Category Archives: Multicultural events

Vancouver Sun: Joy Kogawa Story + tonight reading at Vancouver Public Library

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Vancouver Sun: Joy Kogawa story + tonight reading at Vancouver Public Library

Today's Vancouver Sun features a
story Joy Kogawa and the plans for the preservation of Kogawa House to
turn it into a Writing Centre.  There is an interview with
Constance Rooke, president of PEN Canada, stating how
excited she is that the proposed writing centre has tremendous cultural
and literary potential.


House
pitched as refuge for exiled writers
Vancouver Sun, by Kevin Griffin

Turning the Kogawa house into a home for writers in exile would help
cement Canada's international leadership role in helping persecuted
writers from around the world, according to the head of one of the
country's major writers' organizations.

Constance Rooke,
president of PEN Canada, said the history of the house, the childhood
home of writer Joy Kogawa who was interned with 22,000 other Japanese
Canadians during the Second World War, makes it a perfect fit for
writers who have fled imprisonment and restrictions on freedom of
expression in their own countries.

Rooke said if the campaign
to raise $1.25 million to save the house is successful, it would become
the only residence in the country dedicated to housing writers in exile.

“My
initial response to the campaign to save the Kogawa house was that this
was a house that ought to be saved because this is a very important
part of our history and literature,” Rooke said from Victoria.

“I've become increasingly excited about the house becoming a home for writers in exile.”

“I cannot think of any Canadian
writer's house whose destruction would pain me more,” Rooke said in a
letter to Vancouver council urging them to save the house.


Read more of  Kevin Griffin's article in the Vancouver Sun

House
pitched as refuge for exiled writers
Vancouver
Sun (subscription) – Vancouver,British Columbia,Canada
Turning
the Kogawa house into a home for writers in exile would
help cement Canada's international leadership role in helping persecuted
writers from around …



Tonight is the Joy Kogawa book reading at Vancouver Public Library
Joy Kogawa's Emily Kato Book Launch
Vancouver Public Library
Central Branch, Alice McKay Room
February 27th, 7:30pm

EMILY KATO

“A
Celebration of Emily Kato”
featuring author Joy Kogawa
with special surprise literary and musical guests + silent auction  to help raise funds for the preservation of Kogawa House.


I feel very honoured that Joy has asked me to MC tonight's event. 
It was just over a week ago, that she decided she wanted to do
something more celebratory for the Emily Kato book launch.  We had
just had a wonderful reading of “Joy Kogawa and Friends” at Chapters
bookstore on Robson St. featuring Roy Miki, Daphne Marlatt and Ellen
Crowe-Swords.  Joy asked if Roy and musician Harry Aoki would be
able to present something.  I also looked into asking Vancouver
Opera if they could participate, since their production of Naomi's Road
is currently touring BC schools and is still in the Vancouver Lower
Mainland.

Emily Kato was originally planned for a 2005 launch at VPL
during One Book One Vancouver, but was turned into a preview reading
because the book wasn't ready for printing by Penguin yet.

Tonight will be something special:
We have created a program that will hopefully bring “Emily Kato”
alive.  It was originally written in 1992 under the title of
“Itsuka” which means “someday.”  Itsuka fictionalizes the
emotional upheavals, personal challenges and the political drama of the
Japanese Canadian redress movement of the 1980's. 

Harry with Dal Richards at Feb 15th “Order of Canada / Flag Day luncheon”

Musician Harry Aoki will perform and bring some musical guests. 
Harry Aoki, as a young twenty-something young man, left the Vancouver
area in 1942 voluntarily, before being forced to “evacuate.”  He
had to leave behind his prized violin, and only took his harmonica, so
he could carry more belongings.

Roy Miki (Centre) with Rev. Tim Nakayama (Joy's brother) and Joy Kogawa.

Professor Roy Miki, will perhaps read something from his book Redress: Inside the Japanese Canadian Call for Justice which
documents the redress process that he and Joy shared with other redress
leaders such as Cassandra Kobayashi and Roy's brother Art Miki. 
Roy was born after internment, when his parents were assigned to work
on a beet farm in Alberta.

