To those who are interested in knowing why the Board made the decision it did, please find pasted below my remarks in support of the naming of the school for Tiger Jeet Singh.
Below it, I have provided you with his philanthropic and humanitarian efforts, so far.
The decision had nothing to do with his athletic endeavours -- he was recognized for that by the Town of Milton in 2007 when he was inducted into Milton's Hall of Fame.
With respect to Mssrs. Coates and Deacon, both have been recognized through the naming of local roads for them. Undoubtedly, that will happen for Mr. McCaw. His name is on the list for selection.
Tiger Jeet Singh is one of our community's 35 most significant local residents over the last 153 years.
I hope this helps. If you have any further questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact me by email at
challinors@sympatico.ca or by phone at (905) 878-7638.
Thanks!
JC
P.S. I apologize for the formatting...
PRESENTATION TO
HALTON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
MARCH 3, 2010
JOHN CHALLINOR II
LOCAL AUTHOR AND HISTORIAN
GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, TRUSTEES OF
THE BOARD AND STAFF…
THANK-YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
APPEAR BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING TO
DISCUSS THE NAMING OF THE LATEST
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO BE OPENED AT 640
YATES DRIVE IN MILTON…
I AM PROPOSING THAT THIS NEW SCHOOL BE
NAMED TIGER JEET SINGH PUBLIC SCHOOL,
FOR THE WORLD RECORD-HOLDING FORMER
PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER TIGER JEET
SINGH…
I COULD EASILY SPEND MY ALLOTTED TIME
AND PROBABLY THE REMAINDER OF THIS
EVENING RECITING TIGER’S LIST OF
ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS, WHICH HE
EARNED OVER A LONG CAREER IN CANADA,
THE UNITED STATES, JAPAN AND SOUTH-EAST
ASIA…
WHILE HIS ATHLETIC PROWESS HAS
AFFORDED HIM A HIGH PROFILE AROUND THE
WORLD DURING THE LAST FORTY YEARS, IT
ONLY TELLS A PART OF TIGER’S LIFE STORY. I
BELIEVE IT IS THE OTHER HALF OF HIS LIFE
THAT IS PERHAPS MOST RELEVANT TO YOU AS
YOU GO THROUGH THE PROCESS THIS
EVENING OF NAMING A NEW SCHOOL…
TIGER JEET SINGH HAS SERVED CANADA AND
THE WORLD AS A NON-GOVERNMENTAL
TRADE AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS
WITH A MANDATE TO REACH OUT TO SOUTH-
EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES…
HE CONTINUES TO SERVE AS THE WORLD-
WIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AMBASSADOR TO MILTON, A COMMUNITY
WHERE HE MAKES HIS HOME AND HAS LIVED
ALMOST HALF HIS LIFE. IN 2007, TIGER WAS
HONOURED BY THE TOWN OF MILTON AS ONE
OF THE FIRST INDUCTEES INTO ITS WALK OF
FAME…
HE IS ARGUABLY THE MOST REVERED
MEMBER OF CANADA’S SOUTH-EAST ASIAN
COMMUNITY, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO EITHER
RECEIVES VISITORS AT HIS HOME WHO ARE
SEEKING GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT OR IS
REQUESTED TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE
COUNTRY TO PROVIDE SAME…
HE IS A DISTINGUISHED AND REGULAR GUEST
AT COMMUNITY, RELIGIOUS AND ATHLETIC
EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, OFTEN
HOSTING PRIME MINISTERS, PREMIERS AND
OTHER DIGNITARIES. OVER THE LAST THIRTY
YEARS, TIGER HAS BECOME THE WISE, OLD
UNCLE OF CANADA’S INDIAN COMMUNITY…
ON A SPIRITUAL LEVEL, HE IS THE FIRST AND
ONLY CHIEF PATRON OF THE PUNJABI SAHIT
SABBA OF ONTARIO – AN ORGANIZATION THAT
FACILITATES EDUCATION, CULTURE,
SOCIETAL VALUE AND GENERATION
PROMOTION OF SIKHISM – A VOLUNTARY
ROLE HE HAS PERFORMED SINCE ITS
ESTABLISHMENT IN 1976…
ON A COMMUNITY LEVEL, HE IS A ROLE
MODEL FOR HUMANITY AROUND THE WORLD,
A HUMBLE MAN FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
WHO WORKED HARD, ACHIEVED SUCCESS AND
NOW ADVOCATES TO THOUSANDS OF PARENTS
AND THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT DRUG AND
ALCOHOL AWARENESS, THE IMPORTANCE OF
STAYING IN SCHOOL AND THE NEED TO BE
PHYSICALLY FIT...
IN A WORLD WHERE SOME OF OUR
LEADERS AND TOP PERFORMERS HAVE SAID
ONE THING ABOUT THEIR LIVES WHILE DOING
SOMETHING ELSE ALTOGETHER, THIS TIGER
IS THE GENUINE ARTICLE – A MAN WHO
WALKS THE TALK…
HAPPILY MARRIED TO SUKHJIT FOR FORTY
YEARS, THEY HAVE RAISED A FAMILY OF
THREE BOYS WHO HAVE EACH GONE ON TO
ENJOY SUCCESSFUL CAREERS OF THEIR OWN.
