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CBC Generations: Film interviews begin today on the history of Rev. Chan family

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CBC Generations:  Film interviews begin today on the history of Rev. Chan family


Todd Wong is interviewed by producer
Halya Kuchmij for the CBC Generations series documentary, at the Dr.
Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens.  Wong's maternal 
great-great-grandfather Rev. Yu Tan Chan met with Dr. Sun Yat Sen,
during his visits to Vancouver.  Wong's paternal cousin Joe Wai is
architect of the gardens. – photo Rick Zimmerman.

We started filming interviews today on the CBC documentary series Generations, which will feature the the Rev. Chan Yu Tan family.  
It is part of a CBC series that focuses on the histories of families
through the generations.  Past episodes include: 100 Years in
Alberta; 100 Years in Sasketchewan; A Century on the Siksika Reserve.

Today our interviews were done at the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens. 
We had a very nice shot of the gardens behind me, while producer Halya
Kuchmij asked me questions.  Camera person is Doug.  Sound
person is Rick.  They have both been doing additional filming of
me at the Richmond Terry Fox Run, and also for a Chinese Canadian
veterans reunion in Victoria last weekend.

Halya's interview topics included:
–  what I knew about my great-great-grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan;
–  what was Vancouver like when Rev. Chan Yu Tan came to Canada in 1896;
–  what kind of racial prejudice did Chinese-Canadians face in Canada;
–  how has knowing about Rev. Chan influenced any of my community service

Then the rain started getting bigger and wetter.  We went for
lunch at Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant which specializes in the old-time style
of Cantonese food favoured by the Pioneer descendants of the 20th
Century.  Co-owner Joanna was very friendly to us, and recommended
a number of dishes.  Halya, Rick, Doug and I exchanged stories
about eating Chinese food, and growing up in Canada.  Doug grew up
in southern Alberta.  Halya grew up in Manitoba, and I grew up in
Vancouver, BC.

We returned to the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens in the afternoon to film me
playing the song “Amazing Grace” on my accordion.  It's a song
that imagine Rev. Chan playing on his own pump organ.  It was
written by former Scottish sea captain, John Newton, who sailed African
slaves to the United States.  He later “saw the light,” and
insisted that the slaves be treated humanely.  He later became a
Chuch minister.

We filmed me playing the song slow… then fast.  I was wearing my
“Fraser Hunting tartan” kilt, to emphasize my character of “Toddish
McWong.”  It was lovely playing Amazing Grace in the
gardens.  With the gentle rain falling, few tourists
visited.  The gardens were peacefully quiet despite the traffic
noise.  And indeed the gardens provide a cultural meditative oasis
in the heart of this busy city called Vancouver.

Tomorrow we travel to Vancouver Island to visit two of Rev. Chan Yu
Tan's grandchildren who remember attending his services at his Nanaimo
Church during the 1930's.

Cafe de Chinitas: when Flamenco and Chinese music meet

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Get your tickets hereCafe de Chinitas: when Flamenco and Chinese music meet

Saturday October 28
8pm
Norman Rothstein Theatre,
Mozaico Flamenco Company
+ Orchid Ensemble

I love Flamenco Music… so I was happily surprised when Lan from the Orchid Ensemble handed me this flyer for the latest project that she will be involved in. 

The Orchid Ensemble has been involved with both traditional and fusion forms of Chinese music in Vancouver for many years, as well as jazz and contemporary.  Lan Tung is the innovative erhu (Chinese violin) player whose influences cross classical, celtic, middle-eastern, folk and blues.  Gelina Jiang is a multi-instrumentalist who can play zheng, ruan, yuetqin, pipa, jinhu and jin-erhu. Jonathan Bernard is a percussionist who also loves the marimba.

Combine these fine musicians with flamenco dancers and musicians, mix them up, light a fire, and watch them go! (or listen!)

Oscar Nieto
and Kasandra founded the Al Mozaico Flamenco Dance Academy in 2002. “Mozaico,” refers to the diversity of the ensemble, a mosaic
of students from different ethnic backgrounds, ages, and various diversities who love flamenco at the academy. 

It's hard for me to play flamenco on my accordion… I have tried to play Al di Meola's “Mediterranean Sundance” but I think I have to stick to my tangos, and other latin tunes like El Choclo, Espana and Two Guitars.  I have seen flamenco greats, Paco de Lucia and Paco Pena in concert here in Vancouver.  And twice… I attended dinner with Paco after his Misa Flamenco concerts… wow… what a treat to have such an attentive cousin who was friends with Paco back in London in the early 1970's.

