Appointment of Advisory Committee for Chinese-Canadian Community

News Release

TORONTO, July 29, 2008 - The Honourable Jason Kenney, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity), today announced appointments to the Chinese-Canadian Advisory Committee under the Community Historical Recognition Program m.

Members of the Advisory Committee named today include Wesley Lowe (British Columbia) as Chair; Susan Eng (Ontario) as Vice-Chair; Bev Wong (British Columbia); Raymond Lee (Alberta); James Pon (Ontario); Hughes Eng (Ontario); and Yat Lo (Qu ebec).

"These individuals, who have contributed so much to their community, will be of great benefit to the Advisory Committee," said Secretary of State Kenney. "I look forward to receiving their advice on the merit of eligible projects."

The Advisory Committee was established in May 2008 following the announcement of $5 million in grants and contributions for community-based commemorative and educational projects related to immigration restrictions experienced by the Chinese-Can adian community. Projects submitted by the community will be assessed against criteria established by the Community Historical Recognition Program. Guidelines for the Program are available in English and French on the Department of Canadian Heritage websi te at www.canadianheritage.gc.ca.

Biographical notes on the appointees are attached.

Information:

Alykhan Velshi
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Jason Kenney, PC, MP
Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity)
alykhan.velshi@pch.gc.ca

BIOGRAPHIES

WESLEY LOWE

Mr. Lowe is a descendant of Head Tax Payers on both the paternal and maternal sides of his family.

Mr. Lowe is particularly active among organizations involving Chinese-Canadian veterans. He is Secretary and Chaplain of Pacific Unit 280, Army, Navy, and Air Force Veterans of WWII, and is involved in the Chinese Canadian Military Museum. He is an accomplished pianist and has been a member of several church boards.

He began his professional career as a composer for film and television after completing a Master's Degree of Music from the University of Toronto. In the mid-1990s, Mr. Lowe began writing, directing, and producing film projects.

In addition to his service within the Chinese community, he has work ed closely with First Nations groups.

SUSAN ENG

Ms. Eng, whose father was a Head Tax Payer, is a Toronto-based lawyer and vice president of advocacy for Canada's Association for the Fifty Plus (CARP). She is acti ve in the Chinese-Canadian community and served as Co-Chair of the Chinese Head Tax Redress campaign, which led to the historic Government of Canada apology and ex gratia payments to Head Tax Payers and their surviving conjugal partners.

Ms. Eng is also involved in the community at large and serves on several boards, including the Governing Council of the University of Toronto and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. Her former community functions include Chair of the Metro Toronto Polic e Services Board, Chair of the Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care, and working with the YWCA of Greater Toronto, the Urban Alliance on Race Relations, and the National Executive of the Chinese Canadian National Council.

BEV WONG

Ms. Wong's maternal grandfather came from China to build the Canadian Pacific Railway, and her father and five uncles all served in the Canadian Armed Forces during World War II.

A retired school teacher from the Vancouver a rea, Ms. Wong is co-president of the North Shore Retired Teachers' Association. She is also a board member of the Multi Ethnic Marrow Transplant Society and recently completed an 18-month term as an executive committee member of the Britannia Secondary Sc hool Centennial Reunion Society. She is a former executive member and current active member of both the North and West Vancouver branches of the Canadian Federation of University Women.

JUDGE RAYMOND LEE

Judge Ra ymond Lee, whose father was a Head Tax Payer, was appointed Alberta's first citizenship judge in 2006. He is on the University of Calgary Senate, where he serves on the Honorary Degrees Committee. Active in the Chinese community, Judge Lee is currently Ho norary Director of the Sien Lok Society of Calgary.

In the past, he has worked as an economist with Imperial Oil, has had a career in real estate as an independent developer, and has worked as a consultant for various energy companies and gov ernment agencies in the sulphur industry.

JAMES PON

Mr. Pon is a Head Tax Payer and Chair of the Foundation to Commemorate the Chinese Railroad Workers.

Mr. Pon has been an instrumental figure in wor king on behalf of both redress and the recognition of Chinese Canadian Railroad workers. He was one of five surviving Head Tax Payers present for the official apology to the Chinese community by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the House of Commons in 20 06.

He also helped found the Mon Sheong Foundation for the Aged and was chair of the Mon Sheong Foundation and president of the Mon Sheong Home for the Aged and the Foundation to Commemorate the Chinese Railroad Workers in Canada.

In 1939, Mr. Pon moved to Toronto to study aircraft design at Central Technical School. He was awarded a Governor General's Medal for designing an automatic riveting gun that aided wartime production in the aircraft industry during World War II. He stu died engineering and business administration at the University of Michigan and at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he completed a Bachelor of Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration. Mr. Pon worked at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited u ntil he retired in 1982.

HUGHES ENG

Mr. Eng has been Vice-Chair of the Board of the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto since 1991 and is also the Co-Chair of the National Congress of Chinese Canadians. Re tired from the University of Toronto Press since 1987 after 28 years of service, he was Vice-Chair of the Canadian Liver Foundation, from 1989 to 1995, and Chair of the Confederation of the Toronto Chinese Canadian Organizations, from 1994 to 1998. Mr. En g is a descendant of a Head Tax Payer.

YAT LO

Yat Lo, the great-grandson of a Head Tax Payer, is president of the Chinese Neighbourhood Society of Montréal, a chapter of the Chinese Canadian National Counc il.

Mr. Lo has been involved in the community for more than 25 years and has received the Black Coalition of Quebec and Chinese Professional and Business Association Community Achievement Award for his community leadership. His previous commu nity work includes serving on the Canadian Multiculturalism Advisory Committee.

Born in Hong Kong, Mr. Lo immigrated to Canada in 1970. He attended McGill University where he served as vice-president of the Student's Society and completed a B achelor of Commerce.

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