Dan Philip, a pillar of Montreal's Black community, has died
Dan Philip, one of the pillars of Montreal's Black community, has died.
Philip served as president of the Black Coalition of Quebec for over 40 years before retiring in 2020. The coalition confirmed his death Monday on Facebook.
"He represented and exercised leadership that positively changed the face of the Black Coalition for several decades by championing the aspirations of the Black community," the statement read.
A staunch defender of human rights, Philip advocated for the Black community by speaking out against racism and discrimination.
"He has been and remains a source of inspiration and will remain in the collective memory, for his constancy and remarkable patience. Where others would have given up the fight for justice, Dan Philip was determined, convinced that he would carry out his mission to the ultimate sacrifice," the statement continued.
Philip was central to the fight to desegregate the taxi industry in Montreal and he fought to prevent discrimination in the rental market. He also called for more accountability for police brutality against visible minorities, including high-profile cases like the 1987 police shooting death of Anthony Griffin and the 1992 police beating of Richard Barnabé, who died after more than two years in a coma.
The coalition was also vocal in demanding more diversity on Montreal's city council.
Philip received the National Assembly Citizenship Medal for the D'Arcy McGee riding in 2019.
On its website, the Black Coalition of Quebec referred to him as "A passionate man of action… characterized by his fight for the disadvantaged, to ensure that justice prevails everywhere at all times."
Former city councillor Marvin Rotrand, who worked closely with Philip for many years, remembered him as someone who fostered relationships and supported other communities.
"Dan was very human. And he really believed in building bridges between communities. He was literally decades ahead of his time by saying things like 'Blacks and Jews need to work together. We need to help each other,'" he said.
In October, Philip was honoured by Jewish organization B'nai Brith for his lifetime of civil rights work.
Rotrand said after suffering a stroke, Philip spent his final years at St. Andrew's Residential Care, where he died on Monday.
Details of his funeral will be provided at a later time, the Black Coalition said.
- with files from CTV News Montreal's Angela Mackenzie
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Cohen expected to take the stand as testimony in Trump hush money case enters 4th week
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
India's mammoth election is more than halfway done as millions begin voting in fourth round
Millions of Indians across 96 constituencies began casting their ballots on Monday as the country's gigantic, six-week-long election edges past its halfway mark. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term with an eye on winning a supermajority in Parliament.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.