Finding Memories, Tracing Routes: Chinese Canadian Family Stories Book Launch

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Finding Memories,
Tracing Routes:
Chinese Canadian Family Stories book launch


Wednesday, October 25, 2006
7:30pm

Vancouver Public Library
350 West Georgia Street.
Central Branch
Alice Mackay Room

This
event will be interesting!  I know many of the authors included in
this anthology.  Hayne Wai is my cousin – That's our grandmother
in the picture with my father and his mother, and our Auntie Rose,
Uncle James and Uncle Gilbert.

Dan
Seto is a dragon boater on the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat
team.  Dan joined the team after we met at a CCHSBC event last
year.

Shirley
Chan and her brother Larry are family friends.  Shirley's mother
did a lot of community work in Chinatown and was recently featured in
an episode of Mother Tongue. 


The Chinese Canadian
Historical Society of BC presents the formal book launch of the
groundbreaking collecting for capturing the diversity of British
Columbia and Canada's past. This eight-story collection features
touching and memorable family stories. The
Canadian Chinese Historical Society of BC proudly presents the first
collection of eight stories demonstrating the power of finding common
history in the lives and deaths of those who came before us. Created
during a six-week community writing workshop, this touching and
evocative book is a must-read for all Canadians who want to understand
the central place of Chinese-Canadians in our shared past.

Authors: Shirley Chan,
Belinda Hung, Roy Mah, Dan Seto, Hayne Wai, Candace Yip, Gail Yip and
Ken Yip.

Editor: Brandy Liên
Worrall

Proceeds from the sales of this
collection will go towards the Edgar Wickberg Scholarship for
Chinese Canadian History.

For additional
information on the book launch, please email
info@cchsbc.ca.

For information on the
collection and/or how to purchase, please go its
dedicated page.

The 2006 Hawaii earthquake – from Kapaau

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The 2006 Hawaii earthquake
– eyewitness account from Kapaau

Quake Damage: The Kalahikiola Congregational Church, built in the Kohala district more than 150 years ago, after Sunday's temblor
The Kalahikiola Congregational Church, is just up the road near Kapaau.  
It was built 150 years ago, in the Kohala district, but was damaged in last 
Sunday's earthquake.


What would you do if a big earthquake hit your home?



Last week at 7:07 Sunday morning, October 15th, the island of Hawaii
was rocked by a 6.6 earthquake followed by a 5.8 aftershock. 
Hawaii is one of the most intercultural cultures I have ever
visited.  I love Hawaiian culture.  The town of Kailua-Kona
sits on the west side of the “Big Island” of Hawaii, home to two active
volcanoes:  Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.



Many years ago I experienced an earthquake in San Francisco, a few
months after the big one in 1989.  I was sitting in the War
Memorial Opera House, when I felt somebody kicking the back of my
chair.  I turned around to tell them off – then realized I was
sitting in the last row.  My friend and I were watching the
San Francisco ballet.  We sat and watched as people stood up and immediately started walking towards the exits.  Many people
stayed.  The ballet dancers continued their pas de deux.  We
continued to watch people stand up after and leave during the applause.



My friend now lives in Kapa'au on the northern tip of the island
of Hawaii – north of Kailua-Kona, with their family.  We chatted on the phone a
few days after the earthquake.  Things have settled down.

Vancouver Sun: 100 Influential Chinese Canadians in BC… agree/disagree?

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Vancouver Sun: 100 Influential Chinese Canadians in BC… agree/disagree?

The Vancouver Sun published its pick of 100 most influential Chinese Canadians today. 
They write that senior editors and writers created a preliminary list
that was then scrutinized by their colleagues at Chinese newspapers who
added more names.  Next they consulted with officials at
Univeristy of BC and Simon Fraser University, then with “trusted
community members.”

“We do not intend the list to be a Top
100 ranking, or compehensive in any hierarchical way.  We see it
more as a n assembly of individuals who have made significant
contributions in their respective fields.  We have tried to
balance the various areas of endeavor, gender and geographical
origin.  Where necessary, we opted to include people whose
influence is already well-established, rather than younger people with
great promise.

We opened the list to anyone living and working in British Columbia on
a permanent basis, whter they are Canadian citizens, or longtime
foreign residents.”

My first reaction was…. this is cool.  It's great that the
Vancouver Sun would choose to recognize Chinese Canadians, being the
largest single ethnic group in the Lower Mainland.  However over
the past few years I have also criticized the Vancouver Sun for not
paying attention to issues in the same community.  I think the
Vancouver Sun and other mainstream media have often relegated important
Canadian issues (of Chinese ancestry) and individuals to the back
pages, or often ignored them.

Witness the very same Saturday paper.  “The feature article 100
Influential Chinese Canadians in BC”is on the front page.  But one
of the most important issues in Chinese Canadian history is relegated
to the backwater of page B8 – with only a green headline banner on page
B1 – the front page of the Westcoast section.  The Globe &
Mail put head tax on page 1 of their BC section with a colour
photograph, whereas the Vancouver Sun had only a black and white photo.

