Name
2024_19_82_011-Service File.jpg
MIME type
image/jpeg
File size
655208
Width
3319
Height
1967
Media Use
[Photograph of Aziz Khaki, Charan Gill, Helmut Giesbrecht and Kamaljit Sidhu at a political public service event in Vancouver]
Details
Creators
Creator: Chandra Bodalia
Date Created
1999-10-05
Description
Photograph of Aziz Khaki, Charan Gill, Helmut Giesbrecht and Kamaljit Sidhu in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The group of individuals had gathered for an announcement about a committee formed that would advise the government on ways to improve the employment equity in the public sector. Helmut Giesbrecht, former-minister responsible for public service, made the announcement and introduced the board. The Community Advisory Board on Employment Equity consisted of 11 individuals, Richard George was the chair of the committee while Wolfgang Zimmerman would be vice-chair. Other members included Tung Chan, Dianne Collins, Jerry Desjarlais, Josefina Gabas, Charan Gill, Aziz Khaki, Cindy Chan Piper, Kamaljit Kaur Sidhu and Faith Uchida.
Dr. Abdulaziz 'Aziz' Khaki was an activist and leader in the Canadian Muslim community. He served as vice-president of the Canadian Muslim Federation and the Council of Muslim Communities of Canada. Dr. Khaki was a strong advocate for human rights, interfaith dialogue, and the integration of Muslim communities into Canadian society.
Charan Pal Gill (June 17, 1936 - February 2, 2021), born in Hong Kong, was a social worker, social activist, labour organizer, anti-racism pioneer and a South Asian community leader in British Columbia. Gill relocated to Vancouver, Canada in 1967, where he briefly worked as a berry picker before finding employment in a sawmill in Williams Lake, British Columbia. Due to an injury to his wrist, Gill left the sawmill and after some training began working as a social worker in Prince Rupert. After working for five years as a social worker, Gill became a registered social worker after obtaining his bachelor's degree from the University of British Columbia in 1970. 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). On 6 April 1980, the FWOC transformed into the Canadian Farmworkers Union (CFU). The CFU became the first union in Canada's history centred on farmworkers. 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 Panjabi). 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. In November 1980, Gill co-founded the volunteer organization British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism (BCOFR). In 1985 Gill established a new service provider catering to the immediate needs of the South Asian community in British Columbia. 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. 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. Gill was the recipient of numerous awards and honours in recognition of his activism and contributions to human rights and workers' rights, such as, the Order of British Columbia (1999) and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).
Helmut Giesbrecht was born in the Ukraine on February 18, 1943 and came to Canada as a young child. Giesbrecht was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries in November 2000. Previously, Helmut served as the Minister Responsible for the Public Service from July 1999 until February 2000. Before that, he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health from February 1998 to July 1999. He was also Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business, Tourism and Culture from June 1996 to February 1998. Giesbrecht was first elected to the Legislative Assembly to represent the constituency of Skeena in 1991 and was re-elected in 1996. He holds a baccalaureate of education from the University of British Columbia before moving to Terrace in the late 60s. Giesbrecht taught at Skeena Junior Secondary School in Terrace for 24 years. He was elected to Terrace Municipal Council in 1976 and served as mayor from 1981 to 1985. Giesbrecht represented the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine on the Northern Development Council and represented the district on the Municipal Finance Authority. In addition, he also served on the board of the Skeena Health Unit. Before being elected to the Legislative Assembly, Giesbrecht was on the executive of the Terrace District's Teachers Union and on the Board of Directors of the Terrace and District Credit Union. He also served two years as president of the Terrace District Teachers' Association.
Dr. Kamaljit Kaur Sidhu has over 30 years' experience as an educator and registered psychologist in British Columbia. She has worked with individuals across the lifespan, including elementary, high school and university level students. Dr. Sidhu completed her Ph.D. in Counselling Psychology from the University of British Columbia (2000), with a doctoral dissertation titled 'Second Generation Sikh Adolescent Males – A Grounded Theory Model of Self and Identity Construction.' She has served as a board member for the British Columbia School Counsellors' Association and as a board member and President for the British Columbia Psychological Association. In addition to her full-time private practice in psychology, Dr. Sidhu continues to volunteer to promote community education about mental health through media interviews, workshops and presentations to professionals and the public. Dr. Sidhu serves as the Director of Academic & Research at the Guru Nanak Institute in Canada.