TIGER HAS NEVER USED DRUGS TO ENHANCE
HIS PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE. HE HAS
NEVER ABUSED DRUGS OR ALCOHOL IN HIS
PERSONAL LIFE. HE HAS NEVER BEEN ON THE
WRONG SIDE OF THE LAW. AND, ON THAT LAST
POINT, HE BETTER NOT – ONE OF HIS SONS IS A
MEMBER OF HALTON REGIONAL POLICE
FORCE…
PHILANTHROPICALLY, HE HAS GIVEN – AND
CONTINUES TO GIVE -- HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO HIS FORMER
HOMELAND AND HIS NEW HOMELAND, MONIES
EARMARKED FOR WATER AND SEWER
INFRASTRUCTURE, HOSPITALS, EDUCATIONAL
FACILITIES AND THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF
LIFE…
HE IS CURRENTLY CONSIDERING BECOMING
THE VOICE OF CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES TO
CANADA’S SOUTH-EAST ASIAN COMMUNITY…
AND, HE AND ONE OF HIS SONS, ALSO A WORLD
RECORD-HOLDING PROFESSIONAL
WRESTLER AND A MEMBER OF MILTON’S
WALK OF FAME, ARE PLANNING AN ANNUAL
GOODWILL TOUR IN INDIA TO RAISE
AWARENESS AND FUNDING FOR LOCAL
CHARITIES, SCHOOLS, AND HOSPITALS WHILE
CONTINUING TO CARRY TIGER’S MESSAGE
ABOUT DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, EDUCATION
AND FITNESS…
NAMING THE NEW SCHOOL FOR TIGER JEET
SINGH WOULD AFFORD STUDENTS AND STAFF
AT THAT INSTITUTION REGULAR ACCESS TO
SOMEONE THEY COULD RELATE TO AND WHO
COULD MENTOR THEM THE WAY HE DOES TO
THOUSANDS OF OTHERS…
JUST AS RESPECTED FORMER EDUCATOR ED
FOSTER ADVISED THE STUDENTS AND STAFF
AT E.W. FOSTER PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE 1970S
AND 1980S AND ASTRONAUT CHRIS HADFIELD
REGULARLY DELIGHTS ALL WHO ATTEND
CHRIS HADFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOL TODAY,
TIGER JEET SINGH HAS THE BACKGROUND,
ABILITY AND PASSION TO BE MORE THAN JUST
A NAME ON THE SIDE OF A NEW SCHOOL…
NAMING MILTON’S NEWEST SCHOOL FOR
TIGER JEET SINGH WILL BRING THAT
SCHOOL’S IDENTITY TO LIFE FOR AS LONG AS
TIGER IS PHYSICALLY ABLE AND WILLING TO
MENTOR THEM – AND HIS INVOLVEMENT MAY
ALSO HELP THE BOARD TO DEVELOP THE
NEXT-GENERATION OF LEADERSHIP LOCALLY,
NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY…
THANK-YOU…
Tiger Jeet Singh
Philanthropic Activities:
• $200,000 donation to community of Sujapur, India (1990) (money used to build water and sewer infrastructure)
• $100,000+ donation committed to Milton District Hospital Foundation (2006)
• $35,000 raised through his leadership with Kopz4Kids (monies were shared between Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington and Halton Healthcare facilities in Georgetown, Milton and Oakville) (2008)
• $30,000 raised through his leadership with Troy's Diner Toy Drive (2009) (toys went to local Salvation Army and Sick Childrens Hospital in Toronto )
• $25,000 donation to Milton Historical Society to publish local book of history, Milton Streets (2008)
• Annual pilgrimage to India to donate money, including the following:
o Five buses purchased for various Sikh temples in Punjab, India, so that poor had transportation to worship (2009)
o Land purchased for college campus in Ludhiana, Punjab, India, so students could study locally as most couldn’t afford transportation to study out-of-town (2009)
o Donated monies for clothing and other items to unspecified villages (1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s)
• Raised money with professional wrestler Lord Athol Layton for Shriners Foundation (late 1970s)
• Raised money with professional wrestler Whipper Billy Watson to help expand Newmarket Hospital and raise visibility for plight of handicapped children (early 1970s)
• Anonymous large annual donor to numerous local charities (ongoing)
Pending Philanthropic Activities:
• Annual Tiger Goodwill Tour to major cities through India to raise philanthropic awareness and provide funding for local charities, schools, hospitals, childrens’ hospitals, etc. (planned for 2010)
Humanitarian Activities:
• Non-governmental ambassador (trade) to United Nations with a mandate to reach out to South-East Asian countries (2000 - 2001)
• World-wide Economic Development Ambassador to Milton, Ontario (1980s, 1990s, 2000s)
• Drug, alcohol, education and physical fitness (Tiger-fit) awareness advocate in Canada, Japan, South-east Asia, addressing thousands of parents and students (1990s, 2000s)
• Chief Patron, Punjabi Sahit Sabha of Ontario (organization facilitates education, culture, societal value and general promotion of Sikhism) (since 1976)
• Recognized leader in Canadian South-East Asian community that members from across the country come to when in need of guidance and support (1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s)
• Annual guest of honour at major South-East Asian community religious, community, athletic events (1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s)
• Annual guest of honour at Canada Kabaddi Cup (typically alongside Prime Minister of Canada) (ongoing)
Pending Humanitarian Activities:
• Red Cross of Canada/Canadian Blood Services Official Spokesman to South East-Asian community regarding importance of blood donations
• Annual Tiger Goodwill Tour to major cities through India to raise plight of local charities, schools, hospitals, childrens’ hospitals, etc. and help to break down lack of empathy between social classes (planned for 2010)
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