It's nice to see friends Sid Tan, Don Montgomery, David Wong, Roy Mah, Sandra Wilking,  Mary-Woo
Sims, and many others that I have known such as Ray Mah, Raymond Louie, Jenny Kwan, Bill Chu, Milton Wong, Bob Lee,
Lydia Kwa, Maggie Ip, Robert Fung, Andrea Eng, Paul Wong, and Eleanor
Yuen.

My next thoughts were that the list was missing many people that have
been my own role models amongst my influences.  People like Joe
Wai
architect of the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens and many other prominant
projects in Chinatown, Beverly Nann OBC former social worker and former
president of explorASIAN (Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society), Jim
Wong-Chu, excutive director and founding member of Asian
Canadian Writers' Workshop and tireless vice-president of
explorASIAN. 

Where is Shirley Chan?  Where is her
naturopathic/chiropractic brother Dr. Larry Chan who has done so much for alternative
healing in Vancouver and BC?  Where is Simon Johnston, playwright
and executive director of the Gateway theatre?  Where is Ken Lum, recently listed in BC Almanac's Greatest British Columbians.

Where is Gabriel Yiu, recently written up in the revised edition of Saltwater City?  Where is Thekla Lit, leader of BC Alpha?  Both of whom also helped to champion an apology for the Chinese Head Tax.

Why does the list include 16 year old golfer Eugene
Wong and not Lori Fung OBC OC, the Olympic gold medalist for rhythmic
gymnastics?  Why pick 16 year old skater Mira Leung, but not veteran Megan Wing who skates pairs with Aaron Lowe (They were both born in Vancouver, but are living in Windsor and training in Michigan – but I am sure they come back from every now and then…)

Why is World Journal editor-in-chief Han Shang Ping on the list when he
has only been in BC for 1 year, and most likely is NOT a Canadian
citizen?

Can you call somebody a valid Chinese-Canadian if they are NOT a
Canadian citizen.  Certainly the Taiwan born Han Shang Ping is of
Chinese ancestry, but I would argue that caucasian SFU professor Jan
Walls has contributed much more to the Chinese-Canadian community and
Jan is a valid Canadian.

Lists are often controversial and the Vancouver Sun has also asked
readers for nominate their own influential Chinese-Canadians by
e-mailing: influential@png.canwest.com

You can bet that I will be. 

Here's some of the introduction of the Vancouver Sun article.

“History lost track of what became of that first “Chinaman,” but his pioneering footsteps cleared a path for innumerable others.

Today,
people of Chinese ancestry are the province's most populous ethnic
minority, numbering almost 500,000 in the Lower Mainland. They wield
immense influence on every aspect of our shared society. In field after
field — arts, politics, law, medicine, science, finance, business,
religion, community affairs, philanthropy — Chinese-Canadians have
taken their rightful place as leaders and innovators.

In some ways, this is Canadian multiculturalism at its very best, a colour-blind gathering of talent and shared purpose.

There's
just one problem: For most of our history, we have been anything but
colour-blind. It wasn't the Anglo-Europeans of British Columbia who had
to fight for the right to belong, or who endured a century of racism of
the most despicable and institutionalized sort. It wasn't the
Anglo-Europeans who were reminded over and over, for generations, that
they were different, lesser than other Canadians: required to pay taxes
but not allowed to vote.

These dark facts make the contemporary
accomplishments of Chinese-Canadians in B.C. all the more impressive.
Not only have they distinguished themselves in so many ways, but
Chinese-Canadians have done so against a background of racism and
discrimination that only just began to abate in the second half of the
20th century.

Prejudice has finally given way to politeness, but
our divisive history lives on in the way the Anglo-European majority
and the so-called Chinese community (actually not one homogenous group,
but many sub-groups divided along linguistic, political and cultural
lines) continue to conduct themselves as two solitudes: nodding
acquaintances who sometimes still ignore one another.”

List 1
List 2

Theatre Review: Griffin and Sabine – an infinite world of love and possibilities

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Theatre Review: 
Griffin and Sabine – an infinite world of love and possibilities

review written by Todd Wong and Deb Martin

October 5th to November 4th
Arts Club Theatre
Granville Island

Surreal is a good way to explain sitting through the innovative Griffin and Sabine
play which began life as the  hit trilogy of books by author Nick
Bantock.  
This was followed by the sequel trilogy “The
Morning Star” in which new characters Isabella and Matthew are
introduced through a
correspondence of their own, and also with Griffin and Sabine. 
The play at the Arts Club includes all six books, each separate trilogy
forming Act 1 or act 2.

