Category Archives: Commentaries

Province editorial on Liberal's attempt at Head Tax redress, calls on PM Martin to admit his mistakes

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Province editorial on Liberal's attempt at Head Tax redress, calls on PM Martin to admit his mistakes

Here is an editorial in today's Province newspaper. I have made my comments in parenthesis and a comment following the article.

* * * * The Province
Published: Wednesday, December 28, 2005

It is becoming increasingly clear that a federal government plan
designed to atone for almost a century of injustice inflicted on the
Chinese-Canadian community is not merely insufficient, but risks adding
insult to injury.

When community groups from across the country were flown to Vancouver
Nov. 24 to hear details of the plan from multiculturalism minister
Raymond Chan, their expectations were high. (especially when $100,000 came from Chan's ministry of Multiculturalism)

For more than 20 years, prominent community leaders have campaigned for
an apology and compensation for victims of the notorious head tax,
imposed on all Chinese immigrants to Canada from 1885 to 1923.

But the agreement in principle with four community groups that Chan
announced offered only funds for educational projects and memorial
plaques. (No apology, and no individual tax refund for surviving payers or spouses)

Leading intellectuals among the Chinese community in Vancouver say
the
negotiations that produced the deal were held with groups “hand-picked”
by Ottawa and were not representative of the community at large. (The
Chinese Canadian National Council which has registered up to 5,000 head
tax payers and descendants are not included in negotiations because
they did not agree to the Liberal program's preconditions of No
Apology, and No individual compensation.)

They say the realization that an apology would not be part of the deal
came as a major shock.

At a meeting this week, they estimated that as many as 90 per cent of
Chinese-Canadians now want the government to rescind the agreement.

Most adamant in its opposition is the Chinese Canadian National
Council, whose founding president, Joseph Wong of Toronto, has warned that the
issue could tilt the balance against the Liberals in ridings where
there is a substantial Chinese-Canadian vote.

Since the early 1980s, the CCNC has been compiling a register of those
who paid the head tax, which rose over the years from $50 to a
staggering $500. The list, which includes descendants of victims,
contains some 4,000 names.

Community leaders say the demand for compensation is more symbolic than
it is about the money.

“We want honorable redress for our Chinese pioneers,” says Thekla Lit,
a Vancouver social worker and prominent activist.

The Liberal government's hasty attempt to put right a historic wrong on
the eve of an election smacks of opportunism.

The head-tax scandal already grubbies the pages of Canada's history
books and any redress should not be tarnished by an association with
cheap political advantage.

Prime Minister Paul Martin should admit his mistake, cancel the
agreement and promise to think again. After Jan. 23.

– – –

What do you think? Leave a brief comment, name and town at:
604-605-2029, fax: 604-605-2099 or e-mail: provletters@png.canwest.com

C The Vancouver Province 2005

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



What is wrong with this picture about redress and the Liberal Party?

Three opposition parties, NDP, Bloc Quebecois, Conservatives +
Green Party all say that apology, individual compensation and inclusion
of head tax payers and descendants is important.

Why doesn't Minister of State (Multiculturalism) Raymond Chan
include the 4000 + head tax payers and descendants registered by the
Chinese Canadian National Council? Doesn't he feel that they should be
part of the process that he wants to address?

Chan and the National Congress of Chinese Canadians do not have
written aggreement of the supposed list of 300+ community organizations
which is actually dropping in numbers as more and more organizations
say they did not give permission to use their names.  It is
difficult to find a listed  organization that has anything to do
with Chinese Canadian historical or human rights issues – except the
CCNC that was  excluded from the negotiation process but was
mistakenly included on the original list, or the Chinese Canadian
Military Museum that stands to gain funds for a specially proposed
project.

Why should the ACE program give $2.5 Million to the NCCC whose
executive director Ping Tan has stated that a signifcant amount of
money will be used to create the Chinese Canadian Community Foundation
to administer proposals to the ACE program? Wasn't the Canadian Race
Relations Foundation set up as part of the 1988 Japanese Canadian
redress settlement to do exactly this? Administer programs to foster
multiculturalism and better race relations for ALL Canadians? Why
re-invent the wheel, unless there are other unspoken interests at
stake?

An “apology” was made by Brian Mulroney to the Japanese Canadians
in the House of Commons as part of the redress package that included
individual compensation.  To date, no Canadian has ever sued the
government over this issue.