The group of individuals had gathered for an announcement about a committee formed that would advise the government on ways to improve the employment equity in the public sector. Helmut Giesbrecht, former-minister responsible for public service, made the announcement and introduced the board. The Community Advisory Board on Employment Equity consisted of 11 individuals, Richard George was the chair of the committee while Wolfgang Zimmerman would be vice-chair. Other members included Tung Chan, Dianne Collins, Jerry Desjarlais, Josefina Gabas, Charan Gill, Aziz Khaki, Cindy Chan Piper, Kamaljit Kaur Sidhu and Faith Uchida.
Dr. Abdulaziz 'Aziz' Khaki was an activist and leader in the Canadian Muslim community. He served as vice-president of the Canadian Muslim Federation and the Council of Muslim Communities of Canada. Dr. Khaki was a strong advocate for human rights, interfaith dialogue, and the integration of Muslim communities into Canadian society.
Charan Pal Gill (June 17, 1936 - February 2, 2021), born in Hong Kong, was a social worker, social activist, labour organizer, anti-racism pioneer and a South Asian community leader in British Columbia. Gill relocated to Vancouver, Canada in 1967, where he briefly worked as a berry picker before finding employment in a sawmill in Williams Lake, British Columbia. Due to an injury to his wrist, Gill left the sawmill and after some training began working as a social worker in Prince Rupert. After working for five years as a social worker, Gill became a registered social worker after obtaining his bachelor's degree from the University of British Columbia in 1970. 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). On 6 April 1980, the FWOC transformed into the Canadian Farmworkers Union (CFU). The CFU became the first union in Canada's history centred on farmworkers. 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 Panjabi). 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. In November 1980, Gill co-founded the volunteer organization British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism (BCOFR). In 1985 Gill established a new service provider catering to the immediate needs of the South Asian community in British Columbia. 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. 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. Gill was the recipient of numerous awards and honours in recognition of his activism and contributions to human rights and workers' rights, such as, the Order of British Columbia (1999) and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).
Helmut Giesbrecht was born in the Ukraine on February 18, 1943 and came to Canada as a young child. Giesbrecht was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries in November 2000. Previously, Helmut served as the Minister Responsible for the Public Service from July 1999 until February 2000. Before that, he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health from February 1998 to July 1999. He was also Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business, Tourism and Culture from June 1996 to February 1998. Giesbrecht was first elected to the Legislative Assembly to represent the constituency of Skeena in 1991 and was re-elected in 1996. He holds a baccalaureate of education from the University of British Columbia before moving to Terrace in the late 60s. Giesbrecht taught at Skeena Junior Secondary School in Terrace for 24 years. He was elected to Terrace Municipal Council in 1976 and served as mayor from 1981 to 1985. Giesbrecht represented the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine on the Northern Development Council and represented the district on the Municipal Finance Authority. In addition, he also served on the board of the Skeena Health Unit. Before being elected to the Legislative Assembly, Giesbrecht was on the executive of the Terrace District's Teachers Union and on the Board of Directors of the Terrace and District Credit Union. He also served two years as president of the Terrace District Teachers' Association.
Dr. Kamaljit Kaur Sidhu has over 30 years' experience as an educator and registered psychologist in British Columbia. She has worked with individuals across the lifespan, including elementary, high school and university level students. Dr. Sidhu completed her Ph.D. in Counselling Psychology from the University of British Columbia (2000), with a doctoral dissertation titled 'Second Generation Sikh Adolescent Males – A Grounded Theory Model of Self and Identity Construction.' She has served as a board member for the British Columbia School Counsellors' Association and as a board member and President for the British Columbia Psychological Association. In addition to her full-time private practice in psychology, Dr. Sidhu continues to volunteer to promote community education about mental health through media interviews, workshops and presentations to professionals and the public. Dr. Sidhu serves as the Director of Academic & Research at the Guru Nanak Institute in Canada.
Note
https://globalnews.ca/news/249338/multicultural-leader-and-member-of-globals-diversity-committee-dies/
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/charan-gill
https://www.leg.bc.ca/members/36th-Parliament/Giesbrecht-Helmut
https://gurunanakinstitute.ca/board-of-directors/
Extent
1 photograph : col. negative
Rights
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
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Subject (Topical)
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Subject (Name)_Person