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In 2006 the Chinese Benevolent Society of Vancouver celebrated its 100th anniversary. It was founded when/because of the pleasures of racism expressed with gusto by "real" Canadians had reached giddy heights in the Vancouver area during the late 1890s/early 1900s.
Nelson - ready to embrace whatever Vancouver-thing since day one - then had its own share of fires set to Chinese property; the Nelson Weekly Miner proposed to kill off - if any legal way can be divined to accomplish the act - every mother's son of the almond-eyed pigtail wearers, living at present in any country inhabited by white men; Nelson officially created the Chinatown ghetto in the Lower Hill mudflats; former mayor John "Truth" Houston advocated raising the head-tax - imposed on all Chinese - to $1000.
The Chinese totally being on their own - although then by law as Canadian as everybody else - looked after each other: a tradition rooted in Chinese history as the Hong Men, later becoming the Chinese Freemasons over here, including Nelson. Vancouver - at the time - had an enormous number of unemployed Chinese: no money, no jobs, no housing. No prospects. And - the basis of all this - shunned and persecuted by "real" Canadians. Thus the Chinese Benevolent Society of Vancouver was born: its goal to be found in its name.
And in 2006 many congratulatory letters were sent by politicos - what with the "Chinese" in Canada having turned into a sizeable voting-bloc over the years. This same recognition, prior to the upcoming election, sending Mr. Harper - morphing into a folksy Little-Boy-Blue(-Sweater) hybrid for the occasion - from Ottawa to Richmond BC for one afternoon, just to have his picture taken: holding a "Chinese" baby - in a "Chinese" backyard - in "Chinese" Richmond.
These congratulatory letters ranged from detached-generic to bizarre. Two of the bizarre stand out particularly: one from our then Governess General Michaelle Jean and one from Bev Oda, then doubling as Minister of Heritage and Minister of Status of Women. Go figure!
And then there was Bev Oda - for the first time coming to my attention in this context and here needing an introduction to set the stage for her letter: She is a sansei - her grandparents were Japan-born - and her mother was interned during "those" years. A poster-girl kinda thing, like - coincidentally - Michaelle Jean. She promptly became closely involved with introducing Bill C-333 - The Chinese-Canadian Recognition and Redress Act: aiming ro recognize the Chinese contribution to establishing British Columbia and - at the same time - acknowledging the ill-treatment these same Chinese were subjected to while making said contribution. Pure-gold PR!
She held this position for about one and a half years - without leaving a status-of-women mark - and then was moved into being Minister of International Cooperation. Obviously leaving no positive mark there either, what with Mr. Harper's inability - due to "scheduling conflicts" - to attend the opening-ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing. Cooperating - not so much. Thus returning Canada to the dark ages internationally.
As to her congratulatory letter to the Chinese Benevolent Society of Vancouver on its 100th anniversary: totally generic in content, it also is very brief. Bilingual too: two side-by-side versions.
Ms. Oda resigned, July 3, from her work as MP and Minister of International Cooperation - after a string of alleged improprieties and amidst rumors of her pending removal from the ministerial post.
Outta here!
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