Canadians want resolution, strong and true – not a lipservice to
wrong doing, that gives money to a questionable organization with no
track record of Chinese Canadian history or human rights such as the
National Congress of Chinese Canadians.

Canada in 2005 is inclusive – Our Chinese Community includes 6th and
7th generations who also include Scottish, French, English, African,
South Asian and First Nations bloodlines., Our Canada includes
immigrants of Chinese descent not only China, but Taiwan, the
Carribean, England, South Africa, Maylaysia, Singapore and Brazil.

Canadians want recognition for the head tax pioneers and
descendants who have fought for Canada in WW2 and other wars, fought
for the 1947 vote for all Chinese in Canada, for true patriot love and
who stand on guard for thee.

– Todd Wong

The Tyee: Article on Mixed Marriage aka inter-racial marriage by Amy Chow

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The Tyee: Article on Mixed Marriage aka inter-racial marriage by Amy Chow

Amy Chow has written an article called The Face of Asian Mixed Marriage in BC
 http://thetyee.ca/Life/2005/12/27/MixedMarriageBC/
for The Tyee.ca

She tells the story of a nice Canadian boy eloping with a nice Canadian
girl because his mother, has always wanted him to marry a girl that
would be “more appropriate” for him and the family. It's a familiar
story – not a new story… but one that most Canadians could related to
and share.
In this case, the boy is of Jewish ancestry and the girl is of Chinese
ancestry.

I grew up in Vancouver, first meeting people from mixed marriages in
the early sixties when I was a child. “Chinnie” was somebody who always
was hanging out at my great-grandma's house – one of her best friends.
She was white. I have recently bumped into her daughter Evelyn. It's
great that we have shared history of our elders.

Mixed race marriages is common place on both sides of my family. On my
mother's side, there has been a mixed race marriage in every generation
since our elder Rev. Chan Yu Tan arrived in Canada in 1896. There was
his son Luke, who became an actor in Hollywood. There were his
grandsons Henry and Art. Incidently it was Art who married a First
Nations woman, and their daughter Rhonda has become the elected band
chief for the Qayqayt Nation (New Westminster), that she singlehandedly
resurrected.

My mother's youngest brother married a woman of Scottish-English
background, steeped in Ontario Canadian heritage. 9 of my 12 cousins on
my mom's side have married caucasians + my brother. And on my father's
side, 6 of my 9 cousins married caucasians.

I was the only person out of my maternal cousins that married somebody
of Chinese Canadian descent. It should have worked out… our
grandparents had known each other, as had our parents, our aunts and
uncles, our cousins, and even their children…. but it was not to be.
No regrets.

And today, I am spending my 2nd Christmas with my Canadian girlfriend
of British ancestry, and her parents. I haven't seen another Asian
since I left the Kelowna airport two days ago. There haven't been any
racial clashes. We talk about the issues that I am involved in such as
the Save Kogawa House campaign and the Chinese Canadian head tax – even
with their caucasian friends.

We listened to my friends Joy Kogawa and Ann-Marie Metten on CBC radio
yesterday, and we read in the newspaper about my friends Bill Chu and
Gabriel Yiu and Thekla Lit who helped organize a Boxing Day press
conference on Head Tax redress. And these are just Canadian issues. And
the 3 dogs love all the hugs they can get. Race isn't an issue for them.


Todd out walking with dogs in Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park.

Redress: The book by Roy Miki – addressing racial identity and its consequences

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Redress: The book by Roy Miki – addressing racial identity and its consequences

It's Boxing Day morning at Kalamalka Lake, and I am not at any Boxing
Day sales in Vancouver. I am reading Roy Miki's book Redress: Inside
the Japanese Canadian redress movement. Roy is an amazing person. In
1994 I interviewed him for an article in the Simon Fraser University
student newspaper “The Peak”.

I am stunned by the atrocities and restrictions placed on the Canadians
of Japanese descent, even though I have read many accounts. I nod
knowingly when I read that Asian Canadians were “racialized” in the
1900's – particularly by the Anti-Asiastic League who wanted to create
and maintain a “white Vancouver” despite the presence of First Nations
peoples. I read about the 1907 meeting at City Hall, that erupted into
a riot in Chinatown, where stores were attacked and damaged, before the
white rioters headed to Japantown where they were repelled by a
prepared community.

