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The origins of the Canadian Farmworkers Union can be traced to the Vancouver chapter of the Indian People’s Association of North America (IPANA). Its earliest members included Harinder Mahil, Raj Chouhan and Chin Banerjee. These men were already friends who recognized that farmworkers in British Columbia were being exploited. At an IPANA meeting in 1979, Chouhan and Mahil agreed to attempt to organize the farmworkers. Both had personally experienced the working conditions on farms and both had connections to the labour movement.
Financial and organizational support for the CFU was received from BC unions and the Canadian Labour Congress. Union leaders, activists and members were extremely active in supporting CFU organizing drives and picket lines.