Ecojustice Newsletter 2008

You might spot Ecojustice paralegal Ranj Dhaliwal caught in a trance on the subway. With the screen turned down and a scene rolling through his mind, he blindly types out the pages of his latest West Coast crime novel.

Ranj already has a bestselling novel with his first release Daaku. The story spares no gory detail as it follows the violent life of a young Indo-Canadian gang member. But when Ranj reaches the Vancouver Ecojustice office in Gastown, his mind turns from blood red to green. He spends his days as a paralegal, helping our lawyers and scientists present the strongest case possible for the environment.

It is through his sympathetic eyes that one can discover what the spotted owl has in common with troubled youth.

“I’ve always helped defend those who can’t defend themselves,” he said.

In addition to his writing and paralegal work, Ranj also speaks to at-risk youth, volunteers at a homeless shelter and lends a hand at his Sikh temple in Surrey. While his many commitments make downtime hard to come by, Ranj’s personal life is also guided by passion. During a recent trip to India, he spontaneously proposed to his girlfriend Navdeep. The two were married five days later.

It was not the first time Ranj experienced a whirlwind connection. When he came to Ecojustice as part of a legal administrative practicum six years ago, he was hired within two weeks. He continued helping staff as a volunteer after funding ran out for his position.

“That spotted owl sucked me in,” he said with a laugh.

Ranj made his way back on staff by training to be a paralegal at Vancouver Community College. He has been sharing his research skills in that position since 2007.

Ranj’s interest in the environment is in many ways an extension of his affection for his hometown of Surrey. He said he has always been one to pick up garbage and admire the trees that survive ongoing development. As he learns more about conservation, his focus has shifted from litter clean-up to energy conservation. A self-professed “light bulb guy” Ranj is diligent about using energy saving technology, even showing up at friends’ houses with CFL lights in hand.

When interviewed on radio programs, Ranj’s many credentials are often boiled down to the title of positive role model. While he shirks at the label, it is one of the few phrases that encapsulate the many branches of his life.

To find out more about Ranj’s writing or to read his monthly column visit ranj.ca.