RH: When you were a young man did you have any
sense of the path you would take?
CG: My grandfather went to Russia as a revolutionary per-
son. I came from a politically left group. As a young person I
worked with the Farm Workers, organized the BC Organiza-
tion to Fight Racism (BCOFR) and was its president. I was in-
volved in the community from the day I became landed in this
country. In 1978, Raj Chouhan and I organized the Canadian
Farm Workers Union. Chouhan went on to become an MLA.
I also ran for MLA quite a few times, but I rather preferred
being a community worker where I was always contribut-
ing something. Along with Diversity Village another project
I’m happy about is Harmony House, for the women who are
beaten up and abused. I met all the community needs I could
following what my heart said; to love and work for seniors,
students and children. I’ve been very lucky. Everything I did
became a success story. There were lots of risks and sleep-
less nights worrying about how we’d pay the mortgage. But
it all worked out okay.
Personally I want some free time now because carrying a
big organization like this is a big responsibility. It’s been my
first priority, even above my home. I didn’t make any invest-
ments, I have only one house and one car, yet I’m happy with
that. I’m very satisfied that I fulfilled my wish to do something
for the community.
Photo Credit: A Master Media
children, function as a type of community centre, and have
parking underneath. That’s the plan now. The city of Surrey
has been very good. We’ve already had first and second
reading for Seniors Housing and we are only waiting for the
public meeting, after which it will be all done. The federal
government is on board, the City of Surrey is on board, all we
need is the Province. Diversity Village is the project that I’m
hoping to break ground on before I leave.
RH: What’s your wish for PICS in the future?
CG: My mission is to see PICS live forever, work for, and be
accountable to, the community, and try to fulfill the commu-
nity’s needs which will change over time.
Over thirty years I have given PICS over $21 million in assets.
It’s a great gift for the community. I want to see the commu-
nity come in and control it and I would like people who are
life members or other community activists to come and join
us to make sure the new board does the right thing, and be
accountable to the community.
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| AAARZU | WEDDING ISSUE 04.2017
Photo Credit: PICS Society