Todd has 4 stitches in his pinkie finger after paddling tonight – photo Deb Martin
Vancouver Sun: story on James Erlandsen and his search for a Eurasian bone marrow donor
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Vancouver Sun: story on James Erlandsen and his search for a Eurasian bone marrow donor
check out this story in the Vancouver Sun by Pamela
Fayerman. It's a good story about the need to find Eurasian
donors for bone marrow – because it is so rare.
When I look in my own family. I have maternal cousins who are
Eurasian, and all of my Chinese maternal cousins married
Caucasians (except the two who are unmarried) and have had little
Eurasian children including my brother. That's what happens in a
5th generation Canadian family. And most of my paternal cousins
married causcasians and had Eurasian children – many of whom are young
adults and starting to get married.
To me James is almost like family… and I was very honoured to meet
his aunt and uncle on Saturday night. His Auntie Bev gave me a
great big hug, and thanked me for my assistance and support in
spreading the news about James throughout my community network and
media connections, as well as in providing a social support and
resource for her and her family.
I know that Bev and her daughters have been postering post-secondary
campuses and putting announcements on web discussion boards etc.
It was her daughter Aynsely who first contacted me about putting a
poster and an announcement about James Erlandsen on
www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com I was so moved by the story and the
similarites of our life stories – that I just had to do more!
Check out the Vancouver Sun article by Pamela Fayerman:
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=290ad3fb-ca5b-47df-adfb-d124170772c4&k=7392
Check out stories in Georgia Straight New Blog
http://www.straight.com/article-91085/young-eurasian-man-urgently-needs-bone-marrow-donor
Check out storis in Ming Pao
Courier: Rally clebrates 60 years of rights – interviews with Gim Wong and Sid Tan
Courier: Rally clebrates 60 years of rights – interviews with Gim Wong and Sid Tan
Here's a Friday May 11th article in the Vancouver Courier that interviews both Gim Wong, WW2 veteran, and Sid Tan, head tax redress activist. When Gim rode his motorcycle across Canada in 2005, I blogged the reports that I received from across Canada and from the CCNC.
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Gim Wong, 84, fought in the Second World War but wasn't allowed to vote. Last year, he rode his motorcycle to Ottawa to press then prime minister Paul Martin for redress. Photo by Dan Toulgoet |
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Rally celebrates 60 years of rights By Cheryl Rossi-Staff writer When families who were But according to Sid Tan, “The issues of guest The Head Tax Families When the Canadian Pacific On July 1, 1923, Tan said the society formed to tell the federal government its settlement is incomplete. “They are redressing just a Gim Wong, a Canadian-born His father was 14 when he arrived in Canada in 1906. His mother arrived in 1919. Both of his parents paid the $500 head tax. In 1937, when his parents In January last year, the Wong wants villages in China that contributed money to send young men to Canada compensated for the head tax. Saturday's event begins at 9 a.m. published on 05/11/2007 |
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Veterans fought for Respect – recognizing the contributions of Chinese Canadians
Veterans fought for Respect – recognizing the contributions of Chinese Canadians
http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/213079
News
Features
Veterans fought for respect
News Features By Matthew Burrows
Publish Date: May 10,
2007
A younger George Ing (left) joined the Canadian
military in peacetime, and to this day salutes the pioneering Chinese Canadian
vets of the Second World War.
Retired lieutenant-colonel
George Ing knows how much 2007 means to Chinese Canadians.
On Monday (May 14), the 73-year-old
Richmond resident will join other army, navy, and
air-force veterans at a proclamation ceremony at
Vancouver City Hall
at 10:30 a.m. The day marks the 60th anniversary of the repealing of the
Chinese Immigration Act of 1923 (the Exclusion Act) in 1947, after many Chinese
Canadians had fought in the Second World War on two fronts–to defeat the
spread of fascism and to be recognized as equal citizens in Canadian society.
“I joined in peacetime, 10 years after
the war,” Ing told the Georgia Straight. “When they [Chinese
Canadians] went to war, part of their aim was to show they were worthy
citizens. When they came back, they would take up the task of lobbying to get
us the franchise, which they did. Most of us who weren't around and weren't of
age to do anything are grateful to these guys. We're very aware that it's 62
years now since the end of the Second World War.”
According to Wendy Au, deputy city clerk at
City Hall, the city proclamation Ing has helped organize is not part of Asian
Heritage Month but “coincides with it”.
“This year is significant because of all
the anniversaries,” Au told the Straight. “There will be a dual
ceremony on that day. There will be an official swearing-in
[Canadian-citizenship] ceremony, and we will be honouring
the Chinese Canadian veterans.”
The cities of Burnaby
and Richmond will join
Vancouver in proclaiming May 14 to 21 Chinese
Canadian Citizenship Week. It is 60 years since Chinese Canadians received the
right to vote, and it is also the 50th anniversary of the election of the first
Chinese Canadian MP, Douglas Jung, in Vancouver Centre. In 1907, anti-Chinese
riots took place in Vancouver 's
Chinatown .
