Douglas Jung – Canada's first Chinese-Canadian MP recognized in Parliament
There were two statements in the House of Commons about Douglas Jung:
on June 8th by Jim Abbott (Conservative) and June 11th by
Meili Faille (BLOC).
Victor Wong, executive director of the Chinese Canadian National Council sent me the following information.
From Hansard: June 11, 2007
Douglas
Jung
Ms.
Meili Faille (Vaudreuil-Soulanges, BQ):
Mr.
Speaker, yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the election of Douglas Jung,
the first Canadian of Chinese origin to be elected to the House of Commons for
the riding of Vancouver Centre.
Every
step of Mr. Jung's career set a precedent in relations to improve racial
tension. Mr. Jung was the first member of Chinese origin to sit in the House of
Commons and to represent Canada
at the United Nations and he was also the first Chinese lawyer to argue before
the British Columbia Court of Appeals.
This
anniversary gives us an opportunity to reflect on the contribution of
Mr. Jung and Canadians of Chinese origin of his generation who managed to
have the Chinese Exclusion Act repealed and who successfully advocated for the
creation of a special immigration program, inviting people of Chinese origin
who had entered Canada
illegally to come forward and have their status regularized.
My
colleagues in the Bloc Québécois join with me in calling for this 50th
anniversary to continue to guide our actions toward harmonious relations
between parliamentarians of all origins.
* * *
from Hansard: June 8, 2007
Mr.
Jim Abbott (Kootenay—Columbia, CPC):
Mr.
Speaker, 50 years ago on June 10, 1957,
Canada 's first Asian Canadian was
elected to Parliament. As a Conservative, Douglas Jung was nicknamed the
“Giant Killer” when he took out the Liberal minister of defence in
that election. It was just one milestone in his notable career in Canadian
public life.
Born in Victoria in 1924, the two term MP was
the first Chinese Canadian to argue a case before the B.C. Court of Appeal and
serve Canada
at the United Nations. Despite not being recognized as an official citizen of
Canada ,
Douglas Jung enlisted in the Canadian Forces in World War II.
The
patriotism that he and his fellow Chinese veterans displayed ultimately paved
the way for the repeal of the Chinese exclusion act, and to full citizenship
rights for Chinese Canadians. Chinese Canadians continue to be leaders in many
fields of Canadian life.
I call on members of the House to join me in celebrating the achievements of
Mr. Jung in this place five decades ago.
* * *
For Immediate Release
– June 7, 2007
CCNC Marks 50th
Anniversary of Douglas Jung Election:
Calls on Conservative Government
to Implement Moratorium on Deportations
TORONTO.
The Chinese Canadian National Council marked the 50th anniversary of
the election of Douglas Jung, the first Chinese Canadian Member of Parliament today by calling on the
Conservative Government to implement the motion passed by Parliament yesterday
afternoon “to place an immediate moratorium on deportations” of all
non-status persons and their families.
CCNC honours the legacy
of (late) Douglas Jung who was elected on June 10, 1957 becoming the first
Chinese Canadian Member of Parliament. “Douglas Jung received numerous
honours for his military and public service including the Order of Canada and
the Order of B.C.,” Colleen Hua, CCNC President said today.
“Douglas Jung was also instrumental in advocating for changes to the
immigration system including the first regularization program: Chinese Adjustment Statement Program, which
allowed an estimated 12,000 non-status persons to attain legal status in
Canada .”
Douglas Jung served in
the British-led Special Operations Executive unit during the Second World War
at a time when the Chinese Exclusion Act was in place and Canadian-born Chinese
like Mr. Jung had no legal status in
Canada . The service of Chinese
Canadian veterans gave moral weight to the community lobby for the repeal of
the Chinese Exclusion Act and full citizenship rights which followed in 1947.
Mr. Jung became a lawyer and eventually a candidate for the Conservative Party
and winning a seat in the 1957 federal election. Today there are 5 elected Chinese Canadian
MPs representing 4 political parties: Hon. Raymond Chan, Mr. Inky Mark, Ms.
Meili Faille, Hon. Michael Chong and Ms. Olivia Chow and 2 Senators of Chinese
descent: Dr. Vivienne Poy and Dr. Lillian Dyck.
Yesterday’s vote
on a motion introduced by MP Olivia Chow passed by a margin of 147 for to 115
against. The NDP and BLOC caucuses both supported the motion as did most
Liberal MPs. The Conservative caucus however voted against the motion.
“Where is the Douglas Jung in this Conservative caucus?” Victor
Wong, Executive Director of CCNC said today.
“We urge the Government to implement the moratorium and to take
this opportunity to properly review the options for a fair and just regularization
program,”
“We
need to stop this wasteful exercise of hunting down hard-working families in
their homes, workplaces or at their children’s schools and removing them
from their communities and from jobs for which there is no one else to take
their place.”
CCNC is a community leader for Chinese Canadians in promoting a more
just, respectful, and inclusive society. CCNC is a national non-profit
organization with 27 chapters across
Canada with a mandate to promote
the equality rights and full participation of our community members in all
aspects of Canadian society.
