Watch the Chinatown Canada documentary on OMNI TV tonight

Saturday, Aug 21 at 8pm PST on Omni News (BC)

Todd Wong is interviewed about Vancouver Chinatown and see the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team in action at '09 Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival.

The footage was shot last June, when Kerry Beattie contacted me.  I recommended a number of people for them to talk to including Andrew Wong of Wild Rice Restaurant (Andrew's grandfather used to own the Lotus Hotel, where my grandfather Sonny Wong ran the Lotus Cafe Restaurant), and Shirley Chan and many others.

check link for other provinces http://bit.ly/bNu4rv

My grandmother turns 100 years old today.

Mabel Lee was born July 4th, 1910, in Victoria BC.  Her grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan came to Canada in 1896 to serve at the Chinese Methodist Church, which had been co-founded by his elder brother Rev. Chan Sing Kai in 1888.


My grandmother has lived through two world wars. She lived through the Chinese Head Tax era, and the1923 Chinese Exclusion Act.

She welcomed 3 brothers and a cousin home who served in WW2, who were first not allowed to join the Canadian Forces, even though they wanted to fight for the country they were born in.

She couldn't vote in the country she was born in until she was 37 years old, after the Exclusion Act was appealed in 1947 - because up until then, she was considered a resident alien.

She has watched her grand-children become: Miss Canada runner-up, TV news reporter, BC Lions Cheerleader, lawyer, RCMP officer, Calgary city councilor, killer-whale habitat warden, mining environment consultant, and then there's me... Toddish McWong,

One niece is Chief of the Qayqayt First Nations.  And my Granny was interviewed for the the NFB film documentary Tribe of One, about Rhonda Larrabee.

My Grandmother had 3 siblings... 4 sisters and 2 brothers are still very much alive.

She has 22 great-grand-children, and 4 great-great-grandchildren...

She appeared with me in the 2004 CBC television performance special Gung Haggis Fat Choy, along with my parents, girlfriend and friends. 

In 2007, CBC created a TV documentary about her grandfather and family descendant history titled Generations: The Chan Legacy.  We used family home movies that showed my grand mother and her siblings at their mother Kate Lee's 75th birthday party.

Chinese Laundry Kids grow up to be writers, professors and community activists:

Friends of Foo's Ho Ho launches another successful event combining Chinese Canadian history with local cuisine and issues of the global Chinese diaspora.  When Committee member Elwin Xie discovered that author Judy Fong Bates was coming to speak at UBC, and that she was reading from her memoir about growing up in a chinese laundry - a light must have gone off.

Elwin quickly remembered that retired psychology professor Dr. John Jung had expressed interest in coming to speak to the Friends of Foo's Ho Ho committee, after learning about their effort to save Vancouver Chinatown's last restaurant serving pioneer style Cantonese cuisine.  A community activist with an interest in Vancouver's Chinese Canadian history, Elwin had also ordered books by Dr. Jung about Chinese restaurants and laundries.  It turned out that like Judy Fong Bates, Dr. Jung had also grown up in a Chinese laundry - but instead of Canada, Dr. Jung had grown up in Macon, Georgia - deep in the American South.  Elwin's interest was keen, because he had grown up at the Union Laundry, owned and operated by his parents in Vancouver.

Event host Todd Wong, with featured guests Dr. John Jung, Judy Fong Bates and Elwin Xie.

Guests began arriving at the 6pm reception time. Books by Dr. Jung and Ms. Bates were for sale, and the authors were set up to sign copies for the evening's patrons.

The event started off with a 10 minute film about Chinese laundries in the United States.  This really helped set the tone for the evening, showing pictures of laundries, the laundry machines, and even some of the racist cartoons and songs of the times.  

Soon the first appetizer dish of deep-fried squid, pork and chicken wings arrived. Yum Yum, some good food to accompany the hearty conversations that filled the upstairs banquet hall.

Elwin Xie was the first speaker.  He gave a power point presentation with pictures of his family's laundry that included himself as a little child.  He described how he was encouraged to climb into the giant washing machines to find coins, only to figure out many years later that he was "exploited" because of his small size.

Dr. John Jung was the second speaker.  He also had a power point presentation that featured pictures of both Chinese laundries and restaurants from across North America. It was really interesting to hear how he grew up in the only Chinese family in Macon Georgia.  An especially amusing story was how the family became media stars one day.  In 1943, they were asked to come out and attend a media photo opportunity with Madame Chiang Kai Shek, the First Lady of China, came to visit Macon.  As the only Chinese family, they had been invited to help welcome the wife of the Taiwanese leader, who had grown up and attended Wesleyan women's college in Macon, before marrying Chiang Kai Shek.

