July 11, 2026, Saturday (Toronto) The Chinese Canadian Legend Award, a distinctive national award, celebrated its Silver Jubilee under the theme “Inspiring Legends, Lasting Impact — Our Silver Journey and Beyond”. At the award gala organized by the Chinese Canadian Legends Association (CCLA) on July 11, 2026 held at Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel in Richmond Hill, six awards were given out to honour outstanding individuals who have made remarkable contributions to Canada.
Award recipients are alphabetically listed as follows: Patrick Chan, Dr. Teresa M. Chan, Dr. Thomas Fung, Dr. Larry Grant and Howard Grant, Nancy Siew and Yuen May (This year one award was split between two brothers who were both recognized for the work they did together in promoting indigenous language and culture. The recipients’ short profiles are attached).
About 350 distinguished guests and supporters attended the gala, and the guests of honour included: MPs Maggie Chi, Vince Gasparro, Wade Grant; Consul General of People’s Republic of China in Toronto, Luo Weidong; former Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, the Honourable Dr. Philip S. Lee; and Mayor of Markham Frank Scarpitti.
At the award gala, CCLA President Bammy Wong expressed heartfelt gratitude to all the guests for their attendance, “Since the inception of the Award 25 years ago, we have continuously explored and reflected on our development direction. Thanks to our dedicated team, the recognition from the community, the participation of highly accomplished recipients, and the support of people from all sectors, the Award has become one of the most prestigious and influential awards. While we celebrate the Award’s Silver Jubilee, we are happy to move forward with our mission: to recognize the achievements and contributions of Chinese Canadians in all walks of life; to foster understanding, respect and integration among diverse cultures and communities.”
He also expressed his appreciation to former Senator, the Honourable Dr. Vivienne Poy and former Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, the Honourable Dr. Philip S. Lee for their long-standing support as Honorary Patrons of the Award.
The gala began with the national anthem played by His Majesty’s Canadian Ship York Band. Featured performer was Ruth Ann Onley, an award-winning vocal artist who was married to the late Honourable David C. Onley, former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. She and dancers from Georgia’s Dance & Arts Cultural Centre presented the timeless classic “The Sound of Music”, setting the stage for a night of inspiration and celebration.
“If a Silver Jubilee is like the sound of music, then the past 25 years have been our greatest symphony yet,” said Alexandra Ngan, Organizing Committee Co-Chair. “This year, we celebrate the Award’s monumental milestone. For 25 years, the Award has honoured remarkable Chinese Canadians who transformed challenges into achievements in the face of adversity, inspired others to turn dreams into reality, and shape a better world for us all. By sharing their amazing stories, we have built a legacy with lasting impact that will inspire generations to come. As we look back on this incredible journey with immense pride, let us celebrate the past, honour the present, and inspire tomorrow for more legends to come.”
Dennis Au-Yeung, the other Organizing Committee Co-Chair, said, “The Award’s 25th Anniversary is a significant milestone. We celebrate not only the extraordinary accomplishments of this year’s recipients, but also the enduring legacies of all award recipients over the past quarter century. While each of this year’s recipients has a unique story, they all exemplify the spirit of perseverance, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to serving others. These qualities distinguish them as exceptional leaders and role models in our community, whose impact extends far beyond their personal accomplishments. I hope their remarkable examples will inspire future generations to carry forward this proud legacy.”
Selection Committee Chair, Stanley Kwan (Fellow Chartered Accountant) stated, “The criteria for the Chinese Canadian Legend Award have evolved with the times. Our Selection Committee constantly listens to community feedback and learns from experience to ensure the selection process remains rigorous, objective and fair, enabling us to choose truly outstanding individuals. This year’s Selection Committee consists of 20 members –- 15 past recipients and 5 from CCLA. After thorough discussions and comprehensive evaluations, we have selected highly deserving individuals for the six awards.”
To preserve and share the life stories of all the 154 award recipients in the past 25 years, CCLA has published the Chinese Canadian Legend Book in 25 volumes since 2000.
Editorial Committee Chair, Stephen Siu remarked, “The red maple leaf symbolizes resilience. It represents the extraordinary, the eternal, and the essence of life. Chinese Canadians have taken root in this land, found their footing, grown strong, and contributed to society. Each story of a Chinese Canadian Legend is a part of our community’s journey and legacy in Canada. Documenting these stories in books is a sacred mission and an important reference for studying the development of the Chinese Canadian community. We have a great team this year, with Annie Jin, Terri Lai, Ray Yang and Emily Wong as writers, Connie Woo as executive editor and Camilla Tong as production editor. The stories of the awardees are unique and amazing.”
The book collections are kept in the libraries of leading universities in Canada and Hong Kong. Most of them have been digitized by the University of Toronto for its online library and are now accessible anywhere in the world.
Operations Committee Chair Glenn Chan added, “CCLA has always been actively involved in community work. We hope young people will be motivated by the awardees’ life stories, to pursue excellence, serve the community, and build a better future together.”
Ruth Ann Onley brought the gala to a stirring close with the performance of “We Are The People of The Maple Leaf” (lyrics by the late Honourable David C. Onley) — a powerful finale that reflected the spirit, pride, and enduring legacy of the Award’s remarkable milestone.
2026 Award Recipients’ Profiles:
Patrick Chan dazzled the world as one of the most decorated Canadian figure skaters. But behind the medals lies a far more complex story. Growing up as a Chinese Canadian in a sport long shaped by Eurocentrism, Chan navigated silent discrimination and a fractured sense of identity.
