A Visit From Her Excellency, Iona V. Campagnolo Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia On May 12, 2005
L. Governor Wesbite
Members of the Museum Board of Directors,
Honoured Veterans, proud family members, my fellow Canadians:
2005 is the Year of the Veteran throughout Canada and May is Asian Heritage month so I am doubly pleased to join you here at the Chinese Canadian Military Museum, surrounded as we are by the honour you earned at such cost, when as Canadians of Chinese heritage you and your lost comrades took up the greatest possible responsibility of Canadian citizenship at a time when the country did not accord people of Asian heritage the respect of citizenship.
In the past few weeks, the media (television, radio and the written press) have done a superb job of reminding us all of the sacrifices made by members of Canada’s Armed Forces 60 years ago when they rid the world of a vicious, racist Nazi regime in Europe. There were Canadians of Chinese heritage there too. Following the celebrations of VE Day six decades ago, the focus of the second World War shifted to the Pacific, where so many of those who are honoured by this splendid museum made their mark on history.
By joining Canada’s Armed Forces, young Canadians descended from Chinese heritage signalled that you were ready to give your lives to the defence of Canada but even then you were restricted in what role you could play. Barred by racist policies from practising certain professions, Victoria Veteran Victor Wong was recently quoted as saying: “Many of us had tried to join up, but they didn’t want us”. But things changed when the Japanese occupied all of the far eastern part of the British Empire. Lives were put ‘in harm’s way’ and lives were forever changed by sheer valour in the face of War and the intolerance of the times. But on August 15th 1945 Victory was declared and World War 2 was finally completely ended.
Chinese Canadian recruits served notably in both the European and Pacific conflicts, memorably with such divisions as the #136 British Intelligence Unit, in Commando capacities and with Canadian volunteers across South East Asia. They trained in India and served in Burma and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and beyond. We remember today the late Douglas Jung who also became Canada’s first Chinese Canadian Member of Parliament. Today with President Howe Lee we recall the names of some of the heroic Chinese Canadian soldiers, sailors, airmen and women whose service contributed to the war effort and to the development of a new kind of country: among them are Dodson Mah, Gang Chan, Bill Chong, Will Chong, QJ Louie, Gordon Quon, Doug Sam, Frank Wong, John Ko Bong & Gim Wong with Frank Lee, Victor Wong, Paul Chan, Harry Fong, Wilson John Lee, Harry Gong and Wm. R. L. Lore.
Chinese Canadian recruits served notably in both the European and Pacific conflicts, memorably with such divisions as the #136 British Intelligence Unit, in Commando capacities and with Canadian volunteers across South East Asia. They trained in India and served in Burma and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and beyond. We remember today the late Douglas Jung who also became Canada’s first Chinese Canadian Member of Parliament. Today with President Howe Lee we recall the names of some of the heroic Chinese Canadian soldiers, sailors, airmen and women whose service contributed to the war effort and to the development of a new kind of country: among them are Dodson Mah, Gang Chan, Bill Chong, Will Chong, QJ Louie, Gordon Quon, Doug Sam, Frank Wong, John Ko Bong & Gim Wong with Frank Lee, Victor Wong, Paul Chan, Harry Fong, Wilson John Lee, Harry Gong and Wm. R. L. Lore.
We remember that Roy Mah led the first Chinese-Canadian contingent fighting against the Japanese Army in Malaysia and in Singapore. The terrible fighting in the Philippines, Dutch East Indies, Tarakan and Borneo continued and Canada responded with an all volunteer force. I see all the proud Burma Star Medals shining here today and salute your enviable courage in daring to die and surviving to build an inclusive Canada that in many ways began on VE Day 60 years ago.
Almost forgotten are Chinese Canadian young women, who were doubly discriminated in our society by their sex and by their ethnic origin. Canadian women of Chinese heritage participated in the struggles of the Second World War too, by serving in the Women’s Army Corps. They were in the Second Company, Platoon A, had drilled at the Seaforth Armouries and proudly wore their smart uniforms on parade. They were Privates Edna Lowe, Marion Mah, Mary Ko Bong and Helen Hoe and Corporal Lila Wong with service in other units by Evelyn Kim, Margaret Jean Gee, Emma Lim and Peggy Wong. Jean Suey Zee Lee was the first and only woman of Chinese heritage to serve with the Royal Canadian Air Force in World War 2.
Subject to prejudice, low pay and other unfairness these exceptional people all won enormous respect with their discipline and dedication to service. All their names and those that I may have missed constitute an exceptional roll-call of honour that has memorably contributed to ever-greater equality in our shared society. All these gallant men and women, along all those many Canadians of Chinese heritage who today serve in all capacities in Canada’s Armed Forces and are numbered in our many Cadet Corps and among the Canadian Rangers. They all deserve our admiration because they are the inheritors of those who took courage in their hands 60 years ago and braved an unfair system and a terrible enemy to re-write history with their determination to gain equality. They broke a trail, not only to peace, but to a far better Canada than the one they originally served and we salute them all today.
A special thank you also goes to all those who conceived, collected and sponsored the creation this excellent Chinese Canadian Military Museum, you have assured that future generations will not forget the lessons you taught us all. Here a proud record of an important part of the history of this province is preserved for all time. It records part of the story of how one of the world’s most diversified populations came to mutual respect and trust. As representative of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen of Canada in our province it is with immense pride that I bring you the respectful salute of your fellow citizens today and offer you and those this museum celebrates a very special THANK YOU!.