Robbie Burns Day in Canada
-by Todd Wong

It’s Robbie Burns Day in Canada
Celebrated like no where in the world
Bagpipes play and haggis is all served
The best supper ever to attend

It’s Robbie Burns Day in Canada
Wear your kilt and bonnet too!
Dance highland flings, squares and reels
Sing songs of old and songs of new

I like Robbie Burns Day...
It's now been 13 years since I first wore a kilt for Robbie Burns celebrations up at Simon Fraser University. That was the time that I first coined the term Gung Haggis Fat Choy, and the first time that I coined my alias "Toddish McWong".  You can read about the origins here.

It is indeed fun to bring cultures together, and to see them in new ways.  That is why it is important here in Canada, for us to explore the different cultures that make up our shared heritage.  Travelling to Quebec City and Montreal, and learning to speak French, really helped me to understand Canada better.  By exploring Scottish culture and Robbie Burns Day, I have been able to explore the importance and history of Scottish Canadians, particulary Simon Fraser.

I enjoy exploring the South Asian neighborhoods along Main St. and Fraser St., Powell St. Festival in old Japantown.  The Chinese shops in both Richmond and Vancouver's Chinatown.  We are an immigrant society, new and old.

But for Robbie Burns Day in Vancouver, January 25th.... I will attend the Burns Supper for the Burns Club of Vancouver.  I have gotten to know some of the members over the past few years, since I bumped into then president Robert Barr.  This year Ian Mason current president  was a guest speaker at both the Gung Haggis Fat Choy World Poetry Night at the Vancouver Public Library, and the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner at Floata Restraurant.  At the dinner, I also saw Scot Tony Breen and his Chinese Canadian wife Laurie.  All great people... but not enough time to chit chat.

After the Burns Club Supper, I may drop by at Doolin's Irish Pub.  I had a great time there last year. Promotions manager Christine Van, who is Vietnamese-Canadian, wore a tartan kilt, and hoisted up drams of whiskey.  The Halifax Wharf Rats played Scottish and Maritime tunes. And I was glad to have my own kilt.

The official Doolin's Robbie Burns Day Celebrations take place on Thursday January 26th.