My role as the evening's emcee, was to make sure the presentations flowed smoothly and try to keep the evening running on time.  With John's stories, it was a good way to illustrate that no matter where Chinese had settled in Canada, USA or even Scotland, their stories all had universal themes.  As John had talked about the influence of the Church during his growing up, I shared that my own family was descended from two Chinese Methodist missionaries Rev. Chan Sing Kai and Rev. Chan Yu Tan.  While Yu Tan stayed in Canada and ministered in Vancouver, New Westminster, Victoria and Nanaimo, his elder brother had ministered in Oregon and Nevada, before settling in the Los Angeles area.  Similar to John discovering that he had distant relatives operating a Chinese restaurant in Sasketchewan, my grand mother's cousin Dennis ran a restaurant in Prince Albert SK.  John had even seen the CBC documentary about Dennis' daughter Janice Wong, returning to Prince Albert to sign copies of her book CHOW, about growing up in the restaurant.

Judy Fong Bates reads from her memoir "The Year of Finding Memory"

Judy Fong Bates was the final speaker of the evening.  She remarked how a friend had described the evening's program as "sexy"!  Judy read from her memoir about how her family had come to Canada, and how she had grown up.  Like John and Elwin before her, she also commented about the racism against Chinese that had permeated the social issues of the day, and how growing up in a laundry also had a stigmatism.

It was a wonderful evening with an appreciative audience.  The evening had unfolded with discovered stories that one attendee had had his wedding banquet at Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant 38 years ago.  Another woman, my Aunty Sue, was also a Chinese Laundry Kid, with her family involved with Keefer Laundry in Vancouver.

TODD WONG'S BIG 5-OH!
BIRTHDAY PARTY

Toasts, Roasts, Music & Dance
It's been an incredible 50 years with many highlights from a Terry Fox Run in Beijing to a photo exhibit in Scotland and many things in between (cancer survival, Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinners, TV documentaries and dragon boat festivals). Please come share stories and friendship with music, food and drink.

Admission by Donation for Historic Kogawa House Society
By Invitation Only - Private Event

Friday May 14, 7-10:30 pm
PAL Theatre - Performing Arts Lodge
300-581 Cardero Street @ Hastings
8th Floor Theatre, lobby and rooftop garden
Admission by Donation

DONATIONS
In lieu of gifts - donations accepted for Historic Joy Kogawa House Society. We saved Obasan author, Joy Kogawa’s childhood home from demolition in 2005 & 2006. In 2007, we received the City of Vancouver Heritage Award of Honour, and saw our dreams become reality with a writer-in-residence program in 2009. Now we need to restore the house and continue to build the writing programs.) Tax receipts available - call The Land Conservancy of BC, Tamsin Baker (604) 733-2313 or bring your cheque to THE PARTY!
Donations will be split 50/50 between writing programs and restorations - unless specified otherwise.

LOCATION:
Look for the Scotia Bank sign on Cardero St.
and the PAL awning on the west side of the street.
very distinctive.
Volunteers will be in the lobby to show you to the 8th floor.
if not - a sign should print my cell phone #, and we will send somebody down to greet you.

FOOD & DRINK
I am hosting so will provide beer & wine and non-alcoholic drinks + appies.
It is a challenge to my bank account - but I would like to be able to give you all a drink! contributions are accepted - if we run out, we will have to send people on a store run. (any scotch should be brown bagged)

PARKING
Street parking is metered... Cheapest parking lot is East side of Cardero, near the Bayshore $6 per evening or at corner of Georgia and Cardero beside White Spot. $12 in the actual PAL building which is used by the Bayhore Hotel.

MUSIC and Performances
Everything is a surprise... I don't even know what's happening.
But there will be a list, if you would like to perform, recite a poem, or make a toast / roast. We will try to keep things moving, and will HOOK people if they go too long, mumble and say inappropriate things. Children are expected to be present, and we expect all performers to be outstanding community role models.

Todd Wong: A Cultural Revolutionary in a Kilt" - pg 16-18 Pacific Rim Magazine - pick up Today's Globe & Mail. It's a nice"day-after-birthday" gift!

My birthday was actually yesterday.
Busy day considering I did nothing.

Deb took me out for Birthday Eve supper Ciao Bella Restaurant Davie & Alberni St.

Morning:  Went to work with Deb - as we are using the PAL Theatre (Performing Arts Lodge) where she works for my 50th Birthday party this Friday.

9:30am - meet Dad for breakfast - go to Denny's for free breakfast

11am - do some reading 3rd book of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Millenium Triology

2:30 - go to Lynn Valley - walk across Suspension Bridge

4pm - go for haircut @ 2nd St. & Lonsdale

6-7:30pm - Coach Gung Haggis dragon boat team

7:30pm - Birthday Party at paddler's condo near Science World

9pm - watch Canucks lose... then surprised with Dairy Queen frozen strawberry cheesecake with candles "5" and "0" burning bright.

Drink more beer and cider.

It was fun to host the 2010 BC Book Awards Soiree on Wednesday night.  It is indeed one of my favorite events because I get to meet new writers, greet writer friends, buy some new books, pick up some great silent auction prizes... and the organizers are always so friendly!

