Darshan Singh Canadian
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Darshan Singh Canadian (aka Darshan A. Sangha) (born 1917, Langeri, Punjab, India; died Sept. 25, 1986) was a trade union activist and Communist organizer in Canada and India.
He immigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1937. Upon his arrival his uncle attempted to get him a job at Dominion Sawmills resulting in the uncle being fired and Sangha being hired at five cents less pay an hour. He became active in the Labour-Progressive Party (as the Communist Party of Canada was known) and was one of the founders of the International Woodworkers of America and served as one of the union's organizers as well as itsgeneral secretary from 1942 to 1946. He led striking woodworkers on a march on the provincial capital of Victoria in 1946.
Following (1942-46), he fought for the rights of B.C.'s East Indian woodworkers. Led IWA strikers on a march to Victoria in 1946.
He returned to India upon its independence in 1947 and adopted "Canadian" as his surname.
He became active in the Communist Party of India becoming party secretary in Punjab. He was elected to the Punjabi state legislature where he served for three terms until his assassination in 1986 in retaliation for his comments against Sikh extremism.
