Head Tax Consultation meeting in Montreal: report from Victor Wong

The Montreal consultation was restorative for many in the audience. George Lau, Binh Chow, Mr. Ng, Doug Hum, representing the Ontario Coalition, Maria Chan from CBA Toronto and others including yours truly drove up from Toronto. Jonas Ma (CCNC Ottawa) from drove in from Ottawa. Yat Lo and Christina Samfat (Amite Chinoise) spoke. Doug, Maria Chan and Jonas spoke. Everyone urged the govt to move quickly and do the right thing. Please see William’s report below.

Many families spoke from their heart...Mrs. Wong's presentation was very powerful especially when she held up her father's laundry bag. Many of local  laundries in Montreal were run by Chinese families (check out William’s film: Moving The Mountain). 

Filmmaker Karen Cho, who is also a descendant, gave a strong presentation. I was sitting beside the microphone where she spoke and her voice shook the entire room. Karen recalled the stories she heard from the many families she met while making her film “In The Shadow of Gold Mountain” and presented a DVD copy to Minister Oda. Please see the CanWest/National Post news article below; the Gazette has an edited version.

I spoke about CCNC's work, my own family's experience under the HTEA (more than 50 years to unite our family in Canada and I consider my family lucky because so many people never met their father or grandfather), and I paid tribute to the local groups including Amite Chinoise, Redress Alliance, NCCC (Quebec) and CBA-Canada affiliates. Only local NCCC reps spoke and they pitched the AiP but they didn’t oppose the families. I asked the govt to include a meaningful gesture of regret to the families. 

William, May and Walter spoke. Doug Hum got the last word in: "Leave the head tax money for the head tax payers and their families."

We still have to work hard to convince the govt to resolve this issue in a just and honourable manner, in a manner that respects our common interests of family, respect and dignity and to do this preferably by July 1st.

BBC News reports: 
A Scottish-Chinese Tartan 
- I am NOT making this up!

Grant Hayter-Menzies saw this story on BBC News Online and thought I
should see it. 

The idea of a McWong tartan, or a Clan Gung Haggis Fat Choy tartan
is not too far off.  A few years ago, Ian MacLeod, President of 
Clan MacLeod Canada, volunteered to help me register a McWong tartan.
It would have to be yellow like the McLeod tartan because in Chinese,
"Wong" means yellow (just like the Wong River or Wong Mountain).

** Message **
Very interesting!  Elizabeth Wayland Barber's book on the Xinjiang 
gravegoods tartans deals with this topic in spectacular fashion.

** Chinese-Scottish tartan launched **
A new Chinese tartan aims to boost tourism and business to Scotland.
< http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4876622.stm >


Chinese-Scottish tartan launched
				

The new tartan incorporates colours of the Saltire and Chinese flag.

A Chinese-Scottish tartan has been created to strengthen links between the two countries.

It was inspired by Chinese Consul General Madame Guo Guifang, who said tartan was a key to the appeal Scotland holds for Chinese tourists.

The creators hope the tartan will boost tourism and business opportunities between China and Scotland.

It was specially designed by the Strathmore Woollen Company and the Scottish Tartans Authority.

The company is also hoping to link up with a business partner in China to launch a clothing label using the design.

3,000-year link

The new tartan incorporates blue and white from the Saltire and the red and yellow featured in the Chinese flag.

The tartan will be officially unveiled in Angus on Tartan Day, on 6 April.

Angus provost Bill Middleton said: "The new Chinese-Scottish tartan symbolises the co-operation and harmony that exists between Chinese people and Scottish people everywhere.

"As this tartan belongs to the Chinese as a nation, we hope to see it worn around the world."