Stories critical of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremonies are in Vancouver Courier and Georgia Straight blogs.


Vancouver Courier: Allen Garr's
Much is continuing to be written about the Vancouver 2010 Opening Ceremonies that took place with great hoop-lah on Friday February 12th, in BC Place Stadium.  Yes, there were the Four Host Nations welcoming the world to their ancestral (and unceded) lands.  Yes, there were Canadian Aboriginal peoples from all across the nation, dancing and drumming, while Bryan Adams and and Nelly Furtado took the spotlight and sang a new Adams' song "Beat the Drum."

And then.... a show that has brought complaints from across the country, as Federal Minister James Moore has said "there wasn't enough French-Canadian content."

Even Quebec Permier Jean Charest, as he sat next to VANOC CEO John Furlong at a news conference Monday said, “Not at the level we were expecting,” said “It wasn’t sufficient.”

I admit that enjoyed watching the show. And my girlfriend and I watched it twice... but we were also playing video and computer games during the second time.

But we cannot ignore that so many people are speaking out, and to so is to risk great peril. Clearly there is a schism in the understanding of what make's us Canadian... as understood by new immigrants of both Asian and Celtic origins, as well as multi-generational Canadians of First Nations, Asian, Celtic, Gaelic, British, French and European heritage.

Maybe like at Expo 67, we are discovering the point of how we see ourselves in the world, and in our own country.

I especially liked Shane Koyczan's poem. He is indeed addressing the values that push us to do better, to be more inclusive, and to always try harder - just like my personal hero Terry Fox, who is very dear to me, as I hold the SFU Terry Fox gold medal, as a recipient "for courage in adversity and dedication to society."

Remember what happened after the Closing Ceremonies in Turin?
Even Premier Gordon Campbell criticized Turin closing ceremony display by saying, “I thought there were lots of stereotypes that are not what the new Canada is.” http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=8a6a6c72-05f7-4a8d-91a1-60f2ebe27219&k=96687

Yes, I too understand that we cannot please everybody all the time, and that some cultural groups will cry foul. But my experiences are also tainted by growing up in a deliberate exclusion of systemic racism, where my born-in-Canada grandmother could not vote in this country until after her brothers and cousin had been reluctantly accepted into the Canadian Forces due to pressure from Great Britain, and then sent on "Suicide Missions" to be behind enemy lines in Burma.

For these reasons I knew it was important to help save Joy Kogawa's childhood home from demolition, where she was forced to leave at age 6 due to internment of Japanese-Canadians.

For these reasons, I know it is important to support my cousin Chief Rhonda Larrabee whose mother's people had their ancestral lands taken away from them, to create BC's first capital city of New Westminster. And then to add insult, had their reservation taken away, and their band name of Qayqayt was said to not exist, because the people didn't live there anymore.

If we don't speak out on these issues, now - then it is like the silence that watches the Japanese Canadians put on trains and sent away, or like knowing that First Nations children are in Residential schools. We know something is wrong, but dare not speak.

I have tried to embrace this country and it's foibles, despite hating the bagpipes when I was little because it represented Colonialism. I speak better french, then I do Chinese.

I understand the the Ceremonies wanted to emphasize "The Land" rather than the cultural diversity.  Even Margaret Atwood's great book "Survival" argues that there is indeed a distinct Canadian literature, with its own preoccupations, themes, and ideas specific to its history, geopolitics, and landscape.

But that was so 20th Century... Now in the 21st Century, it is about the geopolitics, our cultural diversity, and our place in the global world.

Yes John Furlong has done and amazing job with VANOC. It is a very challenging, almost impossible task - But John Furlong's terrible french pronounciation seems to be an apt metaphor for VANOC's ceremonies team of understanding and including Canada's multicultural history and culture.

But come on VANOC.... We Are More!!!!

