About Narine :
A Registered Social Worker & Psychotherapist and a Job Developer, Narine Dat Sookram grew up in # 64 Village in Berbice, Guyana, right by the popular # 63 Beach in Berbice. He was the youngest in the family who attended Babylon Nursery School, New Market Primary School and Tagore Memorial Secondary School, all of which were close to his home. Growing up, Mr. Sookram regularly attended the Krishna Mandir (Temple) at his village and developed a love for Sanatana Dharma. He also attended many Christian churches in the village as well as the Mosque that is located at # 63 Village, which has shaped who he as become today.
During his teenage years, when there was a need for an Assistant Priest and no one wanted to take the responsibility involved, Narine, under the guidance of Pundit Deo (Dave) Chetram – now residing in the U.S.A – performed religious services for many of the ‘underprivileged’ villages without charging a penny.
As a teenager
At the tender age of fourteen, Mr. Sookram also founded the Mandir’s first youth group, called The Young Cultural Group Organization (Y.C.G.O.) to bring the youth together, giving them the opportunity to contribute their ideas and feel like active members of society.
Mr. Sookram comes from a hard-working business-oriented family background. After school, he would assist his family’s successful business located on a busy bright spot with ongoing traffic from school children and staff, villagers, post-office, agriculture, RestHouse and beach-goers, just to name a few. In the evenings he would make ice-tickles (freezies) right at home to get ready for the next day when the shop opens.
Coming to Canada
As the youngest of seven, Narine, at the age of seventeen, came to Canada with his family in August of 1993. That year was full of challenges, due to the recession, he however managed to combine attending high school and getting a student job in the automotive industry, to help contribute to household obligations as well as achieving his educational goals and experiencing the Canadian Dream. Within a year he completed his Ontario Secondary School diploma and given the maximum high school credit, which was 28, but he needed four more to graduate.
First milestone in Canada
In 2003 he bought his first home before getting married, fulfilling the dream of owning his own house. The real estate agent didn’t take him seriously at first because he was in his shorts and looking much younger than his actual years, but the confusion was overcome when he proved qualified to purchase a house on his own.
Second milestone in Canada
It was funny and strange at the same time. He and his wife were driving around shopping for a new car, when they saw some model homes and an open house, and decided to stop and take a sneak peak and ended up asking lots of questions. Again, they were not taken seriously at first, but as the conversation revealed that they were already home-owners and were financially stable, the builders changed their views, and the rest is history.
Third milestone in Canada
The very special feeling of becoming a father for the first time and feeling that the whole world belonged to him, but also realizing that there is no manual for parenting, one has to try to do what is right, and what worked for the first child does not necessarily work for the next. All the while trying to instill some cultural values, the importance of a healthy family relationship and taking pride in one’s background and not yielding to mainstream pressures.
Career
His peers describe him as a unique breed whose passion for people and humanity, his many and ongoing ways of giving to others, his values and belief in the concept of Caritas and love for all fit perfectly with his career as a Registered Social Worker & Psychotherapist. He believes that each person, regardless of their circumstances, has something to offer, he meets people where they are at, without judgement, and always encourages them to maximize their potential.
Employed as a Job Developer
This involved helping hundreds of job seekers find meaningful work through the Employment Ontario Program, and in that Narine went the extra mile and achieved results that were never seen before and was the first person to have received the Job Developer award acknowledging his work in the employment sector.
He went on, as an independent Job Developer contractor, to successfully help many job seekers find work.
Award Winning Community Radio Shows
- CaribbeanSpice (since 2003) was the first show to receive the award for “BestCaribbeanMusic” and“BestWorldMusic”
- “Let’s Chit Chat with NarineDat” followed and became an award winning talk show, where he addressed social issues locally, nationally, and internationally.
Award Winning Community Event
- Caribbean Dreams – the only West Indian concert to be named one of the Top 15 in Ontario.
Running for Political Offices
The first experience was in 2010, seeking city of Kitchener councillor for ward five. He next ran as an Independent in 2018 for the Ontario Provincial election, so far, the only independent candidate to do so in the Waterloo Region, and in the same year he put his name forward and was the first runner-up for mayor of the city of Kitchener against the incumbent.
In 2021 he ran his biggest election to date, jumping into the race with only a month to go, representing the NDP federally for the riding of Kitchener-Conestoga and increasing the vote by 11% compared to the previous election’s candidate for the same riding.
Upcoming October 2022 Municipal Election
Narine Dat Sookram has registered to run for Region of Waterloo Chair.
Narine and his journey with education:
Education is something Narine values the most. For that reason, he is constantly seeking knowledge and personal growth. Although already married with two lovely daughters, he managed to successfully complete over a dozen college /university degrees, including but not limited to:
* Bachelor of Social Work -University of Manitoba
* Master of Social Work-Brescia University
* Graduate Certificate in Career Development -Conestoga College
* Associate Degree in the Social Service Worker program -Mohawk College
* Bachelor of Professional Arts in Human Services -Athabasca University
* Bachelor of Education in Adult Education -Brock University
* Doctor of Social Work Candidate -Capella University, expected to be
completed in 2024
Humbled by the Awards
Narine is the recipient of over 200 prestigious recognition awards. These include some from all levels of the Canadian government such as the:
* Federal Government Canada’s Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers
* Ontario Provincial government’s June Callwood Outstanding Achievement
Award for Voluntarism
* City of Waterloo’s Highest Civic Award
* Mohawk College Alumni Award (highest academic honor)
* St. Angela Spirit Award (Brescia’s University Highest Honor)
* Waterloo Region’s Diversity Champion Award
* Waterloo Region’s Top 40 under 40
* Jack McGinnis Environment Award, the only resident in Waterloo Region to have received it from Recycling Council of Ontario.