Author Archives: Todd

Prime Minister Harper comes to Vancouver Chinatown and announces “Head Tax payments soon” – dialogue with which Chinese-Canadians?

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Prime Minister Stephen Harper came to Vancouver Chinatown for a dinner
meeting with Chinese business community.  It was organized by
Jimmy Fong, president of Vancouver's Community Care and Advancement
Association. 

Several ironies appeared.  Harper made the announcement that
payments for Head Tax Compensation would happen soon.  But the two
of the leading organizations responsible for the head tax redress
awareness, ACCESS and Head Tax Families Association, were not invited
to the dinner.

Several community groups staged a protest because: the majority (99%)
of head tax families have been excluded from the redress payments; and
of the “new government's positions on the War in Afghanistan.

As well, as reporter for Ming Pao was battered because he was attacked by a frustrated motorist. 
see: http://chineseinvancouver.blogspot.com/2006/10/reporter-battered.html

Head tax compensation to be paid soon:
Harper

Updated Wed. Oct. 11
2006 11:14 AM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

Ottawa will
begin to redress the head tax once applied to Chinese immigrants with payments
to survivors in the next few weeks, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said.

Speaking
at a dinner hosted by a Chinese immigrant group, Harper said Tuesday it's
important that this happen now while some of those who paid the tax to enter
Canada
are still alive to receive the symbolic $20,000 payments.

Harper
called the tax “a moral blemish on our country's soul.”

Harper
recognized contributions that the Chinese community has made, including
building of the CP Railway.

He
said Canada
as it exists today wouldn't be possible without the efforts of the Chinese
community.

“You
are part of our family,” he said.

Harper
formally apologized to Chinese-Canadians for the tax in Parliament on June 22,
calling it a “grave injustice.”

Vancouver's
Community Care and Advancement Association president Johnny Fong, thanked
Harper Tuesday for the government's apology.

“Your
apology at the House of Commons this year has brought tremendous relief to so
many in the community,'' Fong told Harper.

The
prime minister said the government's decision was long overdue.

“Apologizing
for the head tax was simply the right thing to do,” he said.

The
Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality, however, said Tuesday that
Ottawa has been slow to
address the issue.

“He
only addressed point-six per cent of the head tax families — less than one per
cent — of the head tax families that have survivors,” the association's
Sid Tan told The Canadian Press at a protest outside the dinner for Harper.

“What
he has done is rewarded the government for dragging its feet for over 20 years.
Shame on them for that.”

It
is believed there are about 400 surviving head-tax payers or their widows from
an estimated 81,000 immigrants who paid the tax between 1885 and 1923 when the
federal government tried to restrict Chinese immigration.

The
tax, which was set at $50 when it was imposed in 1885, rose to $500 in 1903 —
then the equivalent of two years' wages.

Collection
of the tax ended when the Exclusion Act came into effect in 1923, effectively
barring immigration from China
until it was repealed in 1947.

With
files from The Canadian Press

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061011/head_tax_061011/20061011?hub=TopStories

 

PM lauded and protested in Chinatown

Oct, 11 2006 – 12:50 AM

VANCOUVER/CKNW(AM980)
– While Stephen Harper was being praised inside for being the first Prime
Minister in 50 years to address the historical head tax on Chinese immigrants,
protestors outside a dinner with Vancouver 's
Chinese Business community weren't as happy with Harper.

The Head Tax Families Society of Canada was one of 30 groups that supported a
protest outside last night's event.

Meena Wong says Harper's head tax re-dress recognizes fewer than one per cent of
the families who suffered under the financial weight, “There's
approximately 81-thousand who paid the head tax and the Harper Government only
addressed the survivors as well as their spouses which is about 500.”

The group
is lobbying for what they call complete and proper re-dress.

A 99-year
old head tax survivor was among those that presented Harper with a gift last
night, acknowleding his Government's apology in the House of Commons.

http://www.cknw.com/news/news_local.cfm?cat=7428218912&rem=49509&red=80121823aPBIny&wids=410&gi=1&gm=news_local.cfm

 

Chinese head tax redress payments starting soon: PM

Last Updated: Wednesday, October 11, 2006 | 8:30 AM ET

CBC
News

The federal government will begin to redress the
Chinese head tax with payments to survivors within the next few
weeks, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said.

Speaking Tuesday in Vancouver
at a dinner hosted by a Chinese immigrant group, Harper called the tax “a
moral blemish on our country's soul.”

Johnny Fong of the Community Care and Advancement Association speaks after Prime Minister Harper's announcement on the start of Chinese head-tax payments.
Johnny Fong of the Community Care and
Advancement Association speaks after Prime Minister Harper's announcement on
the start of Chinese head-tax payments.
(CBC)

The prime minister formally
apologized to Chinese-Canadians in the House of Commons in June and offered a
symbolic payment of $20,000 to the roughly 400 survivors or their widows.

Those payments will begin in the next few weeks, he said.

“Addressing it directly and honestly has been an
issue we felt strongly about for some time,” said Harper.
“Apologizing for the head tax was simply the right thing to do and it was
long overdue.”

Imposed between 1885 and 1923, the tax ranged from $50 to
$500. It's estimated about 82,000 Chinese paid the fee until the Exclusion Act
came into effect in 1923, effectively banning further immigration from
China
until 1947.

Harper said the redress payment was a token and can't
make up for the suffering caused by the tax.

Johnny Fong, president of Vancouver's Community Care and
Advancement Association, said Chinese-Canadians appreciate the recognition.

“Your apology at the House of Commons to the
affected families has brought tremendous relief to so many in the
community,” he said.

With files from the Canadian
Press

 

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/10/11/head-tax.html

Head-tax survivors to get cash soon0

JEREMY HAINSWORTH

Canadian Press

VANCOUVER ¡ª Symbolic redress payments to Chinese
head tax survivors will begin in the next few weeks, Prime Minister Stephen
Harper says.

It is important that this happen now while some of
those who paid the tax to enter Canada
are still living, Mr. Harper said.

Speaking at a dinner hosted by a Chinese immigrant
group, he called the tax ¡°a moral blemish on our country's soul.¡±

Mr. Harper recognized several contributions of the
Chinese community, including building of the CP Railway.