Jeni Kato (Save Kogawa House committee member) and Jeff Chiba Stearns,  film maker.

Jeff Chiba Stearns is a third generation (Sensei) internment
descendent, who has struggled with his identity of being
half-Japanese.  He grew up in in Kelowna and made an animated film
about his experience.  Jeff is currently in Manchester England for
a Film Festival, but we will show clips from his film and his girl
friend Jeni will be present.

And a silent auction!  With books donated by Raincoast publishing,
a Linda Ohama print donated by Roy Miki, Vancouver Opera tickets to
Faust, and tickets for Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre.

How it unfolds, will hopefully allow readers will appreciate Joy's
“Emily Kato”all the more, as both Roy Miki and Harry Aoki helped to
inspire the composite characters in the book.



Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival: a new event for March about friendship

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Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival: a new event for March about friendship



Vancouver has a new festival centred on friendship.  The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is
the brain child of Linda Poole who was originally struck by how
beautiful the cherry blossoms in Vancouver are, and wondered why they
weren't celebrated the way they are in Japan…. (go see the movie
Memoirs of a Geisha for an example).

I first met Linda, when a new cherry tree was being planted on
Novemeber 1st, at Vancouver City Hall.  It was “Obasan Cherry Tree
Day” in recognition of the achievements of Joy Kogawa, and the efforts
to save and preserve “Kogawa House” and to plant a tree for continuing
friendship and harmony for future generations of Vancouver to
share.  Joy even wrote a poem for the festival:

A window opens

Cherry Blossom Festival

Look! Friendship growing
             –  Joy Kogawa

Some of the planned events are:


Blossom Picnic

Origami Workshop
March 16th, Thursday at Vancouver Public Library


NHK Japan Screening
March 12th

Haiku poetry contest

Asian Canadian Olympic Athletes: Women's Ice Skaters mix cultural themes just like Canada's interculturalism

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Asian Canadian Olympic Athletes: Women's Ice Skaters mix cultural themes

Watching the Women's figure skating is one of my favorite Olympic
events.  It was a special treat to watch Michelle Kwan skate (if
only in practice) during the World Championships in Vancouver back in
2001.  There is a special balance of grace and power, beauty and
athleticism.

But most of all, today I was struck by the intermixing of ethnic
musical themes…  American Sasha Cohen skated to the Russian folk
theme of “Dark Eyes” for her short program, then to the Italian
composer Nino Rota's score for the movie “Romeo & Juliet” for her
long program.  Russian Irina Slutskaya skated to a Spanish
flamenco soundtrack, and Japanese gold medal winner Shizuka Arakawa
skated to Italian Puccini's Turandot opera music, which was set in
China.

I have always enjoyed watching atheletes such as Kristi Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan and pairs skater Megan Wing
because they represent Asian-North Americans, that have been accepted
to represent their country.  It has taken a long time for Asian-Canadians
to be more accepted in professional and amateur sports.  Size
doesn't seem to be as much of an issue as it is in hockey or
football.  But football hall-of-famer Normie Kwong and hockey star Paul Kariya,
certainly have given little Asian-Canadian boys sports heros to look up
to, where they can go out and compete and feel like they too can
accomplish, compete and belong. 

Canada's first Member of Parliament of Chinese descent was Douglas Jung,
born in Canada and a WW 2 veteran.  He told a story about becoming
Canada's representative to the United Nations and being told that he
was in the wrong seat (marked Canada) and that the seat for China was
elsewhere.  This is not dissimilar to Kristi Yamguchi being
misidentified by media broadcasters as “skating for Japan”, or Michelle
Kwan being misidentified as “a Chinese skater.”

As a young Asian Canadian, I grew up not being encouraged to go for
sports, even though I did fairly well on my highschool wrestling and
badminton teams.  I do believe that my brother and I missed our
athletic calling in the then-new sport of freestyle skiing as we easily
out-moguled and performed ski ballet tricks better than our friends,
and generally most other people on the mountain.  It helped that we had pictures of premier freestyle skier Wayne Wong on our walls. 

