(August 17, 2024, Toronto Press Release) The 2024 Chinese Canadian Legend Award Gala, organized by the Chinese Canadian Legends Association to honour and celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of six award winners, was held on August 17 at Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel.
The award recipients this year are (in alphabetical order): Dr Wayne Chiu, Professor Frances Chung, The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, The Honourable Lillian Quan Dyck, Mr Kai Liu and Professor Peter Liu (their brief profiles are attached).
The gala was well attended by about 400 guests and distinguished guests included the former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Senator Yuen Pau Woo, MP Leah Taylor Roy and Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Toronto, Mr. Luo Weidong.
The opening ceremony was led by the remarkable Band of His Majesty Canadian Ship York, followed by a Tai Chi fan dance led by Tai Chi Master Dr. Jason Kwok and his group of students, presenting the theme this year: “Love and Harmony”.
In his welcome speech, CCLA President Bammy Wong says “Since launching the Award 23 years ago, we have continued to explore and reflect on our future direction and vision. Thanks to the efforts of our team members, as well as the acknowledgment, participation and support from the recipients and the community over the years, the Award itself has become one of the most prestigious, influential and distinct awards. The Association’s purpose is to promote and recognize the achievements and contributions of Chinese Canadians, to foster understanding, respect and integration of multiculturalism in our communities.”
He also expressed gratitude to former Senator the Honourable Vivienne Poy and former Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, the Honourable Philip S. Lee as honorary advisors of the CCLA award.
Organizing Committee Co-chair Alexandra Ngan highlights this year’s theme “Love and Harmony” and says, “Canada is a multicultural country which embraces diversity, equity and inclusion. Amidst this changing world of increasing conflicts and instability, love and harmony are keys to a better world. Through the Chinese Canadian Legend Award, we pay tribute to Chinese Canadians who have not only overcome adversity and distinguished themselves in their respective fields, but have also made remarkable contributions to our community and our country with love and harmony. May we be inspired by the amazing stories of the Chinese Canadian Legend Award recipients and build a more loving and harmonious world for us all.”
Dennis Au-Yeung, another Organizing Committee Co-chair, remarks that, “The enthusiastic nominations are most encouraging and the award honourees are all worthy of praise. They are dedicated and admirable individuals who have made significant contributions to Canada. We hope that through this annual award, the unique values and beliefs, the persevering spirit and giving culture of Chinese Canadian immigrants will be passed on to the next generation growing up in the West.”
Chair of the Selection Committee Stanley Kwan says, “The selection criteria of this Award change with the times as we listen to the voices of the community and incorporate their ideas, so that we can be objective and fair in choosing individuals who are legendary and positive role models. There were 22 selection committee members this year, 18 of whom were past recipients, the other four are from CCLA. After lengthy discussions and a comprehensive review, six deserving individuals were selected.”
Since 2000, CCLA has published 136 Chinese Canadian Legend stories in 23 special edition books. Stephen Siu, Chair of the Editorial Committee, stresses the importance of the book: “The Award has made its mark in history by recording and publishing stories of distinguished Chinese Canadians. Putting their stories into a book is a noble mission. Their inspiring stories will become invaluable future reference for research on Chinese Canadian immigrants and motivation for future change in the community. This year’s editorial team is led by editors, Connie Woo and Camilla Tong, with Annie Jin, Terri Lai and Louisa Yue as writers.”
The entire book collection is kept in the Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library at the University of Toronto, as well as the libraries at University of Ottawa, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, University of Victoria, and McGill University. The collections have also joined the Hong Kong Central Library, the libraries of most universities in Hong Kong, and the library at Canadian International School of Hong Kong.
The feature performer of the gala was Ms. Veronika Anissimova, Winner of the 2014 National Gold Medal in voice performance at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Her performance of songs from “My Fair Lady” and “The Phantom of the Opera” was captivating, and with her beautiful voice, she led the 2024 award recipients and VIPs in a rendition of ”The Prayer”, to conclude the gala with blessings of love, harmony and the light of hope.
2024 Chinese Canadian Legend Recipients Profile
Dr. Wayne Chiu
Wayne Chiu, a visionary social entrepreneur and philanthropist, grew up in a low-income neighbourhood in Hong Kong before moving to Canada to pursue an engineering degree from University of Manitoba. His passion for social entrepreneurship guided him when he founded Trico Homes in 1992, and his company has gradually grown from constructing a single house to becoming one of the top five builders in Calgary.