The books are unique. The readers are eavesdropping on the private
correspondence of two lovers who have not yet met.  I fell in love
with the books for their sheer beauty and intrigue, as did millions of people around
the world.  With each page I turned, I anxiously looked forward to
the next postcard or letter that they wrote to each other.  

Bantock began his own career as a graphic artist. The books are
exquisitely illustrated, and the book’s narrative is the correspondence
contained on postcards or letters written between the two characters.
The books are filled with envelopes that the reader opens to take out a
letter. The fonts were created to resemble handwriting. His postcards
were elaborate paintings or artistic photographs.  It's wonderful
that Bantock's paintings are used a projections which serve as both a
linkage to the book, and to illustrate the postcards that the
characters are reading.

The characters write to each other between London, England and a
possibly mythical island in the South Pacific.  They travel to
each other’s home but they never meet up… maybe because they live in
different dimensions?  It is like a pop-up book for adults that is
tactile and involving.  And this made it magical.

And now it has been turned into a theatre play.  Not just a
didactic narrative play, or a memory play… but an incredibly innovative play
that takes place as much in the mind as it does on the stage. 
There is no dialogue.  Only monologues as each letter or post card
arrives.

The action begins with the character of Griffin, played by Colin Legge,
holding up an imaginary postcard, as the writer of the card, Sabine,
speaks as if she was writing it. Images from the book are projected in
the background to create scenery on an undecorated stage with few sets.
They help to draw the viewer into the story. Sabine is in a sunken
circle on the right side of the stage that represents the island of
Katie, and there is a chasm at the back of the stage that moves closer
and farther apart depending on how close the characters are at any
moment.

Lois Anderson is superb in the role of Sabine, a girl of unknown
heritage who is found and adopted by her exploring parents on the island of Katie.
She has the gift of telepathic perception and can see Griffin  as he
creates his postcards in London England. She is enchanted by his
artwork, and finally writes to him. Griffin, of course, believes he is
hallucinating when he receives a letter from a woman from a far off
land claiming to know him. Sabine is able to describe details that she
could only know by seeing Griffin, and Griffin is so lonely in his life
that he welcomes the company, even in its unusual form.

The play requires a suspension of belief and a willingness to escape to
a bit of fanastical fantasy where visions of wonder become real, and
voyages between far off lands just happen, and people fall in love
without having met.

And that’s just the first act.

The second act is based on the second trilogy of books where Isabella
is a student , and her boyfriend Matthew is an archeologist working in
Egypt.  Soon, Sabine writes to Matthew, and Griffin begins his
correspondence to Isabella.  Rather than a repeat of the first
act, with four characters the interaction is exponentially
multiplied.  When a character recalls a dream, the other three
characters stand together, then sway and hum and sing.  Very weird
– but very cool.

To create a play from the books presents the challenge of taking the
tangible where so much depends on visual impact, and translating it to
the verbal medium.  Dramaturg Rachel Ditor writes in the program
that “experimentation is at the heart of play development – oftentimes,
we find out what the play is by finding out first what it isn’t.”

What they found is that the story is a beautiful series of monologues
held together by themes of love, fear, hope and compassion.  It
allows the actors to really play with their words, and to accentuate
with subtle or sustained physical movements.  

While the first act emphasized the physical and emotional separation of
strangers getting to know each other, the second act builds upon an
already realized intimacy between Isabella and Matthew. Actor Andrew
McNee is wonderful to watch as Matthew, an expressive yin to the
inwardly focused Griffin.  Megan Leitch as Isabella is similarly
brilliant as they must demonstrate their deep love  without
conversing, or touching – but through their words and actions. 
This allows the action to move to a more sensually heightened tension,
that is threatened by the mysterious Mr. Frolatti, who threatens Sabine
and Isabella to turn over the correspondence.  

Marco Soriano plays both Frolatti as well as the Griffin’s cat,
Minalouche, bringing both a convincing menace as well as gentle yet
humourous presence to the stage.   We think that Soriano must
really enjoy playing Minalouce the cat.  He does such a great job,
and probably really likes having his stomach rubbed onstage by Isabella

Griffin and Sabine, is an exciting play to watch – the actors make good
use of the stage, the set moves, the artwork of Nick Bantock is
projected on the back screen, and a live musical score is provided by a
double bass, and marimba/tabla drums.

It may not be all
understandable on a first sitting.  The play, like interculturalism,
demands the audience to be open-minded, which brings an appreciation of
new ideas and experiences. 
And like a good film, this play
will beg another reading of the books and a return.  Think of
going on talk back Tuesdays when the cast and crew answer questions from the audience.