Retirement brought new turbulence: the pandemic dismantled his plans and galvanized him into action — speaking out against anti-Asian racism, supporting grassroots advocacy campaigns, and openly challenging the stigma around men’s mental health. In his quest for self-recovery, he showed that true strength lies not in being unassailable, but in the courage to be truly seen.
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Dr. Teresa M. Chan is the Founding Dean of the Toronto Metropolitan University School of Medicine, where she is leading the development of the first new medical school in the Greater Toronto Area in over 180 years. A pioneering researcher in the Free Open Access Medical Education (FOAMed) movement, she co-founded CanadiEM.org, which provides peer-reviewed, open-access educational resources to learners worldwide. She co-led the METRIQ research initiative, which established a quality assessment framework for online medical education resources. She is also the co-developer of GridlockED, an educational board game that translates emergency department flow management into a hands-on teaching tool. Her scholarly contributions include over 230 peer-reviewed publications and more than 15 books or edited volumes.
Dr. Chan has received numerous national honours, including the Canadian Association for Medical Education (CAME) Meridith Marks New Educator Award, the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) Young Educator Award, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Award for Early-Career Leadership in Medical Education. She currently serves as Associate Editor of Academic Medicine, Chair of the Royal College’s Clinician Educator Area of Focused Competency Specialty Committee, and Honorary Adjunct Associate Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
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Dr. Thomas Fung, a visionary entrepreneur, established the Fairchild Group in the 1980s and currently serves as its Chairman and CEO. His belief in collaboration has enabled the group to flourish into one of Canada’s most successful multinational corporations with an investment portfolio exceeding $600 million. His flagship project is the Aberdeen Centre in Richmond, British Columbia, which, upon opening in 2004, was the world’s first Asian-themed shopping mall, contributing to local economic prosperity and demonstrating Dr. Fung’s business philosophy: commercial growth and social development can go hand in hand. He has also connected North America and Asia well by creating numerous cross-regional and cross-cultural opportunities.
The group’s subsidiary, Fairchild Media, is one of Canada’s largest Asian multicultural media groups, serving the Chinese community through television, publication and social media, and its multicultural radio programming covers 23 different ethnic languages. Dr. Fung’s media empire, based on the principles of cultural inclusion and social participation, has made significant and far-reaching contributions to the Chinese community and multiculturalism across Canada. He is a philanthropist who has dedicated himself to raising funds for hospitals and charitable organizations in Canada and overseas for many years, contributing funds totaling $60 million.
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Dr. Larry Grant and Howard Grant’s lives trace a difficult journey through language, identity, and reconciliation. Born to a Chinese father and a Musqueam mother, they were pushed into a legal and social limbo from childhood—forced off their reserve and stripped of their Indigenous status by discriminatory laws.
In retirement, Larry reclaimed his long-silenced mother tongue hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and became a key figure in revitalizing the language. Howard chose the path of politics, advancing Indigenous rights cases, securing government apologies, and representing Indigenous voices internationally. Though he never learned his ancestral languages, he practiced the spirit of reconciliation through political advocacy. Together, the brothers embodied the power of healing across histories of injustice and rebuilding dignity.
(Howard Grant passed away on March 29, 2026)
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Nancy Siew is a Chinese Canadian community activist and a champion of heritage preservation and inclusion. Born in Hong Kong, she immigrated to Canada in 1976. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from McGill University, specializing in gerontology. She served as a Canadian Citizenship Judge (2014–2017) and as Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the Military Police Academy at Canadian Forces Base Borden (2018–2021). In 2002, she helped establish Asian Heritage Month in Canada, and over the following two decades she cultivated it into a nationwide cultural celebration. In 2023, to mark the centenary of the Chinese Exclusion Act, she launched a self-funded, cross-country initiative, travelling from coast to coast and successfully urging the Ontario government to incorporate this history into the school curriculum.
A longtime supporter of Canadian veterans, she compiled a pictorial book of veteran portraits published in English, French, Chinese, and Braille, and organized veterans’ dinners with proceeds donated to the Royal Canadian Legion’s homeless project. Her honours include the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, the
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, the King Charles III Coronation Medal, and the Veterans Affairs Canada Commendation. In 2026, she was appointed to the Order of Ontario, the Province’s highest civilian honour.
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Yuen May (born Yuen May WONG), currently 100 years old, is a renowned lyricist for Cantonese pop songs and Cantonese opera, and a member of the Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong (CASH). In the 1970s, she began her career writing lyrics for Cantonese pop songs, collaborating with numerous popular singers and earning recognition with several Gold Records. Later, she shifted her focus to Cantonese opera and operatic songs, working with countless famous performers and producing a steady stream of acclaimed works. Notably, her works Soul and Dreams Encircle the Land 《魂夢繞山河》and The Palace of Eternal Life on the Seventh Day of the Seventh Moon 《七月七日長生殿》won the CASH Golden Sail Music Award in 1994 and 2002, respectively, marking her outstanding achievements in the field.
Since immigrating to Toronto in 1996, she has continued to write Cantonese opera scripts for performance to this day. Inspired by her faith, she also dedicated herself to the creation of Gospel Cantonese opera songs. In 2008, she was invited to host the popular program The Life of Opera 《戲曲人生》on Fairchild Radio Canada. In 2012, she was appointed as the Artistic Consultant for the Starlight Chinese Opera「寶新聲戲曲演藝中心」, where she wrote several children’s opera scripts for the “Cantonese Opera Little Beans” troupe「粵劇小豆丁」, pouring her heart and soul into the preservation and heritage of Cantonese opera overseas.