Article content

Longtime civil rights activist and former president of the Black Coalition of Quebec, Dan Philip, has died. The coalition announced his death on Monday, remembering him as a “true pillar of the community.”

“Mr. Dan Philip was a man of conviction and tirelessness, always ready to give of his time and to express frankly what he thought of bad deeds or social abuses,” the coalition wrote in a social media post.

Article content

“He has been and remains a source of inspiration and will remain in the collective memory, for his constancy and remarkable patience,” it added. “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.”

Presiding over the coalition for decades, Philip was a staunch defender of human rights and the Black community. He often spoke out against issues such as racial profiling and police brutality, and drew attention to the lack of representation of Black community members in politics.

In a social media post on Monday, former MNA Robert Libman remembered Philip as an “ardent defender of minority rights” and a “true gentleman.”

Ensemble Montréal opposition Leader Aref Salem added that Montreal has “lost an important voice and an unforgettable ally in the fight against injustice.”

Frantz Benjamin, the MNA for Viau, said Philip had been a leading voice for the Black community for decades, “denouncing racism in all its forms.”

“He was one of the great voices for equality in Quebec in the fight against discrimination,” Benjamin wrote.

“He has long worked within our communities for leadership assumed and carried by the members of our communities,” he added. “We lost a great one today.”

Among many accolades he received throughout his career, Philip was awarded a certificate of recognition by B’nai Brith Canada last year for his lifetime of work promoting dialogue between the Black and Jewish communities.

In a short address he gave during the ceremony, Philip looked back at his work through the years.

“I was standing over many, many years in promoting human rights and social justice. But now I find myself in a wheelchair,” he said.

“However, the circle of life continues,” he added. “When you look at justice, it’s a circle and it entails all of us.”

Details of his funeral will be announced at a later date.

Share this article in your social network