South Asian Canadian History

It’s Indigenous Peoples day, and we wanted to share a little history of South Asians' connection to Indigenous People. Did you know:

"Early South Asians had many connections with First Nations. As British subjects, the two shared a history of racism and exclusion. The two worked together in mills and canneries. There were sometimes animosities between First Nations and South Asians. This was largely due to claims made by European Canadians that South Asians were industrious and threatened indigenous livelihoods. Solidarities and hostilities were present in B.C. towns and in sawmill and cannery camps and workplaces. First Nations and South Asian Canadians have aligned around many political issues. For example, in 1982, Punjabi women took job action alongside their First Nations co-workers at the B.C. Packers Oceanside plant."

Read full thematic framework by Government of BC