May 3, 2004
Asian Heritage Month
MLA Statement

R. Lee: I am pleased today to rise in the House to mark the beginning of Asian Heritage Month, designated as such by the government of Canada in December 2001.

           Across Canada we celebrate the diverse artistic and cultural experiences of Asian Canadians. From Ottawa to Montreal, Halifax, Fredericton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria, a variety of programs are showcased to enhance the Asian experiences in areas such as music, arts, literary works, dance, comedy, stage shows, videos and films. The Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society presents the explorASIAN festival, with programs in Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, North Vancouver, Port Moody, Coquitlam and Surrey.

           A number of outstanding Asian Canadians were recognized recently for their contributions to Asian arts and culture. The explorASIAN Heritage Awards were given to Lily King, Peter Pil Won Suk, Dorothy Uytengsu and Habib Zargarpour for their significant contributions to arts and culture in the community. Dr. Charles Yang and Asha Lohia are recognized for strengthening the community infrastructure that enables culture and arts to flourish. Sofronio Mendoza is recognized for transforming an aspect of traditional Asian culture to create a contemporary Canadian expression. Harry Aoki is recognized for preserving traditional Asian culture for the enjoyment and enrichment of future generations of Canadians.

           Alex Wong is recognized as the first Canadian ever to win first place in the 32-year history of one of the most prestigious ballet competitions in the world, the Prix de Lausanne, which is dubbed the Olympics for ballet. Alex beat out 119 top competitors from 23 countries during a week-long competition. He was awarded the equivalent of a gold medal on February 1 this year in Switzerland.

           I would like the House to join me to congratulate these individuals for their contributions in the community.