This was the Vancouver where my maternal grandmother was raised,
soon after being born in 1910 in Victoria BC. This was the political
and social climate where my paternal grandfather was given a
“Chinaman's Chance” of defending a non-guilty plea for drug
trafficking, because the RCMP wanted to make an example of him as one
of Victoria's top community leaders that they could “take down.” This
was the BC, where the $500 head tax was only applied to ethnic Chinese
in an effort to keep “the Yellow Peril” away from “British” Vancouver,
where the early city fathers, provincial fathers and leaders of
Canadian Federation had emmigrated from Scotland and England, seeking a
better life…. just as the Chinese had, leaving behind a corrupt
Imperial government, famines, to come to “Gum San” – the gold mountain
of opportunity.

In the first chapeter of Redress, Roy Miki tells the story of
Tomekichi (Tomey) Homma “naturalized as a British Subject” in Canada,
who tried to have his name put on the voter's list, but was turned down
no doubt, because of the stipulation in Section 8 of the Provincial
Election Act which stated: “No Chinaman, Japanese, or Indian shall have
his name placed on the Register of Voters for any Electoral District,
or be entitled to vote in any election.”

Homma decided to challange the ruling on October 19th, 1900, but
was eventurally denied by a lengthy court case and both the BC and
Canadian governments. The Privy council at the time had stated that
“Orientals… were so inassimilable that they were incapable of
participating in the democratic process.” (Miki, p. 33-34)

The Victoria Times Colonist newspaper at the time had written
“We are relieved from the possibility of having polling booths swampd
by a horde of Orientals who are totally uniftted either by custom of
education to exercise the ballot, and whose voting would completely
demoralise politics… they have not the remotest idea of what a
democratic and representative government is, and are quite incapable of
taking part in it.” (Miki, p 28)

My great-great-grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan, was educated at the
Wesleyan Mission in Hong Kong, and arrived in Canada in 1896, following
his elder brother the Rev. Chan Sing Kai – the first Chinese ordained
in Canada. The Chinese Methodist Church helped teach the Chinese
immigrants how to speak English. A favourite story that my grandmother
tells me is that her granfather would tell his family, “We are in
Canada now – we should do things the Canadian way.” In every generation
of his 6 descendants in Canada, there have been inter-racial marriages
with Caucasians. In fact, descendants in the 6th and 7th generation are
now only 1/4 and 1/8 Chinese.

Yes, Canada has had a racist history, and yes Asians have
successfully integrated and assimilated. But is this alone a case for
redress for past wrongs? Certainly not. The case for redress is that in
the 17 years since the 1988 redress settlement there has been
tremendous healing in the Japanese Canadian community. In his final
chapter, Miki shares that in order to become fully Canadian, the
community had to forge an identity of being Japanese-Canadian through
both internment and redress.

Similarly, my grandmother's younger brother Daniel Lee, a WW2
veteran, has consistenly requested that the Canadian government
apologize for the head tax. Our family elders did not have the
privilege or franchise to vote in the country of their birth until
1947, while other families were kept apart because of the consequences
of the head tax and Chinese Exclusion Act. I am aware that as I have
grown up in Canada, I have always been racialized, as my uncles before
me who were denied jobs and university admittance. These were the real
consequences of the head tax and continued legislated and socialized
racism. Reading the accounts of the Japanese Canadians during
internment, I can only marvel at what my own ancestors endured from
arrivals in 1888 to 1947, when they were finally able to vote.

“Have a multi-cultural Christmas” – Vancouver Sun's Douglas Todd vs Todd Wong's experiences

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“Have a multi-cultural Christmas” – Vancouver Sun's Douglas Todd vs Todd Wong's experiences

Douglas Todd looks at the students and celebrations of Sir Richard
McBride elementary school in Vancouver.  He compares present day
activities and student ethnicity to when he attended in the early
1960s.  DT is a thoughtful writer and he explores the issues of
religious holidays, political correctness, inclusion, school 
cultural programming, and what the children really want and think.

Of special note, DT writes that more schools are celebrating Chinese
New Year, or rather the more exclusive term “Lunar New Year,” as an
inclusive event that often celebrates all ethnic cultures.  I have
certainly found this to be true, especially when I was invited early this year
to bring my Scottish-Chinese fusion of “Gung Haggis Fat Choy” to
Westridge Elementary School in Burnaby. 
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog
/_archives/2005/2/5/303618.html

Check out DT's feature article titled
A Multicultural Christmas:
Sir Richard McBride students balance ethnicity with new traditions
Vancouver Sun – Dec 24th page C1

Personally, when I grew up at Vancouver's Laura Secord elementary school
in the from 1965 to 1973 – I thought I was already experiencing
multiculturalism by going to school with mostly white students. 
Okay… there were a few students of Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Dutch,
Portuguese…etc heritage there too.  By 1973, the Chinese
proportion grew significantly, and in my grade 7 class there were 6
other Wongs in the class, including the teacher.

