In 2011, Statistics Canada reported Canada’s population to be estimated as 34,278,400 (an increase of 40,000 since 2010). In British Columbia alone, there are 4,554,100 people. Out of these, the city of Surrey has over 100, 000 Indo-Canadians. There have been rumours that the government has pondered the thought of designating Punjabi as Canada’s fourth official language. Yet, majority of the younger South Asian generation have trouble speaking a full sentence in Punjabi. There are millions of people that make up the nation of Canada. Many of these people will contribute to society by being educated and contributing in various fields. But out of these, there will be about a handful of people who will leave a legacy worth remembering.
Balwant Sanghera, originally born and raised in a village called Pharwala, near Jalandhar in Punjab, arrived in Canada in 1966. Like many of our parents, he arrived in Canada with a dream of a better life for the future generations yet to come. Sanghera is by profession an educator; he received his Master of Education from the University of British Columbia. In 1990, he worked with the Burnaby School District as a school psychologist, “I retired as a school psychologist in 2004 after serving in B.C.’s public school system for 36 years.” Aside from his career as a teacher, Sanghera was a board member of the College of Naturopathic Physicians of British Columbia and an advisory board member for NOW television. He was also the senator for Simon Fraser University and on the chair committee of ombudspersons for the B.C. Teachers’ Federation.
Even after his official retirement, Sanghera has continued to work with troubled youth. He is the founder of an educational program for Maples Adolescent Treatment Centre, designed to help BC’s most troubled adolescents. Sanghera said, “there are 3 areas that are very dear to my heart: youth, Punjabi language and intercultural harmony.” He has mentored a range of educational programs across Canada to provide a helping hand to those adolescents, who society would rather lock away. “I think I have been very successful in promoting all three,” says Sanghera. Although there have been quite a few challenges along the way, he sees “those challenges as opportunities.” He is currently the president of the Richmond Multicultural Concerns Society and of the Punjabi Language Education Association. Furthermore, Sanghera was bestowed with the vice president position of the East Richmond Community Association and he is the chairperson of the South Asian Community Coalition Against Youth Violence.
While reading about Mr. Sanghera and everything he has accomplished and continues to accomplish, I had a thought – what would make a person devote their entire life to better our society? Commendable as it is, a selfless deed is naturally unnatural. Violence and drugs has become a norm in the South Asian community. News coverage around the killing of one youth to another has desensitized us to these acts of violence and horror. Sanghera, after witnessing such similar violent events stood up to put a stop to these senseless killings. One moment can impact several others.
“Culturally, our community has come a long way. Today, our community is the most visible, powerful, resourceful and resilient. This is a matter of great pride for all of us,” says Sanghera. “However, I would like to emphasize that despite all of the progress we have made; our community still comes under a microscope from time to time. Consequently, I believe that each and every member of our community is an ambassador for the community and should act as such. Be proud of your heritage. At the same time be a proud Canadian.”
For all his life’s work, Sanghera has also received several prestigious awards. In 2002, he was the recipient of Queen Elizabeth Golden Jubilee Medal. This medal is presented to individuals who have actively contributing substantially to their community or Canada as a whole. Then in 2004, he was given the Order of British Columbia award in the midst of other well deserving candidates. In 2010, he was recognized as one of Canada’s top 25 Immigrants. With 2011 rolling around, Sanghera was given Darpan magazine’s defender of Heritage award as well as the Solicitor general Community safety and crime prevention lifetime achievement award. With these awards as well as many others, Balwant Sanghera continues his work to make his country, our country, a better place. Sanghera humbly replies,” I consider it as a privilege to serve my community and my country. Canada is a wonderful country. I feel that as Canadians we should do everything within our means to make it even better. I consider these awards as bonus. Indeed it gives me a great sense of pride when my community involvement and volunteer work get this kind of recognition.”
