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GENERATIONS: The Chan Legacy airs today 10pm on CBC Newsworld

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GENERATIONS: The Chan Legacy airs today 10pm on CBC Newsworld

  10:00 p.m. Generations: The Chan Legacy
– Missionaries from China come to the West Coast help Westernize Chinese immigrant workers in the late 1800's.		 Generations: The Chan Legacy

Yesterday I
was interviewed 8:20 am Tuesday morning, July 3rd, by Rick Cluff for the CBC Radio 690 show “The Early Edition.”  Rick first asked me how I got interested in family history, and I replied that one of the first computer programs I got was for genealogy.

I had found it fascinating that we were descended from a Chinese United Church minister. It was important for me to find positive role models growing up, because as a Chinese-Canadian, there weren't many.  I grew up in North Vancouver, and many people couldn't tell the difference between Chinese and Japanese back then. Some people would tell me to go back where I came from.

I brought some photo displays into the radio studio and Rick asked about them.

“Here's a picture of Rev. Chan Yu Tan” when he first arrived in Canada in 1896.”

Here's a picture of Uncle Dan and his brothers during WW2″

“Here's a picture of our family reunion in 1999.”

“How many people attended, Todd?”

“We had over 200 people, from all across the continent Rick – from Ontario, Alberta, Washington, California.”

Rick asked what I hoped the younger generations would learn from the story.  I told him that it was important for our younger generations to learn what our ancestors had overcome, such as the head tax, the 1907 riot, the exclusion act, gaining the voting franchise.  And that it is an important story for all Canadians.  Too often as multigenerational Chinese-Canadians we get lumped in with the new immigrants as “Chinese” – even though our family has been here for seven generations.

Rick asked “What would Rev. Chan think of Gung Haggis Fat Choy”

 but our family didn't go to Church. When I was little, I attended one day of class at the Chinese United Church.  I was little and cried for my mother almost the entire time. 

But the legacy of Rev. Chan Yu Tan and his brother and sisters still lives in our family.  It lives on in the stories that my grandmother and my mother have shared with me.  My grand-uncle Daniel Lee and his sister Helen Lee, lived with Rev. and Mrs. Chan Yu Tan in Nanaimo while they were growing up.  Auntie Helen recalls her memories while she is interviewed for the documentary.  There are some newsclips of Uncle Dan and Chinese-Canadian veterans at Vancouver's Victory Square cenotaph for Remembrance Day.

Many of our family is excited at seeing the documentary tonight.  I have received e-mails from Ontario, and Washington.  Distant family members I haven't met have found the Rev. Chan Legacy facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=2390778670

Here are some well wishes from my friends after hearing me on radio and receiving my announcements about GENERATIONS: The Chan Legacy

Good morning Todd, just heard you on CBC Early Edition about your family.  
I look forward to watching it tomorrow night on CBC  Newsworld at 10 p.m.  
I hope some of our colleagues will watch some of the Chinese history in 
Vancouver.  You may wish to tell us something more about this 6-part series 
on Chinese pioneers in Vancouver.
- Kelly Ip (Community organizer and advisor on Canadian Club Vancouver)

Thanks, Todd…
Heard you this morning, and you sounded great (however brief).
Will try to catch your segment. In fact, they all sound fascinating.
Cheers,

Thank you Todd for sharing your family's history
with us. This forms part of the Canadian national identity.
– Begum Vergee (my co-director on Canadian Club Vancouver.

Wonderful experience to be part of such an
important legacy. Thanks for letting us know.
Shirley Chan (community activist)


Todd: Thanks so much for this!