Todd Wong hosts the 2010 BC Book Prize Soiree, making announcements with Selina Rajani, vice-president of the West Coast Book Prize Society - photo Nagai/Wong

This time as host, it was much busier.  Before going over the evening's script, the first thing I had to do was find my girlfriend Deb, to borrow her credit card to pay for the parking downstairs.  At past events you could always put money into the meters for 2 hours, and not worry.  But with extended meters until 10pm on busy Robson St. I don't take chances anymore.

Event producer Fernanda Vivieros had the updated scripts ready, and I acquainted myself with the room and who was there.  A good cross-section of BC's literary community of authors, publishers and organizers.  I said hello to publisher Scott McIntyre, organizer Linda Johnston, greeted author Larissa Lai who we featured at the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner this year, and waved to David Chariandy - author of Soucouyant (2008 nominee).

Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, nominated for his Haida-Manga book "Red" wears an Asian-inspired jacket with frog buttons, while I wear a dragon themed waist-coat and Ancient Hunting Fraser tartan kilt. - photo Wong

Some of the 2010 BC Book Prize nominees stand at the front as we give a toast to them - photo Nagai/Wong

Todd Wong and Rolf Maurer toast to Stan Persky - photo Nagai/Wong

The best literary moment of the evening was Rolf Maurer's speech about Stan Persky.  He recounted the importance of Stan to our BC Literary community.  The jury stated that:

"We have chosen Stan Persky as the recipient of the 2010 Lieutenant Governor's Award for Literary Excellence because of the intellectual and moral integrity he brings to his work as a writer who engages with some of the most difficult questions facing society, and because of the great contributions he has made to the literary canon of Canada and British Columbia.

His numerous books and his trial-blazing efforts in creating literary journals and a forum for public engagement - not least New Star Books and the Georgia Straight - have helped develop British Columbia's literary community into what it is today.

Stan's bravery as a philosopher, a polemicist and a story-teller, leap from the pages of his twenty books.  Stan Persky is our Socrates."

And indeed Persky has touched my life - first as my instructors for Political Science and Philosophy at Capilano College (now Capilano University) in the 1980's.  Stan became the original editor of The Solidarity Times, during the Operation Solidarity movement protesting the Socred government's restraint program. It was natural since Persky had written the book "Son of Socred" about Premier Bill Bennett.  During 2007, I found myself at the forefront of the historic Vancouver library strike when I organized a writer's series, inviting Vancouver writers to speak to the striking library workers. Stan came and stated he came to speak at the library because his "books are locked up and unavailable to the public."

Ricepaper managing editor Patricia Lim, Todd Wong, author Charles Demers - nominated for Vancouver Special (an essay collection about Vancouver's neighborhoods which features 2 paragraphs about Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner and Todd Wong) - photo Wong

And books!  I always walk away with new books in my hands.  This year I purchased Charles Demers' Vancouver Special, Spirit of the Nikkei Fleet: BC's Japanese Canadian Fishermen by Masako Fukawa with Stanley Fukawa, and Red by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas.  And Larissa Lai also signed my copies of her nominated poetry collection Automaton Biographies.

Here I am, back in Vernon, or more specifically Coldstream for the 2009 Easter weekend.  My girlfriend Deb and I drove up yesterday to spend some time with her parents and their border collie dogs.

It was a long tiring trip through the light rain, light snow on the Coquihalla and Connector highways.  Thankfully, there wasn't a snow storm.  We didn't get the big windstorm that hit Vancouver, but there were moderate winds pushing the car along the highways.  Lots of Canadian content on the cd player including Michael Buble's "Live at Madison Square Garden", Bruce Cockburn's live solo album "Slice O Life" and Gordon Lightfoot's "Gord's Gold."  After hearing that Lightfoot had re-written his lyrics of "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", I have decided to write new lyrics to his classic "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" to include a Chinese-Canadian perspective.  Maybe I will call it Chinese-Canadian Railroad Trilogy or Chinese-Canadian Railroad Tragedy... we will see how it pans out.

One of the first things I did upon arriving at "The In-Laws" was to pet all the doggies greeting our arrival.  Val literally jumps on me, trying to lick my face, while the younger dog Tess simply brings me a pine cone to throw for her.  Finally, she has somebody to throw pine cones for her again.  Definitely a "fetchit" dog! 

Next I walk down to private dock that sits on Kalamalka Lake.  It's a beautiful lake, nicknamed the "Lake of Many Colours".  I am hoping to do some paddling this weekend in canoe or kayak.  But now, it's time to socialize, catch up on news, then have a great dinner. 

After dinner, we fall asleep watching Disney's "The Princess and the Frog" .  Darn - I had really been looking forward to the movie, with its portrayal of jazzy cajun spiced New Orleans, and its inaugural debut of African-American characters and culture.  Maybe it is too politically correctly sanitized, or stereotypically traditional, or maybe my sense of disbelief cannot be suspended.  A talking firefly that survives multiple hits, and never becomes bug splat?

Saturday, I wake up to the heavy splashing of white capped waves on Kalamalka Lake.  No kayaking today.  I joke that maybe I could take a kayak out and surf the waves to Alexander's Pub, and somebody could come pick me up.  No takers.  Chances of being cold and wet are high, and I dislike the combination terribly.