For any ethnic minority, sometimes just feeling like you fit in, is the
hardest thing to find.  This is one of the positives of having
government supported and endorsed multicultural programs.  It has
filtered into many aspects of society.  More immigrants to Canada
have also broadened our concepts of multiculturalism, and inter-racial
and inter-cultural marriages have produced younger generations of
children who can claim many ancestral ethnic heritages – but still have challenges
feeling like they fit in.

And now there is a new generation of Olympic Asian-Canadians that include medal winning Women's hocky player Vicky Sunohara, figure skater Mira Leung, and hopefully soon… snowboarder Alexa Loo.  As well as American speed skater Apollo Ohno.  Seeing athletes like Indo-Italian-Canadian figure skater Emanuel Sandhu
and the half-Japanese Karyia hockey brothers, speaks to our sense of a
nation that can value all races and cultures equally. 
Inter-racial marriage is accepted especially in a city like Vancouver,
which has the highest ratio of inter-racial couples in Canada. 
This is the message of racial and cultural harmony that Vancouver 2010
can give to the world at the next winter Olympics.  The World is
Welcome in Vancouver!

Gung Haggis Fat Choy invades Ottawa: A Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner hosted by Kristin Baetz and Doug McCallum.

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Gung Haggis Fat Choy invades Ottawa:
  
A Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner hosted by Kristin Baetz and Doug McCallum.
  

Doug McCallum and Kristin Baetz play with Lion head masks in their new Ottawa home, as Doug tries to impersonate Toddish McWong – photo courtesy of Baetz/McCallum.
The Gung Haggis Fat Choy home dinner concept is definitely
spreading.  While I have encouraged my friends in Victoria, Calgary,
Winnipeg, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax to invite friends to
their homes and raise a glass or a pint to Toddish McWong, there have
been some complete strangers sending my their stories and pictures.

Kristin Baetz and Doug McCallum attended the 2005 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner in Vancouver, co-hosted by myself, Shelagh Rogers and Tom Chin.  It was the largest one yet at 560 people.  But Kristin and Doug moved to Ottawa,
and so unable to attend the official Gung Haggis Fat Choy™: Toddish
McWong s Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner. they created their
own dinner party for 30 people with home-made haggis won ton.

Below is the story told through e-mails between Kristin and myself.


Chinese Lions approach the Baetz/McCallum home in Ottawa – reminds me of the 2002 GHFC dinner that almost got cancelled due to a rare Vancouver snow storm – photo courtesy of Baetz/McCallum

Kristin:  Hi Todd….  My partner and I spent the last 4 years in Vancouver, and being of partial to Chinese food and of Scottish
decent, we loved attending your Gung Haggis Fat Choy Party.  It was the highlight of our time in Vancouver.  We have recently moved to Ottawa
and we decided to host our own Gung Haggis Fat Choy Party in our
house…which, though small with only ~30 people, was amazing.  We had
lion dancers, bagpipers and off course haggis wontons.  We thought you
would like to hear about the! spread of your celebration and enjoy
seeing our pictures.

Todd:  Very Cool…. how did you get
the haggis won tons?  Did you make them yourself?  Did you use straight
haggis or did you add water chestnuts to make them crunchy?


K:  I made them myself.  I was surprised to find that a local butcher
sells Haggis year round by the slice (2inches).  Supposedly lots of
people fry it up like a steak for dinner.  Used a slice to make the
stuffing for our won tons –next year I will remember to add the water
chestnuts.   Surprisingly the actually full haggis was big hit, served
it like you did with lettuce and plum sauce so people could wrap it,
and there was none left by the end of the night.  Who would have
thought!! 

T:  Which dinners did you attend in Vancouver?

K:  We attended the 2005 dinner.

T:  How did you originally hear about Gung Haggis Fat Choy? 


K:  I think we first heard of it on the CBC morning show.  You have
gotten great support from the CBC over the years.  We also saw some of
your posters around town too. 

T:  Can I post your story and pictures to the website?


