Call Number: 635 HER v. 5 no. 3

Author: Canadian Organic Growers

Place of Publication: Uxbridge, Ont.

Publisher: Heritage Seed Program

Publication Date: 1992

Physical Description: v. : ill ; 28 cm.

Library Subject (LOC): Seeds; Periodicals

Subjects: Agriculture; Agriculture - Crops

Heritage Seed Program : preserving and enjoying our horticultural heritage, April 1992, vol. 5, no. 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary6697

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Author: Canadian Organic Growers

Publication Date: 1992

Call Number: 635 HER v. 5 no. 1

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection: Reference Collection

Material Type: Textual Record

ISBN: 0848-0753

Call Number: 635 HER v. 5 no. 1

Author: Canadian Organic Growers

Place of Publication: Uxbridge, Ont.

Publisher: Heritage Seed Program

Publication Date: 1992

Physical Description: v. : ill ; 28 cm.

Library Subject (LOC): Seeds; Periodicals

Subjects: Agriculture; Agriculture - Crops

4250 Grange St

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription93892

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: June 1993

Collection/Fonds: Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds

Description Level: File

Physical Description: 25 photographs : col. negatives ; 35 mm

Scope and Content: Photographs of an undeveloped property located at 4250 Grange Street - an address that no longer exists. The property's current address is 5833 Wilson Avenue. A billboard in front of the property reads: Paramount / Coming Soon / Two 21-Storey Luxury Twin Towers".

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: June 1993

Collection/Fonds: Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds

Physical Description: 25 photographs : col. negatives ; 35 mm

Description Level: File

Record No.: 622-075

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2017-39

Scope and Content: Photographs of an undeveloped property located at 4250 Grange Street - an address that no longer exists. The property's current address is 5833 Wilson Avenue. A billboard in front of the property reads: Paramount / Coming Soon / Two 21-Storey Luxury Twin Towers".

Subjects: Geographic Features - Roads; Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Transcribed title; Title transcribed from envelope photographs were originally housed in; File no. 93-284-B; Photographer identified as "J.C."

Geographic Access: Wilson Avenue; Grange Street

Street Address: 5833 Wilson Avenue

Historic Neighbourhood: Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Garden Village Area

5744 Byrne Rd

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription94345

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: January 1993

Collection/Fonds: Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds

Description Level: File

Physical Description: 51 photographs : col. negatives ; 35 mm

Scope and Content: Photographs of commercial and undeveloped properties located in the Big Bend area, including 5744 Byrne Road, Lowland Drive, and 4853 Byrne Road.

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: January 1993

Collection/Fonds: Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds

Physical Description: 51 photographs : col. negatives ; 35 mm

Description Level: File

Record No.: 622-130

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2017-39

Scope and Content: Photographs of commercial and undeveloped properties located in the Big Bend area, including 5744 Byrne Road, Lowland Drive, and 4853 Byrne Road.

Subjects: Buildings - Commercial; Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Transcribed title; Title transcribed from envelope photographs were originally housed in; File no. 95-285-B; Sticky note adhered to print of photograph 622-130-036 reads: "Lowland Drive"; Sticky note adhered to print of photograph 622-130-039 reads: "4853 Byrne"; Photographer identified as "L.D."

Geographic Access: Byrne Road; Lowland Drive

Street Address: 5744 Byrne Road; 4853 Byrne Road

Historic Neighbourhood: Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Big Bend Area

Deer Lake

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription91707

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1994-1996

Collection/Fonds: Doreen Lawson fonds

Description Level: File

Physical Description: 55 photographs : col. slides ; 35 mm

Scope and Content: File consists of scenic photographs of Deer Lake and Deer Lake Park, including closeup photographs of the lake and landscape photographs with the lake in the foreground and mountains and skyline visible in the distance. The photographs capture Deer Lake in the fall, winter, and spring. Also inclu…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1994-1996

Collection/Fonds: Doreen Lawson fonds

Physical Description: 55 photographs : col. slides ; 35 mm

Description Level: File

Record No.: 618-025

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2015-15

Scope and Content: File consists of scenic photographs of Deer Lake and Deer Lake Park, including closeup photographs of the lake and landscape photographs with the lake in the foreground and mountains and skyline visible in the distance. The photographs capture Deer Lake in the fall, winter, and spring. Also included in the file are four photographs of Deer Lake Park signs.

Subjects: Natural Phenomena - Snow; Geographic Features - Lakes and Ponds; Plants - Trees; Geographic Features - Mountains; Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards

Names: Burnaby Art Gallery

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Lawson, Doreen A.

Notes: Title based on contents of photographs

Geographic Access: Deer Lake

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Oakalla Area

Images

Southern Railway of BC Burnaby

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription94306

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: February 1994

Collection/Fonds: Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds

Description Level: File

Physical Description: 16 photographs : col. negatives ; 35 mm + 1 computer disk ; 14 x 14 cm

Scope and Content: Photographs of properties owned by Scott Paper Ltd, including the Doman Sawmill property. Several of the photographs include zoning signs notifying the public that the property is to be developed or redeveloped for Heavy Industrial permitted use.

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: February 1994

Collection/Fonds: Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds

Physical Description: 16 photographs : col. negatives ; 35 mm + 1 computer disk ; 14 x 14 cm

Description Level: File

Record No.: 622-091

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2017-39

Scope and Content: Photographs of properties owned by Scott Paper Ltd, including the Doman Sawmill property. Several of the photographs include zoning signs notifying the public that the property is to be developed or redeveloped for Heavy Industrial permitted use.