Chuck Davis – Vancouver Historian


Hi Todd
congratulations !!!!
where are you going to watch tonight's episode .... invite me along if 
appropriate.
All good things,
Joseph Roberts - publisher of Common Ground

Hey Todd,
Great to hear from you.  I look forward to
seeing the doc.
Warm regards,
Moyra Rodger – producer of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy television performance special

Chan family

Generations is a 6 part series and the lead installment is The Chan Legacy –
which is about my great-great-grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan, and our
family descendants who are committed to community service – like me! 
The episodes of the series are:


Watch The Chan Legacy on CBC Newsworld

July 4, 10 pm ET/PT,
July 8, 10 am ET/PT,
July 29, 7 pm ET


Many family members were interviewed:

  • Victor Wong, grand-son, WW2 veteran and Victoria resident who visited his grandparents in Nanaimo BC.
  • Helen Lee, grand-daughter, who lived with Rev. & Mrs. Chan Yu Tan in Nanaimo.
  • Gary Lee, great-grandson who tells about some of the challenges overcome by the family.
  • Janice Wong, great-grand-daughter, and award winning author of CHOW: From China to Canada, memories of food and family.
  • Rhonda
    Larrabee, great-grand-daughter, and chief of the First Nations Qayqayt
    (New Westminster) Band, featured in the NFB film “Tribe of One.”
  • Todd Wong, great-great-grandson, community and cultural activist,
    creator of Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner.
  • Tracey
    Hinder, 5th generation high school student who was the inaugural
    Vancouver CanSpell champion and went on to compete in Ottawa and
    Washington DC.  Tracey is a member of her school's “multicultural club.”


Rev. Chan Yu Tan came
to Canada in 1896, following his elder brother Rev. Chan Sing Kai who
had earlier arrived in 1888 at the invitation of the Methodist Church
of Canada.  These two brothers were later followed by sisters Phoebe in
1899, and Naomi who later moved to Chicago.  Throughout seven
generations, the family has spread throughout Canada and the United
States.  The Rev. Chan Yu Tan Family was featured in the photographic
exhibition Three Early Chinese Canadian Pioneer Families. 


Read my blog entries about Rev. Chan Legacy Project which includes stories during the making of the documentary and events for Janice Wong's award-winning book C H O W: From China to Canada memoris of food and family.

http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/RevChanLegacyProject
http://c-h-o-w.blogspot.com/
Please
tell all your friends and relatives about this upcoming documentary,
very informative about the history of Chinese-Canadians, and the legacy
they have built in Canada.

check out the CBC Generations home page:
http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/generations/

Second Annual Chinatown Redress Rally, Saltwater City BC – July 1st is still “Humiliation Day” for many

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Second Annual Chinatown Redress Rally, Saltwater City BC

July 1st is still “Humiliation Day” for many of the descendants of head tax payers.  Only Chinese immigrants were forced to pay the racist head tax starting in 1885, and lasting until 1923.  On July 1st, 1923, the Canadian government replaced the $500 head tax and instead passed the Chinese Immigration Act” which banned all Chinese immigration to Canada – forcing the separation and preventing reuniting of families.  It was repealed in 1947, but immigration was still severely restricted until 1967, when the points system was brought in.

On June 22nd, 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave a parliamentary apology for the Chinese Head Tax and offered ex-gratia payments to surviving head tax payers and spouses only.  This left many head tax certificates out of the loop.  In fact, only less than one percent – 0.6% of head tax certificates are being recognized.  This leaves the sons, daughters and grandchildren of 99.4% of deceased head taxpayers without the “symbolic compensation” entitled to their ancestors. The Head Tax Families Society of Canada and the Chinese Canadian National Council are still asking the Government of Canada to recognize each head tax certificate equally and fairly.


BC CoalitionSee last report on last year's rally
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2006/7/2/2079426.html


Below is a special report from Sid Tan + media reports on the Chinatown Head Tax redress rally.
 

It was a damn fine rally yesterday and a good time was had by all. We did the ring around Chinatown walk from memorial up Keefer to Gore and down Pender to Chinese Cultural Centre and finished back at memorial.   

Big round of applause for Daniel, Cynthia, Lily, Foon, Mary, George and the Mrs. – Suen, Yip, Lee and the rest of the phoners and organizers. Charlie Quan and the Quon Lung boys, Ho Sheng, Philip Yuen and Mrs. Der's daughter – Mrs. Jang – were there. Susan was terrific on megaphone. Karen came by later and did some video. I counted over 130 people massed just before we left memorial and began walk. Picked
up a few along the way. Lost a few too!