I had started noticing more ESL immigrants of Chinese ancestry around
1970.  This was the effect of changed immigration laws in 1967,
that now allowed independant Chinese immigrants, no longer only
sponsored by relatives to come to Canada.  You see, even though
the Chinese Exclusion Act was removed in 1947, only very limited
immigration was allowed for family members only.

My experiences of Christmas growing up, involved dinners with sticky
rice, turkey, cranberry sauce, stir-fried vegetables – always a
combination of Chinese and Canadian food.  When we visited 
my father's side of the family – there were more Chinese speakers, as
his mother spoke almost exclusively Chinese, and his eldest sister had
been raised in China – despite having been born in Canada. I referred
to my mother's side of the family as our “English side” because the
family had been in Canada longer since the arrival of my grandmother's
grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan in 1896.  Even my great-grandmother
Kate Chan was fluent in english.  So… even in my family we were
multicultural… I guess.

Last year I visited my girlfriend's parents in Vernon, and we attended
Christmas dinner at a friend of theirs.  I was the only, non-Asian
attending, of the 10 guests.  It was my first ethnically “white”
Christmas dinner.  We ate turkey with cranberry sauce, potatoes,
salad… just like my own family dinners.  I felt comfortable with
the company, because of shared language and values.  Nobody asked
how I was enjoying the new “cultural experience” because they just
assumed I was “Canadian”, knowing that I considered myself a 5th
generation Vancouverite.  The cultural differences and
conversations were more concerned with the differences between
Vancouver and Vernon. Big City culture versus Small City culture.

Culture and “multiculturalism” is relative.  Especially if it is married into the family.

Vancouver Sun: Daphne Bramham column addresses politicians, multiculturalism and Sid and Todd's adventures at a Raymond Chan press conference in Mandarin

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Vancouver Sun:  Daphne Bramham column addresses politicians,
multiculturalism and Sid and Todd's adventures at a Raymond Chan press
conference in Mandarin

Vancouver Sun columnist
Daphne Bramham has been exploring interesting angles in the Chinese
Head Tax issue, that many media are calling the surprise election
issue.  Check out Politicians must represent Everyone: Holding separate news conferences for ethnic media goes against multiculturalism goal, Friday, December 16th, p. B1 & B4.

Bramham explores that while English and French are Canada's official
languages, other languages are becoming increasingly prevalent in major
urban centres such as Vancouver, Surrey, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary and
Richmond.  In an increasingly culturally diverse Canada, she pleas
that our politicians must use our common language in order not to
isolate, or ghettoize specific cultural or ethnic groups.

Bramham recalls the December 2nd press conference held by Richmond MP
and Minister of State (Multiculturalism) Raymond Chan at his campaign
office in Richmond, which was conducted in Mandarin Chinese for the
Chinese language media.  English speaking media were not invited
to discuss the controversial issue of Chinese head-tax redress and ACE
program which Chan has signed with the National Congress of Chinese
Canadians. 

This issue has been criticized by both members of the media and the
community for its exclusion of both and apology and individual tax
refund or compensation – not to mention an almost complete exclusion of
negotiating with the Chinese Canadian National Council which has
registered 4000 head tax payers and descendants.  This issue has
clearly divided the Chinese community in all its myriad forms of
pioneers, new immigrants, multi-generational descendants, old
immigrants and more.

Bramham included details from my visit to the Chan press conference wrote:

“Two journalists were there who don't speak fluently in either Mandarin
or Cantonese – Sid Chow Tan, who works for Vancouver Co-op Radio, and
Todd Wong, who was writing a piece for the Web magazine, The Tyee. 
both speak English as a first language and, incidently, both disagree
with Chan and the Liberal government's handling of the redress issue.

“Chow Tan and Wong had to rely on other journalists and later
translators to get the gist of what was said.  And it was heady
stuff.

Bramham goes on to describe the content of the translation of Chan's
Dec. 2 press release in which Chan accused the Chinese Canadian
National Council and “some members of the NDP of using the issue of the
head tax, the suffering of the head-tax payers and untruthful
information to deepen the conflict within the Chinese community, attack
a political party, many community volunteers and myself in order to
benefit a certain political party and organization.”