K:  Sure.  Unfortunately, in all the festivities we
didn't get any shots of our bag-piper lead parade through the house
with the haggis and all the neighborhood kids following, trying to
figure out what was going on.  They weren't too impressed by the
sheep stomach thing.


Chinese Lion Dancers bless the Baetz/McCallum home, and help celebrate the very 1st Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner in Ottawa – photo courtesy of Baetz/McCallum

T:  I hope you read the story about Adam Protter in Whistler BC….


K:  I just did.  He put on a quiet a dinner feast!!  We only had Asian
and Scottish inspired snack food.  Lots of dumplings, satay, stinky
Scottish cheese, Chinese candies, shortbread, gravlax, homemade
egg-rolls and the famous haggis wontons.  And most
important – lots of different scotches to taste and cases of TsingSao
Beer. 

T:  I have wanted to organize a dinner in Ottawa
for the last year, but haven't been able to make it out.  Featured in
the CBC television peformance special “Gung Haggis Fat Choy” is George
Sapounidis – who lives in Ottawa. 
Also I have friends Robert Yip who volunteers with Asian Heritage Month
Ottawa, and Pierette a former museum curator.  I would
love to introduce them! to you – and help create an official licenced
Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner that can help develop a local fundraiser
for the community – that would spread joy and the values of
inter-cultural harmony and inclusion to the Ottawa area….or you could
just continue having personal home parties, and raise a dram of whiskey
to “Toddish McWong, creator of Gung Haggis Fat Choy.”

K: 
We would certainly be up for meeting people and helping organize a real
dinner one day.  As we have created quite a buzz in our neighborhood
(having lion dancers and bagpipers marching out front of your house
certainly lets people know a new crew are in residence) we think that
for next year we will have another, but larger, house party.  We think
we have a lead on a tin flute band and a highland dancer.  Since we
know he has an appropriate outfit, we might even invite Senator Larry
Campbell next year (HAHA). It is all so exciting.

T:  Thank you very much to you, Kristin, and your partner – for bringing a bright start to my day

K:  No problem.   You brought us two of our most memorable evenings one in Vancouver and one in Ottawa.

All the best, Kristin

Burns Club of Vancouver… a traditional Burns dinner in the tradition of the Tarbolton Batchelor's Club

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Burns Club of Vancouver… a traditional Burns dinner in the tradition of the Tarbolton Batchelor's Club


Which way do you hold these things? My first time holding bagpipes!  I am used to my accordion – photo Ian Mason.

The Burns Club of Vancouver prides itself on being faithful to the tradition of the Tarbolton Batchelor's Club,
which was founded on 11 November 1780.   Robert Burns and some
friends formed a debating
society to
'forget their cares and labour in mirth and diversion', to promote
friendship and to improve their minds with meaningful debate.  The
Vancouver dinner was held on Monday evening, February 20th, at the
Terminal City Club in downtown Vancouver.

I first attended a Burns Supper with the Burns Club of Vancouver in 2004, and wrote this description. 
Back then, I was a wee bit intimidated by the idea of a Men's only
club… having attended college and university with many
feminists.  But now having also attended their “Big Night” event,
and having been welcomed so warmly by many of the members… I felt
real comfortable.  Without the presence of female partners to
attend to, we were all free to discuss Burns, haggis, and
politics. 


Andy Miller plays bagpipes in the Vancouver Police Pipe Band – photo Ian Mason

A good feeling of cameraderie filled the room.  Many of the club's
members are retired, and they all carry themselves like grandfatherly
elders – full of wisdom and benevolence.  Indeed, they seemed both
amused and very supportive that I, a youngish Chinese Canadian, is
regularly hosting an annual Robbie Burns Dinner for 400+ people.

There were four tables of ten in the upstairs salon rooms, with an
attended bar featuring Glenlivet and Glenfiddich scotch, as well as
beers and wines.

The host of our table was Dr. Ian Mason, president of the club, who had
spoken at the Gung Haggis Fat Choy World Poetry Night at the Vancouver
Public Library on January 16, and also came to attend the Gung Haggis
Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year dinner on January 22nd. 