Daniel Lee 1920 - January 26, 2010 

With sorrow... we share the news that Grand-Uncle Daniel Lee passed away this morning of January 26th, 2010.  He had been in the Burnaby Hospital since Wednesday.  His daughter Grace,  she said it was quite sudden - his going into the hospital.  I had been receiving reports from my mother Betty, as her mother Mabel (Dan's oldest sister at 99 years old) was visiting the hospital each day.

Uncle Dan was born the 11th child of 14, the 5th son of seven to jeweler Ernest Lee, and Kate Chan Lee - the 2nd child, and 1st daughter of Rev. Chan Yu Tan.  As a young child he spent some time living in Nanaimo with his grandparents Rev. and Mrs. Chan Yu Tan, after the early death of his father.

When Dan was 20 years old he tried to enlist in the Canadian Army, but was turned away because at that time they did not allow any Chinese Canadians.  Instead, he went to aircraft mechanics school in Toronto and graduated two years later.  By 1942, Chinese were allowed into the Army due to pressure from Great Britain.  Dan Lee was one of the the first Chinese-Canadians accepted into the Canadian Air Force.  Soon, he was joined in England, by his brothers Howard and Leonard, plus cousin Victor Wong, who were enroute to the Pacific Theatre to serve with the Army special forces.

In the years after WW2, Dan Lee and his fellow Canadian born veterans would continue to face racial discrimination and prejudice.  The were not allowed to join any of the existing Canadian Legions for veteran soldiers.  They turned to the oldest veteran organization, the Army, Navy, Air Force Vets of Canada and were accepted to form their own unit - Pacific Unit 280.  After WW2, he and his fellow veterans and good friend Roy Mah, petitioned the Canadian Government to gain voting rights for Chinese Canadians, and also to repeal the Chinese Exclusion Act.  This was accomplished in 1947.

 

But the challenges weren't over yet.  Every year Uncle Dan would write a letter to Ottawa asking for an apology for the Chinese head tax and exclusion act.  The Chinese head tax redress movement took on a larger significance after MP Margaret Mitchell brought the issue up in Parliament in 1984, and also when Prime Minister Mulroney apologized to Japanese Canadians in 1988 for the the government's interning of them during WW2.

In the 1980's, Dan Lee would continue to work head tax apology issue.  With Douglas Jung, a former veteran, lawyer, Member of Parliament, and the Chinese Benevolent Association, they proposed that a national organization be formed to deal with the Head Tax issue.  Dan Lee became one of the founders of the National Congress of Chinese Canadians(NCCC) and a national conference was held.  After many years, an apology was finally made in Canadian Parliament by Prime Minister Harper in 2006.

In 1998, the Chinese Canadian Military Museum was founded.  Dan Lee's air force uniform was one of the first displays.

In 1999, we held the first Rev. Chan Legacy Family Reunion.  Uncle Dan was a consultant for the committee.  At the reunion, it was Dan Lee who gave the Elder Address, as he talked about his grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan. 

In 2002, the Rev. Chan Yu Tan family was featured in the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum exhibit "Three Canadian Chinese Pioneer Families"  - pictures of Uncle Dan and the contributions of himself and his brothers and cousin were included.  

In 2007, Dan Lee is one of the lead stories in the film documentary Heroes Remember, produced by the Chinese Canadian Military Museum.

Dan Lee's dedication to community service is exemplary.  In 2004, Dan Lee received the Award of  Merit from Dominion Command.  It is one of the highest honours a veteran can receive.  Uncle Dan told me that to receive an Award of Merit, you must first receive the Medal for Appreciation, which he received in 1987.  In 1999 he next received the Award for Service.

And through all these years, Uncle Dan would sell poppies in downtown Vancouver for Remembrance Day, and help organize the Poppy Drive every November.  He was one of the best sellers.  He was also one of the organizers of the Victory Square Cenotaph Remembrance Day ceremonies.  In 2004, Remembrance Day ceremonies began at the Canadian Chinese Pioneer Monument in Chinatown.  The veterans of Unit 280 would attend both Victory Square and Chinatown ceremonies, even if it was raining and cold.