Victoria-born Ing said his father died when he
was three, and his family knows little about him. Now a grandfather himself,
Ing said he does not know for sure whether his grandfather, an immigrant from
China , was a head-tax payer on arrival in
Canada . In
1903, the Canadian government raised the head tax on Chinese immigrants to
$500. In 1923, Ottawa prohibited new Chinese
settlement in Canada ,
only lifting the ban in 1947.
“I grew up as a kid in
Victoria , and I think we were all aware of
our status in the community,” Ing said. “We weren't regarded well. I
personally grew up with my family on welfare. I can recall a lot of people
making comments like, 'You're a burden on society.' I was a little bit too
young to do anything about it at that time.
“I did make the vow that this is not
going to happen to my kids,” Ing added. “I had to go and pick up a
welfare cheque as part of my responsibilities. Even
at my age, and I was a teenager, I found it humiliating. Yes, the family had to
survive and that was part of my job, but I did not like doing that. It was just
something inside. But we have broken out of that now. My family has done well
and we have broken out of the cycle. I'm proud of that.”
David Wong, 49, grew up on
Union Street in Strathcona.
He has a Web site (www.generasian.ca/) that neatly documents a rich
family history spanning multiple generations in China and Canada, including the
fact that both sides of his family paid the head tax.
“Head tax is a whole other story,”
Wong told the Straight. “Overall, what is really important is that people
know the history of our nation. Whether that's Chinese Canadians or other
community groups, it's important that people realize how the nation got to
where it is today and where it comes from. Younger people take for granted a
lot of the things we have now, such as the ability to become professionals.
This essentially came at a price. These [Chinese Canadian] vets fought for the
right to become full-participating citizens and be accepted.”
http://www.straight.com/article-90243/veterans-fought-for-respect
My Birthday for 2007
My Birthday for 2007
I spent the afternoon playing with my “almost 4” year old nephew.
We went shopping for a birthday cake “so we can have a feast.”
We went to Earl's Downtown on Hornby St. for dinner
Saw Spiderman 3 at the Paramount
Then off to Bacchus Lounge at the Wedgewood Hotel for desserts, drinks and late night pizza.
Friends and Food – Wonderful!
Todd Wong and Deb Martin celebrating Todd's b-day with wine and bubbly – photo Christine Chin
Buddies Todd Wong and Craig making faces at celebrating yet another birthday – photo Christine Chin
Dessert platter from Bacchus Lounge at Wedgewood Hotel – Anjou Pear
with Lime sorbet, Creme Brulee with Kahlua, Apple/Blackberry Crumble –
photo Todd Wong
Gung Haggis Fat Choy Tuesday Night food club – at The Clubhouse restaurant – photo Todd Wong
Chinese Canadian Veterans dinner May 12 – celebrating 60th anniversary of Canadian Citizenship
Chinese Canadian Veterans dinner May 12 – celebrating 60th anniversary of Canadian Citizenship
This Saturday I have organized a table for the Chinese Canadian Veterans celebrating 60th anniversary of Canadian Citizenship.
Yes…
it has been 60 years since Chinese Canadians actually have citizenship
and voting rights – largely due to the lobbying and enrollment of
Chinese Canadian veterans of WW2.
Please join me in recognizing the achievements of the vets for our community.
call me to join my table… or so I can make arrangements for another table.
Cheers, Todd
778-846-7090
Below is the invitation from the Chinese Canadian veterans, Pacific Unit 280.
Dear Friends:
For the last several years, I have been the Chaplain for Pacific Unit 280, Chinese Canadian WWII Veterans.
As we look at the vets now, most in their eighties and nineties, it's
hard to believe that this group of “grumpy old men” helped transform
Canada. Before WWII, Chinese couldn't vote, be a doctor, lawyer – or
even work at the Post Office or go to a public swimming pool. Worse,
many had immediate family in China that were not allowed to come to
Canada. All this changed because in WWII, these men and women were
willing to fight and prove themselves honourable to a Canada, that did
not treat Chinese, honourably.
On Saturday, May 12th, as part
of Asian Heritage Month celebrations, the Chinese Canadian Military
Museum and SUCCESS are hosting a citizenship affirmation and dinner to
celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Chinese getting the vote and the
formation of Pacific Unit 280. It will be held at the Continental
Seafood Restaurant at 11700 Cambie Road, Richmond. Tickets are $45
which include dinner and a a new DVD of twenty three vignettes of some
of the vets DVD of Heroes Remember, as well as other gifts.
For many, this is a last hurrah and I'm hoping you might be able to
come and say a word of thanks to the vets. If you are interested, you
can get tickets from me or Lt. Colonel George Ing at (604)271-0197.
Blessings all.
Wesley Lowe (604) 739-9725