There are no dim sum restaurants in Vernon.  Too bad.... but I have a wonderful lunch date with Betty "McChan" and her husband Don.  Betty is a former Canadian National Highland Dance Champion.... and she is Chinese-Canadian.  The picture I saw of her, was an archival copy of Chinatown News from the late 1950's.  I first met Betty in 2006 when she came to Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner.  This past New Year's was the first time we visisted in Vernon.  We have a wonderful chat about Gung Haggis Fat Choy, local Vernon Viper hockey, Larry Kwong the first Chinese Canadian to play in the NHL, dim sum, tai chi, and whether or not Betty will borrow, hire or purchase a Chinese Lion dance costume. 

For our first visit to Betty's place, just after New Year's, she had made a wonderful classic Cantonese style Won Ton soup.  This time it was her husband Don in the kitchen.  He made a delicious omelette with a side dish of corned beef hash brown potatoes.  Spontaneously, I asked if he had ever made a haggis hash.  He hadn't, but he liked the idea.  I told him about the a capella group The No Shit Shirleys who had performed at the 2006 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner, and how whenever the group performs their version of Mo Li Hua (Jasmine Flower) they tell the story about haggis-fried rice that they had at the dinner.  They thought it was soooo delicious.  Betty and Don had attended that dinner and they thought The Shirleys were wonderful performers, and the fried rice was good too!

On my way back to my Vernon home-base, I spot the Vernon Sausage Company, and it's delicatessen Helmut's Sausage Kitchen.  I have tasted some of Oyama Sausage at Salt Tasting Room in Vancouver, and decide to purchase some local tastes for tonight's appetizer plate.  I select a few slices of the Soppressata salami, Prosciutto Westphalia, Bauern schinken (a cured beef), 1 slice of the huge corned beef, and 6 slices each of the Helmut's Farmer Salami and the Kirsch-Salami.  I also pick some cheeses: Provolone, Smoked Gruyere, and Smoked Gouda.  The meats only cost me $3.12... wow!  It's a wonderful cured meat and cheese platter.  Everybody is complimentary.  And much cheaper than going to Salt Restaurant, but without the incredible comfits and sauces that they match to their platters.  I eat so much that I don't have as much room for the wonderful turkey dinner we have. 

Hmmm.... did I use the word "wonderful" too many times.  I like my visits to Vernon.

I don't think Furlong "gets it".

Reflecting multicultural diversity isn't about presenting stereotypes to the world or having "token heads of state" - It's about how we as generations of so-called "visible minorities" live our lives and make ourselves included in the mainstream.

My God... even bagpipes weren't includ...ed somewhere in the opening ceremonies, and our first Canadian Prime Minister, first BC Premier and first Vancouver mayor were born in Scotland. We have more bagpipers in Canada than there are in Scotland. And the Chinese immigrants played major roles in BC history including the railway, the head tax and chinese food restaurants.

Furlong assures closing ceremony will reflect everyone

 

Visible-minority groups, francophone leaders complained of opening ceremony snub

 

By Randy Shore , with files from Lindsay Kines, Vancouver Sun; with files from Canwest News ServiceFebruary 18, 2010

Vancouver Olympic CEO John Furlong will not make changes to the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games despite complaints from leaders of the city's ethnic groups about the content of the opening ceremony.

High-profile members of some ethnic communities -- including Sukhi Sandhu and S.U.C.C.E. S.S. chairman Peter Kwok -- had complained that the opening ceremony omitted a crucial aspect of Canadian life, the culture mosaic and the role of immigrants in Canadian society.

Sandhu, an anti-racism activist and community volunteer who lives in Surrey , wrote to Furlong seeking a meeting with the Vancouver Organizing Committee to air their concerns, but four days later Sandhu has no reply.

Sandhu and others had hoped that visible minorities could be better showcased in the closing ceremony.

Furlong stressed Wednesday that the closing ceremony is already planned and that it will leave little doubt about "who we are and who is here."

He said telling the story of a country made up of people from all over the world is a complex task, but the opening ceremony did a good job of reflecting Canada .

"We feel like having a good cry," said Sandhu. "We are surprised that it takes this much energy to bring some common sense to people."

"I'm not going to call any more, I'm not going to beg," Sandhu said.

The opening ceremony included strong first nations participation both in the show and the dignitaries box. Four local first nations chiefs sat as heads of state to welcome the world along with Canada 's Gov.-Gen. Michaelle Jean and Premier Gordon Campbell.

But the show contained little to represent the country's other major ethnic groups, critics said.

Canadian Heritage and Official Languages Minister James Moore, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff and Quebec Premier Jean Charest complained that the ceremony didn't include enough French language content.

Canada's Commissioner of Official Languages Graham Fraser will be investigating the complaints, but because his mandate only allows him to probe federal institutions, he will confine his investigation to Moore 's heritage ministry, according to an e-mail sent to Canwest News Service by Fraser's office.