The contributions that Dan Lee made, will last and be remembered, while he will be missed.

We offer support and love to Uncle Dan, his wife Irene, and their children Vincent and Grace.

Peace & Blessings to all, Todd Wong - Vancouver

As part of his commitment to community, Dan annually organized the poppy campaign in Vancouver. It's not surprising he was a top-seller. For his community efforts Dan has received many veteran honours, such as the Award of Appreciation, and Award for Service - but none higher than the Award of Merit from Dominion Command in 2004. It's a fitting tribute to the grandson who evidently learned his values and strong faith in community from his Methodist Church pioneer, Grandfather Chan Yu Tan.

See VIDEO of Daniel Lee from the Chinese Canadian Military Museum

Todd goes to Vernon and meets Betty Chan, former Highland Dance champion of Canada, and Dan Huang drum sgt of Kelowna pipe band.   more »

I am now back in Canada. It was an incredible learning experience for my first trip across the Atlantic to one of the most important cultural and historical ancestral homes for this country called Canada. Canada is probably the most Scottish nations outside of Scotland. Our first prime minister, many of our explorers, BC's first premier, Vancouver's first mayor - were all born in Scotland. And yet... Scotland is a country that is learning from Canada. My trip was initiated because a life-size picture and video-interview of me were used in the photo exhibit This is Who We Are: Scots in Canada. I have written about the exhibit here: Toddish McWong arrives in Scotland for inaugural visit and reception at Scottish Parliament for "This is Who We Are". Here are my pictures from the exhibit and the reception at the closing of the event on St. Andrew's Day   more »

This is my first ever trip to Scotland... and I almost didn't make it. It's the year of Scotland Homecoming, celebrating the 250th Anniversary of poet Robert Burns, and the 2009 version of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner was one of the listed events of Burns Suppers around the world. Earlier this year, my photo was included in a web photo exhibit THIS IS WHO WE ARE, for Cultural Connect Scotland created by Harry McGrath - former director of the Centre for Scottish Studies at Simon Fraser University. + PICTURES   more »

Over 50 artists were featured at the Vancouver 2010 Aboriginal Art Exhibition at Canada Place in Vancouver BC, Oct 17/18. It's a two day free exhibition with sales to the public. On Friday evening, a live auction of highlighted artworks was held with proceeds going towards the Vancouver 2010 Aboriginal Youth Legacy Fund.   more »

John Ralston Saul says Canada is Metis/Aboriginal.... in nature - not English/French/Scottish....

Here is John Ralston Saul's 2008 book about Canada:

SUMMARY OF A FAIR COUNTRY (from his website):

"In this startlingly original vision of Canada, thinker John Ralston Saul unveils 3 founding myths. Saul argues that the famous “peace, order, and good government” that supposedly defines Canada is a distortion of the country’s true nature. Every single document before the BNA Act, he points out, used the phrase “peace, welfare, and good government,” demonstrating that the well-being of its citizenry was paramount.

"He also argues that Canada is a Métis nation, heavily influenced and shaped by aboriginal ideas: egalitarianism, a proper balance between individual and group, and a penchant for negotiation over violence are all aboriginal values that Canada absorbed. Another obstacle to progress, Saul argues, is that Canada has an increasingly ineffective elite, a colonial non-intellectual business elite that doesn’t believe in Canada. It is critical that we recognize these aspects of the country in order to rethink its future."

	français

http://www.johnralstonsaul.com/SUM_AFC.html

It's been too rainy and cloudy for me to go skiing at Silver Star this weekend.  So I kayaked on Kalamalka Lake and helped walk the doggies up in Kalamalka Lake Park, where the snow still lies.

Yesterday I went to Village Green Mall in Vernon, where people were buying Chocolates and in the food court, an Easter show for families consisted of trying to fit 12 members of the Vernon Girls Trumpet Band into a giant balloon.  (photos to follow).