Related to this article

Latest Comments Comments

The Globe and Mail

He said
Canada as it exists today would not
have been possible without the Chinese community's efforts.

¡°You are part of our family,¡± he said.

Mr. Harper apologized for the tax in Parliament on
June 22.

In doing so, he offered compensation for what he
called ¡°a great injustice.¡±

On Tuesday, Johnny Fong, president of Vancouver's
Community Care and Advancement Association, thanked Mr. Harper for the
government's apology to the Chinese community.

¡°Your apology at the House of Commons this year has
brought tremendous relief to so many in the community,¡± Mr. Fong said.

The Prime Minister responded that the government's
decision wasn't brave.

¡°Apologizing for the head tax was simply the right
thing to do, and it was long overdue,¡± he said.

Mr. Harper also acknowledged that many ancestors of
Chinese Canadians faced large amounts of prejudice and discrimination when they
arrived in Canada .

He said the $20,000 payments are just a token that
cannot make up for the suffering imposed on families who had to scrimp to pay
the tax or who were cut off from their families by the 1923 Exclusion Act,
which effectively banned further immigration from China until 1947.

The Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality,
however, said Tuesday that the government has dragged its feet on the redress
issue.

¡°He only addressed point-six per cent of the head tax
families ¨C less than one per cent ¨C of the head tax families that have
survivors,¡± the association's Sid Tan said at a protest outside the dinner for
Harper.

¡°What he has done is rewarded the government for
dragging its feet for over 20 years. Shame on them for that.¡±

It is believed there are about 400 surviving head-tax
payers or their widows.

They are the remnants of an estimated 81,000
immigrants who paid the tax, which was set at $50 when it was imposed in 1885.

It rose to $500 in 1903 ¨C then the equivalent of two
years' wages.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061011.wheadtax1011/EmailBNStory/National/home

Reporter
battered

10/11/2006
02:10:00 AM

A Ming Pao reporter was assaulted when he was covering
the rally outside Floata Restaurant last night.

100+ demonstrators from 30+ community groups peacefully showed their
discontent on the streets at Keefer and Columbia
from about 5pm.

Demonstrators were blocking some streets and cars weren't able to go in or
out. Drivers were honking loudly, and demonstrators were yelling using
speakers.

One driver was outraged for being caught in the middle of the traffic. He
suddenly got out of his car, wanting to show his anger.

When he saw the Ming Pao reporter taking pictures, he rushed up and tried to
grab the reporter's camera. The reporter resisted, turning his back to
protect the camera. The man attacked him from the side, and the reporter's
eye glasses flew over and landed on the ground.

The man was taken away quickly. But the reporter suffered abrasion to his eye
and a broken pair of glasses.

Tags: demonstration, , stephen harper, chinese community,
chinese canadian,
vancouver, chinatown, head tax, reporter, demonstration, rally

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Direct
dialogue => monologue

10/11/2006
02:00:00 AM

Stephen Harper's “direct dialogue” dinner with
the Chinese community last night turned out to be a show place for our prime
minister.

Organizer Johnny
Fong (·½¾ýŒW) was reported saying that
Harper would speak for 20 minutes, then he'd take a few questions from the
floor but stressed Harper wouldn't possibly answer all questions
“because of time constraint”.

However, it turned out to be a completely no answer night.

Fong has forwarded five questions for Harper before his speech. Most of them
related to China-Canada relations, trade and ADS. However, no where in
Harper's speech answered any of Fong's questions, which are seen as questions
of particular concern to local Chinese businesses in general.

Not only that, Harper didn't take any questions from the floor. He did pose
for pictures with as many guests as possible though, asking each table to
come on stage to smile with him in front of a backdrop Harper once used when
he redressed the head tax controversy.

George Chow (Öܾ¼ÈA), city coucillor
and former chair of the Chinese Benevolence Assn, said he was surprised that none of
the issues the community wanted to hear about were addressed by Harper.
“Though the atmosphere was good, it wasn't a 'dialogue' per se.”

Fong said he wasn't disappointed that his questions weren't answer.
“Perhaps he didn't have enough time to prepare for some answers.”

But Harper was taking notes while Fong raised the questions, according to
Fong. Fong believed Harper wanted to formulate the answers later.

Fong claimed the dinner a success and it's a good start to have a PM sitting
down, talking with the Chinese community. Fong said he wanted to hold more
community events like this with the PM.

Harper did talk about his gratitude for Chinese Canadian contribution to
building this country. Standing against a backdrop with Chinese words
“apology” written all over, Harper thanked the Chinese community
for welcoming the redress package.

But not all Chinese organizations would agree. Sid Tan (ÖÜÃ÷Ýx)
with the Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity Society
(ACCESS)
was among about the 100
demonstrators rallied outside Floata Restaurant tonight.

Tan said Harper's so-called “redress” only addressed 0.6% of all
head tax collected. “This is a very very small amount.”

Head Tax Families Society of Canada couldn't get an invitation at the end (here).
Tin Yan Wong (üSÌì¶÷) said they first approached the
organizer to express their interest in getting an invitation. However, they
were told they should ask who and who and who and so on, and eventually no
one gave them an invitation. “That's why we are here.”

On the other hand, to the dismay of the media, reporters were ushered into a
separate room after hearing Harper's speech. They were “invited” to
have dinner in that room. But in fact they were told that even if someone
didn't want to eat, he/she still had to stay in the room. Reporters were told
“this is for security reasons.”

Reporters complained that they were like under house arrest, as there were
people guarding the door, preventing any reporter to sneak out.

When the reporters were “released”, they were told they could then
take group photos of Harper smiling with a bunch of guests.

This is the Tories' interpretation of “dialogue”.

Tags: stephen harper, conservative party,
tories, canada, politics, chinese canadian,
chinese community,
vancouver, chinatown, head tax

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Redress
payments to Chinese head tax survivors to begin soon: PM

10/11/2006
01:02:00 AM

From the Canadian Press, October 10, 2006

VANCOUVER —
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says symbolic redress payments to Chinese head
tax survivors will begin in the next few weeks.

Harper says it¡¯s important that this happen now while some of those who paid
the tax to enter Canada
are still living.