The concept of “Doing Well by Doing Good”, is at the core of Trico’s philosophy. In 2008, he founded the Trico Charitable Foundation and embarked on a mission to leverage his business acumen and resources to address societal challenges. He and his company are not just building houses, they are building a legacy of positive change. Over the years, he has made invaluable marks in virtually every corner of the Calgary community. He is a Member of the Order of Canada (2015) and an appointee of the Alberta Order of Excellence (2018).
Professor Frances Chung
Frances Chung arrived in Canada from Hong Kong in the 1970s. She is currently a Professor of the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at University of Toronto and ResMed Chair at University Health Network (UHN). In 2023, due to her development of the STOP-Bang Tool (which generated nearly $3 million in copyright fees for funding other research at UHN in the past few years), she was awarded the “Inventor of the Year” by UHN. In 2023, she was ranked among the top 30 best female scientists in Canada, the only Chinese Canadian on the list. In both 2022 and 2023, Research.com ranked her among the top 1,000 best female scientists in the world.
Frances’ upbringing in difficult circumstances prepared her for a life of perseverance, always striving for success. Her father, a Hong Kong fire captain, died in the line of duty when she was four and a half. Despite her family tragedy, she achieved her goals with unremitting efforts in Canada. The Lion Rock spirit lives on……
The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Clarkson’s life is filled with contradictions yet uniquely captivating. She and her family arrived in Canada in 1942 and successfully integrated despite the Chinese Exclusion Act still being in effect. Although she kept her ex-husband’s surname after their divorce, she remained a staunch feminist.
Born in Hong Kong, she found the roots of her life in Canada. Clarkson excelled in the media industry and navigated the political arena with ease, redefining the role of Governor General. She actively promoted diversity as well as national unity, co- founding the Institute for Canadian Citizenship to help new citizens integrate into society. Her life demonstrates that in Canada, everyone can create their own unique legend.
The Honourable Lillian Quan Dyck
Lillian Quan Dyck was born in 1945 in North Battleford, a small town in Saskatchewan to a Chinese father and a Cree mother. She overcame childhood racial discrimination to complete her studies, becoming the first Indigenous woman to obtain a PhD in the sciences. After that she embarked on a journey to trace her Cree and Chinese roots, embracing her dual heritage.
She had a successful career in neurochemistry, and in 2005 became the first Indigenous woman to be a senator, pursuing social justice and equal rights in the legislature. Due to her accomplishments in promoting laws to reform Indigenous education and gender and racial equality, she was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2021. Her early life story was adapted into a movie called “Café Daughter”.
Former Police Chief Kai Liu
Kai Liu aspired to be a police officer since childhood. As a member of a Taiwanese immigrant family, he experienced discrimination and bullying growing up. But with the support of his family, he came to be proud of his Chinese heritage. In 1986, Kai became the first Asian police officer with the Ottawa Police Service. He was committed to innovation and reform, elevating protection and support for victims of domestic violence. He became Canada’s youngest Chief of Police in 2008. He received multiple honours, including the Order of Merit of the Police Forces awarded by the Governor General. In 2019, Kai became the Chief of Police for the Treaty Three Police Service, an Indigenous Police Service to 24 First Nations in Northwestern Ontario.
In 2023, Kai retired as Police Chief, but remains as President of the Indigenous Police Chiefs of Ontario Association and an Executive Board member of the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association.
Professor Peter Liu
When Peter Liu arrived in Canada from Taiwan in 1966, he knew fewer than a hundred English words. He has overcome numerous hardships with resilience and adaptability and is now an internationally recognized physician-scientist and a leading cardiologist in Canada. He is Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President of Research at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI). His team has been successful in securing multiple grants, including a multi-institutional program “The Brain-Heart Interconnectome Program”, with a total award at $109 million from Canada’s First Research Excellence Fund.
In 2020, Peter was appointed to the “Order of Ontario” for raising the international profile of Canadian cardiovascular research through his leadership. In the same year, he received the “Global Achievement Award” from UOHI. His research on how viruses can lead to heart failure became very important, and his expertise and authority on the impact of COVID-19 on the heart were sought after by U.S. National Institutes of Health, Health Portfolio of Canadian government and medical colleagues around the world.