Fraser will release a preliminary report on the level of bilingualism at the Games following their conclusion.

The complaints hinge on the $20 million in funding that Heritage Canada gave to the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the opening ceremony, the most-watched televised event in Canadian history.

"There is an agreement between the federal government ... and Vanoc that came with a certain amount of funding," said Robin Cantin, a spokesman for the language commissioner's office. "And that agreement came with some language provisions."

Langara College sociologist Indira Prahst will watch the closing ceremony carefully for signs of respect to Canada 's visible minorities, but she is not satisfied with Vanoc's response to complaints.

"I want to be blunt: This should have been addressed at the very outset," she said. "We should have showcased our diversity. Is this just a quick response meant to pacify the community?"

"That's really not enough," she said. "I told Sukhi and the others that they were unrealistic to expect major changes [to the ceremony] because there is so much work, planning and technology that goes into it."

"But they could have a person from a visible minority speak."

rshore@vancouversun.com

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

 

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/2010wintergames/Furlong+assures+closing+ceremony+will+reflect+everyone/2579637/story.html

 

More visible minorities at closing, VANOC hints

Last Updated: Thursday, February 18, 2010 | 9:26 AM PT Comments14Recommend22

CBC News

VANOC CEO John Furlong is hinting Canada 's racial diversity may be better represented in the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics after criticism that ethnic minorities were mostly missing from the opening.

With its large South Asian and Chinese communities, Metro Vancouver is one of Canada 's most diverse regions. Forty-one per cent of residents are part of visible minorities. But none of that diversity appeared in the big show that opened the 2010 Winter Games on Feb 12, critics say.

'We can't force ourselves on VANOC if they don't welcome us.' — Charan Gill, CEO of Progressive Intercultural Community Services

Canadian-born Sukhi Sandhu wrote a letter to Furlong, saying Olympic organizers missed an opportunity during the final torch-lighting ceremony "to represent our nation's diversity."

Sandhu said he and his family are proud Canadians and excited to attend events at the Games, but he was disappointed visible minorities were excluded from key roles during the opening ceremony.

"If I look at the eight individuals who carried the Olympic flag and the final torchbearers, who are all rightfully outstanding Canadians — no one is disputing that — however, out of 13 people there isn't one outstanding visible minority that you could think of — David Suzuki, Donovan Bailey, Jerome Iginla or Daniel Igali," Sandu said.

Closing ceremony could offer more

It is not the first time the opening ceremony has been criticized for its lack of diversity. Federal Heritage Minister James Moore said earlier this week that "there should have been more French."

On Wednesday, Furlong defended the opening ceremony but hinted the closing on Feb. 28 will be different.

"We did a very good job of showing Canada and we had a goal to tell a story, and at the closing ceremony … we will have a very certain kind of celebration, and I don't think you'll have any doubt when the ceremonies are over who we are and who's here."

Sandhu said he doesn't want to just see bhangra dancers or hear drumbeats. He wants to see accomplished visible minorities represented in the closing ceremony.

"Our nation is a cultural mosaic, and our diversity is our strength and frankly I am surprised in 2010 we need to continue educating our leaders on this Canadian value," he wrote. "There is no shame or justifiable reason to not showcase this significant part of our nation’s identity."

His concerns are echoed by Peter Kwok, the chairman of the immigrant services organization SUCCESS, which provides services for new Chinese Canadians.

"You know we have Chinese New Year, just a few days ago and when attending all those New Year's celebrations I have been chatting with people and I've heard from quite a few people that they, too, feel that it was a spectacular show," Kwok said. "And they only wish that they had a bit more portrayal of the multiculturalism in Canada ."

Charan Gill, the CEO of the Progressive Intercultural Community Services, an immigrant organization based in Surrey , B.C., said he tried to reach out to VANOC to encourage more visible minorities to get involved and volunteer for the Games but got no response.

"We can't force ourselves on VANOC if they don't welcome us," he said.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/02/18/bc-visible-minorities-olympic-ceremonies.html#ixzz0fuevX1Y4

  http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/02/18/bc-visible-minorities-olympic-ceremonies.html

   

Vancouver 2010 Opening Ceremonies: What's wrong with this picture?

by Todd on Sat 13 Feb 2010 11:27 PM PST 

I watched the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, and something didn't sit right with me.  Vancouver is always being touted as a multicultural city.  It is the "most Asian" city in North America .  It is the city with the most mixed-race relationships.

It was very nice to see a welcome from the Four Host Nations of Lil'Wat, Musqueam, Squamish, and Tseil-Waututh nations.  Four totem poles were raised, and each host nation welcomed the world in their own language, followed by English and French.  And then other First Nations groups from across Canada , were also recognized: from the North; the East; and the Prairies.  It was a wonderful way to acknowledge and infuse First Nations culture into the Opening Ceremonies.

