[Photograph of Derek Corrigan addressing the audience at a Diwali celebration in Burnaby]

Photograph of Derek Corrigan addressing the audience at a Diwali celebration hosted by the City of Burnaby and sponsored by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of BC and the Canadian Ramgarhia Society. The event took place at the Bonsor Recreation Centre in Burnaby, British Columbia (B.C.).

Derek Corrigan was born and raised in Vancouver. He attended a number of elementary schools in East Vancouver, Queen Elizabeth Elementary School (Gr. 4-7) and Sir Charles Tupper High School. He attended the University of British Columbia, majoring in philosophy and political science, and after travel in Europe, successfully applied to enter law school without completing his bachelor's degree. He graduated in 1977, articled with Jim Lorimer in Burnaby and was called to the bar in 1978. In 1977 Corrigan and his wife Kathy moved to Burnaby, first to the Stoney Creek neighborhood and then to a home on the South Slope where they raised their family of four children. Corrigan first ran for Burnaby Council in 1979 with the Burnaby Citizens Association, and after three more tries was elected to council in 1987. He has served Burnaby for 28 years, first as a councillor and then as mayor in 2002. Corrigan served as the mayor of Burnaby for five terms. During his career he has served on many committees at the local, regional and national levels.

Deepavali, also known as Diwali, is a major religious festival celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs, and translates to "the Festival of Lights." The festival lasts five days: the first day is known as Dhanteras; followed by Choti Diwali; Lakshmi Puja, which is the main celebration; Govardhan Puja; and finally Bhai Dooj. The festival is typically marked by the cleaning and decorating of homes, as well as the lighting of diyas and rangoli designs. Each region in India and religion has their own manner of celebrating Deepavali and their own gods to be worshipped.

Officially registered as the Hindu Cultural Society and Community Centre of B.C., the Hindu Temple of Burnaby, previously known as Vishva Hindu Parishad temple, stands as one of Canada's oldest and largest Hindu temples. It was founded on May 15, 1972 as a small prayer hall in North Burnaby, dedicated to preserving and promoting Hindu culture and traditions.

The Canadian Ramgarhia Society is a charitable organization dedicated to the religious, social, cultural, and educational advancement of its community members. Originally located in Burnaby, British Columbia, the society has since relocated to Surrey, where it manages the Gurdwara Sahib Brookside.