Globe & Mail: Final Hopes realized at last – redress + correction

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Globe & Mail: Final Hopes realized at last – redress
+ correction

Here is the Petti Fong article in the Globe & Mail.  It was nice to meet Petti at the ceremony.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061021.BCHEADTAX21/TPStory//BritishColumbia/

Victor Wong, executive director of the Chinese Canadian National Council, sends this correction for the article:

Just a small
correction to the Globe article (the BC version has a more extensive
story than the national version online). We met Charlie when he showed
up at one of our community meetings when the lawsuit was launched (not
in mid 80s). First Sid, then Gim and I developed a friendship with him
as  he was the only surviving HT payer  attending and we  promised  him
that we would  fight to get his money back for him.  Some of you may
have read Sid's account of helping Charlie back in August with his
application, and there are clips of Gim and Charlie in Karen Cho's
documentary (Gim: “I made a promise to Charlie….”). The 'story within
a story' concluded yesterday when Minister Bev Oda called upon Charlie
Quan to receive the first ex-gratia payment of $20,000. Gim Wong,
resplendent in uniform, sat beside Charlie and the presentation
ceremony was held up for a few moments when harlie sat back down in his
seat as Charlie and Gim counted the zeroes on the cheque.


We did keep our promise to Charlie Quan, all of us did.


cheers,
Victor

Final hopes realized at last — redress

Ottawa hands out cheques in Chinatown to three who had to pay infamous head tax

PETTI FONG

VANCOUVER
— Their combined ages round off to 200, and with all their years lived
and all their dreams fulfilled or forgotten, Charlie Quan and Thomas
Soon each had just one hope left.

The two men wanted to live long enough to see the government
apologize and repay them for the $500 head tax it cost each of them to
enter Canada.

They arrived separately as teenagers and they lived very different
lives. But when Mr. Soon, 97, arrived inside the meeting hall yesterday
and saw Mr. Quan, 99, the two elderly men reached toward each other,
grasped the other's hands and held on as if they were old friends.

“It feels like we've been waiting for this day for a long time,” Mr.
Soon said after receiving his $20,000 cheque from the federal
government for redress. “For many years, I did not have hope it would
happen. I knew I had to live long enough to see it.”

Last week, while in Vancouver, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said
apologizing to the Chinese community for the head tax was the only
thing the government could do to right the decades-old wrong.

The 1923 Exclusion Act, which divided families after an onerous $500
entry fee was put into effect for people coming from China, was a
“moral blemish on our country's soul,” Mr. Harper said. It was finally
lifted in 1947 at the request of Chinese-Canadian soldiers who fought
in the Second World War. The government gave in to their demands for
full citizenship rights and lifted the fee.

Mr. Soon arrived in Canada as a 13-year-old, with the weight of his
family's village on his shoulders. Relatives paid his entry fee and he
was put to work to pay the tax back and send money home to his parents
and siblings.

He did it with pennies saved from the $25 he earned each month working at a vegetable and food stand.

“I didn't think about that too much,” Mr. Soon said when asked if
the debt he had to repay overwhelmed him. “I was too busy working and
saving money.”

When repeatedly asked yesterday about what he planned to do with the money from the government, his answers were simple.

“Take it to the bank. Spend it,” said Mr. Soon, handing the cheque over to his wife Siumui Soon.

Canadian Heritage and Status of Women Minister Bev Oda handed out
three cheques yesterday in Vancouver's Chinatown — to Mr. Soon, Mr.
Quan and Betty Jung, daughter-in-law of Ah Foo Chin, who was unable to
attend in person.

Unlike Mr. Quan, who plans to spend some of the money by taking his family to China, Mr. Soon said he's too old to travel now.

“The only plan I have is maybe dinner with the family,” he said yesterday.

When Sid Tan and Victor Wong, two community activists, first met
Charlie Quan in the mid-1980s and learned he was a head-tax payer, they
promised him they would fight for redress.

“We made him that promise and we never forgot,” said Mr. Wong, the executive director of the Chinese Canadian National Council.

“We knew it was going to be a fight.”

When the association began trying to get redress for head-tax
payers, there were still 2,000 to 3,000 of them living in the 1980s.
But today, just 36 surviving payers have been identified.

The government will pay $20,000 to each living head-tax payer and to spouses of deceased head-tax payers.

Chan Suen, 75, wept as she remembered her father who paid the head tax as a young man and died in the 1960s.

“My heart is very black today,” Ms. Chan said in Cantonese as she wiped tears from her eyes at the ceremony.

While she was glad for Mr. Soon and Mr. Quan, she grieved for her family and the hardship her father suffered.

“The government took this first step and I can't understand why they
can't take the second step and help the family of the people who paid.”

Sid Tan's grandparents are dead and both paid the tax. He said there
are about 81,000 descendents the government won't compensate.