I'm told Vancouver Ming Pao has a great photo and we had tv news coverage from Multivan and Fairchild. There are 17 stories on our rally across Canada , mostly pick up of CP newswire. Greg Joyce who filed the CP story picked up by Globe and Mail was there at 10:00am and left before the larger contingent showed.

Members of Parliament Libby Davies came by early and Ujjal Dosanjh came by later to lend support. No city councillors or MLA's though… Probably all at the flag raising at CCC, where we stopped and did 10 minutes of megaphone work and chanting slogans on perimeter. I'm sure we got their attention. There were a lot of old faces, age-wise and old-timers from two decades of campaigning.   

I specifically told media this rally was organized by HTFSC and speaking on their behalf. They are still getting my involvement and titles mixed up.  Anyhow, we are starting preparations for our September action and organizing a lean mean political dream machine for next federal election. Look for a bigger and better Third Annual Chinatown Redress Rally next year same time and same place!

Again, thanks to all who participated and to those supporting our movement. It was an apple tart day without apple tarts. Pehaps Kwan Kung's (Chinese protector of sojourners) way of telling me to lose some weight.

Take care.    anon   Sid

Chinese want more from Federal Government

Jul, 02 2007 – 1:00 AM

VANCOUVER/CKNW(AM980) –

About one-hundred people celebrated Canada Day by rallying in Chinatown to call for further redress from Ottawa for families of Chinese immigrants who paid a head tax. Currently, only surviving head tax payers or spouses are eligible to claim settlements from the Federal Government.

But Sid Tan with the Head Tax Families Society of Canada says the redress is incomplete, “Well, what the Government has done, that's Stephen Harper, is that they have only redressed approximately six-hundred family claimants and we believe that the Government has taken an issue of justice and redress and honour, and turned it into vote-buying and pandering.”

Tan says the rally was held on Canada Day because on July 1st, 1923, the Government of Canada brought in the Chinese Exclusion Act, which barred Chinese immigration for 24 years.

—

PROTEST: Head-tax compensation doesn't go far enough, rally told

Canadian Press, July 2, 2007

VANCOUVER — Several dozen people met in Vancouver 's Chinatown for a Canada Day rally to back their demand for further redress from the federal government for families of Chinese immigrants who paid a discriminatory head tax from 1885 to 1923.

“We're all proud Canadians and we're exercising our rights to call on the Stephen Harper government to provide an inclusive, just and honourable redress,” rally organizer Sid Tan said. The federal government has turned the issue into “vote-buying and optics,” he said.

“[Prime Minister Harper] has only addressed 0.6 per cent of all head-tax families and we believe all head-tax families should be treated equally,” Mr. Tan said.

“There are still elderly sons and daughters of head-tax families who suffered and were excluded by the head tax.”

Currently, only surviving head-tax payers or their spouses are eligible to claim a $20,000 settlement from the federal government.

The Conservative government formally apologized a year ago for the head tax and the subsequent 24-year ban on immigration from China .

Compensation should be extended to the families of deceased head-tax payers who also suffered as a result of the policy, say the supporters of head-tax compensation.

About 81,000 immigrants paid the head tax, which was imposed on Chinese immigrants entering Canada from 1885 until 1923.

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

Newfoundland also imposed a head tax from 1906 to 1949, the year it joined Confederation.

When Mr. Harper made the formal apology last summer, Chinese-Canadian groups had hoped the government would also compensate first-generation children of the head-tax payers.

New Democrat MP Libby Davies, whose riding includes Chinatown , was at the rally and called it “an important day for the families and survivors of head-tax payers.”

“Justice has still not been served. There are still survivors of the head tax who are waiting for the federal government to recognize their pain.”

—

Chinese-Canadians march in head-tax protest:
Further redress needed, say community leaders

By Cheryl Chan, The Province, Sunday, July 01, 2007
 
About 100 people marched through Chinatown today to demand further redress for the families and descendants of Chinese head tax payers.

“Many of the people who were in the rally today who are celebrating being Canadian weren't able to become Canadian until the repeal of [the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1947],” said Sid Tan of the Chinese
Canadian National Council.

