‘It’s a tribute to Canadian society that I could make it to where I am today’

Dosanjh left India at the age of 17 for England before moving on to Canada four years later to work initially as a lumberjack, later pursuing his law studies.After observing the terrible working conditions of immigrants, he formed the Labour Advocacy Research Association and farmworkers’ Legal information Service. His involvement with community causes continued as he worked with groups like the Vancouver Multicultural Society and B.C. Civil Liberties Association. He ended up running as NDP candidate and winning, after losses in 1979 and 1983, in 1991, as MLA for Vancouver-Kensington. He spoke to S.P. SINGH at his haveli in Dosanjh Kalan.

Mr Dosanjh, you have spent your childhood and part of adolescence in Punjab. Has the place changed a lot?
I think not mine but your observations are more important. When I make observations, some notions are implicit to creep in. All I can say is that there are several societal aspects on which struggle is needed, but you must concede that if things have not been done in 50 years, naturally sudden changes cannot be expected. But one thing is clear, and that is the people’s wish to make progress.

Indians, particularly Punjabis, seem to be thrilled at you making it big in Canada. How do you feel?
IT’S a tribute to Canadian society that I could make it to where I am today. As I grew up, many doors opened for me. Political power per se has never been my pursuit. I have always been active pursuing popular social causes.

Following the arrests of Ripudaman Singh and Ajaib Singh Bagri, accused in the 1985 bombing of an Air India flight, the issue of terrorism has once again come to the fore. Many radical groups are said to receive money from western nations, including Canada.
I will not comment on the Kanishka bombing case. If I say something, then it will unnecessarily become an international issue. The case is in a court of law. I don’t want to comment.

But what about the support terrorist groups are getting from there.
Terrorism is totally unacceptable. The Kanishka case accused have been caught. The case is in court. We must not now talk of terrorism or separatist movements. It is time we move on. People have so many expectations. More urgent and pressing issues of development and resource generation should be engaging our attention. I live a block and a half away from the Punjabi market, and I don’t hear about terrorism issue there in British Columbia, but journalists here have asked me about it many times.

In India, the issue is important, particularly when the Kashmir problem is directly related to it.
I had congratulated Prime Minister Vajpayee on his initiative on Kashmir. Such issues can only be resolved through dialogue.

Indo-Canadian ties had passed through a rather cold phase in the aftermath of nuclear explosions at Pokhran. How do you see your visit impacting the mutual relationship?
It is true that there was a pause in mutual ties. I am not the external affairs minister of Canada, but all I can say is that I hope and am sure that my visit will help break the ice and result in warming up of what has always been a good working relationship.

What role do you see for entrepreneurs from BC and India in each other’s countries?
Well, there is a lot of scope. India is exporting a high level of human capital. There is wonderful human resource pool in India in the information technology sector. Similarly, British Columbia has a good lumber sector. We can export lumber. BC is also fast emerging as the Hollywood of the North as film sector now has a turnover of nearly a billion Canadian dollars. Indians can invest in BC’s I-T sector. Also, BC has perhaps the toughest laws on environment safety. So, BC entrepreneurs can help in a big way in environmental waste management industry. Ours is an advanced food processing sector, which can be of immense help to a primarily agrarian country like India or a state like Punjab.

A number of BC’s residents of Punjab origin figure on a black list drafted by the Indian government and cannot visit India. Are you taking up the issue with New Delhi?
It really is not within my purview to comment. I will tell you what happened. A gentleman in Britain brought this issue to my notice. When I met the external affairs minister (Jaswant Singh) and (Union home minister) L K Advani in New Delhi, I broached the subject and they have assured me that they would be looking into it. All I did was to pass on a message. I have little role to play in this. It is upto the Indian government to see what it can do.

A number of NRIs have been protesting against certain provisions of the Foreign Exchange Maintenance Act, a federal legislation, which debars them from buying agricultural land. Would you espouse their cause in your discussions with the central government?
I do not know about the issue and have received no briefing on this. I cannot talk about this.

Some radical groups in Punjab have been demanding disenfranchisement for migrant labourers from other states of India. Such demands are also there in some other states.
This is baffling. Migrants should have same rights. We should wish for others what we want for ourselves. Would I have ever become the BC premier if such a thing was practised in Canada?

What agreements have you signed with the Punjab government?
Well, these are general agreements. We have signed a memorandum of understanding. We would like to work jointly in the field of road building, health care, bio-technology, food processing. There are many areas where we can work together. Governments don’t invest. I am looking at the possibilities of technology transfer. There will be more exploration as entrepreneurs meet to find more possibilities.

Have you ever had any identity dilemmas, since you were born here, and found your destiny in Canada?
I am a Canadian first. When you are premier of BC, you are a Canadian first, than anything else.