“The Harper government is saying the Chinese do not deserve
justice,” said Mr. Tan, who vowed to continue pressing the government
to provide redress for descendents. “We are building a movement that
will outlast the Harper government.”

For Mr. Quan, who came to Canada as a skinny 15-year-old in 1923 and
worked for 20 years in Leader, Sask., to pay off the $500 fee, he says
his satisfaction on the eve of turning 100 is that he outlasted the
government.

“They kept saying for years they weren't going to pay, but I knew
that one day the government would do the right thing,” he said.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061021.BCHEADTAX21/TPStory//BritishColumbia/

I don't eat chicken feet – I eat haggis. I AM CANADIAN

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I don't eat chicken feet – I eat haggis. 
I AM CANADIAN

I was just checking up on Susanna Ng's blog site Chinese in Vancouver, when I discovered this wee little article head-tax-families-turn-mischievious.html
commenting about the upcoming anniversary commemoration for the Nov.
24th head tax redress rally against the signing of the Liberal
government's Agreement in Principle – which would have NOT given an
apology, no individual compensation, and given community funds to a
newly formed foundation headed by an ethnic Chinese born and raised in
Malaysia – who had nothing to do with being a head tax
descendant. 

The weird thing is a comment by somebody named M. Shanfeld who goes off
on a rant about some oath called “faan Ching fuk ming ” He writes that
it  “means undermine and overthrow by any sly
underhanded means the Ching and support Chinese taking control from the
Ching” – this refers to the overthrow of the last emperor and the
corrupt Ching Dynasty by Dr. Sun Yat Sen and his followers who created
the Repulic of China.  Dr. Sun Yat Sen is known as the father of
Modern China.  He came to Vancouver three times, to help raise
money for the “revolution.”

My great-great-grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan – met with Dr. Sun Yat Sen during at least one of his Vancouver visits.  My cousin Joe Wai is architect of the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens in Vancouver, named after the good doctor.

It's amazing that in this day and age that many so-called “Canadians”
might feel threatened by immigrants.  Afterall it is immigrants
that built this country (after taking the land from First Nations
people).  But some of the Chinese-Canaidan pioneer descendants
felt resentful of the 1980's immigration waves from Hong Kong, and some
of the established Hong Kong Chinese-Canadians now feel resentful of
the newest immigration waves from China.  I guess that some white
Canadians might feel resentful of recent immigration – regardless of
colour or culture.

Anyways… Mr. Shanfeld takes his rant further and goes on to say that Chinese want to take over Canada.

Here is my response to Mr. Shanfeld.

Whooooaahhh…  Mr. Shanfeld Whoooahh!

I don't know which century
you are living in – but this is no longer the 19th century of 1895 when
the Chinese Head tax was initiated. This is now the 21st century and
there are now at least 7 generations of Canadians of Chinese ancestry
in my family.

This issue is Canadian – not the politics of China – that's a different issue.

I
was at the Nov 26th Rally. In fact, I was the second protester to
arrive
after organizer Mr. Sid Tan.  “The power of One!”said Sid to
onlookers.  When he saw me arrive, he corrected himself, “The
power of Two!” I arrived with placards to inform the
public that the United Nations had asked Canada to apologize and make
redress – just like New Zealand had done.

The people at the Nov
26, 2005 rally were not interested in “taking over Canada” – We just
want to be recognized as “Canadians.” For generations Chinese Canadians
have been systemically marginalized and ignored. This is what the
redress package and apology is for – the Head Tax and Exclusion Act
that was designed to preserve a “White Canada.”

And now… we
have many White and Chinese mixed race couples producing new
generations of babies that will grow up embracing their multicultural
heritage. Canada is not about US vs Them. Canada is about “Living
Together.”  Haven't you been listening or reading the Th?nk Vancouver
theme of CBC Radio One and the Georgia Straight?

I don't know what Mr. Shenfeld is talking about…

As a 5th Generation Canadian – who just happens to be blessed with beautiful Chinese DNA – I regard myself as 100% Canadian.

I
don't speak Chinglish, but understand some words and phrases in
Mandarin and Cantonese. I am fluent in English
and conversational in French. I was born in Vancouver – not
Hongcouver. 
My parents and my grandmother were born in BC, not China. My cousin
Rhonda is a First Nations Indian Chief – not a member of the Red Guard.
I race dragon boats in Canada and the US – not in China. Even though I
travelled to Beijing and Taipei, when my highschool friends went to
Europe, I couldn't
recognize the Chinese national anthem – I sing O Canada. I am not a
member of the Chinese National Congress – I am a director of the
Canadian Club Vancouver. I don't eat chicken feet – I eat haggis with
sweet and sour sauce.
I AM
CANADIAN!

Check out the original Molson Canadian “My name is Joe, I am Canadian rant”
YouTube – I AM CANADIAN !