He said only 600 families, or less than one per cent of head tax families, have received compensation from the Conservative government.  The redress package is not complete, says Tan, because families of deceased head tax payers who also suffered from the discriminatory policy are not eligible for compensation.  Currently, only living head-tax payers or their spouses are eligible for the $20,000 redress package.

The $50 head tax was first imposed on Chinese immigrants in 1885. It rose to $100 in 1900 and to $500 in 1903. More than 80,000 immigrants paid the head tax until it was lifted in 1923.

(c) The Province 2007

Canada turned 140

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Canada turned 140

Turning 140 is an awesome anniversary.  In 2007, we have so far seen saw the following anniversaries:

1947, May 14th – 60th Anniversary of repeal of Chinese Immigration (Exclusion) Act, which had replaced the Head Tax.

1957, June 10th – 50th Anniversary of election of Douglas Jung, first Chinese-Canadian member of parliament

2006, June 22nd, 1st Anniversary of Parliamentary Apology and Redress for Chinese Head Tax.

still coming up is:

1907, Sep 7th – 100th Anniversary of the Anti-Asiatic League riots in Chinatown and Japantown

It's been an incredible year for Chinese Canadians, and hopefully it will continue.  My grandmother is still to receive her ex-gratia payment for being the living spouse of a head tax descendant.

How did I celebrate Canada Day?

We had a dragon boat practice for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team, and as our tradition on Jazz Festival weekend, we paddled by David Lam Park to listen to the free music concerts.  Afterwards some of us walked up to 3rd Avenue, where a block party was held between Main St. and Quebec St.  There was lots of multicultural food and entertainment – particularly Latino.

Then… some of us drove out to Surrey BC, to the Cloverdale Fairgrounds to see Ian Tyson on stage for the Canada Day celebrations there.  Wide Mouth Mason and Kim Mitchell also played.

Back to downtown Vancouver to watch the return of Canada Place fireworks.  We walked out to the Harry Jerome Statue in Stanley Park for a good view.  Wow… pretty busy.

CBC Radio 690 – Todd to be interviewed for Early Edition with Rick Cluff

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CBC Radio 690 – Todd to be interviewed for Early Edition with Rick Cluff

I am being interviewed 8:20 am Tuesday morning, July 3rd, by Rick Cluff.  They will be asking me about my involvement with the Generations: The Chan Legacy television documentary.

It's been an incredible experience!  How often does a family get to tell their story in a national television series?  I know this is also the result of a lot of hard work.  In 1999, and 2000, we held the first of Rev. Chan Family Legacy reunion dinners.  We were featured in the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum and Archives project: Three Pioneer Chinese Canadian families.

I have been able to preview a dvd of the show – and it brought tears to my eyes.  My parents watched it with me last week, and on Friday night, we showed it to my grandmother.  She was so amazed to see pictures of her grandparents – Rev. & Mrs. Chan Yu Tan… and to hear the stories about them from her sister Helen Lee and cousin Victor Wong.

There are also home movies from my great-grandmother Kate Lee's 75th birthday party from 1965.  As my multi-generational Caucasian-Canadian girlfriend says – “It's like any Canadian family – this one just happens to have gone through anti-Asian racism, the head-tax, and couldn't vote until 1947.”

With film clips from WW2, Douglas Jung, Nanaimo Chinatown in the 1800's, Vancouver Chinatown in the 1950's, Vancouver's golden Jubilee celebrations – This documentary truly is a history of Chinese Canadians in Vancouver and BC.

Chan family

Generations is a 6 part series and the lead installment is The Chan Legacy –
which is about my great-great-grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan, and our
family descendants who are committed to community service – like me! 
The episodes of the series are:


Watch The Chan Legacy on CBC Newsworld

July 4, 10 pm ET/PT,
July 8, 10 am ET/PT,
July 29, 7 pm ET


Producer Halya Kuchmij is very proud of her work, and that we are the first in the series.  It must be a very strong, emotional,
educational documentary.  I have been an adviser and witness to many of
the interviews, as well as some of the script.  I have to say it made
me very proud of our family, and the show is very emotionally
touching.  And I haven't even seen it yet!