“This is a violaiton of justice.  Their words and action are dispicable,” continues Chan.

Bramham goes on to point out that “This is headline-grabbing stuff that
got prominent attention in the Chinese media and might have in most
other Canadian media.  “Why were only Chinese-speaking journalists
invited,” she asks.  “Head-tax redress is not a Chinese issue.

Bramham points out that how Canada deals with head-tax redress will
demonstrate what it means to have a compassionate, inclusive and
multicultural country, using the 1988 redress settlement for the
Japanese Canadians who were interned during World War 2. 

Clearly our notions of our country change with every wave of
immigration.  How did the initial French and English pioneers
treat the First Nations people?  How are the new immigrant Chinese
treating the established mainstream English speaking community
now?  Multiculturalism has been under attack in recent years for
becoming a “cottage industry” that perpetuates itself according to
writer Neil Bissoondath.

As a 5th generation Chinese Canadian, I grew up with stories about how
difficult it was for my ancestors and my parents to find acceptance in
Canada – even little things like finding an appartment, getting a job,
going to University – without racial discrimination.  But today,
many new Chinese language immigrants take it for granted that they can
live completely in Vancouver without having to speak in English. 

At the end of her column Bramham writes:

Multiculturalism is about the kind of
real integration that results from mutual respect, equal economic and
social opportunites and substantive equality.  Barriers to
integration of individual Canadians are barriers to the progress of
Canada as a whole.



She then attributes the eloquent quote to Raymond Chan's speech when he
opened a conference in October.  She concludes by stating
“Apparently when it comes to multiculturalism, a lot is lost in the
translation of word to action.

I am Canadian: I take the oath at Canadian Citizenship court.

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I am Canadian:  I take the oath at Canadian Citizenship court.

“O Canada, I stand on guard for thee….”

It was my first time at Canadian citizenship court.  As a 5th
Generation Canadian, I really never had a reason to go.  My
parents were born in Canada, my grandmother was born in Canada. 
My great-grandmother came to Canada as a baby in 1899. My
great-great-grandfather came to Canada in 1896.

Eighty people stood in the room, some holding Canadian flags, some
wearing Canadian lapel pins.  Citizen court judge Sandra Wilking
presided, and give an inspirational speech about what it means to be a
Canadian.  She talked about the responsibilities about becoming a
Canadian, and giving back to this new country.  She acknowledged
that some people came from countries that were ravaged by war, while
others came from countries at peace – but all have come to Canada for a
better life.

At the end of her address, each row stood up in turn stating their name
and raising their right arm.  Then we all stood up together and
took an oath to serve Canada.  We next sang O Canada.

Then, Judge Wilking introduced me to the people about to be sworn in as
citizens, as a member from the Canadian Club.  She also introduced
me as a 5th Generation Canadian who works tirelessly in community
service, and as an arts advocate.  Then she did something she
almost never ever does.  She gave me a plug for Gung Haggis Fat
Choy!  Judge Wilking just thinks my multicultural Robbie Burns
Chinese New Year dinner is a most Canadian event, and that every
Canadian should attend.  You could see the smiles on people's
faces, and the stifled laughters at her description of haggis won-ton,
and the blending of Scottish and Chinese cultures into something
uniquely Canadian.

I introduced myself as a director of the Canadian Club founded in 1906
to emphasize Canadian culture and identity when Canada was still very
“British” in nature and manners.  But through the years, the
Canadian Club has honoured Canada's best and brightest, it has nurtured
its cultural evolution, as new waves of immigration have added to our
cultural mosaic.  We have addressed the hurts of Quebec
separatism, American imperialism, and First Nations issues.

I invited everybody to become active participants as Canadians. 
Next, I thanked Judge Wilking for her inspirational address and shared
with everybody in the room, that Judge Wilking had been an immigrant
from South Africa, and she spoke true about committment to our
communities, because she had been the first Chinese-Canadian woman to
serve as a Vancouver City Councillor.  I hoped that everybody
could be as inspired by Judge Wilking as I have been.

It was a wonderful day.  It was great to be part of helping people become Canadian citizens.

I AM CANADIAN!

