I AM CANADIAN
I was just checking up on Susanna Ng's blog site Chinese in Vancouver, when I discovered this wee little article head-tax-families-turn-mischievious.html commenting about the upcoming anniversary commemoration for the Nov. 24th head tax redress rally against the signing of the Liberal government's Agreement in Principle - which would have NOT given an apology, no individual compensation, and given community funds to a newly formed foundation headed by an ethnic Chinese born and raised in Malaysia - who had nothing to do with being a head tax descendant.
The weird thing is a comment by somebody named M. Shanfeld who goes off on a rant about some oath called "faan Ching fuk ming " He writes that it "means undermine and overthrow by any sly underhanded means the Ching and support Chinese taking control from the Ching" - this refers to the overthrow of the last emperor and the corrupt Ching Dynasty by Dr. Sun Yat Sen and his followers who created the Repulic of China. Dr. Sun Yat Sen is known as the father of Modern China. He came to Vancouver three times, to help raise money for the "revolution."
My great-great-grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan - met with Dr. Sun Yat Sen during at least one of his Vancouver visits. My cousin Joe Wai is architect of the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens in Vancouver, named after the good doctor.
It's amazing that in this day and age that many so-called "Canadians" might feel threatened by immigrants. Afterall it is immigrants that built this country (after taking the land from First Nations people). But some of the Chinese-Canaidan pioneer descendants felt resentful of the 1980's immigration waves from Hong Kong, and some of the established Hong Kong Chinese-Canadians now feel resentful of the newest immigration waves from China. I guess that some white Canadians might feel resentful of recent immigration - regardless of colour or culture.
Anyways... Mr. Shanfeld takes his rant further and goes on to say that Chinese want to take over Canada.
Here is my response to Mr. Shanfeld.
Whooooaahhh... Mr. Shanfeld Whoooahh!
I don't know which century you are living in - but this is no longer the 19th century of 1895 when the Chinese Head tax was initiated. This is now the 21st century and there are now at least 7 generations of Canadians of Chinese ancestry in my family.
This issue is Canadian - not the politics of China - that's a different issue.
I was at the Nov 26th Rally. In fact, I was the second protester to arrive after organizer Mr. Sid Tan. "The power of One!"said Sid to onlookers. When he saw me arrive, he corrected himself, "The power of Two!" I arrived with placards to inform the public that the United Nations had asked Canada to apologize and make redress - just like New Zealand had done.
The people at the Nov 26, 2005 rally were not interested in "taking over Canada" - We just want to be recognized as "Canadians." For generations Chinese Canadians have been systemically marginalized and ignored. This is what the redress package and apology is for - the Head Tax and Exclusion Act that was designed to preserve a "White Canada."
And now... we have many White and Chinese mixed race couples producing new generations of babies that will grow up embracing their multicultural heritage. Canada is not about US vs Them. Canada is about "Living Together." Haven't you been listening or reading the Th?nk Vancouver theme of CBC Radio One and the Georgia Straight?
I don't know what Mr. Shenfeld is talking about...
As a 5th Generation Canadian - who just happens to be blessed with beautiful Chinese DNA - I regard myself as 100% Canadian.
I don't speak Chinglish, but understand some words and phrases in Mandarin and Cantonese. I am fluent in English and conversational in French. I was born in Vancouver - not Hongcouver. My parents and my grandmother were born in BC, not China. My cousin Rhonda is a First Nations Indian Chief - not a member of the Red Guard. I race dragon boats in Canada and the US - not in China. Even though I travelled to Beijing and Taipei, when my highschool friends went to Europe, I couldn't recognize the Chinese national anthem - I sing O Canada. I am not a member of the Chinese National Congress - I am a director of the Canadian Club Vancouver. I don't eat chicken feet - I eat haggis with sweet and sour sauce.
I AM CANADIAN!
Check out the original Molson Canadian "My name is Joe, I am Canadian rant"
YouTube - I AM CANADIAN !
I don't know which century you are living in - but this is no longer the 19th century of 1895 when the Chinese Head tax was initiated. This is now the 21st century and there are now at least 7 generations of Canadians of Chinese ancestry in my family.
This issue is Canadian - not the politics of China - that's a different issue.
I was at the Nov 26th Rally. In fact, I was the second protester to arrive after organizer Mr. Sid Tan. "The power of One!"said Sid to onlookers. When he saw me arrive, he corrected himself, "The power of Two!" I arrived with placards to inform the public that the United Nations had asked Canada to apologize and make redress - just like New Zealand had done.
The people at the Nov 26, 2005 rally were not interested in "taking over Canada" - We just want to be recognized as "Canadians." For generations Chinese Canadians have been systemically marginalized and ignored. This is what the redress package and apology is for - the Head Tax and Exclusion Act that was designed to preserve a "White Canada."
And now... we have many White and Chinese mixed race couples producing new generations of babies that will grow up embracing their multicultural heritage. Canada is not about US vs Them. Canada is about "Living Together." Haven't you been listening or reading the Th?nk Vancouver theme of CBC Radio One and the Georgia Straight?
I don't know what Mr. Shenfeld is talking about...
As a 5th Generation Canadian - who just happens to be blessed with beautiful Chinese DNA - I regard myself as 100% Canadian.
I don't speak Chinglish, but understand some words and phrases in Mandarin and Cantonese. I am fluent in English and conversational in French. I was born in Vancouver - not Hongcouver. My parents and my grandmother were born in BC, not China. My cousin Rhonda is a First Nations Indian Chief - not a member of the Red Guard. I race dragon boats in Canada and the US - not in China. Even though I travelled to Beijing and Taipei, when my highschool friends went to Europe, I couldn't recognize the Chinese national anthem - I sing O Canada. I am not a member of the Chinese National Congress - I am a director of the Canadian Club Vancouver. I don't eat chicken feet - I eat haggis with sweet and sour sauce.
I AM CANADIAN!
Check out the original Molson Canadian "My name is Joe, I am Canadian rant"
YouTube - I AM CANADIAN !