Speaking at a dinner hosted by a Chinese immigrant group, he called the tax
¡°a moral blemish on our country¡¯s soul.¡±

Harper recognized several contributions of the Chinese community, including
the building of the CP Railway.

He says Canada
as it exists today wouldn¡¯t be possible without the Chinese community¡¯s
efforts.

The Prime Minister also acknowledged that many ancestors of Chinese Canadians
faced large amounts of prejudice and discrimination when they arrived here.

 

http://www.chineseinvancouver.blogspot.com/

 

West Coast Thanksgiving dinner: Sockeye Salmon with Cranberry Salsa

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West Coast Thanksgiving dinner: Sockeye Salmon with Cranberry Salsa

What is a West Coast Thanksgiving?  What foods are part of our local harvest and culture?

My girlfriend and I cooked a dinner for my parents.  We invited
our dragon boat friend and team member who moved to Vancouver from
Thunder Bay, Ontario.  Turkey was familiar to him, but not a fully
dressed salmon for Thanksgiving dinner.

The salmon was caught up north near Haida Gwaii, and flash frozen.  I bought it from a boat at Steveston's
“Fisherman's Wharf.”  Go see Tony, on the Blue ??  and tell him Todd sent you.

We shredded cranberries to make a fresh salsa with local BC hot house
red and yellow peppers.  I added in frozen blueberries and
raspberries for sweetness.  Mixed in with jalapeno pepper, red
onion and cilantro, we continued to tweak it.  This is a great appetizer served with chips for munching.

First course was a butternut squash soup.  Okay… it came from a
boxed soup – but it was still pretty good.  We didn't have enough
time to make a soup from scratch.  My mother makes a great
butternut squash soup.  And once a made a fantastic ginger pumpkin
soup.

Seasoned wild rice complimented
the yams, baked with orange juice and brown sugar.  Green beans
were  sauteed with white mushrooms.  Brussel sprouts were
steamed
with Chinese ginger.  My girlfriend Deb's family always has the
seasoned wild rice for their Christmas dinners.  Often she will
add bacon and mushrooms, but for this dinner we kept things
simple.  My favorite mushrooms to cook are portabellos – but none
today.

The sockeye salmon was fileted, then “flash broiled” for about 2
minutes, to allow me to pull the spine off the remaining fish. 
The cranberry salsa spread on top, allowing the fruit juices, to soak
into the salmon, then broiled for 7 minutes.  yum yum yum.
delicious. with a bit of crunch from the red peppers.

We each shared something we were grateful for.

A west coast Thanksgiving dinner, complete with a stunning sunset over
English Bay, from our home in the highlands of North Vancouver. 
Perfect with pumpkin pie and ice cream for dessert.

Marty Chan – a “banana in China” or Language Barrier: Great Wall

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Marty Chan is a playwright, radio drama writer, and a children's fiction writer.  He wrote the “hilarious” play “Mom, Dad, I'm Living With a White Girl.”  He is also the author of Mystery of the Graffiti Ghoul, and Mystery of the Frozen Brains.

I interviewed Marty 10 years ago, when Firehall Arts Centre first produced “Mom, Dad, I'm Living With a White Girl.”  Marty really nailed the experience of multigenerational Chinese Canadians dealing with inter-racial relationships and also with traditional Chinese parents.  Here's my interview with Marty, written for the Peak, student newspaper at SFU: 19/02/96 — Arts: Marty Chan

Language barrier: the Great Wall

Marty Chan, Special to The Journal

Published: Friday, September 15, 2006

Never trust family. Like mafia godfathers, they cut deals that result in someone sleeping with the fishes.

I
learned this lesson the hard way when my Hong Kong aunt made me an
offer I couldn't refuse. She had heard that I was planning to visit
China and insisted that she book my travel plans. She claimed she could
find me the best deal on tour packages. I couldn't offend her because
she had also insisted that I stay in her spare room when I passed
through Hong Kong. I gave her the green light to book my itinerary.

My
aunt crowed about the deal she had found: a five-day excursion to
Beijing that cost half of what I would have paid if I booked through a
Canadian travel agent. I discovered one of the reasons for the bargain
the instant I joined the tour group. My thrifty aunt had booked me on
an all-Cantonese-speaking tour.

Over the years, I had lost most
of my Chinese. I remembered mostly swear words, and I used them all up
when I learned the truth. I asked the tour co-ordinator if there was
any way I could book myself on an English-speaking tour. He asked very
slowly and loudly in Cantonese, “Do you speak any Chinese?”

I
waggled the so-so gesture and explained that while I could understand
some Cantonese I could only speak enough to get me in trouble. The
co-ordinator informed me that the tour guide in Beijing might know some
English, but he wouldn't know until we got there. When I asked for my
money back, he spewed the only English he knew: “No money back.”……

Read more Language barrier: the Great Wall

Vancouver Opera: Naomi's Road to perform in Ottawa at Canadian War Museum

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VANCOUVER OPERA

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 6,
2006                                         

Media
Contact: Doug Tuck, Vancouver
Opera 604-331-4823

dtuck@vancouveropera.ca

Vancouver Opera presents

at the Canadian
War Museum
in Ottawa

its acclaimed opera for young
audiences

Naomi’s Road

A
touching drama of family, home, and cross-cultural understanding

 

 

Vancouver,
BC ~ After inspiring nearly 50,000
children in schools and community venues throughout British
Columbia , in southern Alberta ,
and in Washington
State , Vancouver
Opera’s acclaimed opera for young audiences and their families, Naomi’s Road, continues to resonate in
profound ways.  From November 1 through
12, 2006, Vancouver Opera, in partnership with
the Canadian War
Museum in
Ottawa , will present twenty performances of
this very moving opera at the museum.

 

About the Opera

Commissioned
by Vancouver Opera, Naomi’s Road was
composed by Ramona Luengen to a
libretto by Ann
Hodges and is based on the 1986 novel for young readers
by award-winning Japanese Canadian writer Joy
Kogawa. Set during World War II, the opera depicts the dramatic
journey of nine-year-old Naomi, her older brother Stephen, and their
“Obasan” (aunt) from their comfortable and happy home in
Vancouver to a Japanese
internment camp in the interior of B.C.  Sister and brother endure the
harshness of war, racism, bullying, and loss of family to discover the gifts
that sustain them: music, words and love.  Their resilience of spirit and
the kindness of certain strangers they meet offer hope for the future and will
lead Canadian
War Museum
audiences to discover the power of understanding and the beauty of compassion.