Many family members were interviewed:

  • Victor Wong, grand-son, WW2 veteran and Victoria resident who visited his grandparents in Nanaimo BC.
  • Helen Lee, grand-daughter, who lived with Rev. & Mrs. Chan Yu Tan in Nanaimo.
  • Gary Lee, great-grandson who tells about some of the challenges overcome by the family.
  • Janice Wong, great-grand-daughter, and award winning author of CHOW: From China to Canada, memories of food and family.
  • Rhonda
    Larrabee, great-grand-daughter, and chief of the First Nations Qayqayt
    (New Westminster) Band, featured in the NFB film “Tribe of One.”
  • Todd Wong, great-great-grandson, community and cultural activist,
    creator of Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner.
  • Tracey
    Hinder, 5th generation high school student who was the inaugural
    Vancouver CanSpell champion and went on to compete in Ottawa and
    Washington DC.  Tracey is a member of her school's “multicultural club.”


Rev. Chan Yu Tan came
to Canada in 1896, following his elder brother Rev. Chan Sing Kai who
had earlier arrived in 1888 at the invitation of the Methodist Church
of Canada.  These two brothers were later followed by sisters Phoebe in
1899, and Naomi who later moved to Chicago.  Throughout seven
generations, the family has spread throughout Canada and the United
States.  The Rev. Chan Yu Tan Family was featured in the photographic
exhibition Three Early Chinese Canadian Pioneer Families. 


Read my blog entries about Rev. Chan Legacy Project which includes stories during the making of the documentary and events for Janice Wong's award-winning book C H O W: From China to Canada memoris of food and family.

http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/RevChanLegacyProject
http://c-h-o-w.blogspot.com/
Please
tell all your friends and relatives about this upcoming documentary,
very informative about the history of Chinese-Canadians, and the legacy
they have built in Canada.

check out the CBC Generations home page:
http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/generations/

Kaiping diaolou gets UNESCO World Heritage status

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Kaiping diaolou gets UNESCO World Heritage status

Here is a message from my friend David H. Wong.  He is an architect and very excited that UNESCO has give World Heritage status to the diaolou (watchtowers) of Kaiping and Taishan. 


It is with joy that I share some happy news with all. The application for world heritage status for the diaolou
(century old watchtowers of Kaiping and Taishan- the ancestral land of
many of Canada’s early Chinese pioneers) has been accepted!



The official announcement occurred in New Zealand on June 28, 2007 and
a media conference occurred the same day in Vancouver. After 8 long
years… Our efforts has been a success. I’d also like to share the
other wonderful news that Canada’s own Rideau Canal also made the UNESCO World Heritage status. A nice touch for our Canada Day weekend.



It made yesterday’s (Friday) Singtao newspaper frontpage headlines!



Thanks to everyone who helped make this effort happen … Off the top
of my head – Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC (thanks Hayne!),
MLA Jenny Kwan, MP Olivia Chow, Gabriel Yiu, MP Raymond Chan, Victoria
Mayor Alan Lowe, UBC Museum of Anthropology, and many, many others
around our small world – including former Washington state governor,
Gary Locke who graced the info CD and book.



There will be a celebration event on July 7th, 2007 at the Chinese
Cultural Centre. Attached is a small rez image of the announcement
poster.



Have a great Canada Day weekend!!!

Norah Jones is stunning in Vancouver – plays electric guitar

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Norah Jones is stunning in Vancouver – plays electric guitar

Norah Jones stepped onto the stage, quietly, and stood behind a microphone dressed casually  in jeans and a black and white striped top.  She was singing back up for opening act M. Ward.  The restless crowd didn't recognize her at first.  They were expecting to sit through an unknown opening act.   She disappeared after singing 3 duets with Ward.  Give Jones credit for drawing attention to the opening act.  This is Jones' style: understated, professional, warm and highlighting others.