Joy Kogawa opposes Bill C-333 – ACE program “so-called” Chinese head tax redress

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Joy Kogawa opposes Bill C-333 – ACE program “so-called Chinese head tax redress package”

Hi Todd,

This
is almost exactly what happened with Japanese Canadian redress. My
new/old novel, “Emily Kato” (a re-write of Itsuka and just published)
describes the panic when  government tried to pull the rug out from the
redress movement. But we did stop it.

Here's
a copy of the letter that Tam asked for and that went off this morning.
It may not make it, of course, into the Globe & Mail. 

Joy

Letters to the editor
Re: Money for grievances, Nov. 19.

June
Callwood, Dr. Joseph Wong, Michele Landsberg, and many other people of
conscience have added their support to the Ontario Coalition of Chinese
Head Tax Payers and Families plus the Chinese Canadian National
Council. The strenuous efforts of these organizations to have the Head
Tax redress resolved in an honourable manner have thus far been
thwarted by the federal government.

Two
decades ago I was passionately involved in the Japanese Canadian
struggle for redress for the actions against my community during and
after World War II. The aspect of the struggle that was for me the most
arduous was the endeavour to have the government recognize the
legitimacy of our national organization. More than once in its haste
and impatience to resolve the issue, events were staged by government
officials to undercut the community's need for an inclusive, open and
healing process.

Today,
this same unseemly haste and disregard for the passions and needs of
the affected people are once more evident in the issue of the Chinese
Head Tax. Surely there is time enough to heed the many voices across
the country, pleading for the healing of those who were directly
affected and those who have been working across the country on this
matter for many years.

I
am reminded again as I was twenty years ago of the words of the prophet
Jeremiah. “They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying
'Peace, Peace,' where there is no peace.”

Joy Kogawa

City Councillor Ellen Woodsworth runs for re-election in Vancouver

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City Councillor Ellen Woodsworth runs for re-election in Vancouver


Ellen and her friend Alex, don the official Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon
boat team shirt at the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival June 2005 – photo Ray
Shum

I am pleased to know Ellen Woodsworth,
Vancouver City Councillor, and to be listed as one of many endorsers on
her website.  She has a long committement to social activism and
is proud to be a descendant of J.S. Woodsworth, one of the original
founders of the CCF party.

Ellen Woodsworth is one of the hardest working city councillors in
Vancouver.  She has led the efforts to make Vancouver the co-host for
the World Peace Conference next year,  fought for child and youth
advocacy and childcare spaces in Vancouver, emphasized the importance
of neighborhoods, the revitalization of Woodwards and the Downtown
Eastside, increased emphasis for pedestrians, cyclists and transit
users, increased arts funding, gender equality, cultural diversity,
ethical purchassing, more festivals, and a more open City Hall.

The first day I met her was when she attended our Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop Community Builders Dinner. 
I hosted the dinner and Ellen sat beside my father, making instant
friends.  The next time I met Ellen was soon after, at a press
conference where
Mike Harcourt endorsed COPE mayoralty candidate Larry Campbell in front
of the Chinese Cultural Centre.  I went down to say hello to Ellen
and she introduced me to Raymond Louie and Allan Wong.  It was then
that I learned more about Ellen's work with seniors and the Downtown
Eastside.

The following year, Ellen and I were both panelists for the 2003 CARFAC
National convention (Canadian Artists Representation/Le front des
artistes canadiens).  I spoke about my experiences networking in
the Asian Canadian arts community and developing opportunities for
artists.  Ellen spoke about the City of Vancouver initiatives and
programs for artists.  We immediately liked what each other had
said and where each was coming from.

Since then we have kept in touch, sometimes helping each other network
and bouncing ideas.  Ellen brought her father to my Gung Haggis
Fat Choy Robbie Burns/Chinese New Year dinner and I seated them at my
father's table.  They had a great time, and since I was learning
about Ellen's passion for cultural diversity and her sense of fun, I
invited her to join me for the 2004 St. Patrick's Day parade.  I
offered Ellen the drummer's seat and she banged out a rhythm for CBC
Radio broadcaster Margaret Gallagher to paddle by (see picture below),
as our Taiwanese dragon boat
float for Gung Haggis Fat Choy paddled
along Granville Street, to the cheers of many people. The float was
very popular last year, so the parade officials asked me again to
create an entry emphasizing multiculturalism.



