The third person that will be featured in our Storytelling Project through the Chestermere Inclusion Committee is Chaudhry Walayat Khan. As we will read his story, we will be able to hear stories of his experience of immigration from Pakistan to Canada and his time in Canada for the last 27years.
Chaudhry Walayat Khan was born in the town of Shadiwal, district of Gujrat in the province of Punjab in Pakistan. His family were farmers and his father had a sufficient amount of agricultural land. Chaudhry had a difficult childhood, his mother passed away when he was a toddler and he didn’t have consistent maternal influence. He enjoyed great health as he grew up, started school at the age of 6 and played all the local sports that were available to him.
Chaudhry’s academic achievements were slow but steady. He completed an M.A. in Political Science and also completed his L.L.B. Chaudhry then became a lawyer and started legal practice. Soon after he was appointed as a Government Pleader, but as far as the political situation was concerned he was very disappointed at the prevailing situation in Pakistan.
Chaudhry has six children. He was determined that his children should not face the situation, which he had experienced in childhood and he resolved that his children should get the highest available education in the country.
In 1984, Chaudhry realized that to live a respectable life in Pakistan was not possible for his family and he decided to leave the country to look for a better future. First, he decided to go to USA and travelled there on a visitor visa. In 1985, he came to USA and soon went back after he felt it was not where he wanted to raise his children. In 1987 he applied and was granted visitor visas to England, Canada, and the USA. He first went to England for about a week then he came to Canada. After experiencing Canadian life and consulting with his friends, he decided to make Canada his home.
He arrived in Canada with only a thousand dollars in his pocket and vowed to make this country his new home. He strived day and night to support himself and his family in Pakistan and to adjust himself into Canadian society. He then sponsored his wife, Bushra, and six children who were still in Pakistan. During the early days he worked as a Security Guard, Life Insurance Agent, and a Taxi driver. He lived with his friends in Mississauga and worked in Toronto, Ontario. They purchased a house in 1989 but due to the recession he lost all of his savings in it.
When Chaudhry arrived in Canada he tried to complete his education to become a lawyer in Canada, he submitted his degrees to some Universities for evaluation, they were accepted but he was instructed to apply to law schools and complete 1½ years of study. He applied to several law schools but was unable to obtain a spot, all the schools responded that they did not have an open seat for a senior student. He still has all the letters from the Universities with him, though this was a setback it did not adversely affect Chaudhry’s determination to succeed here.
In 1993 his wife and children joined him in Canada. At that time, his responsibilities increased and he had to provide for them reasonable accommodations, good food, clothing and a good education. All of his children were students in Pakistan and he decided to help his children obtain a good education here. Chaudhry sacrificed his ambitions to become a lawyer in Canada and he and his wife worked whole-heartedly for the betterment of their children. His wife stayed at home to support the children after school while he worked outside to provide for the expenses. Slowly but steadily their situation improved. In Toronto, Chaudhry mostly worked as a Taxi driver. As a Taxi driver he was always available to his family to take anyone to appointments, do groceries, or for any other needs that arose. Their situation slowly improved when their children grew up and started helping them. In 2000, the family moved to Calgary where his elder daughter resided.
In Calgary, Chaudhry started as a driving instructor for a few months but then he switched back to working as a Taxi driver. A few years later he obtained a Real Estate Associate license. In the next years he worked both as a Limo driver and Real Estate Agent.
In 2007, Chaudhry and his family moved to Chestermere. Now all of his children are adults, most of them happily married and with several of them holding Masters’ degrees in their respective fields. He and his wife have been blessed with ten happy and healthy grandchildren that keep them busy on a daily basis.
Looking back, Chaudhry’s grateful to God that he was able to come to Canada. While he misses Pakistan, he couldn’t be more happier to be where he is today, surrounded by family and friends in such a great community. In a country that has given so much to him and his family. In his words, “Canada has given us a lot and we are striving to be successful, contributing members to our community. God bless Canada, it is our home. Forever and ever.”
He has inspired his children and people around him to help anyone in need without any expectation in return, always work hard without being a burden on anyone or on the society and to always give back. He is the living proof of what he preaches, which could not be better said than Bern Williams, “There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.”
Footnote: Chestermere Inclusion Committee (members include: Town of Chestermere, Chestermere Public Library, Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, Prairie Waters Elementary School, Rocky View Community Learning Centre, Bow Valley College, Lake Ridge Community Church and community members)
If you are interested in this committee and want more information on the committee or its work please contact: csinfo@chestermere.ca.