When Jones finally came back as the main act, she stepped onto stage wearing a bright red dress, and a bright red electric guitar.  She strummed chords and sang the opening lines to “Come Away With Me – her big 2002 hit.  What? Norah not at the piano?  She looked like a lost party girl with her fluffy knee length dress and fishnet stockings.  Jones definitely challenged the audience with new renditions of her old songs.  Afterall, this was a jazz festival concert she was playing at.  She shared with the audience that her first performance in Vancouver was a Jazz Festival show.  She was a jazz nerd, and she was only 19 years old.  She tasted her first martini, and didn't like it.  The crowd clapped endearingly.

She moved from piano to electric piano to acoustic guitar, playing songs from her new album, “Not Too Late,” as well as her big selling “Come Away With Me” and it's follow up “Feels Like Home.”  The Handsome Band accompanied her, and I was impressed by its musicianship.  Everybody played at least too instruments.  Guitarist Adam Levy played some banjo, drummer Andrew Borger played marimba, Lee Alexander played electric bass, double bass (with a bow!) and guitar, Daru Oda played flute, electric bass, percussion, hurdy gurdy and even whistled on an acoustic guitar duet with Norah.  It's an amazingly musically diverse band playing jazz, pop, blues, dixie, country and western swing.  And of course the racial diversity is evident with Jones' mixed heritage by father Ravi Shankar, and Oda's Japanese-American heritage.

It was a wonderful concert in an intimate setting.  Jones played solo piano for the Hoagy Carmichael classic “The Nearness of You,” as well as her new political protest song “Election Day.”  I've been a fan of Norah Jones since 2002, when “Come Away With Me” came out.  I love the acoustic emphasis and the soft vocal inflections that sound as if she is singing only to you – from the other side of a table.  The first date I had with my girlfriend, she put on Norah Jones and Diana Krall on the stereo, while I cooked dinner for her.  Going to see our first Norah Jones concert was a perfect capping for my girlfriend's birthday week.

Georgia Straight: What do you remember about Roy Mah?

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My friends George Chow, Wesley Lowe and myself were asked what we remembered about Roy Mah.  Also asked were Don Lee and Tung Chan.  I have known Wesley through his volunteer work with the the Chinese Canadian veterans Pacific Unit 280, and also the Chinese Canadian Military Museum.  Lowe recently completed his film biography “I am the Canadian Delegate” about Douglas Jung, WW2 veteran and the first Chinese Canadian elected to Parliament.  I know George through various community groups such as Anniversaries 07 Committee and his work as a City Councillor.  Earlier this year, George e-mailed me for some advice when he was asked to read a Robbie Burns poem for a Robbie Burns dinner.

 

Straight Issues


What do you remember about Roy Mah?

Straight Issues
Publish Date: June 28, 2007

George Chow
Vancouver city councillor

“I
read his magazines when I was younger. I think his contribution to the
community is that he spearheaded the English press in the Chinese
community and inspired Chinese Canadians who took up writing or arts.”

Todd Wong
Creator of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy intercultural celebration

“He
wanted the best for everybody. You never heard him whine or say bad
things about people. He just worked quietly and created the kind of
world that he wanted to live in and for other people to enjoy.”

Wesley Lowe
Film producer and director

“He
helped pave the way for a multicultural Canada. You and I wouldn't be
here if it wasn't for that. He was very proud of his role in helping
change the racist policies of Canada.”

Georgia Straight: Roy Mah strove to transend race

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Here's a lovely article in the Georgia Straight about Roy Mah
There is also a companion piece What do you remember about Roy Mah? in which I am asked along with George Chow, Wesley Lowe, and Tung Chan.


Mah strove to transcend race

By Carlito Pablo
Publish Date: June 28, 2007
As a journalist, soldier, and organizer, Roy Mah (here with his niece Ramona Mar) fought for equality. Daryl Kahn Cline photo.

As a journalist, soldier, and organizer, Roy Mah (here with his niece Ramona Mar) fought for equality. Daryl Kahn Cline photo.

For
many years, Roy Mah was the face of Chinese journalism in Vancouver.
The long-time publisher of the Chinatown News was also a pivotal figure
in many of the equal-rights struggles fought by Chinese Canadians.