After a week of Tartan Day/Scottish Week activities... and not having any Chinese food in recent memory... I am beginning to question my Easter heritage.  Even though my great-great-grandfather was a Chinese United Church Minister, I never went to United Church for Easter.  For many years, I was a member of Celebration of Life Centre, and Centre for Spiritual Living - both New Thought Churches.

The only Chinese cultural event that I can think of, is giving Red Eggs at a dinner, one month after a baby is born.  But this isn't necessarily related to Easter, except perhaps as a reminder of sucessful fertility in relation to Spring fertility rituals.

I remember one childhood Easter where we received Easter baskets in Honolulu.  There were always lots of Chocolate bunnies for Easter as a child, but the Honolulu baskets had the little fluffy toy chick decorations... That was cool.  No grass skirts on Easter bunnies back in the 60's though.

The Gung Haggis dragon boat team paddled this morning to Granville Island for Hot Chocolate and Coffee, and found some Easter Eggs.  This is becoming a team tradition.

My Irish-Canadian writer friend Terry Glavin sent me this email message, and a link to his website:

This picture was created while Todd Wong was involved with the local CBC television performance special "Gung Haggis Fat Choy", based on the concepts of his annual Robbie Burns Chinese New Year dinner. This picture was reproduced in the Vancouver Sun today uncredited... even though it was first used by the Vancouver Sun, Dec 21, 2004, in the Mia Stainsby article "Have a taste of 2004". Recently, Jason Kenney waded into the discussion about Canadian identity, and immigration language classes, when he talked with editors at the Calgary Herald: New Canadians, says Kenney, "have a duty to integrate." Further, he says, "We don't need the state to promote diversity. It is a natural part of our civil society."    more »

Gung Haggis Fat Choy is always a wonderful event for photographs. Special thanks to our incredible photographers Patrick Tam, Lydia Nagai and VFK. If you like their photos, please contact them and purchase them. We have asked them to put "water marks" on their photos, so that we will advertise and promote them. They help us with our event, because they believe in the community work and social consciousness raising that we do. + PICTURES   more »

Hi everybody... A wonderful job by everybody last night - Veteran Gung Haggis performers Joe McDonald and Heather pronounced last night as "The Best Gung Haggis Dinner yet" And Dr. Leith Davis said it was the best Burns Supper she had ever attended - and she just spent 2 weeks in Scotland for Homecoming Scotland! Congratulations to everybody. The energy was brilliantly contagious and fun. There were lots of nice surprises in the program, with the Mayor reading a Burns poem, a treatise on the details of scotch drinking, Parks Commissioner Stuart Mackinnon singing A Man's A Man For A' That, and hip hop artist Ndidi Cascade coming up from the audience to rap a verse of Burns' Address to A Haggis.   more »

Jackie Wong interviewed me last week, and asked me about my early years growing up in East Vancouver and North Vancouver. This is a very nice interview that addresses some of the cultural identity issues I faced growing up, that has led me to creating Gung Haggis Fat Choy as an expression of BC's Scottish and Chinese pioneer history. http://www.westender.com/articles/entry/gung-haggis-celebrates-canadian-interculturalism   more »

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.

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

I am always amazed by the talents, dedication and accomplishments of the people that I know and see in our communities.   While 2008 was a year for me blessed with personal recognition from the Province of BC, and the Royal BC Museum, I am inspired by the people that I know.


2008 BC Community Achievement Award recipients: 45 of BC's most dedicated citizens stand with Premier Gordon Campbell and Lt. Gov. Stephen Point, and BC Achievement Foundation Chair Keith Mitchell, following the ceremonies. I can be spotted wearing my cream jacket directly behind Premier Campbell.  I am standing between my Vancouver arts community friends Naomi Singer on my left, and Savannah Walling on my right,Terry Hunter is immediately behind Savannah.  Also on my left is fellow kilt wearer Gordon Barrett in his Irish Pipes and Drums uniform - too bad you can't see our kilts.  http://www.bcachievement.com/community/2008/


2008 raised the first real possibility of Vancouver's first Chinese-Canadian mayor with Raymond Louie running for the mayoral nomination of the Vision Vancouver party.  Former SFU wrestler Carol Huynh won Canada's first gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.  Octogenarian Bill Wong, was the subject of a CBC documentary film "Tailor Made."