A piper named Andy, who is now recently retired from theVancouver
Police Pipe band sat on my left.  We talked about Constable Tim
Fanning, of the Vancouver Police Force who plays both highland pipes.
the smaller Irish pipes and penny whistles, and who had appeared in the CBC television special “Gung Haggis Fat Choy.” 


Andy Miller shows me how to hold his bagpipes.  They are incredibly ornate.  He is a wonderful piper, and a lovely man, sharing much knowledgable information with me. – photo Ian Mason.

Andy was piped in the haggis, and was followed by other members of our
table… Colin (the sword bearer), Strachan (who was the 2nd sword
bearer), and Donald.  They were joined by the chef (an Asian man!)
who carried the haggis nestled on the plate on a bed of mashed neeps
and tatties.  They paraded around the room and down the centre
aisle to finally set haggis down on the presentation table.  Drams
of whiskey were downed by each of the haggis parade party, then Donald
gave a splendid reading of the Address To A Haggis. 

The haggis was very nice… almost like a meat loaf.  We discussed
the three major types of haggis found in the Vancouver area.  This
one came from North Vancouver on Keith Road, near Queensbury.  The
other types are a spicier haggis with a liver pate quality made by
Peter Black at Park Royal South (which I feature at Gung Haggis Fat
Choy) and a more traditional dryer lard recipe – which I don't
like.  We all had second helpings of the haggis.
 
A nice roast beef dinner followed the haggis, and the dinner
conversation was very pleasant.  Andy told me about his visits to
Hong Kong, with the Vancouver Police Pipe Band. Donald asked me about
Gung Haggis Fat Choy.  They liked that at the GHFC dinner, we
share the verses of Address To A Haggis with different members of the
audience.  And people were delighted to hear that some of the
Adressees had included Faye Leung (the hat lady), and former MP/MLA Ian
Wadell (actually born in Scotland). 

The formal part of the evening was hosted by Fraser, a wonderful MC
looking very smart in kilt and tuxedo.  A talk about the
Tarbolton's Batchelor's club was first, followed by several other
addresses that included:  a history of Scots in Canada, a Toast to
the Lassies, and finally the “Immortal Memory” of Burns – read by
Robert Armour from our table.

Of the talks, I was most fascinated by the history of Scots in Canada,
which described how many Scots had come to Canada due to the Highland
Clearings, and also Loyalists from the then soon-to-be United
States…  Of course the Scots became adept at exploring Canada,
and helping to develop both the Hudson's Bay Company and the Northwest
Company.  Everytime I attend an event by the Burns Club of
Vancouver I learn more about Burns and Scottish culture.

These are all good men, who revel at the universal values promoted by Burns in which “a man's a man for all that and all that.”

Black History Month Story Telling at Cric? Crac!

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Black History Month Story Telling at Cric? Crac!

I really enjoyed being part of the Cric?Crac! Vancouver Storytelling Society's program for January – Haggis & Chopstix  – see my review of the evening at http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2006/1/16/1677286.html

Here's what they have lined up for this weekend.

Sunday, February 19, 2006:    7.30
pm 
Celebration of Black History Month  

 
featuring  Meguido Zola, a SFU professor, author
and accomplished storyteller,
 
Thomas Budd, the 14 year old Vancouver teenager with
astounding talent on the African Thumb pianos
 
and other tellers of folktales.
 
Hudson Manor, Multicultural Centre, 
1254 West 7th
Avenue/ West off Granville. 
$4

Tim Horton's, Asian Canadians and hockey… very Canadian!

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Tim Horton's, Asian Canadians and hockey… very Canadian!

I went to Tim Horton's today with my father…  on Lougheed Highway in Burnaby.  He ordered a small
coffee and a french curl doughnut.  I had a medium double double
with a walnut crunch.

I looked around at the customers – about 10…  All Asian faces…
with one Caucasian in the corner by the door, talking on his cell
phone.  My how the stereotypes of Asians on cell phones have
switched now.  Two policemen came into the coffee shop – one was
Asian.  I think the middle aged couple was speaking in
Korean.  There were students in the other corner.