For
the past six decades, people of Chinese ancestry have enjoyed the right
to vote as Canadian citizens. They're free to pursue their dreams in
the various professions. And they owe no small thanks to Mah, who died
at age 95 on June 22.

The head tax on Chinese immigrants had been
in place for 33 years when Mah was born in Edmonton in 1918. He was
five when the federal government introduced a law that barred Chinese
people from entering the country. As a young boy, he attended a
segregated school.

During the Second World War, Mah and hundreds
of Chinese volunteered to fight for Canada, a country that didn't even
allow them to vote. They believed that recognition would come later.
Two years after the war, in 1947, the Chinese were finally granted the
franchise.

“He was very proud of where the Chinese Canadian
community is at today,” Mah's niece Ramona Mar told the Georgia
Straight. “He looks around and they're everywhere in all professions,
and these are professions that used to be barred to him during his
time.”

Early milestones in the history of Chinese Canadians

>
1788: The first Chinese to arrive on the West Coast were 50 artisans
accompanying English captain John Meares. Their fate is unknown.

> 1858: The discovery of gold on the Fraser River attracted Chinese immigrants by way of California.

>
1861: On March 17, Won Alexander Cumyow was born in Port Douglas, B.C.
He was the first child of Chinese origin born in Canada.

>
1880s: Large-scale immigration from China began as labourers were
recruited to build the western section of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

>
1885: Following completion of the railway, the federal government
introduced a head tax to be paid by every Chinese immigrant. Initially
$50, it rose to $100 in 1900 and $500 in 1903.

> 1923:
Parliament passed the Chinese Immigration Act to exclude Chinese people
from entering the country and to regulate those already living here.

> 1947: The Chinese Immigration Act was repealed.

Source: Vancouver Public Library

Mar,
a former CBC journalist, interviewed her uncle for a documentary
project for Veterans Affairs Canada. “I know that we can't have
everything we want in life, but we can always strive to achieve our
objective,” Mah said in that interview. “So I always want to fight for
a cause, especially for a just cause. Fight for civil liberty, fight
for equal rights, fight for a fairer society. It has become reality
now, you know, it's just a matter of daily life.”

Mah was also a
labour organizer. According to a profile drawn by the B.C. Federation
of Labour, he organized thousands of Chinese workers in Vancouver, from
the Fraser River to Hope, and throughout communities on Vancouver
Island. The same account noted that Mah was also the editor of the
Chinese version of the BC Lumber Worker, then the only Chinese-language
labour paper in North America.

In the early 1950s, Mah started
the Chinatown News, Canada's first English-language newsmagazine for
the Chinese community. Howe Lee, president of the Chinese Canadian
Military Museum Society, recalled to the Straight that the publication
was known as much for its coverage of society events as for Mah's
editorials and for the feature stories he ran about social issues such
as the need to end discrimination.

Mah edited and published the
paper until the mid-1990s. In 2002, the Asian Canadian Writers'
Workshop presented him with its inaugural Community Builder Award. In
his acceptance speech, Mah insisted that Asian Canadian writers can
compete with anyone because they're now “free from the racist barriers
imposed on earlier generations”.

Cultural activist Todd Wong was
among the writers who listened to Mah's speech. “At that dinner…he said
it would be wonderful if we were just known as the Canadian Writers'
Workshop,” Wong told the Straight. “It means that we should be able to
transcend race and ethnicity and all be recognized as oneness.”

Head-tax
activist Sid Tan was also present at that event. He has been an
advocate of compensation for all victims of the head-tax policy, a
position not shared by Mah, who had argued that government apology was
sufficient.

“I just wonder what life would have been like if Roy
Mah had joined me and said, 'We want a just and honourable redress for
all head-tax families',” Tan told the Straight. “It wouldn't have been
as much work as it is now. He has a lot of influence within the
community.”

A public memorial will be held for Mah on July 12 at the Chinese Cultural Centre.

Roy Mah's address for the 2002 ACWW Community Buiilder's Award

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Roy Mah's address for the 2002 ACWW Community Buiilder's Award

Special
from Sid Tan.  Sid was on the ACWW organizing committee with me,
when we helped to create the inaugural ACWW Community Builder's Dinner
in September 2002.  Sid filmed the event for his community
television program “Saltwater City.”