Charlie Quan receives the first head tax redress cheque

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Charlie Quan receives the first head tax redress cheque


Arms raised in triumph! Head
Tax redress campaigners Victor Wong, Gim Wong, Sid Tan stand behind the
second and first head tax ex-gratia payments to Thomas Soon and Charlie
Quan – photo Todd Wong

Ninety-nine year old Charlie Quan recieved the very first ex-gratia cheque
for Chinese head tax redress, presented by Bev Oda, Minister of
Canadian Heritage and Status of Women.  Oda and David Emerson,
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacifc Gateway and
the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, were in town to present the cheques to
Quan, Thomas Soon (aged 95) and Ah Foon Chin (aged 96) who could not attend and was represented by his daughter-in-law. 

In 1923, Quan had to
pay $500 to enter Canada, estimated to be the cost of a house or two
years wages back then.  Only ethnic Chinese were charged the head
tax.  It was a concerted effort to keep Canada white, and
discourage Chinese from coming to Canada. 
Beginning in 1885, the Canadian government imposed a
$50 fee on Chinese immigrants, which was raised to $100 in 1900 and to
$500 in 1903. But by 1923,
Chinese were still coming, so the Canadian government passed the
“Chinese Exclusion Act” which effectively banned all Chinese
immigration, and was not rescinded untl 1947, after WW2,

During the head tax redress campaign,
Charlie Quan repeatedly stated that he wanted his money back. 
Quan was interviewed for the NFB documentary ” In the Shadow of Gold Mountain,” written and directed by head tax descendant Karen Cho. 
Earlier in 2006, Quan stated that he thought a head tax redress
settlement would be worth $35,000. 

After Quan received his cheque and posed for pictures with Minister Bev Oda, he sat down beside his friend Gim Wong,
also a veteran of Chinese head tax who completed a “Ride for Redress” on his motorcycle across
Canada to Ottawa in 2005 to draw attention to the head tax/exclusion act redress
campaign. Wong was also featured in the movie “In the Shadow of Gold Mountain.” 
Quan and Gim immediately looked at the cheque and
began to count to check the number of “zeroes”on it.  After so
many years of seemingly hopeless campagining, they still found it hard
to believe that redress payments were actually happening. 
Payments for surviving spouses will begin in November, 2006.



Hon. Bev Oda presents the cheque to
Thomas Soon in front of media cameras.  Gim Wong (seated 
center in uniform) smiles.  Charlie Quan shows his cheque to
grandson Terry. – photo Todd Wong

Quan was accompanied by his favorite grandson Terry Quan and Terry's
wife and two children.  Together they represented a legacy of four
generations of Chinese Canadians going back to 1923 when Charlie Quan
arrived with his father in 1923.

Also accompanying Quan and Wong, were Victor Wong, executive
director
of the Chinese Canadian National Council,
Colleen Hua (national CCNC
president), and Sid Tan national CCNC board representative.  Both
Wong and Hua and travelled from Toronto to attend the event, and both
say they will continue the campaign to include descendants of
predeceased head tax payers and spouses.



Head Tax redress campaigners Ron Mah,
Colleen Hua (CCNC National president), Gim Wong and Victor Wong (CCNC
executive director) – photo Todd Wong

It was the CCNC that helped lead the campaign for a more comprehensive
redress package than the Agreement-in-Principle that was signed almost
a year ago by Prime Minister Paul Martin.  That agreement gave no
apology nor individual compensation, and only promised an
“acknowledgement,” and community funding.

Also present were many of the members of the Head Tax Families Society,
including Ron Mah, Foon Chan, Cynthia Lee and myself.  Other head
tax descendants attending were Col. Howe Lee and Vancouver city
councillor George Chow.  Howe was a signatory on the Liberal
Agreement-in-principle document for which the veterans signed onto
because they hoped to see some form of “acknowledgement” in their
lifetime as they saw their numbers  dwindling each year.  Up
until the Liberal A.I.P., no previous Canadian government had been
willing to tackle the Chinese head tax or Exclusion Act
issue.   While the NDP, Bloc Quebecois and Green Party each
agreed to the CCNC call for Head Tax apology – the Conservative Party
did not join the redress bandwagon until after Prime Minister Paul
Martin stumbled on his pseudo apology given on a Chinese language radio
program.


Head Tax Descendants: Vancouver City
Councillor George Chow and Col. Howe Lee, president of the Chinese
Canadian Military Museum attended the event – photo Todd Wong.