I also enjoyed how the many regions of Canada were represented during the Opening ceremonies.  The prairies of W.O. Mitchell's "Who Has Seen The Wind"... the snow of the north... the fiddling of the Maritimes, Quebec and the East.  The killer whales were my favorite part.  Projected images of light, moving across the floor, punctuated by actual puffs of water, to simulate the exhaling of the whales.  But during after the fiddling was over, I asked myself - "Where are the Chinese fiddles or erhus that are part of Vancouver 's multicultural music scene, and it's cultural history of 150 years of immigration.  Where is the erhu from Madeleine Thein's children's book "The Chinese violin"

It was an exciting moment to recognize and identify each of the flag carriers, as the Olympic flag was brought in.  Donald Sutherland, Betty Fox, Barbara Ann Scott, Gilles Villaneuve, Bobby Orr, Julie Payette, Anne Murray and Gen. Romeo Dallaire.  I was especially excited to see Betty Fox, because I have personally met her many times, as I have been a member of Terry's Team since 1993 - cancer survivors who speak at Terry Fox Runs and at schools.

Then anticipation for the final torch bearer.  A silouette of a man in a wheel chair! Yay! It is Rick Hansen - my favorite choice to be the lighter of the cauldron.  Rick passes the flame to Catriona Le May Doan, who passes the flame to Wayne Gretzky, who passes the flame to Nancy Greene Raine.  All four stand, as the caudron rises from the floor.  All four light the cauldron together.  Whoops, only 3 light the cauldron, because one pillar didn't rise out of the floor.  Was this a sign?  Was it a symbol?

But, I also saw a lack of diversity in the flag carriers and final torch bearers.  While recognize and admirer each of the chosen flag carriers and final torch bearers for their individual accomplishments and contributions to Canadian society.

But.... if all the flag carriers, and final torch bearers had been male, we would hear women complaining.  If all the flag carriers and final torch bearers had been Anglophone, then the Francophones would be complaining.  And if all the flag carriers and final torch bearers were blonde, would brunettes, red heads and black haired people be complaining?  Yes!

Part of the selling point for winning the Olympic bid, is that Vancouver is a multicultural city, and Canada 's "Gateway to the Pacific." Politicians and VANOC have been proudly telling the world that every athlete from every competing nation will find somebody in Vancouver that speaks their language, cooks their food and could welcome them to their home.

And yes, David Suzuki, is a wonderful choice. He was the top living "Greatest Canadian" in the CBC show and #5 overall.  Tommy Douglas was #1 (whose son-in-law was flag carrier Donald Sutherland) and Terry Fox was #2 (whose mother was Betty Fox, another flag carrier).  Wayne Gretzky was #10.  Romeo Dallaire was #16, Bobby Orr #19 and Rick Hansen #30. Chief Dan George was #80, Donovan Bailey #89, and Anne Murray #94.

There are many past gold medalists that could have been included.  Lori Fung (gold LA 1984 Rhythmic Gymnastics).  Alwyn Morris (Gold & Bronze LA 1984 Kayak-pairs) who had held up an eagle feather on the podium, Donovan Bailey (Goldx2 Atlanta 1996 100m + 4X100 Relay), Daniel Igali (Gold Sydney 2000 Wrestling), Carol Huynh (Gold Beijing 2008 Wrestling), and Jerome Iginla (Gold Salt Lake City 2002 Hockey).  Just the inclusion of one of these medalists, or all of them, passing the flame onto the final four would have been a tremendous inclusive moment.

Remember that Sydney 2000 chose Cathy Freeman, an aboriginal to light the cauldron.  Atlanta 96 had Muhammad Ali.

VANOC opening ceremonies missed a chance to showcase the diversity of both Vancouver and Canada , and that we are just as proud of ALL our Canadians too!

Maybe many people would have said "Who?" if Alwyn Morris had been holding an eagle feather in one hand, and a torch in the other, if he had walked into BC Place with the Olympic Flame - but it would have been both an educational and a proud moment for all Canadians.  Morris is the first and only Canadian aboriginal to win an Olympic gold medal.

It could have been a proper bookend to the inclusion of First Nations people - in how we have overcome Canada's racist history of residential schools and apartheid reservations, head tax and exclusion acts, internment camps and property confiscation - not how we still portray First Nations peoples as stereotypes in traditional costume, dancing and beating drums.

http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2010/2/14/4455481.html

 

 

Todd will be on Canada AM on CTV, Sunday morning

- must be there at 5am so Toronto people can see a brief interview between 8 and 9am.. I will do the interview at Robson Square, which is part of the the BC Canada Pavillion.

Then will do an interview and filming at Chinese New Year parade with ZDF tv from Germany.  We will meet at 8:30am, as the parade starts at 9:30am in Vancouver Chinatown.

Now....Must get ready to attend the Women's hockey Canada vs Slovakia today at 5pm

Olympic Torch carried on Dragon Boat and Voyageur Canoe on Final Day

Olympian Hugh Fisher carried the Olympic Torch on a dragon boat on part of the final leg of the Olympic Torch Relay that has traveled from sea to sea to sea and all across Canada.  He passed it on to Olympian kayaker Kamini Jain in the middle of False Creek, as she stood on a voyageur canoe.

