Hon. Alice Wong, P.C.

RICHMOND, British Columbia, September 16, 2010 – On behalf of the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport), Alice Wong, Member of Parliament (Richmond), today confirmed the Government of Canada’s contribution to the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association in support of the 2010 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships, which run from September 17 to 26 in Richmond, British Columbia.

“The Government of Canada is proud to support the 2010 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships, which will once again showcase our Richmond Olympic Oval,” said Ms. Wong. “By bringing together the world’s best players from 12 countries, this event will provide participants and spectators alike with an outstanding opportunity to enjoy the highest level of competition. If you have not seen this sport, you are missing some of the best athletes in the world.”

“Our Canadian athletes are so proud to be showcasing their sport on home soil. They play fast, aggressive, hard-hitting wheelchair rugby and want nothing more than to be wearing gold and singing O Canada at the closing ceremonies,” said Catherine Cadieux, Executive Director of the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association.

Originally called “murderball” by its Canadian inventors, wheelchair rugby has evolved into one of the most exhilarating Paralympic sports.

The Government of Canada believes that participation in sport is part of a healthy lifestyle and contributes to a healthy society. Hosting international sport events gives Canada the opportunity to showcase our country to athletes and spectators from all over the world.

The Government of Canada is the single largest contributor to sport in Canada and supports participation and excellence from the playground to the podium. A contribution of $250,000 was provided to the 2010 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships through Sport Canada’s Hosting Program.

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For more information (media only), please contact:

Vanessa Schneider
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Gary Lunn, P.C., M.P.
Minister of State (Sport)
819-934-1122
vanessa.schneider@pch.gc.ca

Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
media@pch.gc.ca

By providing funding to non-profit organizations, the New Horizons for Seniors Program helps to ensure that seniors can benefit from, and contribute to, the quality of life in their communities, through active living and participation in social activities.

The program funds projects that help improve the quality of life for seniors and their communities – from enabling seniors to share their knowledge, wisdom and experiences with others, to improving facilities for seniors’ programs and activities, to raising awareness of elder abuse.

There are three kinds of funding: Community Participation and Leadership, Capital Assistance, and Elder Abuse Awareness.

For Capital Assistance Funding, grants of up to $25,000 are available for upgrading community facilities and equipment related to existing programs and activities for seniors. Deadline: October 8, 2010.

Please visit Capital Assistance Funding for further details on how to file for a grant.

August 27, 2010
STATEMENT OF CONDOLENCES

RICHMOND – Alice Wong, MP for Richmond has the following statement, concerning the deaths of Canadians Ken, Jessie and Doris Leung, and the injuries of Jason Leung and Mrs. Amy Ng [Leung] in Manila, Philippines:

“I would like to express my condolences to the Leung family and all the victims on this very tragic incident. I have contacted the Canadian embassy at Manila and the Canadian Consulate in Hong Kong, and can confirm that they have offered assistance to the family. I have also offered to make a personal visit to the surviving members of the family, but the family has requested privacy. Also due to privacy concerns, no further details can be released.

On behalf of Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney, I have signed the book of condolences.

I implore the Philippine government to be vigilant and extensive in its investigation on this tragic matter, and implement the changes that will enhance the protection of foreigners, including Canadians, in their country.

It is my sincerest wish that the wounded and surviving members of the Leung family have a speedy physical recovery, but it is unfortunate that the emotional wounds from this tragic incident will remain with them for their lives.”

Attached to the release are two pictures: One of MP Wong signing the book of condolences, and one with the message she wrote in the book, which states:

“On behalf of the Minister of Immigration, Citizenship and Multiculturalism, we would like to send our deepest condolences to all the families and individuals who were in the terrible tragedy in Manila. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you especially those who lost their loved ones. [We wish] a rapid recovery to those who were wounded. Canadians are all with you at this difficult time.”

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This is a follow-up to the April 2009 announcement concerning the federal government’s contribution to a new interchange at Highway 91 and Nelson Road in Richmond. The contract has been awarded, and the work is required to be completed before March 31, 2011 to qualify for federal funds.

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August 25, 2010
Farmers Will Benefit From New Interchange

RICHMOND – A new Highway 91 interchange will move trucks off Westminster Highway and provide direct access to the Fraser Port industrial area, easing traffic for farmers and moving goods to their destinations quicker.

“As Richmond grows, it’s essential we keep up with infrastructure and economic demands,” says Richmond East MLA Linda Reid. “Providing direct access from Highway 91 to the Fraser Port industrial area for truck traffic and easing congestion on Westminster Highway means goods get where they need to go and commuters spend more time at home than on the road.”

“The Economic Action Plan continues to work for Richmond,” says Richmond MP Alice Wong. “With the Nelson Road Interchange, we will be able to transport goods to and from the Fraser Port more efficiently. This is another incremental step in improving our road network for both commuters and truckers.”

The project involves the construction of a partial interchange connecting Highway 91 eastbound to Nelson Road southbound, and Nelson Road northbound to Highway 91 westbound. The new interchange will provide an alternate route for traffic using Westminster Highway from Richmond, Highway 99 and Knight Street to the Fraser Port industrial area.

Work is scheduled to begin in early September, with completion set for March 31, 2011, and will involve fast lane closures during construction. All lane closures during construction will happen at night to lessen the impact to the traveling public. Surrey’s Westpro Infrastructure Ltd. won the contract with a $7,932,728 bid.

Funding for this project is cost-shared between the federal and provincial governments, Port Metro Vancouver and the City of Richmond.

The federal contribution comes from the $4 billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, which provides funding to provincial, territorial and municipal construction-ready infrastructure projects. Since March 2009, almost 400 projects have received a total federal investment of more than $490 million under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund across British Columbia.

Since October 2008, more than $5.3 billion in infrastructure projects have been announced throughout B.C., which are estimated to create more than 34,000 jobs over the life of the projects.

Government of Canada Invites Funding Applications for Intercultural and Interfaith Events

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Aug. 11, 2010) – Inter-Action, Canada’s new Multiculturalism Grants and Contributions Program, is now accepting applications to fund events that promote interaction among cultural and religious communities, Senator Yonah Martin and Dr. Alice Wong, Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism, announced today on behalf of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

“The Government of Canada is acting to help individuals and communities build a strong, integrated society,” said Senator Martin. “Through Inter-Action, we will support activities that contribute to a deeper understanding of our shared Canadian values and civic pride.”

Activities eligible for funding through Inter-Action’s Events stream include:

* Community events celebrating the historic contributions of a particular ethnic, cultural or religious group, including events that support such initiatives as Asian Heritage Month and Black History Month;
* Youth events celebrating citizenship, organized by a coalition of ethnic, cultural or faith-based groups within a community;
* Sporting or musical events involving various ethnic, cultural or faith-based communities;
* Interfaith dialogues that bring together local representatives from Canada’s religious groups;
* Public education events that foster intercultural and interfaith understanding, civic memory, civic pride and respect for core democratic values

“We are looking for innovative proposals for events that will encourage interaction among cultural and faith communities,” Dr. Wong said. “Through Canada’s new Multiculturalism Grants and Contributions Program, we are investing in Canada’s future — a future that depends on intercultural understanding and equal opportunity for people of all cultures and faiths.”

For additional information about Inter-Action, including details on how to apply for funding, please visit CIC’s website.

Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CitImmCanada

For more information, please contact
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Minister’s Office
Alykhan Velshi
or
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Communications Branch
Media Relations
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca

The following is a press release from the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration:

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Government of Canada supports Chinese-Canadian historical recognition project —
Multi-year initiative aims to preserve knowledge of Chinese-Canadian legacy

Vancouver, BC, August 9, 2010 – Citizenship and Immigration Canada will fund the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) efforts to preserve and share the history of Chinese-Canadians by various means, including archiving project materials prepared under the Community Historical Recognition Program (CHRP). Dr. Alice Wong, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism and Member of Parliament for Richmond, made the announcement today.

“The Community Historical Recognition Program has funded many projects that tell the story of the Chinese community in Canada, and how it has persevered, thrived and contributed to the building of our country,” Dr. Wong said. “Now, through the UBC project, the community’s proud history will be preserved for the benefit of all Canadians.”

UBC will receive $900,000 for a 25-month project to gather all of the materials created or collected through other Chinese-Canadian CHRP projects. The project will create:

o A website on the history of the Chinese community in Canada;
o A digital archive, housed at UBC, accessible across Canada;
o Learning resources for students based on the archived projects;
o Three ‘Mobile Museum’ kiosks

“Through this project, we will ensure that all Canadians, now and into the future, have access to the work of those organizations that have completed historical recognition projects,” said Stephen Owen, UBC’s Vice President External, Legal and Community Relations. “We welcome the support of the Government of Canada toward UBC’s goals of promoting intercultural understanding and expanding knowledge through new technologies.”

“I urge all of the organizations who have participated in the program to work with UBC to ensure the success of this project,” added Parliamentary Secretary Wong.

Announced in June 2006 by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and formally launched in May 2008 by Minister Kenney, the CHRP is a grants and contributions program that funds community commemorative and educational projects related to Canadian historical wartime measures and immigration restrictions. For more information about the program, please visit our website.

For further information (media only), please contact:

Alykhan Velshi, Media Relations
Minister’s Office Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca

Ottawa, July 30, 2010 – The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, issued the following statement regarding the racist graffiti left in a Richmond, B.C., shopping mall parkade on July 21:

“Like many Canadians, I was saddened and appalled to learn about this act of vandalism targeting members of Canada’s Chinese community”, Minister Kenney said.

“In Canadian society, individuals are free, within the confines of our law and consistent with our traditions of democracy and freedom of expression, to speak their mind,” said The Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety. “The scrawling of racial slurs, however, is a hateful and hurtful act of vandalism, and cannot be tolerated. Such a cowardly act of intimidation has absolutely no place in Canada”, Minister Toews added.

Alice Wong, Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism, added: “Ours is a harmonious society that embraces diversity and finds strength, stability and unity in the coming together of the many cultures and faiths of the world. Those who seek to disrupt the multicultural nature of our society through bigotry and intolerance must be denounced.”

“As Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, I call on all Canadians to reject intolerance. All forms of racism, bigotry and vandalism are unacceptable and completely contrary to Canada’s fundamental values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law”, Minister Kenney said.

(Update on August 27, 2010: According to Weather Canada, Saturday will have a high of 21 degrees, and be mostly sunny. The description for the day is: “Clearing in the morning. High 21.” Don’t let Friday’s rains get to you! See you there!)

Alice Wong will be hosting a BBQ on August 28, 2010 at West Richmond Community Center (in Hugh Boyd Park, roughly at No. 1 and Francis) from 12:00 to 3:00pm.

A parking map is here (click for more detail):

Hope to see you there!

The following is a joint release from the offices of John Cummins, MP (Delta-Richmond East) and Alice Wong, MP (Richmond) regarding the funding of a new hovercraft to be stationed on Sea Island and operated by the Coast Guard in Richmond.

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Ottawa – “The Budget set aside $27.3 million for a new state-of-the-art hovercraft to be stationed at the Coast Guard base at Sea Island in Richmond, adjacent to the airport,” said Alice Wong, M.P. (Richmond)

“This is great news for recreational boaters, commercial mariners, the Vancouver airport and all who rely on the Coast Guard hovercraft should trouble occur. I have been fighting for a new hovercraft for almost a decade and am delighted by the news,” said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-Richmond East).

Hovercraft must be available on a 24-7 basis to affect marine rescues of boats in trouble and most importantly to be available to assist in the rescue of those aboard passenger jets that might be forced to ditch on the shallows and mudflats off the airport runway. There are no other craft or vessels that can so effectively operate in shallow water or on the mudflats when the tide is out.

Hovercraft are high performance craft requiring almost constant maintenance. In order to maintain 24-7 coverage two hovercraft are required, due to down times for maintenance or when a vessel is deployed elsewhere.

There are currently two hovercraft operating out of Sea Island.

The new craft will replace the Penac, a European vessel constructed in 1984 which was purchased, and converted from a passenger vessel to a Search-and-Rescue craft by the CCG in 2004. Upgrades extended the life of the vessel, but the operational capacity was still limited because of the restrictions associated with the original design.

“When I raised the issue of the limitations of the PENAC and the need for replacement with the Prime Minister in mid 2009, he was very supportive of the need to acquire a new state-of-the-art hovercraft capable of operating in all weather and sea conditions,” said Cummins.

“Both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans deserve credit for finding the $27.3 million for the acquisition of a replacement for the PENAC at a time of spending restraint,” noted Wong.

Contact: John Cummins, M.P. (613) 992-2957, (cell) (604) 970-0937, (604) 940-8040
Alice Wong, M.P. (613) 995-2012

The Inter-Action Projects stream provides funding for long-term, multi-year community development/engagement projects to promote integration. Applications are usually considered during a Call for Proposals (CFP) process.

The Call for Proposals, under the Inter-Action Projects stream, is now open!

For more information, see:
* Call for Proposals – Inter-Action (Projects)
* Funding Guidelines – Inter-Action (Projects)
* General Application Form

Completed applications must be sent both by regular mail and electronically to the appropriate regional or national office by October 15, 2010, 11:59 PM EST.