October 28, 2002
Tribute to Roy Mah
MLA Statement
R. Lee: I recently had the privilege of attending the "50 Years of Stories from Chinatown" event in Vancouver presented by the Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop. The event celebrated the contributions and achievements of authors Wayson Choy, Paul Yee and Roy Mah to the Chinese Canadian community.
The organizers paid special tribute to Mr. Roy Mah, who was presented with the inaugural Community Builder Award. Mr. Mah is founder and publisher of Chinatown News, which was Canada's longest running English language news magazine for the Chinese community. Starting in 1951, the magazine ran for more than 40 years until it stopped printing in 1995.
Many in the Chinese Canadian community view Mr. Mah as being responsible for helping to grow and nurture the Chinese and Asian Canadian community for writers.
Mr. Mah has enriched our lives in many other ways. Born in Edmonton in 1918, he led more than 100 Chinese Canadian soldiers in Malaysia and Singapore during World War II and was awarded many medals for his heroism. Upon his return to Canada Mr. Mah was part of a strong group of community leaders who argued that if Chinese men can fight for Canada, they had earned the right to vote in their own country. The leaders of the day agreed, and Chinese Canadians received the right to vote in 1947.
A few years later, Mr. Mah launched the Chinatown News. Only five years later, Douglas Jung became the first Chinese Canadian to be elected as a Member of Parliament.
Though it's a comparatively short history of political life in Canada, I think we are seeing increased involvement of Chinese Canadians at all levels of government. This can only be good for the strength of our country.
[Through the Chinatown News, Mr. Mah has helped bring Chinese Canadians closer to Canadian culture and in so doing was a catalyst for many Chinese Canadians entering politics municipally, provincially and federally.] [Translation from Chinese provided by R. Lee.]
I would like the House to please join me in congratulating and thanking Mr. Roy Mah, who is visiting the House today with his wife, for his contributions to our province and our communities.