I was part of the 6 dragon boat and 6 outrigger canoe accompanying flotilla, that followed the torch bearing boats.  We all stood for a photo op with torch bearers Hugh and Kamini, after it was over.

Pictures and more stories coming later 

Todd stands with Kamini Jain, Olympic torch bearer for 2010, Olympic kayak racer in Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000.

Alwyn Morris won gold and bronze partnered with Hugh Fisher in the Mens K-2 events in LA 1984.  Alwyn is the first and only gold medalist Aboriginal Canadian, and he held up an eagle feather when he ascended the podium in 1984.

Geo, Lisa and Todd hold the Olympic flame with torch bearer and gold medalist Olympian Hugh Fisher (LA 1984).

Todd Wong recounts using complimentary/alternative medicine to battle cancer to Georgia Straight writer Charlie Smith.

It was 21 years ago, when I found himself in emergency at Lion's Gate Hospital.  The first time he heard the word cancer was when he asked the attending specialist what the word "oncology" meant that was stitched on the doctor's white jacket.  5 months of chemotherapy is a long time.  It was certainly made easier by the Reiki and Therapeutic Touch energy work that my mother did on me, and the many visualization exercises that I did each day.  I was way to weak to play accordion - but I did when I was finally strong enough months later.  When I returned to Simon Fraser University, I took as many courses with health and illness themes as possible including: Health and Illness in Sociology, Health Psychology, Women's Health and Health Issues, Psychopathology, and even directed studies courses. 

It was much better than the alternative.

Without treatment, the doctors told me that I might have lasted 2 weeks.  My lungs were half-full of fluid, the tumor was half the width of my chest cavity and pushing on my vital organs.  There was bruising on my chest from internal pressure.

We do what we can, and I am glad to be alive and making my contributions to Society.

Traditional Chinese medicine enters the mainstream

Traditional Chinese medicine enters the mainstream

Vancouver library worker Todd Wong knows better than most that life occasionally delivers a rude surprise. In 1989, Wong came back from a trip to New York feeling rundown. At first, his doctor diagnosed a recurrent viral flu. Only after visiting an oncologist did Wong, then 29 years old, learn that he had a germ-cell tumour related to testicular cancer. It required emergency chemotherapy to deal with a growth in his chest the size of a large grapefruit.

“The first night I’m in the hospital, the doctor tells my parents, ‘There is a 60-percent chance your son will survive because we only discovered this very, very late,’ ” Wong told the Georgia Straight in a phone interview. “I was 29 years old, really active, and the doctors never suspected anything.”

Wong, a fifth-generation Chinese Canadian, was visited regularly by his mother, who wanted to give her son therapeutic touching to help him heal. She asked about doing energy work known as Reiki, because this is what she had practised at home. “The doctor told her, ‘If you want to do that, you can take your son out of the hospital,’ ” Wong recalled.

His mother kept coming to the hospital every night to surreptitiously practise Reiki on her son, and Wong’s grandmother brought affirmations from a book by Louise Hay called You Can Heal Your Life. Later, he called a psychology instructor at Capilano College (now Capilano University) to learn how to practise visualization. When he was well enough to attend Simon Fraser University, every course he took had a focus on illness and health. “I did directed studies on the relationship between stress and illness,” Wong said. “I learned that psychoneuroimmunology [study of the interaction between psychological processes and the nervous and immune systems] was only coined as a term in 1980.”

Two decades after Wong’s recovery, he sees much greater cooperation taking place between allopathic and complementary health practitioners. The B.C. Cancer Agency is backing a complementary medicine education and outcomes program, which is examining how to safely combine complementary approaches with traditional cancer treatments. The team, led by principal researcher and UBC nursing professor Lynda Balneaves, is exploring the most effective ways to support cancer patients in making decisions in this area. In addition, the researchers hope to enhance health professionals’ understanding of this area.

Meanwhile, the U.S.–based National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which is part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, has been conducting scientific research on complementary and alternative healing practices for 10 years. It also trains researchers in this area and disseminates information to allopathic practitioners. For example, it has noted that acupuncture has demonstrable therapeutic benefits for low back pain, and that tai chi may benefit older adults with osteoarthritis in the knee.

During his recovery, Wong visited naturopath and acupuncturist Larry Chan, one of the founders of Integrative Healing Arts on Vancouver’s West Side, who helped him think “outside the box” about the origins of illness. Wong is convinced that health is about finding balance and looking at the body system in a holistic framework rather than focusing exclusively on germs or viruses. Integrative is one of several facilities—including the Broadway Wellness Centre, Cross Roads Clinics, and Finlandia Natural Pharmacy and Health Centre—that offer an interdisciplinary and complementary approach to health care.

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.straight.com/article-284396/vancouver/tcm-enters-mainstream

Dragon boat to carry the Olympic Torch!

The last day of the Olympic Torch Relay Feb 12th will feature Dragon Boats and Canoes as Olympic gold medalist Hugh Fisher, from a dragonboat, will hand off the torch to Kamini Jain, in a voyageur canoe, in the middle of False Creek.   This event will take place on February 12th in Vancouver BC.  Details and exact times will be released soon.


