Buddhist Council of Canada: A Brief History

The catalyst for the first organization of Buddhists was an interfaith service organized by the World Conference on Religion for Peace (WCRP) in Toronto in October 1979. Reverend Orai Fujikawa, then head of the Toronto Buddhist Church, and Dr. Suwanda Sugunasiri were members of the WCRP Toronto branch. When the organizers of the interfaith service asked for more Buddhist participation, Sugunasiri and Fujikawa called a meeting of fifteen representatives from different Toronto Buddhist groups. They included Sugunasiri, Fujikawa, Bishop Tsunoda (Buddhist Churches of Canada), Bhante Dhammika (Toronto Mahavihara), Fa Shih Sing Hung and Fa Shih Shing Cheung (Cham Shan Temple), Dharshan Chaudary (Ambedkhar Group), Khan Lekim (Vietnamese, no temple affiliation), and Samu Sunim with his students from the Zen Buddhist Temple...This was the first time that Buddhist groups in Toronto had come together and engaged in any kind of united activity.

 Following up on the interfaith service, Sugunasiri and Fujikawa organized a second meeting of the same group representatives in November 1979 at the Toronto Buddhist Church to explore the possibility of creating an ongoing formal organization of Buddhists in Toronto. By 1980, the Toronto Buddhist Federation had emerged, and Sugunasiri was its first president.

 Their mission was to celebrate, preserve, and share Buddhist culture and religion in Canada. Their first co-religious Buddhist activity was held on the sacred day of Vesak/Wesak in May 1980. Thousands of Asian and non-Asian Buddhists gathered for this event in Nathan Phillips Square and continued with increased participation from diverse Buddhist groups and organizations, both Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. This alliance supported connection, solidarity, and dialogue on critical issues facing Buddhist communities in Canada.

 In 1986, the name of the Buddhist Federation was changed to the Buddhist Council of Canada under the leadership of the first president, Dr. Suwanda Suganasiri (now known as Venerable Professor Mihita). This broadened the scope of their vision from the local to the national context to include diverse Buddhist communities in the Canadian context with the committed efforts of Dr. Suganasiri to disseminate Buddhism in educational, religious, and public spheres. This included his active role in interfaith dialogue and chaplaincy.

 Additionally, Le Conseil Bouddhique de Montréal under the leadership of Mr. Louis Cormier joined the Buddhist Council of Canada. By 1989, the BCC became a recognized diverse body representing Asian and non-Asian Buddhists in Canada. By giving a voice to Buddhism in Canada, the BCC had an important role in giving Buddhism a place alongside other religions in Canada.

 Today, the BCC serves as a bridge to connect diverse Buddhist communities across Canada and internationally.

 From Wild Geese: Buddhism in Canada, eds. Hori et. al., p. 381, 383-386.