I considered Roy a friend and
community leader, often wondering how redress would be if we could have worked
together. He was a kind, courteous and gentle man. 

He once jokingly introduced me as
“the notorious Sid Tan” to a friend. I joked back, “Not as
notorious as you Roy, especially around all those Miss Chinatowns.” He
smiled and retorted without hesitation, “Occupational hazard. Comes with
the job.”

Here's hoping you feel the following
speech by Roy Mah is worth printing. Roy Mah delivered this speech on September
29, 2002 upon receiving the inaugural Community Builder Award from the Asian
Canadian Writers' Workshop.

Yours sincerely,

Sid Chow Tan

—

Roy Quock Quon Mah, OBC, was born in
Edmonton , schooled
in Victoria and died June 22, 2007 in his 89th year. A WWII veteran, he was
among the first Chinese Canadian full-time labour organisers and publisher of
the Chinatown News (1953-1995), an influential English language magazine based
in Vancouver .
Following is his acceptance speech upon receiving the inaugural Community
Builder Award from the Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop on September 29, 2002.

===

Thank you for presenting me with
this unique award. I feel greatly humbled and honoured in accepting it. To me,
the significance of this award is that it is being presented by the Asian
Canadian Writers' Workshop.

When the Chinatown News was founded
a little more than four decades ago, there was no such fraternity as the Asian
Canadian Writers'

Workshop around. Our community then
could best be described as a cultural desert. Yet less than a half century
later, that desert has been transformed into a blossoming colourful literary
garden with authours, novelists and poets popping up everywhere.

Even more gratifying, these writers
have been producing fantastic works in tribute to their skills and
storytelling. Many of their creative masterpieces have been receiving attention
and winning book prizes. This is terrific. At this rate of proliferation of
literati in our community, I predict before long, you will see the emergence of
many literary stars whose writings will qualify for book of the month club and
receiving prestigious awards. And why not?

Free from the racist barriers
imposed on earlier generations, today's Asian Canadian writers can compete with
anyone on a level playing field. In fact, this is already happening. In today's
pluralistic society, the sky's the limit in all areas of national life,
including the cultural realm for gifted individuals.

What a change from the time
Chinatown News had to implore the corporate world and crown corporations to
remove the glass ceiling from job opportunities for ethnic minorities. One of
our pet editorial themes in those days was to needle the mainstream media to
hire more Chinese Canadian journalists for their staff. Now the profusion of
Asian Canadian anchorpersons and reporters in both electronic media and print
is a certainly a source of pride and satisfaction to all of us.

Could it be in the not too distant
future, the Asian Canadian writer's brigade will decide to drop the designation
and just look upon themselves as professional writers like those now working in
the mainstream media?

Second Annual Chinatown Redress Rally on Canada Day:Head Tax Families to Gather at Chinatown Memorial

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This media advisory is sent to me from Sid Tan and the Head Tax
Families Society of Canada.  Last year I took pictures of both the
rally and the Canada Day celebrations at Chinese Cultural Centre:

Canada Day in Chinatown: ceremonies + head tax redress march

Media
Advisory – June 28, 2007

Second
Annual Chinatown Redress Rally on
Canada Day:

Head Tax
Families to Gather at Chinatown Memorial 

Vancouver, BC –  Head Tax Families Society of
Canada
will mark this Canada Day with the Second Annual Chinatown Redress Rally. They
will call on Prime Minister Stephen Harper for an inclusive just and honourable
redress to start with good-faith negotiations with representatives of head tax
families. 

Time:  10:30am
call time – program to begin shortly after

Date:  
Sunday July 1, 2007

Place: Memorial to Railway Workers and War Veterans

           
Keefer and Columbia (NE corner),
Vancouver

The Head Tax Families Society of Canada is today's Canadians on a
twenty-three year struggle for an inclusive redress with justice and honour for
affected head tax families. Go to www.headtaxfamilies.org for more information.

– 30 –

Contact:

Sid Tan – 604-783-1853