Fisher won Olympic Gold and Bronze with Kayak partner Alwyn Morris at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.  Kamini Jain competed in K-1 single kayak events in 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Games.  Fisher is one of the founders of the False Creek Racing Canoe Club which has helped to shape dragon boat racing in Canada and also influence it's development in North America. 

Kamini is the current head coach of the FCRCC, and took the Mixed team to gold and silver in Sydney Australia for the 2007 IDBF World Championships.  FCRCC-cored Premier Mixed: 2nd at 500m (by 0.51 secs!), 4th at 200, 1st at 2K

It's going to be exciting as 6 dragon boats (20 paddlers) and 6 outrigger canoes (6 paddlers) make up the escort flotilla, that will accompany the torch bearing boats.  It will bring back memories of the torch first arriving in Canada after landing at the airfield, and then arriving to BC's Provincial Legislature Building in Victoria, carried by First Nations cedar canoes.

And I will be one of the paddlers in the flotilla!  Yippee! 


Here's the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team at the 2009 Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival.  One of these BuK boats will probably be used to transport the Olympic Torch in the final legs of the relay to the Opening Ceremonies at BC Place Stadium.

The six dragon boats and outrigger canoes will be paddled by False Creek Racing Canoe Club, and some other clubs.  I think I will be on a boat where paddlers from different teams have been invited to participate.  I am very excited at being invited. 

Back in the summer, I did a video audition to be a torch bearer for the City of Vancouver, as two library workers would be included amongst the selected workers from police, firemen, city workers and parks workers.  Sadly, I wasn't chosen - but I know our library workers are deserving and wonderful people, especially my friend Judy Caldwell, who is a librarian, and dragon boater.  Judy is one of the founders of the Abreast in a Boat dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors, and we were both awarded the 2008 BC Community Achievement Award.

I've been involved with dragon boats in Vancouver for many years.  I attended the first dragon boat races on False Creek in 1986 during Expo 86.  I joined my first team in 1993.  Soon I was coaching other teams, and competed in Victoria races in 1997 and San Francisco in 1999.  I was invited to join the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival Race Committee in 2000.  In 2003 I helped to found the Vancouver International Taiwanese Dragon Boat Race, as board member of the CCC Dragon Boat Association.  The Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team has been active since 2002, and dedicated to promoting multiculturalism through dragon boat paddling.  We have put Taiwanese dragon boats into the St. Patrick's Day parade in 2004 and 2005.  The team has been filmed for tv documentaries for French, German and Canadian television, and also for an upcoming documentary movie.



This is one of my favorite pictures of the Gung Haggis team, at the 2007 Vancouver International Taiwanese Dragon Boat race!  Imagine holdin the Olympic Torch from the head of the dragon - but these Taiwanese boats won't be used for the Olympic Torch Relay.


Here is information about viewing the Olympic Torch on False Creek from the False Creek Racing Canoe Club Website:


For more information on the Torch Relay and other Olympic events visit vancouver2010.com

http://www.fcrcc.com/events/olympic-torch-relay

http://www.canadianoutrigger.com/messsubj.cfm?pid=2721

http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010-information/olympic-torch-relay/olympic-torch-relay-interactive-map/

http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010-information/olympic-torch-relay/stories-from-the-road/day-106---alternative-modes-of-transportation-in-vancouver_236610kB.html

In 1759, a wee bairn of a boy named Robert was born in a cottage in the village of Alloway, in Ayrshire Scotlandm, on January 25th in the last days of the Chinese Lunar Year of the Tiger. Four days later on January 29th, Chinese New Year of the Rabbit occurred + pictures + more    more »

Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinners always emphasize BC's cultural and historical past and present. While we acknowledge the Scottish and Chinese pioneers that helped to shape this province of British Columbia, we also look to see where we are going and what kind of cultural fusion is happening. This year's program is amazing..... pictures + descriptions   more »

Every year I do media interviews. On Robbie Burns Day, I was woken up at 7am by a request from BBC Radio Scotland. Yesterday, I did an interview for French CBC television. Monday was Epoch Times. Last week the Georgia Straight did a food feature article. Somewhere in Scotland there is an interview in the Sunday Post. Even SFU, Seattle and North Shore News have stories about Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner this year. Check out the links:   more »

Internet Radio blog link to Cultural Connects - Very interesting interview with Todd Wong, creator of Gung Haggis Fat Choy, by Gary Jarvis.Listen to Gary's interview of Todd Wong, creator of Gung Haggis Fat Choy, as he explains the Scottish and Chinese and BC roots of his brain child - a cultural fusion Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner. http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.vie...w&friendId=400868504&blogId=526013921   more »

But I had left my music stand behind. So on January 2nd, Deb and I returned to the house and found ourselves at another music night - but without my accordion. Carol offered me her red electric guitar without even asking if I could play guitar - even before offering me the keyboard in the corner + pictures   more »