Darshan Singh Canadian

Darshan Singh Canadian, also known as Darshan Singh Sangha, immigrated to Canada from India, in 1937 at the age of 19. He quickly became a significant figure in both the labour movement and the struggle for South Asian immigrant rights in British Columbia.

Like many immigrants at the time, Darshan worked in sawmills, experiencing firsthand the poor working conditions and racial discrimination faced by non-white workers..
While studying at the University of British Columbia, Darshan joined the Young Communist League (YCL). Darshan was hired by the International Woodworkers of America (IWA) to work as a union organizer from 1941 to 1947. He worked to overcome the fear and misconceptions about unions among South Asian workers, educating them on the benefits of joining and reminding them of their tradition of fighting injustice. His efforts led to significant victories, including a strike that secured an eight-hour workday, pay raises, and an end to racial inequality.

Darshan also made substantial contributions to the South Asian community’s fight to regain the right to vote in Canada, a right that had been taken away in 1907. He successfully garnered support for this cause from the trade union movements, which was crucial to South Asian, Chinese, and Japanese residents gaining voting rights in 1947.

In addition to his work in Canada, Darshan actively supported India’s independence movement, presenting resolutions at both the Communist Party convention in 1942 and the IWA International Convention in 1944. He authored the book ‘The Rise of New Asia’ in 1943. Darshan returned to India in 1947, driven by a desire to continue working for the well-being and freedom of the working-class in his homeland, a decision his friends considered a huge personal sacrifice. He was tragically killed in Punjab on September 25, 1986.

This article was written by Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal to accompany the installation of a heritage plaque recognizing Darshan Singh Canadian. The plaque was installed outside the Kaatza Station Museum in Lake Cowichan, BC in 2023.