Ellen Woodsworth, Adrianna Ermie,  Margaret Gallagher and Dave
Samis are all part of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy float. – photo Todd Wong


Ellen Woodsworth waving to
the crowd during the St. Patrick's Day parade in Vancouver this year,
Margaret Gallagher and Dave Samis paddle as part of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat float – photo Todd Wong



Waiting for the parade
to start… Adrianna Ermie, EllenWoodsworth, Dave Samis, Margaret
Gallagher and me – with the Chinese Lion Head mask – for the Gung
Haggis Fat Choy multicultural dragon boat float. – photo by Trev
Sue-A-Quan..

To help celebrate her May birthday, Ellen invited me to perform for the COPE fundraiser event Encouraging Women in Politics.  For this event I read her impressive bio,
and then I carefully documented the significant achievements of her
life, identified her values, her goals and her dreams… and crafted
the words to fit the rhythm of my chosen form…. the Police song
“Every Little Thing She Does is Magic.”  I sang the words as I
played my accordion, and I think I floored the audience. 

But this is how I feel about Ellen Woodsworth.  I really do believe that every little thing she does…. is
magic.  Below is a photo of us at the close of the party event –
you can tell I am the one wearing the skirt…. I mean kilt!

I was very pleased to be able to see her at work, when I made a
presentation for the Save Kogawa House committee before the City of
Vancouver standing committee on planning and environment.  Ellen
asks critical questions and clearly summarizes impacts of the issues
before council.  She spoke of the importance of having Kogawa
House as a literary and cultural landmark for Vancouver, and its impact
for our multicultural population and our future generations.

But more than just a hard worker – Ellen also knows how to have fun, and loves to explore and see all aspects of Vancouver.
She loves Vancouver dearly, its peoples, its heritage and its cultures –  and that makes her a wonderful city councillor.

The Chinese Vote in Vancouver: NPA, Vision Vancouver or COPE?

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The Chinese Vote in Vancouver: NPA, Vision Vancouver or COPE?

The Vancouver Sun has run an article titled Vision trying to
lure Chinese voters away from NPA on today's page B5.  But the
article does not identify a distinction between Chinese immigrant
voters and the multigenerational Chinese Canadians born and raised in
Canada.

The reporter Frances Bula, had interviewed me on Friday afternoon asking me about
whether Vision Vancouver can capture some of the traditional Chinese
vote in Vancouver.  I immediately asked “Which Chinese community
vote are you talking about?”

“Raymond Louie, is the first Vancouver born City Councillor,” I told
Frances Bula, who was surprised at the fact. Bill Yee was the first
Chinese elected to council but he wasn't born in Vancouver. 
“Sandra Wilking was the first Chinese woman councillor but was born in
South Africa. Jenny Kwan was the first COPE councillor but was born in
Hong Kong.

“We have to go back to Douglas Jung in 1957″ to find a Chinese Canadian
politician born in Vancouver.”  Jung was Canada's first Member of
Parliament.  Even Art Lee, elected in the 1970's had come from
Alberta.

“We are what I call the 'invisible visible-minority',
multi-generational Canadian born chinese, who have integrated and
assimilated into the mainstream,” I told the reporter.

“How do I vote?  I vote according to the person, rather than
strictly along party lines.  It's important to have a healthy
opposition in government, or on civic council  That's why people
kept voting for Harry Rankin.

“I like Ellen Woodsworth of COPE, and Heather Deal of Vision Vancouver. 
I've gotten to know them since they were elected.  I know both Sam
Sullivan and Jim Green – Sam has supported our Asian Canadian Writers
Workshop dinners, and Jim has helped us with the Save Kogawa House
campaign.  Anne Roberts, Peter Ladner, along with Woodsworth and
Sullivan also attended my Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner earlier this year. They are all wonderful human beings.”

“I first got to know Raymond Louie through his wife, when she was
on the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society.  Raymond, like all
my cousins on my mom's side – all married caucasians.” This surprised
the reporter.

Raymond wants to be more than just “the Chinese councillor” – more
importantly, he identifies himself as a Canadian who happens to be of
Chinese ethnicity, as I do.  I can actually say this about many
multi-generational ethnic Canadians, because we think Canadian
first!  And we are better able to cross ethnic lines this way, and
better able to understand all cultures.

Raymond's family has been in Vancouver for a long time.  We gave
shared stories about early Chinatown experiences.  George
Chow's grandfather paid the head tax, and he immigrated to Vancouver in
the 1960's.  Personally, I don't expect
the newer immigrant counsellor candidates to understand some of these
issues about head tax or the experiences of the pioneer chinese of the
1800's and early 1900's.  But I think Raymond and George
can.  They are also people I can relate to and trust. 
Then again, I can't expect myself to understand a lot of the immigrant
Chinese
issues.  But because I am more familiar with Chinese culture, and
work with and know a lot of immigrant Chinese, I am probably more
knowledgeable than somebody who is non-Chinese and hasn't experienced
similar issues.