In August, I attended the 150 Years in Golden Mountain Gala in Victoria, where my grand-uncles Daniel Lee and Victor Wong received the awards on behalf of Chinese Canadian veterans.  I also stood with them as descendants of Rev. Chan Yu Tan (my great-great-grandfather and their grandfather) who received a community achievement award for this work as a pioneer missionary for Chinese communities in BC.

Last year I wrote: Chinese-Canadians that inspired me in 2007

Here is a list of the Chinese-Canadians that I found inspiring in 2008:

The Royal BC Museum created an exhibit to celebrate 150 years of BC History and BC people, called "Free Spirit".  They also created a life-size photo collage display called "The Party"to which they invited 150 of BC's most interesting people.  The first 132 people were selected by the museum, then in August six invitees were "voted in" including myself.  More people were voted in for November.

Check out "The Party" display at the Royal BC Museum
http://www.freespiritbc.ca/virtualexhibition/theparty.aspx

Cindy Lee (T&T)
Hon. David Lam
James Cheng (architect)
Peter Joe  (Sunrise Tofu)
Tong Louie
Todd Wong
Ida Chong MLA
Carol Huyhn Olympic Gold Medalist

Adrienne Wong is an actor.  In 2008 she starred in the one woman play "My Name is Rachel Corrie" for Neworld Theatre.  It opened in Montreal than played in Vancouver to packed houses for an extended run.  
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2008/1/18/3473659.html

Rhonda Larrabee is my mother's cousin. Rhonda single-handedly re-established the Qayqayt "New Westminster" First Nations Band.  Unfortunately she wasn't included in the CBC documentatry Generations: The Chan Legacy, because the executive producer thought that Rhonda's story really deserved her own documentary.  Surprise!  CTV made a documentary on Rhonda titled "One Women Tribe"
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2008/3/14/3580742.html

Bill Wong Modernize Tailors - Bill is the octogenarian former UBC Engineering grad who couldn't get hired in post-war Canada because of racism, so he put his energies into his father's tailor shop.  Tailor Made is the CBC documentary about Chinatown's Modernize Tailors featuring brothers Bill and Jack Wong and their family story.
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2008/2/9/3514584.html

Tailor Made: CBC TV documentary highlights Modernize Tailors' 80 year history in Vancouver Chinatown
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2008/2/12/3520713.html

Grace Chin is a writer/actor.  She wrote and performed in "The Quickie" is very Vancouver play about diversity and expectations in relationships.  Last year was her first written theatre play with partner Charlie Cho.  "The Quickie" is written solo by Grace.  Wow... now if only I could get my own writing projects off the back burner!
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2008/2/10/3515872.html

Brandy Lien-Worrall - In 2007 Brandy led 2 writing workshops which produced the book Eating Stories: Chinese and Aboriginal pot luck.  She also bravely battled breast cancer. 
Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC honours Brandy Lien-Worrall
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2008/3/10/3573332.html

Wayson Choy wrote a new autobiography titled Not Yet: A Memoir of Living and Almost Dying. In 2002, I met Wayson when his novel Jade Peony was the inaugural choice for the One Book One Vancouver program.  I was on the committee, where I learned that Wayson had almost died earlier that year.  We were so fortunate that Wayson's health recovered, and that he has written two more splendid books sinced.  The Governor General Award nominated "All That Matters" and now his memoir "Not Yet."
Wayson Choy gives "spirited" reading for Vancouver Cultural Olympiad
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2008/3/12/3577512.html

Chinese-Canadians are top Canadians figure skaters! Patrick Chan and Mira Leung
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2008/3/24/3599475.html
Patrick Chan, the 17 year old teenager who is Canada's current reigning Men's National winner  finished ninth in his World Championships debut.  Chan only last year had won silver at the World Junior Championships, and last November won gold at the Grand Prix in Paris.  Mira Leung finished 14th.
 
