I didn't expect to be in the same Georgia Straight Headline as Obama… but maybe because it's because I am a person of colour?
re: Why Canada will never have an Obama, except maybe Todd Wong
http://www.straight.com/article-197382/why-canada-will-never-have-obama-except-maybe-todd-wong
I told the Georgia Straight's Pieta Woolley –
that it was author Terry Glavin who first told me about bi-racial Gov. James
Douglas's vision for a British Columbia that could welcome people from
every corner of the world… that it was Douglas who invited Black
Americans from San Francisco when he heard that were being
discriminated against…
BC's history is not the two solitudes
of English and French – but it is the 3 pioneer cultures of First
Nations, Scottish, and Chinese. But we have had to go through the
Potlatch Law, the Chinese Head Tax and Exclusion Act, the Komagata
Maru, the Internment of Japanese Canadians – before we could understand
ourselves and our future.
It
has taken 150 years for us to finally understand the multicultural/
intercultural vision that Douglas wanted for BC, instead of BC as a
“White Man's Province” in the years that followed Douglas.
has taken 150 years for us to finally understand the multicultural/
intercultural vision that Douglas wanted for BC, instead of BC as a
“White Man's Province” in the years that followed Douglas.
The Obama presidency in the United States is historic. He has a vision to bring people together, to move beyond racial divides, perceived stereotypes and the cultures of blame and “otherness.”
My own life views have been shaped by growing up as a multi-generational racial minority in Canada. I have learned about the discrimination and hatred faced and overcome by my ancestors, since the time my maternal great-great-grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan arrived in 1896, as a Methodist lay preacher for the Chinese Methodist Church of Canada. Similarly, my paternal grandfather also faced many challenges arriving in Canada in 1882 at the young age of 16.
But I have also learned about the importance of communities working together. My life path has involved me with many community organizations such as Canadian University Press, Hope Cancer Health Centre, Terry Fox Run Organization, Canadian Mental Health Association, Chinese Cultural Centre, Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens, Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop, Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society, and many many more.
In the past few years, I have learned much about Robert Burns' views on social justice, equality, political change, speaking up for others, love of life. These are as important today as there were 250 years ago in Burns' time, or 150 years ago in Douglas' time. Maybe it's actually more important today, because we have the choice to embrace our responsibilities or to take them for granted. We have the choice today, to choose to be selfish or community minded. We have the choice today – not tomorrow – not yesterday, but the choice is today – to make a difference or not.
Why Canada will never have an Obama, except maybe Todd Wong
Yesterday (January 20), the world’s most powerful man placed his hand on Lincoln’s Bible and became the 44th president of the U.S. Next week, on a dark day in Ottawa, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government will present a budget, and a coalition led by Michael Ignatieff, Jack Layton, and Gilles Duceppe might take the opportunity to bring it down.
While the U.S. has its super-leader, Canada has the old, clichéd
“crisis in leadership”. Looking south, it’s easy to feel, well, a
little jealous.
So, who is Canada’s Barack Obama? Who can lead us out of years of deadlocked minorities?
I argue that not only is an Obama figure not waiting in the wings; he or she simply can’t exist here.
Here’s why: Obama represents the high-minded ideals of the 1791 U.S.
Bill of Rights, while Canada treats our history like yesterday’s soup
cans.
Americans love their history. In his inaugural speech—really, in every
speech—Obama took every opportunity to join his personal story to the
greater story of the United States. It’s an easy connection to make.
For Canada to breed an Obama, we have to have a better picture of what
Canada means, and promote someone who’s comfortable tying his or her
own story to Canada’s not-always-glorious history.
As a kid, Obama grew up without a dad around, in relative obscurity. He
is the biracial son of an African immigrant and a white-bread Kansas
hippie, and was raised by his grandmother in Hawaii. Now he’s
president. That speaks to opportunity.
Think quick: what document was Canada built on? If you guessed the British North America Act of 1867, you’re right. It’s not exactly stirring stuff.
Frankly, it would be difficult to know if someone came along who
represented the early ideals of Canada. He or she must speak English
and French and respect the authority of the Queen’s representative, but
apart from that, it’s pretty fuzzy.
So who is Canada’s Obama? Justin Trudeau’s name
has been floated, but there’s a couple of problems. First, he’s
Canadian royalty—the son of a prime minister, he has been immersed in
privilege forever. Second, he’s a white guy. Third, he hasn’t
established a career for himself yet, beyond teaching high school
French. Sure, he’s a young dad, charismatic, attractive, and extremely
well-spoken, but he’s already entrenched in party politics. And that is
Obama’s magic. He seemingly came out of nowhere.
Here’s my nominee for an Obama in Canada: Todd Wong, the founder of Gung Haggis Fat Choy.
The wildly charismatic Vancouverite is a leader in bridging cultures
in an unpretentious, original way. His Gung Haggis Fat Choy event has
been replicated all over the world. A fifth-generation Chinese
Canadian, Wong also lobbied to save Joy Kogawa’s childhood home and for head-tax redress. He organizes dragon-boat teams.
But what’s sold me on Wong as Canada’s Obama is that he’s a Vancouver
library assistant. It’s a humble job, but it’s a little like Obama’s
background as a community organizer. At least the way Wong does it.
On the picket line in 2007, he played his accordion and organized a strike reading series with Hiromi Goto, Stan Persky,
and others. At Gung Haggis Fat Choy, politicians from every party come
out for deep fried haggis wontons. He describes the event, to be celebrated this year on January 25 at Floata Seafood Restaurant in Chinatown, as something that “represents Canada in the 21st century”.
“Anyone in that room could be part of your family,” he told the Straight.
Here’s where it falls apart. Wong has no interest in politics.
“If I get into politics, I wouldn’t be able to do the kind of community service work I do now,” he told the Straight.
That may be true, Todd. But I, for one, think that as prime minister
you could be one wicked Obama-esque orator, reinvigorate our connection
to history, and offer a fresh face to represent the new Canada.
So, how about it?
I will play some solo accordion pieces + select some of my favorite tunes featuring accordion by other artists. Maybe the Bruce Springsteen acoustic version of Fire, or the new Emmylou Harris album “All I Intended to Be” featuring a song co-written with Canadians Kate & Anna McGarrigle titled “Sailing Roudn the Room.” 
I performed last year on Accordion Noir – just before the 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner. My bagpiper friend Joe McDonald also brought along his accordion, and we jammed along to our recorded rap version of “Address to a Haggis”
Royal Engineer greets visitors to Historic Ft. Langley – photo Todd Wong
Todd Wong with Jean Barman, author of British Columbia: Spirit of the People, and Judy, president of the Friends of Historic Ft. Langley
Lisa Pepin volunteers at Fort Langley, and counts her ancestors back 160 years back to the Fort's beginnings. – photo Todd Wong
Kwantlen drummers perform on stage for the evening concert – photo Todd Wong
The Higgins performed during the evening concert
I really liked this picture. It was evening, the concert was going, the stars were out. You can see the old style Union Jack flag on top of the flag pole, The banner tells the event for Douglas Day and BC 150 Celebrations. You can see the Big House behind the banner and the flag. – photo Todd Wong
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