(May 15, 2026, Toronto)
The Chinese Canadian Legend Award celebrates its Silver Jubilee this year with a special theme: “Inspiring Legends, Lasting Impact – Our Silver Journey and Beyond”.
After an intense selection process, the Chinese Canadian Legends Association (CCLA) is pleased to announce that six awards will be given out to the following individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Canada, they are alphabetically: Patrick Chan, Dr. Teresa M. Chan, Dr. Thomas Fung, Dr. Larry Grant and Howard Grant, Nancy Siew and Yuen May (This year one CCLA award is split between two brothers who will both be recognized for the work they did together in promoting indigenous language and culture. Individual bio summaries are attached).
The Award, established in year 2000, is a distinctive national award and has recognized 148 awardees over 24 sessions, with 24 special edition books celebrating these inspiring Chinese Canadians in various fields.
CCLA President, Bammy Wong shared that “since the inception of the Award 25 years ago, we have continuously explored and reflected on our future development. Thanks to the efforts of our team members, and the recognition, participation and support of award recipients and the community over the years, the Award has become one of the most prestigious, influential and distinctive awards. During its Silver Jubilee, we are happy to move forward with our mission: to recognize and enhance the achievements and contributions of the Chinese Canadians, to foster understanding, respect and integration among diverse cultures and communities”.
CCLA is honoured to work with former Senator, the Honourable Dr. Vivienne Poy as Honorary Chair of the Advisory Committee, former Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba, the Honourable Dr. Philip Lee as Honorary Advisor, Alexandra Ngan and Dennis Au-Yeung as Co-Chairs of the Organizing Committee, Fellow Chartered Accountant Stanley Kwan as Chair of the Selection Committee, Stephen Siu as Chair of the Editorial Committee, Glenn Chan as Chair of the Operations Committee and Viola Poon as Secretary.
This year’s award recipients each brings a unique story, exemplifying resilience and a selfless giving back spirit to contribute to their communities. They are Chinese Canadian role models, perfectly matching the selection criteria of a Chinese Canadian Legend.
Chair of the Selection Committee, Stanley Kwan said: “The selection criteria change with the times: Although we do the same thing every year, we listen to the voices of the community and incorporate their ideas, so that we can be objective and fair and select individuals that deserve to be our role models”. Talents abound in the Chinese Canadian community, and nominations have usually been enthusiastic. There were 20 selection committee members this year, 15 of whom were past recipients, the other 5 are from CCLA. After lengthy discussions and a comprehensive review, six awards will be given out to deserving individuals.
Alexandra Ngan, Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee extends heartfelt gratitude to the community and media friends for their continued encouragement and support. She said: “The Award is to honour outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to our society. It also serves to inspire all to embrace the Chinese Canadian Legend spirit — to face life positively, demonstrate resilience amidst adversity, and extend compassion to others. This year marks the Silver Jubilee of the Award, a significant milestone that deserves cherishing and celebration. This year’s theme is ‘Inspiring Legends, Lasting Impact – Our Silver Journey and Beyond’, we hope that the remarkable stories of the awardees will be inspiring, encouraging everyone to uplift each other, to persevere and forge ahead, creating legends with lasting impact”.
Dennis Au-Yeung, the other Co-Chair, said: “This year marks the Silver Jubilee of the Award, the recipients this year are all Chinese Canadians who are worthy of praise. We hope that by honoring these individuals, the unique values and beliefs, the spirit of perseverance and giving culture of the Chinese Canadian immigrants will be sustained. Sharing their extraordinary stories may inspire the future generations, thus achieving the goal of passing on these excellent legacy”.
Chinese Canadian Legend Book’s Executive Editor Connie Woo said: “The Award distinguishes itself by documenting and publishing stories of outstanding Chinese Canadian immigrants. Their inspiring stories provide invaluable research and reference material for future generations“. The book collections are kept in the libraries of many universities in Canada and Hong Kong. “We have a great team this year with Annie Jin, Terri Lai, Ray Yang and Emily Wong as our writers; Camilla Tong is our production editor. The recipients’ life stories are most impressive”.
Chair of the Operations Committee, Glenn Chan said: “CCLA has always been actively involved in community work. Over the years, we have encouraged young people to not only participate in the volunteer work of the Award, but also to serve the community and strive to build a better future”.
The 2026 Chinese Canadian Legend Award Gala will be held on July 11 at Sheraton Hotel, Richmond Hill. Tickets are $280 each, or $3000 for a corporate table. For details please visit www.cclegends.ca
Award Recipients’ Profile
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 seen the group flourish into one of Canada’s most successful multinational corporations with an investment portfolio exceeding US$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 Canada’s largest Asian multicultural media group, providing entertainment and information to the Chinese community through television, and offering multicultural radio programs covering 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, with donations of CAD$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.
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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 long‑time 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.
After 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.