 

In announcing these performances, James W. Wright, VO’s General
Director, said, “This meaningful work deeply touched many people,
children and adults alike, during its tour of B.C. and in locations in
Alberta and Washington
State that hold their own
unique memories of the Japanese internment.  We are delighted by the
opportunity to share this opera with young audiences in Ottawa ,
within the resonant surroundings of the
Canadian War
Museum .” 
Added Wright, “I believe that this presentation of Naomi’s Road comes at a time in
history when it is important to reflect on the ways in which war and its
by-products can not only affect the future of nations but also forever alter
the lives of children and the security of their families.  Vancouver Opera
is privileged to stage a production that has the unique ability to act as a
catalyst for audiences of all ages to enter into important dialogue on these
issues.”

 

Performance Details / Tickets

November
1-3: School performances (not open to the public) 

November 4
and 5: public performances 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm each day

November
7-10: school performances (not open to the public)

November 11
and 12: public performance each day at 2:00 pm

 

Tickets to
the public performances are now available from the
Canadian War
Museum ’s call
centre at 1-800-555-5621 or 819-776-7014. Tickets may also be
purchased in person at the Canadian
War Museum
box office.  Prices are $10 for students, and $20 for adults, plus any
applicable service charges.  Schools can purchase group tickets by calling
1-800-555-5621 or 819-776-7014. 

 

About
Joy Kogawa

Joy
Kogawa’s novel Naomi’s Road is
based on her 1981 award-winning adult book Obasan,
the first novel to deal with the internment of Japanese Canadians during and
after World War II.  Widely admired and read, Obasan was chosen for the Vancouver Public Library’s
2005 city-wide annual book club program, One
Book One Vancouver.  Joy Kogawa was born in
Vancouver in 1935. Like Naomi’s family
in the novel, Joy’s family was interned in Slocan and later sent to
Coaldale , Alberta
after World War II, where Joy taught school. Kogawa, who now lives in
Toronto and Vancouver ,
is a recipient of numerous honorary doctorates as well as national and
international awards for her writing.  In 1986, she was named a Member of
the Order of Canada . 
“When I first heard that Naomi's Road
was being made into an opera for children, I had a sense of unreality,”
she said.  “I couldn't quite fathom it.  And even today,
knowing that somehow, through some mysterious process, the story has been
magically transformed into a wholly different and wonderful medium, I still
find it hard to believe and am left somewhat stunned.  It's more than a
dream come true.”  Adds Kogawa, “The existence of this opera
tells me once again that the unexpected is what happens — and that there are
more blessings in the air than we can ask for or imagine.  May we each
walk on our own special roads – like Naomi and [her new kindred spirit]
Mitzi – with Friendship, discovering as we go that our world is full of a
loveliness that is greater than all the grief in our lives.”

 

The Creation Process

Vancouver
Opera awarded he commission for Naomi’s
Road in the fall of 2003 and the process of writing and composing
began.  Ann Hodges penned the
libretto in the winter of 2003/2004.  Composer Ramona
Luengen wrote the last notes of her score in September,
2004.  That same month, the libretto was read at a special event at the
Gulf of
Georgia Cannery National Historical Site ,
in Steveston, B.C., (located at the site of the seizure, in 1942, of hundreds
of fishing boats owned by Japanese Canadians). 

 

Two week-long workshops were
conducted, one in the fall of 2004 and the other in the spring of 2005, during
which the work was developed and refined.  In May, 2005, portions of the
opera were sung for an international audience at the annual OPERA
America conference, in
Detroit .  And in early June, 2005,
selections from the opera were performed at the 2005 UBC-Laurier Institution
Multiculturalism Lecture, at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, in
Vancouver .  The
performance and the lecture, by poet and writer Roy Miki, were later broadcast
on the CBC Radio program IDEAS.

 

During
2005-2006, Vancouver Opera’s touring production of Naomi’s Road visited more than 140
schools and community venues throughout B.C.  The experience of seeing and
hearing Naomi’s Road was
enhanced with study materials that were created and provided by Vancouver Opera
to each school in advance of the performance.  The production also
traveled to Lethbridge , Alberta
and to Seattle and
Bainbridge Island , Washington . 
It was enthusiastically received wherever it was performed.

 

 

Production Details

The
production features original sets and costumes, designed by Christine Reimer, which beautifully evoke
the 1940s period of the opera’s story and have been cleverly engineered
to fold up for touring purposes.  Stage direction is by Ann Hodges.

 

The musical
score, for piano accompaniment and four singers, is richly melodic and
dramatic.  Easily enjoyed by young audiences, the music is also deft and
sophisticated enough to be appreciated by adult audiences.  It
incorporates traditional Japanese melody and its beautiful voicings and
harmonies are influenced by Ramona Luengen’s experience as a composer of
choral music.  The Musical Director is Leslie
Uyeda. 

 

Cast

This
production reunites the four young singers and the nimble-fingered pianist from
the Spring 2006 segment of the 2005-2006 tour.  Soprano Jessica Cheung is Naomi; soprano Gina Oh is Mother, Obasan and Mitzi (a
non-Japanese girl whom Naomi befriends); tenor Sam Chung is Stephen; and baritone Gene Wu is Father, the Trainmaster, a bully, and Rough Lock
Bill (an eccentric but kindly man who lives in the mountains above the
internment camp).  The pianist is Angus
Kellett. The stage manager is David
Curtis.

 

Support

Naomi’s Road was commissioned and produced by
Vancouver Opera with the support of Canada Council for the Arts, BC Arts
Council, Opera.ca, Vancouver Foundation, RBC Foundation, Vancouver Arts Awards,
The Hamber Foundation, The Leon and Thea Koerner Foundation, and the Spirit of
BC Arts Fund.

 

This
presentation at the Canadian war Museum is made possible with the generous
support of Ms. Yoshiko Karasawa.

