This is My Father’s World

The Sunday edition of the Toronto Star a week ago had an article about the anniversary of the boxing match between Mohammed Ali – the Heavyweight Champion of the World - and Canadian Heavy Weight Champ, George Chuvalo.  It was a match which certainly caught my imagination as a teenager.  Ali was a charismatic figure who stood tall against the establishment – both the boxing world and American patriotism by first changing his “slave name” of Cassius Clay and also converting to the Muslim faith and refusing the draft to fight in Vietnam. 

I am sure that Chuvalo unwittingly and unwillingly assumed the position of the latest “white hope” for those who would not and could not accept a black boxer as the World Champion.  The powers that be in the United States boxing world would not sanction a defense of his championship by Ali and took his crown away because of his stand against the war.  The result was a match in Canada against a seemingly badly miss-matched Chuvalo who was considered a plodder whose claim to fame was that he had never been knocked off his feet.  Having a World Championship match in Canada against a Canadian naturally created a great deal of excitement in Canada that went well beyond the usual Canadian boxing crowd.

Chuvalo surprized the boxing world by going the distance with the formidable, undefeated Ali and put on a respectable showing.  Ali is quoted in the story as saying, “Chuvalo was the toughest man I ever fought.”  Chuvalo was a mainstay in Canadian boxing following the fight being the Canadian heavyweight champion for many years and was the pride of Canadian boxing.  I recall that he did have a bit of an acting career and I enjoyed seeing him in small parts in TV shows and movies - usually as the heavy which he was physically if not temperamentally well suited for.

Now beyond this walk down memory lane, the story engaged me because of a connection with Dr. Daniel Hill who was the first Chair of the nascent Ontario Human Rights Commission.  Dr. Hill was very savvy in promoting the ground-breaking Ontario Human Rights Code and the work of the Commission.  Looking back, the connection between the fight and human rights was a natural and obvious one.  However, Dr. Hill made sure it was clear to everyone.  The launch of the fight was accomplished at the offices of the Ministry of Labour on Bay St. in Toronto with the signing of contracts and formal approval of the athletic commission physician.  This also happened to be the same floor as the office of the Human Rights Commission.  Dr. Hill ensured that the Human Rights Code was in evidence at the press conference.   

This is, of course, a wonderful chapter in the history of the Human Rights in Ontario.  However, my personal interest goes beyond that.  The article noted that, “What we also know Dr. Hill was a huge proponent of storefront access to justice.  People should be able to walk in the door and have their human rights addressed.”  My connection to this is that my father, Milton Little, was the first coordinator of the Services for Working People office which was established by Dr. Hill.  This was a true storefront operation which was located on College St. in Toronto in what was then the working-class part of the city.  Coincidentally or synchronistically, I had been thinking about my father’s time with the Human Rights Commission just a few days before the article appeared. 

My father joined the Human Rights Commission later in life after a career as a United Church minister serving in many different congregations, as well as being the Principal of the United Church Prairie Christian Training Center in Saskatchewan, and later as a teacher in adult education.  He tended to move to different positions frequently, never staying in a position for more than five years in my memory.  This meant that we moved frequently when I was growing up.  His last career move was with the Human Rights Commission.  He retired from that job having been in it for about ten years – his longest in any position.  I never spoke to him about his propensity for changing positions and locations but after being in parish ministry I can make a guess at why he might have had the desire to seek new challenges that he found more compatible with his personality and gifts. 

As a follow up, my wife Lorna found a picture on the internet from the archives of the Toronto Star which shows my father interviewing a Portuguese man – through an interpreter - at the store front office (see below).    That is a wonderful picture of him and he seems to be truly enjoying himself in this work which would have been a job which combined his belief in the dignity of people and the desire to help others.  It is therefore understandable why he remained with the Commission for the longest time in his long career.   It is a true blessing to find oneself in ‘the place just right’ and you are then truly ‘in the valley of love and delight’ as the Shaker song The Gift to be Simple says. 

May you be blessed to find that place on your journey. 

  

Help for a new Canadian: A Portuguese immigrant, with back to camera, is interviewed by Milton Little, co-ordinator of the Ontario Human Rights Commission's Services for Working People, and his Portuguese interpreter, Emilia Lopes. The agency is designed to put people at ease.  Griffin, Doug Picture, 1970, English