When I saw the new Tim Horton's television commercial featuring the
Chinese Canadian grandfather bringing “double doubles” to the hockey
rink to sit beside his son, and watch his grandson play… I thought
“Cool!”  Depicting Canadians who just happen to be Asian, doing
Canadian things that just happen to be hockey and going to Tim
Horton's.   

Then the flashback of the grandfather telling his young son, not to
play so much hockey – he should study instead.  Very reminescent
of every immigrant group adjusting to Canadian customs such as
hockey.  Reminded me of my own youth…. We weren't great at
hockey either… but largely because there were NO Asian-Canadian
hockey playing role models.  Now there is Paul Kariya, and
Vancouver Canuck's Richard Park.  I hope we will now see more
Asian Canadian hockey playing coffee swiggers in the NHL.

My teenage athletic role models were Bruce Lee and Wayne Wong
– the pioneer freestyle skier.  My brother and I had posters of
each of them…  We even got to meet Wayne Wong too!  There
were K2 “Wongbanger” skis in the basement… I even learned how to the
the “Wongbanger” move…. once…  It was a forward pole
flip.  Once up at Whistler, I tried it in front of my friends…
my tip stuck in the snow, popped my binding, flew into the air, and
landed on my head…  I don't think I ever did it again.


Trivia question:  Who was the first Asian-Canadian hockey player in the NHL?
E-mail me at gunghaggis at yahoo dot com.    I will try
to find an appropriate prize for the most complete and first answers….

PS:

russell jung wrote:



Hi My name is Russell and I wanted to respond to Todd`s article posted Feb

17,2006.



When I did the Tim Hortons Commercial
I never thought it would be this big.I`ve been an actor, stuntman and
model since 86 and i always thought that with the asian population in
Van. I would see a lot of work. 



It took a bit of time but this
commercial so far is my highlight, all asian cast, hockey and Tim
Horton`s how canadian and we didn`t wear any glasses either.



So I`m glad that people enjoyed it and put asians and hockey in the same sentence.

TTYL Russ

SFU Scots Chair V: Ron MacLeod update for Feb 13. Roger Emerson on Hume + BC Pipers association dinner

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SFU Scots Chair V:  Ron MacLeod update for Feb 13. 
  
Roger Emerson on Hume + BC Pipers association dinner


Greetings, a reminder re the next lecture in the series SCOTTISH 
ENLIGHTENMENT AND EMIGRATION. This series of lectures celebrate SFU's 
founding forty years on: 1965-2005.

WHAT: Roger Emerson, Professor Emeritus of History, University of 
Western Ontario, will speak on �David Hume:  Our Excellent and Never To 
Be Forgotten Friend�
WHEN: Thursday, February 16, 2006 at 8 P.M.
WHERE: SFU�s Harbour Centre, downtown Vancouver, B.C.
OTHER: All welcome.
To register for this free lecture call 604-291-5100.

Also, a message for those who enjoy good piping, good food and good 
sociability.

WHAT: The B.C. Pipers� Association is holding its Annual Dinner
WHEN: Saturday, March 11, 2006
WHERE: the Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson, Vancouver, B.C.
COST: $35.00; seniors & youths 13-18, $32.00; under 12 years, $20.00
CONTACT: Ron Sutherland at ronald_sutherland@afu.ca, or, phone 
604-988-0479

Naomi's Road / Vancouver Opera Touring Ensemble – getting ready again

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Naomi's Road / Vancouver Opera Touring Ensemble – getting ready again


Jessica, Angus,
Gina, Gene and Sam – the singers and pianist from Naomi's Road
production of the Vancouver Opera Touring Ensemble – photo Deb Martin

Gina Oh and Jessica Cheung were enthusiastic in their
greetings as I visited their last rehearsal before the Spring touring
session of Naomi's Road – the Vancouver Opera Touring Ensemble
production that is visiting BC Schools. 

“We're going to Seattle, and Lethbridge!” they exclaimed, clearly
excited at the upcoming destinations after having such wonderful
memories of their tour on Vancouver Island where they had visited such
small communities such as Uculet/Tofino and Denman Island.

I will post the interview soon…. in the next day or so.