Subjects: Buildings - Industrial; Buildings - Industrial - Mills; Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Young, Richard

Notes: Transcribed title; Title transcribed from envelope photographs were originally housed in; File no. 94-100-O; Computer disk labelled "Railands.xsl / 2/93"

8980 Fraserwood Crt

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription94326

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: December 1994

Collection/Fonds: Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds

Description Level: File

Physical Description: 24 photographs : col. negatives ; 35 mm

Scope and Content: Photographs of an undeveloped property located at 8980 Fraserwood Court. A Sutton Group real estate sign on the property advertises the site as the Fraserwood Corporate Centre with strata warehouse and office flex space. File also contains photographs of the commerical building adjacent to the si…

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: December 1994

Collection/Fonds: Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds

Physical Description: 24 photographs : col. negatives ; 35 mm

Description Level: File

Record No.: 622-111

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2017-39

Scope and Content: Photographs of an undeveloped property located at 8980 Fraserwood Court. A Sutton Group real estate sign on the property advertises the site as the Fraserwood Corporate Centre with strata warehouse and office flex space. File also contains photographs of the commerical building adjacent to the site.

Subjects: Land Clearing; Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards; Buildings - Commercial

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Transcribed title; Title transcribed from envelope photographs were originally housed in; File no. 94-422-B; Photographer identified as "L.D."

Geographic Access: Fraserwood Court

Street Address: 8980 Fraserwood Court

Historic Neighbourhood: Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Big Bend Area

1160 Douglas Rd

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription94327

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: December 1994

Collection/Fonds: Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds

Description Level: File

Physical Description: 22 photographs : col. negatives ; 35 mm

Scope and Content: Photographs of the exterior of a three-storey commerical building located at 1160 Douglas Road.

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: December 1994

Collection/Fonds: Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds

Physical Description: 22 photographs : col. negatives ; 35 mm

Description Level: File

Record No.: 622-112

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2017-39

Scope and Content: Photographs of the exterior of a three-storey commerical building located at 1160 Douglas Road.

Subjects: Land Clearing; Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards; Buildings - Commercial

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Young, Richard

Notes: Transcribed title; Title transcribed from envelope photographs were originally housed in; File no. 94-424-B

Geographic Access: Douglas Road

Street Address: 1160 Douglas Road

Historic Neighbourhood: Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Willingdon Heights Area

2761 North Rd

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription94334

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: April 1995

Collection/Fonds: Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds

Description Level: File

Physical Description: 24 photographs : col. negatives ; 35 mm

Scope and Content: Photographs of an undeveloped property located at 2761 North Road - an address that no longer exists. Three large billboards are posted at the edge of the property, facing onto the street.

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: April 1995

Collection/Fonds: Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds

Physical Description: 24 photographs : col. negatives ; 35 mm

Description Level: File

Record No.: 622-119

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2017-39

Scope and Content: Photographs of an undeveloped property located at 2761 North Road - an address that no longer exists. Three large billboards are posted at the edge of the property, facing onto the street.

Subjects: Geographic Features - Forests; Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Young, Richard

Notes: Transcribed title; Title transcribed from envelope photographs were originally housed in; File no. 95-167-B

Geographic Access: North Road

Historic Neighbourhood: Burquitlam (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Lyndhurst Area

Farm museum directory : a guide to America's farm past

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary1304

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Author: Association for Living Historical Farms and Agricultural Museums, U.S.A.

Publication Date: 1998

Call Number: 630.074 STE

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection: Reference Collection

Material Type: Book

Call Number: 630.074 STE

Author: Association for Living Historical Farms and Agricultural Museums, U.S.A.

Place of Publication: Lancaster, PA

Publisher: Stemgas Pub. Co.

Publication Date: 1998

Physical Description: 72 p. : ill. ; 22 cm.

Inscription: "October 1998", handwritten in ink on front cover and title page.

Library Subject (LOC): Agricultural museums

Subjects: Agriculture

Notes: " ... compiled in cooperation with the Association for Living Historical Farms & Agricultural Museums, Inc."--T.p. verso.

Vegetable delivery

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98165

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified person standing in front of a home with a Rubbermaid container filled with vegetables and other produce for a delivery.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-3243

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified person standing in front of a home with a Rubbermaid container filled with vegetables and other produce for a delivery.

Subjects: Foods; Agriculture; Buildings - Residential - Houses

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on original file name; Collected by editorial for use in a June 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader

Images

Second Street School banners

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98169

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: Photograph of an Brian Sarginson, of the City of Burnaby Engineering Department, installing banners depicting birds and a growing garden on a streetlight by Second Street School. The banners were painted by students and local artist Joanne Folks.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-3247

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of an Brian Sarginson, of the City of Burnaby Engineering Department, installing banners depicting birds and a growing garden on a streetlight by Second Street School. The banners were painted by students and local artist Joanne Folks.

Subjects: Occupations - Civic Workers; Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards

Names: Second Street School

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on caption; Collected by editorial for use in a July 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata: "Brian Sarginson, of Burnaby's Engineering Department, hangs some of the eight banners designed and painted by students at Second Ave. Community School, with a little guidance from local artist, Joanne Folks."

Geographic Access: 2nd Street

Street Address: 7502 2nd Street

Historic Neighbourhood: East Burnaby (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Second Street Area

Images

Second Street School banners, [1999] thumbnail

Corn seller

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98220

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified person holding up three ears of shucked corn toward the camera. The person is standing on the side of a road, and a bin of corn under a tarp is visible in the background.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-3298

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified person holding up three ears of shucked corn toward the camera. The person is standing on the side of a road, and a bin of corn under a tarp is visible in the background.