 

-30 –

 

Roy Miki recieves Award for Truth, Justice and Non-Violence

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Roy Miki Receives Award for Truth, Justice and Non-Violence

It seems like a few days ago that I was writing about Roy Miki
recieving the SFU Sterling Award for Controversy.  Today's
Vancouver Sun had an article about Roy receiving the Thakore Visiting
Scholar Award at SFU tonight.

Okay… I must like writing about Roy.

Here is the link to a similar article at www.nowpublic.com:
Roy Miki Receives Award for Truth, Justice and Non-Violence

Roy Miki to be presented with the Thakore Visiting Scholar Award on October 2, 2006 at Simon Fraser University

The
India Club of Vancouver, The Thakore Charitable Foundation, and The
Institute for the Humanities at Simon Fraser University have joined
hands in celebrating Gandhi Jayanti on October 2nd of each year since
1991 to foster the principles of truth, justice, human rights and
non-violence.This year the Thakore Visiting Scholar Award will be
presented to Roy Miki for his long and outstanding work and
achievements in the Japanese Canadian redress movement.

A
third-generation Japanese-Canadian, Miki has long been active in the
successful Redress Movement. As well as a recognized poet, Roy Miki is
a Professor of English  at Simon Fraser University, and is a well-known
editor and biographer. The award honours his long and outstanding work
and achievements related to redress, including his book, Redress:
Inside the Japanese Canadian Call for Justice.

Created in 1991
by former SFU faculty member Natverlal Thakore, the award honours
individuals who show a concern for truth, justice and non-violence in
public life.

New quarterly e-magazine called Scotland Now

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This message from Ron Macleod
Chair of SFU Scottish Studies

Greetings, for those who desire to maintain a link with Scotland. The following courtesy of Ron Sutherland.
 
There is a new quarterly e-magazine called Scotland Now created for Scotland’s
friends, alumni and diaspora around the world. It can be accessed at
 www.scotland-now.com
 
The e-magazine is in its 3rd edition. It features “arts & culture; history and heritage, sports & leisure, your news and contact us”.
 
It appears to be an interactive link where participants can also contribute stories.
 
A quick perusal of the website suggests a worthwhile link. Regards, the other Ron

UBC Day of the Longboat 2006 – I paddle the distance equivalent of 16 dragon boat races in one day

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UBC Day of the Longboat 2006 – I paddle the distance equivalent of 16 dragon boat races in one day

What a day!  I am utterly fatigued… completely tired.  My muscles ache.  I can't walk without my legs hurting.  I can't lift my drinking cup without my arm muscles complaining.  And there is this big silly grin on my face.

I paddled 4 races in the largest Voyageur canoe race in North America – the UBC Day of the Longboat.  Each race is 2km with a 10 person crew in a voyageur canoe. It takes place at Jericho Beach, at the Jericho Sailing Centre.  A dragon boat race is normally 500m long.  But sometimes we also race 250m sprints, and for special occasions there are 1000m and 2000m races.

I love Jericho Beach.  The Jericho Sailing Centre is last remaining hangar from the former Jericho Army base, where flying boats would patrol rum runners in the 1920's.  I remember in the mid-1960's, my father worked as a sign painter for the Army, at the base.  Seeing army tanks on the base was always a highlight, when we went to pick up my father when he finished off work.

5 paddlers from the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team raced with Tacoma Dragon Boat Association, for Mixed, Mens and Womens races.  It was the 3rd time we had raced with TDBA in the Day of the Longboat.  Earlier this year in May, we also raced with TDBA for the False Creek Women's Regatta.  Our Gung Haggis paddlers are Steven, Teresa, Joe, Ernest and myself.  We are joined by honourary GHFC paddler Kristine, plus Ron, Sara and Stuart from Scaly Justice dragon boat team, as the the Canadian contingent.

We started the day soon after 7am.  I set up our tents in the parking lot and brought bananas for everybody. This year we have started a tradition of hosting each other at races.  The weather was sunny – not the rain that had been expected.  Our friendship goes back to 2001 when we did fun mens and womens races together at a race in Seattle.

8:30am
First Mixed Race.  Because Tacoma doesn't have a full Mixed crew ready for the 8:10 start (due to border issues etc.), they are allowed to race at 8:30 with two other UBC teams.  I am paddling lead stroke.  We start off slow, in third place, but pass two boats on the way to the midpoint, where a runner jumps onto the beach to grab a baton.  Unfortunately, our runner can't get out because we are beached beside the boat in front of us.  We back up, our runner gets out.  We push our boat out, but the 3rd place team has now pulled in front of us.  On the 2nd turn, we pass the boat.  We overtake the 1st place team, on the way to the final turn.  We handily pull ahead and finish 1st.  It is the first longboat race for Steven and Teresa.  Steven has been paddling since the first dragon boat race in 1986.  Teresa started paddling at the end of April with us. In her rookie year, she has now paddled 9 events.  Wow!  In my first 3 years of paddling, we only had the Alcan Dragon boat Race locally.  We used to stop paddling after June.  Now we paddle from March to October.

The wind starts to blow up.  A strong Westerly…. pushing boats East.  Two more of our paddlers show up, Joe and Ernest.  They have arrived to paddle the Men's races with us.

10:20am
First Women's Race.  The women leave the start as third last in a field of nine.  Because of the strong wind, on the first turn after the start, many boats get pushed past the buoy marker and have to paddle back to go around it.  Our women's team paddles hard and moves up two places to finish 5th.

11:30am
First Men's Race.  I am paddling lead stroke. We have a slow start off the beach.  We take an outside west side route to avoid the jam-up immediately ahead of us, that allows us to paddle hard.  We pass a boat going to the buoy.  We race Eastwards to the baton pick-up point.  Coming up parallel alongside the beach, our runner jumps out to run to get the baton. What?!?!  the tide is up, the beach is shorter, the water is deeper!  He runs through the water.  I jump out of our boat to push the nose out to the water.  Our runner helps me push, we jump in and start paddling.  We pass a boat on the 2nd turn. We pass another boat going to the final turn.  We finish the race in 3rd place, passing about 4 boats along the way. We beach the boat nose first, Steven jumps out of the boat, and runs up the beach with the baton.  He looks for the gong.  He is a few feet East of the gong.  People shout directions.  He looks to his right, runs a few feet and hits the gong.  Whew! What a moment.