Check out the Vancouver Opera site for upcoming performances of Naomi's Road.
http://www.vancouveropera.ca/touring/touring-whatson.html

Sunday, February 19, 2006 2:00 pm
Vancouver Opera Guild presents Naomi's Road
Vancouver Academy of Music
1270 Chestnut Street
Vancouver, BC
Admission: $20 adults, $10 children 12 and under
Tickets and Information: 604-874-4042 or 604-682-2871 ext. 5001 (Pat)

Saturday, March 4, 2006 7:00 pm
West Vancouver Memorial Library
1950 Marine Drive
West Vancouver, BC
Admission: Free
Information: website http://www.westvanlib.org/

Saturday, March 11, 2006, 7:30pm
Powell Street Festival Society presents Naomi's Road
Vancouver Japanese Language School Hall
487 Alexander Street
Vancouver, BC
Admission: $10 (general) / $8 (students, seniors) / $5 (children 12 and under)
Tickets and Information: (604) 683 8240 / www.powellstreetfestival.com

Asian Canadians are medal hopefuls for Canada's Olympics: Mira Leung and Emmanuel Sandhu

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Canada's 16 year old skating darling Mira Leung
is on the front cover of the Vancouver Sun's Torino 2006 supplement
today. Leung placed silver at last months Canadian Championships in
Ottawa to send her to the Torino 2006 Olympics.  Leung is born and
raised in Vancouver, and hopes to be able to compete in her hometown of
Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics.

Jeff Paterson writes in today's Georgia Straight:

Maybe the best story among the British Columbians heading for Italy
is Burnaby figure skater Mira Leung. Just 16 years old, Leung really
can’t be considered a medal contender in her first Olympic experience.
But after a second-place finish at the nationals last month in Ottawa,
she served notice to the skating world that she’ll be a force here at
home four years from now.

“The average 16-year-old might be
overwhelmed by something like this, but not Mira. I just got an e-mail
from her the other day about how excited she is at this opportunity,”
Pattenden said. “And she really needs this experience for 2010. She’s
going there [Turin] to perform and she’s hoping for a top-16 finish.”

Emmanuel Sandhu
is an outside medal chance, but he has been refining his mental
training skills over the years.  Sandhu was a potential medal
winner for the Men's Figure Skating at the Salt Lake City Olympics in
2002, but had to pull out due to an aggravated injury.  Last week,
I talked with sports psychologist David Cox, whom I studied with at
Simon Fraser University.  David is going to Turino with Sandhu,
who has been known to be inconsistent despite being Canadian Champion
in 2001, 2003, and 2004, and in 2003 he want the World's Grand Prix
Gold medal.  Sandhu has been living in Vancouver's Yaletown and
training in Burnaby, since moving from Ontario.  His ethnic
parentage is Italian and South Asian, but he says he best describes
himself as Canadian.

Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe
have been perennial also-rans on the Canadian Ice Dance team, but they
are now going to the Olympics for their very first time.  The
Vancouver skaters who train in Detroit have waited a long time to get
their Olympic shot.  I met them in 2001 during the World
Championships when Sale and Pelletier won Gold in Vancouver.  They
are a very nice couple and wonderful with the audience.  When the
planned meet and greet for Sale and Pelletier turned into a Q&A
session because of the large crowds, Wing and Lowe acted as MC's for
the evening.  I was able to ask a question about the importance of
mental training for their routine, as the TV cameras had focused on
Sale and Pelletier practicing Tai Chi movements, before their
competition.  “Good question,” said Lowe to me as he repeated the
question for the audience. “They showed that?” exclaimed Jaime Sale,
who exlained that they had been learning Tai Chi from a wonderful
master to help them focus their energies, and of couse mental training
was a very very important part of their training.

Here are some related articles

CTV
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060205/figure_skating_
060205/20060207?s_name=torino2006&no_ads=

Vancouver Sun
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=0458a077-9c84-
4710-9f97-98ee630d7cb0&k=95438

Montreal Gazette
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/sports/story.html?id=
43a9e1cb-8efb-41e6-8d06-2367c58d2931&rfp=dta