Wallace Chung donated his personal collection to UBC.  He is a philanthropist, and recipient of Order of Canada and Order of BC... and he loves Chinese Canadian history.  Check out this Vancouver Sun story about the Wallace Chung Collection at UBC.  $5 million, 25,000 items and UBC = a collection with special meaning http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2008/5/10/3683632.html

Raymond Louie – ran for the Vision Vancouver's mayor nomination in the spring  – and in the fall he was nominated for a NAAAP award.  I endorsed Raymond for his nomination: Todd Wong supports Raymond Louie's campaign to be Vancouver Mayor. Raymond came second to Gregor Robertson for the mayor nomination, and on November 15th, he was re-elected to Vancouver City Council with the highest number of votes for councilors.


Dr. Kerry Jang ran for City Councilor.  He is a hard-working community builder, who is also on a national committee for Mental Health, and a professor of Psychiatry at the UBC School of Medicine. It was easy to give my endorsement for Kerry.  In 2006 he was named academic of the year.  In 2007, he was named to the BC Community Achievement Award.  In 2008, he was elected a rookie Vancouver city councilor.

Joyce Lam's Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre put on the Neil Simon play "The Odd Couple" with an all Asian + 1 cast.  And she continues producing the annual Asian Comedy Night and  Etch-YOUR-SketchOFF
Odd Couple - Friendship with an Asian style twist on the Neil Simon play
check out www.vact.ca

Victoria celebrates 150 years of Chinese Canadian History with a grand dinner and awards.
It was a grand party at the Empress Hotel in Victoria, organized by the Victoria Chinatown Commerce Association.  My great-great-grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan was awarded a Community Achievement Award. and my grand-uncles Daniel Lee and Victor Wong represented the Chinese-Canadian veterans for their special award.
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2008/8/11/3833528.html

In Memoriam:

Ed Wickberg
Ed Wickberg is known in our community circles as an honourary Chinese Canadian.  He was a professor emeritus for the UBC History department.  He contributed so much to the understanding of Chinese Canadian history and was the founding president for the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC.
http://www.uglychinesecanadian.com/?p=403

Betty Ho
I met Betty during the writing workshops for the Chinese Canadian Historical Society.  Our contributions were published together in the anthology Eating Stories.  She always brought smiles and great positive energy wherever she sent. 
Betty Ho goes to that big kitchen in the sky.

Intercultural Love Stories... or almost-love stories do happen.

Once upon a time, I had a non-girlfriend who was half-Jewish, half-Caribbean.  Then we dated.  Then we didn't.

Today, I still listen to Leonard Cohen music.  I have friends who have Jewish ethnicity. And I have a girlfriend who claims we share the same cultural identity - multi-generational Canadian.  But she doesn't have any Chinese DNA.

Writer Kevin Chong has written an interesting Christmas time short story for the Georgia Straight that traverses multi-ethnic cultural definitions.  Afterall... Love knows no boundaries, right?  In the end, we are all Canadians in love... or out of love.

No Christmas at the Happy Panda

What’s an angsty Chinese guy to do when his wry Jewish non-girlfriend leaves him lonely during the holidays?

Ellie Simmons didn’t wear makeup and had thick, sideways-sprouting hair that was the colour of dark chocolate. She slouched around campus in a leather trench coat, smoked hand-rolled cigarettes, and drove an unreliable Mazda GLC. It was 1994. We were 19 when we first met outside the university library. She made fun of me for reading a collection of poetry by Leonard Cohen. “Guys only read poetry to impress women,” she said with her characteristic scorn. “You would do better if you wore a clean shirt and looked me in the eye.” 

Read the story at: http://www.straight.com/article-176244/no-christmas-panda