A dragon boat documentary segment is being filmed for France 3, doing a Knowledge Network type show. This segment's topics are dragon boat racing in Vancouver and its relationship to multiculturalism.
Lunch is set for Floata Restaurant from 1pm to 2pm
Floata is #400 – 180 Keefer St.
During “our lunch” we will discuss multiculturalism,
from our personal veiwpoints representing the
different waves of Chinese immigration to Vancouver.
The Vancouver liason for France 3 is Odette Brassard who has asked me to help arrange guests for the luncheon.
Taping is done in English – to be translated into
French afterwars ( I presume).
Opposing views of multiculturalism are encouraged.
Some possible topics:
1) How far we have come from the old days.
2) The challenges of multiculturalism in performing
arts.
3) Living in multicultural/multiracial families…
4) balancing with expectations of immigrant parents
5) Coming to Canada as an immigrant
5) What's wrong with multiculturalism
6) Where do we go from here?
Obviously, these could be heavy topics, but I think
the purpose of the luncheon is to generate some good
sound bites for discussion. Odette emphasizes to me
that this topic is very important for France – which
is going through many challenges with its immigrant
population and its descendents.
In Ottawa, I heard Senator Laurier Lapierre address
the CAPACOA conference (Canadian Association of
Presenting Arts) – He said that people in Europe tell
him that “Canada got it right.”
Invited and confirmed are:
Roy Mah
Born 1918 in Edmonton AB
Founder of Chinatown News,
WW2 vet, founding member of the Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans in Canada, Pacific Unit 280
Order of BC
Governor-General’s Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada.
Queen’s Jubilee Medal
Founding board member of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society, and has appeared in four documentary films, recounting his World War II experience.
Founding president of the B.C. Ethnic Press Association
Invited by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to join the 30-member press corps on the Prime Minister’s first ever state visit to China in 1974.
Founding secretary of the Chinese Cultural Centre
Board member of the Vancouver Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden Society during construction of the first full-scale Chinese Classical Gardens outside of China.
Todd Wong
Born 1960, 5th Generation Chinese
Rudimentary conversational french
Canadian – great great grandson of Rev. Chan Yu Tan – one of Canada's first Chinese ordained ministers who arrived in Canada in 1896.
founder of Gung Haggis Fat Choy – a multicultural theme dinner combining Robbie Burns Scottish dinner with Chinese New Year
Board member for CCC Dragon Boat Association
Vice-President for Asian Canadian Writers’ Workshop
Recipient of Simon Fraser University Terry Fox Gold Medal for “courage in adversity and dedication to society” for his fight against cancer and his multicultural community work.
Speaker at Terry Fox Runs throughout Vancouver, plus Kelowna and in Beijing, China.
Community organizer
Adrienne Wong
Born in Calgary to Chinese and French Canadian parents, actor
conversational french
currently Artist in Residence for Firehall Arts Centre
performed on CBC and BBC Radio
writer of radio plays, “Married by China” for CBC Radio
actor in productions “Gold Mountain Guest,” “Golden Child,” Maharaja’s Daughter,” “Yoko Ono Project”
theatre director “The Plum Tree” for Firehall Arts Centre.
Dragon boat paddled with Gung Haggis Fat Choy in 2003 & became flag grabber for in augural Taiwanese dragon boat race.
Ashley Liu
Born in Vancouver, to Hong Kong immigrant family who arrived in Vancouver in 1970’s
Actor with Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre, production Sex in Vancouver
Writer for Rice Paper Magazine
Computer engineer for Ballard Energy
Iris Chen
- Born in Taiwan, immigrated to Canada in early 1990’s
- Media and community development
- Presently with Vancouver Board of Trade
- Raise a Reader campaign
- CBC Radio – Promotions & stringer for Sounds Like Canada
- Taiwanese Cultural Festival.
