Food for thought – “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country,” John F. Kennedy

As Canada celebrates its 157th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation which occurred on July 1, 1867, people from coast to coast to coast have their own ways of celebration.

To many, Canada Day is a statutory holiday. But to immigrants like me, Canada Day should be a day to reflect on what it means to be Canadian, to share what makes us proud, to celebrate, and to give back.
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My family moved to Canada in 1993. We picked Vancouver due to the considerably mild weather and its proximity to the Asia Pacific. It was then a sleepy little town. But that was why we appreciate more what Vancouver has to offer. People are friendly and embrace multiculturalism. Food is always a good entry point – we can find all kinds of cuisines here – Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, just to name a few. 

The community celebrates many festivals throughout the year – Indigenous, Vaisakhi, Italian, Lunar New Year (celebrated by Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean communities), it is through attending these festivals that we learn the history and culture of each other that Canadians embrace.

​Through working with the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation and its many initiatives, we learned the many sacrifices that the immigrants before us have made for us to enjoy the privileges we have today. It celebrates the powerful resilience of the Chinese Canadian journey. We were invited by the Canadian Public Relations Society to give a talk on how we bring these stories alive through Chinese media relations alongside Talk Shop Media.

​​We also had the privilege of working on a community project called Canada Day Drumming Celebration from 2017 to 2021. It’s an unforgettable experience as we achieved two Guinness World Records® and pivoted to two years of virtual celebration during the COVID period, celebrating with many cities nationwide and around the world.

​​Canada is probably one of the few countries in the world that widely celebrate multiculturalism. This pride is reflected in as many ways as there are Canadians. And we want to keep it that way!