12:30pm
Women's Final race.  The Women get out to a good start in 3rd place.  They hold a good solid pace.  As the boat comes towards the beach at the baton point, the runner Sara jumps out.  Too deep!  The tied has come in.  The water is deeper than it was for the first race.  Sara is swimming to the beach!  She runs up onto the beach, grabs the baton, jumps back in the boat huffing and puffing – grabs her paddle and starts paddling!  What a trouper!  The team pulls hard on their paddles.  They finish in 3rd place.  First place goes to False Creek Women.

2:30pm
Mens Final Race.  It's a good competitive group of teams.  False Creek Men stand beside us.  TD Lightning. Synergy.  Coach Clem wants us to break ahead at the start by doing fast short strokes similar to the “ups” of a dragon boat start, instead of the slower strokes we had used in the earlier races. The airhorn goes off.  Clem runs from his chair to the boat, jumps into the boat, we paddle, Up! Up! Up!  Quick short strokes…. trying to match the False Creek Men's team beside us.  They inch up by twos, threes and fours, pulling ahead by threeboat lengths to reach the 1st turning buoy ahead of us.  Another team reaches the buoy as us at the same time, but battles alongside us all the way to the midpoint.  Our boats beach and our runners jump out to grab the batons.  We have a slower start off the beach, but we paddle a wider entry to the buoy, cutting it closely, nipping their stern, as they swing to the outside of the course and we draw a straight line to the next buoy.  We hold our pace, counting power series at all the right times, catching up to a boat, and pulling away from a boat. 

We draw another good line coming into the final turn.  We paddle hard and to the finish line with a boat right on our tail.  Ernest our runner gets ready to jump out and run to the beach… too soon!  Ernest jumps into the water – just like he did in our first men's race when we were about twenty feet away on a low shallow tide.  But the water is too deep.  Our boat goes past him.  Clem grabs him by the life jacket and helps him up to pull him along.  as we beach our boat nose first. Ernest recovers and runs through the water to the beach. The other boat beaches their boat. Their runner jumps out and rings the gong.  Ernest runs up the beach and rings our gong.  We finish 4th, even though our boat hit the beach 3rd.  What a race!

3:30pm
The Mixed Final. It seems like only about 30 minutes after our last race.  We are ready to race again.  So far, I have paddled 3 races for 6km. – the distance equivalent of 12 dragon boat races.  The most I have ever paddled in a single day before was 5.  Starts and a higher stroke rate really wear you out.  We are going for a longer slower stroke rate.  I am tired, but feeling good.  The first time I ever did a 2km longboat race was with TDBA in 2004.  After my first race, I thought I might have a heart attack.  My heart rate was up.  My muscles felt really shaky. But I survived and did 4 races that day. I also didn't paddle much that year because I spent most of my time coaching the team.

This year, I steered all the Gung Haggis races because of a ski injury in April.  But I started paddling again in July for some canoe work, and I paddled a dragon boat race + a barrel race on Labour Day for the Vancouver International Taiwanese Dragon Boat Race.  Our training in September was all preparation for the longboat races.  By last Sunday, we had worked our way to paddling the equivalent distances.  In our last practice we paddled the equivalent of three 1.5 km race pieces spread over less than 90 minutes.

Again, I will be paddling lead stroke.  We get off to a good start.  It looks like we are one of the top three teams.  TD Lightning is on our left.  Another boat hits them on their left, they then collide with us. We get jammed up, because our left side paddlers have nowhere to stroke.  We untangle, and move towards the first turning buoy, but we have now drifted East of the buoy.  Darn! More work ahead. Clem steers us around the buoy.  We paddle hard to get away from a boat or two. 

Coming into the midpoint, lots of boats are ahead of us, beached and getting their batons.  We come in behind, Sara jumps out, gets the baton.  She joins me pushing the boat off the beach.  We take off before some of the boats still on the beach. We paddle hard, calling a power series.  We race another boat to the 2nd turning buoy, and pass them.  They hold tight with us, on our tail, but we leave them behind.  Another boat is up ahead to our left.  Clem steers a good path with a wide entry that gives us a good line for the buoy.  We cut them off.  But they are still behind us.

It's been a long race, and we are getting tired. They surge coming into the final stretch.  We call a power series.  Voices in our boat are yelling  “1-2! 1-2! 1-2!”  Our boat surges and doesn't back down.  We hit the beach.  Tina jumps out of the boat with the baton in hand.  She races up the beach and bangs the gong.  Wow!  What a race!  We hug each other as we get out of the boat. We cheer the other teams and call out, “Good race!”  We wear smiles. 

We give high fives to our team members who didn't race with us, but stand along the barriers cheering us on.  I walk past the medal podium where the False Creek Mixed team is receiving their little black canoe trophies.  I smile at Pat Bigonzi, whom I used to coach and paddle with back from 1999 to 2001.  Our paddlers walk back to our tents congratulating other paddlers, and patting each other on the back.  What a race.  Everybody was close in little packs.  Nine boats in three or four groups – all battling it out – not willing to give an inch.  Everybody paddling long and strong, deep and hard.

We take a group picture.  We share our friendships between Vancouver BC paddlers and Tacoma Washington paddlers. Americans and Canadians.  We vow to do it again. Tacoma invites us to come to paddle in some races there.  We offer to invite them to dinner when they come back to Vancouver races.  It's a good friendship.  3 of us join the final 3 Tacoma paddlers for dinner at Chianti's Restaurant for pasta, before they leave town, and our country.

Here are articles from our 2004 and 2005 races with Tacoma at the Day of the Longboat.

by
Todd
on Mon 04 Oct 2004 04:08 PM PDT

by
Todd
on Sun 02 Oct 2005 11:27 AM PDT

Head Tax Families Society of Canada to become a non-profit society

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Here's a message from my friends at the newly named Head Tax Families Society of Canada. 

B.C. Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants is
changing it's name to Head Tax Families Society of Canada and becoming
a non-profit society.

Attached please find petition to the Harper government for a head tax refund based on “one cerificate, one claim” principle.