Raymond I and were both at the opening of the 3 Chinese Canadian Pioneer Familes
exhibit at the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum and archives in
2002.  I am descended from Rev. Chan Yu Tan, and he is a distant
relative of H.Y. Louie, who were both featured along with Lee-Bick, the
ancestor of former UBC Counsellor and Vancouver businessman Bob Lee.

I think that it is a myth that the Chinese vote traditionally goes to
the NPA, and it may be simply that the NPA were better at recruiting
candidates such as Tung Chan, Don Lee, and Daniel Lee, who as native
Chinese speakers were better able to speak to Chinese media.  Even
the Chinese Canadian voters didn't fully support Douglas Jung in his
re-election bid, nor did Don Lee and Daniel Lee get re-elected in the
last civic election, even though Raymond Louie was elected.

I know that I have also had the pleasure to meet Alan Wong and John
Cheng, the COPE and NPA Vancouver School Board Trustees.  They are
also both wonderful men, but I relate a bit better to Alan maybe
because he grew up here in Canada, and we are closer in age.

I think that when people vote, they want the people who can best
represent their interests.  And this may also mean voting for
people that come from similar backgrounds, hence immigrants may be more
likely to vote for other immigrants of similar background.  But
they may also vote for people who are multigenerational, and represent
how their children will grow up as integrated Canadians and
Vancouverites.

I forgot to tell the reporter that I'll be attending the Libby Davies' COPE
chinese
dinner fundraiser on November 10th at the Rich Ocean Seafood Chinese
Restaurant on 777 West Broadway.  It's being organized by my
friend Meena Wong, who is helping COPE as a chinese voter
strategist.  And I may even be wearing my
kilt as a performer with my accordion.  How Chinese is that? 
Not very…. but very multicultural Vancouver!

Kogawa Homestead threatened by Demolition Permit Application- same week as Joy Kogawa is celebrated throughout Vancouver

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Kogawa Homestead threatened by Demolition Permit Application- same week as Joy Kogawa is celebrated throughout Vancouver

http://www.mhc.ab.ca/library/oboc/readersguide.htm

This week, notice was received that an inquiry for application for demolition was made to Vancouver City Hall by the owner of the Kogawa homestead.  It is a house celebrated by the award winning novel Obasan, and the childhood home of famed writer Joy Kogawa, who describes the house in both the novel Obasan and the children's story Naomi's Road.
Kogawa's reaction has been of shock and dispair, as she knew that efforts were being made to save the beloved cherry tree in the back yard which figures prominently in the novel. COPE mayoral candidate Jim Green is a founding member of the “Save the Kogawa Homestead” committee.

This is a weekend when Joy Kogawa is being celebrated all across Vancouver… at the Vancouver Public Library for One Book One Vancouver, at the ACWW Sep 24th dinnner for Rice Paper Magazine's 10th Anniversary Celebration, on Sunday for the Word on the Street Book and Magazine Fair, and next week for the Vancouver Opera Premiere for “Naomi's Road.”
A movement to buy the house, and to apply for heritage designation was aborted 2 years ago because of high costs to buy the house and resistance from the new owner to sell. The owner at the time said that she liked the house and did not intend to demolish it.

Now more than ever, it is important to preserve this house for the cultural heritage of Vancouver. There is not another house in Vancouver that is recognized for being confiscated during a dark time in Canada's history.

No other house in Vancouver could be turned into a bright spot on our cultural landscape as a writer's retreat, celebrating the work of a writer which has been called the most influential Canadian novel of the past 20 years. There is no other writer whose work helped fuel the Japanese-Canadian Redress movement, and has also received the Order of Canada.

In May, the Vancouver Public Library selected Obasan as the book chosen for all Vancouverites to read, as part of their award winning “city wide book club.” Earlier this summer, during One Book One Vancouver events Joy Kogawa held up a graft of the cherry tree that held such a revered place in the novel Obasan – studied by so many Canadians in high schools and universities across Canada. Both the novel and the homestead have a proven place in Vancouver’s literary history.

Please sign the petition to preserve the Kogawa Homestead. Click on the white banner – this will forward you to an on-line petition.

Donations can be made in care of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation