Hon. Alice Wong, P.C.

Spoken in the House of Commons, January 30, 2009 (Topic: Warren Kinsella)

Mr. Speaker, my constituents are asking me why the Liberal leader is refusing to fire his top political aide, Warren Kinsella. Was Mr. Kinsella’s comment about tucking into a bowl of barbecued cat at the Yang Sheng restaurant here in Ottawa made in his role as Liberal Party spokesman?

His comments that Chinese restaurants serve cat meat deeply offended the Chinese community in Canada and have already been condemned in the Sing Tao Daily, Ming Pao, the World Journal and across Chinese language talk radio.

As Chinese Canadians and as people who appreciate the freedom and opportunity that Canada provides, my community and I are deeply offended by these racially ignorant comments from an official spokesperson for the Liberal Party. What hurts the most about Kinsella’s comments is that he refuses to apologize to the Chinese community.

When will the leader of the Liberal Party realize the seriousness of this and when will we see an apology?

Spoken in the House of Commons, January 27, 2009 (Topic: Lunar New Year)

Mr. Speaker, I will start my first words in the House of Commons by thanking the voters of Richmond for their trust in me. I also wish to thank my campaign team, the volunteers and especially my husband for their unwavering support all these years.

Richmond is home to Canada’s Pacific gateway and one of the most multicultural ridings in Canada. In fact, yesterday marked the beginning of the widely celebrated lunar new year.

This year is the year of the ox. The ox traditionally symbolizes prosperity through perseverance and hard work. With economic uncertainty, the year of the ox beckons all of us here to work tirelessly, bringing stability to the economy, maintaining jobs and caring for the most vulnerable.

In 2010, Richmond will showcase to the world the magnificent speed skating oval and a brand new Canada line that connects Richmond with the Vancouver International Airport and downtown Vancouver.

Working with the spirit of the ox, Richmond will prosper. On behalf of Richmond, I wish all Canadians a healthy and prosperous lunar new year. Gong hei fatt choy.

Vancouver, January 23, 2009 — The Government of Canada is launching four projects designed to reach out to youth and the Chinese community and raise awareness of the Chinese Head Tax and other measures that restricted Chinese immigration between 1885 and 1947. This announcement was made today by Parliamentary Secretary Alice Wong, on behalf of Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.

The projects will also seek to honour the work of those who challenged discrimination and sought redress, while also celebrating the contributions of the Chinese-Canadian community that helped to build a strong and diverse Canada.

“The Head Tax and other immigration restrictions that affected Chinese-Canadians are an unfortunate chapter in our history and deserve recognition,” said Dr. Wong. “These projects will increase understanding of the impact of these policies on the Chinese-Canadian community.”

In June 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered a full apology to Chinese-Canadians for the Head Tax, expressing deep sorrow for the subsequent exclusion of Chinese immigrants and committing to raising awareness of these policies, which are inconsistent with the values that Canadians hold today.

Funded under the Community Historical Recognition Program (CHRP), the projects will be delivered by: Simon Fraser University, which will receive $200,000; the University of British Columbia, which will receive $50,000; the Metro Toronto Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic, which will receive $50,000; and the Toronto Community and Culture Centre, which will also receive $50,000.

The CHRP was announced in June 2006 as part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive historical recognition program. This program funds community-based commemorative and educational projects that recognize the experiences of communities affected by historical wartime measures and/or immigration restrictions applied in Canada; and that promote the contributions of these communities to building this country. Eligible projects can include monuments, commemorative plaques, educational material and exhibits.

Please contact the CHRP by telephone at 1-888-776-8584 (toll free) or by electronic mail at CHRP-PRHC@pch.gc.ca for more information if you wish to submit a funding application in 2009.

Alice Wong, MP (Richmond)

Richmond Office:
Unit 360 – 5951 No. 3 Road
Richmond, BC
V6X 2E3

Phone: 604-775-5790
Fax: 604-775-6291
E-Mail: WongA1@parl.gc.ca

Ottawa Office:
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Phone: 613-995-2021 / 1-877-775-5790 (toll-free)
Fax: 613-995-2174
E-Mail: Wong.A@parl.gc.ca