Please assist us in petitioning the government by printing out the
petition form and having your friends and relatives sign the petition
and mail to the address at the bottom by no later than November 15th,
2006.
Thanking you in advance,
 
Harvey Lee
Head Tax Families Society of Canada.

There is a drive to continue the redress process for the Head Tax against Chineseimmigrants and the Exclusion Act. 

As concerned Canadian citizens we wanted the government to create the fairest redress possible: something that was win-win-win: for the government, for head tax payers and families, and the people of Canada. 

With coalitions, and community members from across Canada, from Victoria B.C on the Pacific Ocean to St. John's New Foundland in the Atlantic Ocean, from Inuvik, N.W.T. in the Arctic Circle to the Southern Ontario shores of Lake Erie – Canadians asked for redress. 

The Chinese Canadian National Council  proposed a 2 step process.  The first step was to immediately apologize for the racist head tax and provide a symbolic compensation package to surviving head tax payers and spouses, and community funding.  The second stage would be to address a package to surviving head tax payer descendants, where the original head tax payer or spouse is predeceased.

The Conservative Government followed through on step one, but has ignored step two.  They have only addressed the head tax payments of surviving head tax payers and spouses.  Anybody who died before the Conservatives came to power is “shit-out-of-luck.”  This is unfair.  This penalizes those who worked hard, and died early, because they had to pay off the eqivalent of two years salary, or the price of a house, just to be allowed entry into Canada, when any other race than Chinese could come in Free of Charge. 

When our representatives met with Jason Kenney, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister,  they told stories of the hardships, and introduced him to surviving head tax payers, spouses , sons and daughters.  Kenney honestly did not realize that the head tax payers “borrowed” the money to pay the head tax to come to Canada.  Kenney did not know that head tax payers worked many years and years to pay the borrowed money – sometimes to family and village members, sometimes to organizations.  But they worked hard and paid it off.  They were not affluent immigrants in 2005, who could easily pay a $1000 landing fee to come to Canada.

The pioneers paid $500 each from 1903, to 1923.  It was the equivalent of a two year salary, or a house – which would today be $100,000 or more!  That's how racist the head tax was.  It was meant to keep Chinese immigrants out of Canada, to keep Canada white, to keep Canada clean from the Asian peril, the Yellow Fever, the Chinese plague. 

If the government charges a tax and then decides it was incorrect, or a mistake – they give a tax refund, with interest.  In 1885, the Canadian government created the first Chinese head tax, charging $50.  When Chinese kept coming, the charge was raised to $100.  When Chinese kept coming, it was raised to $500 in 1903.  In 1923, the Canadian government decided that the Chinese Head Tax was not doing the job of keeping Chinese immigrants from coming to Canada, so they created the Chinese Exclusion Act. In 1947, after WW2, the Canadian government decided that the Chinese Exclusion Act was wrong, and rescinded it.  But they never gave an apology, nor refunded the head tax…. when repeatedly asked…. until June 22nd, 2006.

Today, the equivalent of $500 from 1903 with compound interest, would be between $200,000 to $300,000.  The Head Tax coalitions across Canada recommended a “symbolic compensation figure,” – not asking for full refund + compound interest.

One certificate – one payment.  It's fair and simple.

Not – one payment per certificate, if you or your spouse is still alive.  One person said that would be the equivalent of saying to First Nations people.  “We are sorry we stole your land, and put your people on reserves.  We will give compensation only to people who are still alive when it was done.  Too bad they all died
now, and couldn't live past 120 years to enjoy today..… Please don't blame us, we only just formed the Government.”
(please see the 1967 speech by Chief Dan George on Canada Day, given at Empire Stadium in Vancouver). 

We know that generations have suffered in First Nations culture because of the move to reservations, and because of residential schools.  We know that generations have suffered because Japanese Canadians were interned and their property was confiscated.  And we know that generations of Chinese have suffered due to unfair racism, and economic disadvantage due to the Chinese Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act.  It is the descendants of the original head tax payers that carry on despite the adversity and continue to build and love this country called Canada.  We love Canada despite its racist history because we care for its future.

One certificate – One payment – It's only fair.

Please sign and circulate the attached petition.

 

2nd Annual National School Run Day for Terry Fox – I speak at Tomsett School

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2nd Annual National School Run Day for Terry Fox – I speak at Tomsett School

Imagine if schools across Canada, all held their Terry Fox Run at the exact same time across Canada.
10am in BC, 11am in Alberta, 12noon in Winnipeg, 1pm in Ottawa, 2pm in Halifax, 2:30pm in NewFoundland. 

This is what the National School Run Day is all about.  Here are some links to articles about the National School Run:
The Brampton Guardian: Hundreds take part in local Terry Fox runs …
The Brandon Sun: Online Edition
North Bay News and Weather on BayToday.ca

This year I was invited to speak at Tomsett Elementary School in
Richmond.  I always speak at Elementary Schools for Terry Fox Run,
as a Terry's Team member – cancer survivors who serve as living
examples that cancer research has helped to make a difference.

Tomsett is quite a small elementary school of only about 250 students.  But they are very enthusiastic!
The Terry Fox video “I Am Terry Fox” played as classes entered the
gymnasium.  There was also a raffle draw in which students' names
were called out, and they recieved Terry Fox Run shirts, or hats. 
They all proudly put them on.

I spoke for about 15 minutes.  First I shared with the students
about the cancer that I had, and how I became a cancer survivor. 
Next I talked about how I became involved with the Terry Fox Run when
Terry's brother Darrell invited me.  Then I talked about Terry Fox
Runs around the world.

The children from kindergarten to grade 7 were very good.  As I
talked I asked them questions about Terry Fox and the Terry Fox
Run.  Many students put up their hand, they certainly weren't
bored.  It's always very cute that some kids put up their hands
just to participate.  I ask them in which province did Terry Fox
start his run? – and somebody answers “Canada?”