After the initial and obligatory photographs of each cheque
recipient were taken with Ministers Oda and Emerson, I suggested a
photo with all
the head tax descendants in the room together.  Both Sid Tan and
Howe Lee had to finish media interviews before they were able to join
us standing at the front.  The three head tax redress cheque
recipients sat on chairs in front, beside Ministers Oda and
Emerson.  Gim and Sid were both heard saying to Charlie Quan “We
kept our promise” – which was to continue campaigning for head tax
redress until he would a redress payment.  They cut it pretty darn
close to Charlie turning 100 years old before the redress payment
arrived.

I was asked today how I felt about the presentation of the cheques, and
my reply was that it is bittersweet.  Only less than 1% of 81,000
head tax payers and spouses will recieve the ex-gratia cheque payments,
because the Conservative government is only giving them to surviving
head tax payers or their surviving spouses.  This means that there
will be no recognition of the head tax certificate paid by my
great-grandfather Ernest Lee, because both he and my great-grandmother
passed away a long time ago.  Only head tax payers and spouses who
were still alive in February 2006 when the Conservative government came
to power will be recognized.

Sid Tan, long time head tax activist since the 1980's says that the
campaign for honour and justice will continue.  Sid's late
grandfather paid the head tax, but his grandmother is no longer alive
to collect a redress cheque.

But all is not bitter….  There is much to celebrate.  One
year ago on Novmber 26th.  Then Prime Minister Paul Martin came to
Vancouver for the A-I-P ceremony, and met with Charlie Quan, so that
Martin could have a “face to face”with an actual living breathing head
tax payer. Martin told Quan to his face, that there would be no
individual compensation.  What a difference seven months made when
on June 22, Charlie Quan sat at the Hotel Vancouver listening to Prime
Minister Harper make an apology for the Chinese head tax, and promised
that there would be payments to living head tax payers and spouses.

After the ceremony, we walked up Pender St. and celebrated at the New
Town Bakery for lunch.  Charlie was surrounded by his grandson and
grandsons.  Gim Wong sat at the next table with Ron Chin, Foon
Chang, Victor Wong and myself.  Sid joined us immediately after
going to the CBC studios for an interview.  We took
pictures.  Charlie held his cheque up for all to see. And…
Charlie Quan paid for our celebration.



The celebratory meal…  Charlie
Quan holds his ex-gratia head tax payment cheque, accompanied by
redress campaigners Sid Tan, Gim Wong, Foon Chang, Ron Mah, Victor Wong
and Todd Wong

Click here for Susanna Ng's article + pictures:  Canada-delivers-first-head-tax-redress

Click here for more Head Tax information, links and stories on www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com

check out these other head tax media stories:

Ottawa issues head tax redress payments to Chinese Canadians

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2006/10/20/head-tax.html

Cheques of $20,000 given to surviving head tax payers

Vancouver Sun 

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=
af360db4-1ff5-4cae-9cdd-bae5b95ef912&k=81059

CCNC: First Redress Payments Issued On Friday

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CCNC:  First Redress Payments Issued On Friday

Here's a news release from the Chinese Canadian National Council in Toronto.

Finally after many years of campaigning, and after many peaceful marches and demonstrations and rallies and meetings… redress payment for the Chinese head tax is happening.  I will be there.

For Immediate Release

October 18, 2006

First Redress Payments Issued On Friday

(Toronto/Vancouver). Representatives of the Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) will be attending the presentation of first redress payments to Chinese Head Tax payers in Vancouver on Friday. CCNC representatives include: Colleen Hua, CCNC National President, Sid Chow Tan, CCNC National Director and Victor Wong, CCNC Executive Director.

Where:      S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

            28 West Pender St. , Vancouver , British Columbia

When:       October 20, 2006 at 10:30 am

CCNC and redress groups have led the campaign for redress of the Chinese Head Tax, Newfoundland Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act for over 22 years. During this period, CCNC has registered more than 4000 head tax payers and families seeking a just and honourable resolution. On June 22, 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a formal apology and announced individual symbolic financial redress to living head tax payers and living spouses of deceased head tax payers.

CCNC and redress groups have been assisting the living head tax payers with their application since late August. “We are very happy for the head tax payers who will be receiving these first payments,” Colleen Hua, CCNC National President said today. “This is a restorative moment for the Chinese Canadian community as we begin a genuine process of reconciliation with the Canadian Government.”

CCNC and redress groups continue to press for redress that is inclusive of all head tax families. “The June 22nd redress announcement covers just over 10% of the head tax families registered with us,” Victor Wong, CCNC Executive Director said today. “We will press for inclusive redress to restore dignity to all head tax families including those where the head tax payer and spouse have both passed away.”

CCNC continues to work with other redress groups including the Ontario Coalition of Chinese Head Tax Payers and Families (Ontario Coalition) and B.C. Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants (B.C. Coalition) in the campaign to redress the Chinese Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act.

 

-30-

 

For more information, please contact Victor Wong at (416) 977-9871.