Following my talk, we all went outside.  We ran for 15 minutes
around the school fields, in an L-shaped pattern.  It is a
wonderful feeling to be surrounded by such joyous energy, all running
with enthusiasm, knowing that this run is special…. this run really
means something.  Children came up to me to ask questions.  I
encouraged them as they ran.  For much of the run, I talked with
the school run organizer Joan Young, a teacher at Tomsett.  I
first got to know Joan, when her grade four students wanted to help
save Joy Kogawa House.  The students were so enthusiastic, they
went to Vancouver City Hall, to ask Mayor Sam Sullivan to save the
house.  It was then that I told Joan that I speak at Terry Fox
Runs as a Terry's Team member.  I wrote about the students visit to Kogawa House where they met author Joy Kogawa.

To finish the run, I stood beside the finish line and gave “high fives”
to the students.  I thanked them for supporting Terry's dream, and
gave them compliments and encouragement for doing so well.

Following the run, I visited Mrs. Young's grade four classroom.  I
stayed to answer questions from the children.  They were all very
enthusiastic.  Some of them wanted to know what kind of cancer I
had; How did Terry discover he had cancer; or to share that their
grandmother had died from cancer.  They enthusiastically answered
my questions about Terry's Run, such as “How many miles / kilometres
did Terry Run?”  It was a great day.  Certainly makes you
glad for the future of Canada, with so many children enthusiastic for
the values and ideas of Terry Fox.  We ended my visit by shouting
our loudest “I am Terry Fox!”

Here's a thank you letter from Joan Young, teacher at Tomsett Elementary School in Richmond BC. 

Hi Todd,

Once again, thank you so much for taking the time to come and talk to 
the students at my school.  I think that this was one of the most 
successful Terry Fox runs that our school has ever had, largely due to your
participation. 

We really appreciated the thoughts that you presented to the kids at the
assembly.  I think that it is incredibly generous of you to share your story
of being a cancer survivor with others.  There is no greater testimony than
to see someone such as yourself who has been through the hardships to stand
in front of others, strong and healthy - living proof that our efforts are
making a difference.  I think that you helped the children to understand
about cancer and about the importance of keeping Terry's dream alive.  
This made the whole idea of the run so much more meaningful for everyone.

The gorgeous weather certainly helped our run too.  Why couldn't it have
been like that on Sept. 17?

It was great of you to stay and talk to the kids in my class afterwards as
well.  They felt pretty special to receive an extra visit and have you all
to themselves.  It's interesting how 8 and 9 year olds react to visitors.
They are a pretty enthusiastic bunch and they love to show off.  I think if
we let them, they could have kept on coming up with questions for hours.

Thank you for your generosity and thoughtfulness.

Looking forward to seeing you again soon.

Joan and John

You can donate to my on-line pledge sheet.  Terry's team
members are cancer survivors who also offer to run for people who cannot run themselves.  Just click
on:
 http://www.terryfoxrun.org/ENRunner/default.asp?s=1&RunnerID=42768

More links:

What Is A Canadian?: 43 Thought-Provoking Responses – Check out this new book!

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Following a year that saw CBC TV's “The Greatest Canadian” and CBC
Radio's “BC Almanac's Greatest British Columbians” – there is a book
titled:

What Is A Canadian? : Forty-Three Thought-Provoking Responses (Hardcover)

by Studin (Author)
What Is A Canadian? : Forty-Three Thought-Provoking Responses

Book Description
Each of these essays begins with the words
“A Canadian is . . .”. Each one is very different, producing a
fascinating book for all thinking Canadians.

Irvin
Studin is an idealistic young Canadian who wanted to do something
extraordinary for his country. So he decided to approach leading
Canadians — he calls them “sages” — to tell us what they believe
defines us. The people who responded eagerly, to produce an essay of
1,500 to 2,000 words, are, in his words, “all distinguished Canadian
thinkers and achievers from all walks of life — politics, the civil
service, academia, literature, journalism, business, the arts — from
both official language groups, and from all regions of the country, as
well as from the Canadian diaspora.”

The strength of this book
lies in the contributors, listed in the sidebar. The variety ranges
from the funny — “A Canadian is . . . someone who crosses the road to
get to the middle” (Allan Fotheringham) through the hostile — “. . .
the citizen of a country badly in need of growing up” (William Watson)
through the surprising — “. . . adaptable. To illustrate, consider the
depth and breadth of the Canadian woman’s wardrobe” (Jennifer Welsh) or
celebratory — “. . . a wonderful thing to be” (Bob Rae).

A Canadian is . . . certain to find this book fascinating.

Contributors:
Allan
Fotheringham, Thomas Homer-Dixon, Roch Carrier, Jake MacDonald, George
Elliott Clarke, Margaret MacMillan, Thomas Franck, Rosemarie Kuptana,
Gérald A. Beaudoin, Peter W. Hogg, George Bowering, Christian Dufour,
Paul Heinbecker, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, John C. Crosbie, Audrey
McLaughlin, Roy MacGregor, Charlotte Gray, Hugh Segal, Janet
McNaughton, Sujit Choudhry, Aritha van Herk, L. Yves Fortier, Catherine
Ford, Mark Kingwell, Silver Donald Cameron, Guy Laforest, Maria
Tippett, E. Kent Stetson, Louis Balthazar, Joy Kogawa, Wade
MacLaughlan, Douglas Glover, Lorna Marsden, Saeed Rahnema, Denis
Stairs, Valerie Haig-Brown, Guy Saint-Pierre, William Watson, Doreen
Barrie, Jennifer Welsh, Bob Rae


Hmmm… definitely a great list of thinkers.  Whom have I met?  Joy Kogawa is now a friend.  I have met writers George Elliott Clarke and George Bowering a few times.  I saw Roch Carrier just on Sunday at the Word on the Street Festival, I can add Audrey McLaughlin to my list…  I would love to meet Charlotte Grey!

Of CBC's top ten Greatest Canadians – David Suzuki lives in Vancouver
Of BC Almanac's top ten Greatest BC'ers – David Suzuki and Nancy Greene are still alive
Of
“What Is A Canadian” contributers – several live near Vancouver: George
Bowering “Canada's first poet-laureate”, Joy Kogawa, Valerie
Haig-Brown is the daughter of eco-pioneer Roderick Haig-Brown and lives on Vancouver Island.

Maybe I can propose an essay collection for “What is Chinese-Canadian?” or “What is Asian-Canadian?”  Would Kristin Kreuk be availalble or Jon-Kimura Parker?