MPs Vincent Ho and Chak Au Call for National Recognition of Chinese Canadian Contributions 

August 21, 2026

Toronto, Ontario — August 21, 2026 — Twenty years after the Government of Canada issued its historic apology and redress for the Chinese Head Tax and the Chinese Immigration Act, Member of Parliament Vincent Ho (Richmond Hill) invited Vancouver-area Member of Parliament Chak Au (Richmond Centre–Marpole) to join him for a press conference calling on Canadians to take the next step by formally recognizing and celebrating the contributions that generations of Chinese Canadians have made to building Canada. 

Twenty years ago, on June 22, 2006, then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered a historic formal apology in the House of Commons on behalf of the Government of Canada for past discriminatory policies against Chinese Canadians, including the Chinese Head Tax and the Chinese Immigration Act. The apology acknowledged the profound hardship caused by these policies and marked an important moment of reconciliation in Canadian history. 

This year marks the 20th anniversary of that historic apology. 

“Twenty years ago, Canada acknowledged a grave historical injustice,” said MP Chak Au. “Today, I believe it is time for us to take another step forward by recognizing, in a lasting and meaningful way, the extraordinary contributions that Chinese Canadians have made—and continue to make—to Canada.” 

“The contributions of Chinese Canadians go far beyond the building of the railway. Early Chinese pioneers worked on the railway, in mining and in agriculture, often under extremely difficult and discriminatory conditions. Their contributions continued from generation to generation. Today, Chinese Canadians make significant contributions to Canada in business, education, science, research, philanthropy, culture, community service and public affairs.” 

MP Au’s Private Member’s Motion, M-32, was formally introduced in the House of Commons on May 4, 2026. The motion calls on the Government of Canada to: 

  • designate June 22 of each year as National Chinese Canadian Contributions Day; and
  • designate June of each year as Chinese Canadian Contributions Month. 

The motion recognizes the longstanding contributions of Chinese Canadians to building Canada and shaping the country’s development, from their early involvement in railway construction and mining to their leadership today in business, public service and community affairs. 

MP Au said he began developing the motion last December. After several revisions and internal approval processes, the motion was formally introduced in Parliament in May. 

MP Au expressed his deep appreciation for the strong support the initiative has received from his Conservative colleagues, particularly MP Vincent Ho, who has supported the motion and served as a seconder. Both Members believe that the contributions of Chinese Canadians extend far beyond the early history of railway construction. 

Generations of Chinese Canadians have served Canada as entrepreneurs, educators, scientists, researchers, community leaders, philanthropists, artists and public servants. They have also broken barriers and served in some of the highest public offices in the country. 

They include: 

  • Adrienne Clarkson, the first Chinese Canadian Governor General of Canada; 
  • David Lam, the first Chinese Canadian Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia; 
  • Norman Kwong, the first Chinese Canadian Lieutenant Governor of Alberta; and 
  • Philip S. Lee, the first Chinese Canadian Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba. 

MP Au said it is unfortunate that many of these stories remain insufficiently known—not only among the broader Canadian public, but sometimes even among younger generations of Chinese Canadians themselves. 

He noted that if the next generation is not given the opportunity to learn about those who came before them, the barriers they overcame and the contributions they made to Canada, we cannot expect young Chinese Canadians to fully understand what their heritage represents or to take pride in it. 

One story MP Au said deserves much greater recognition among Canadians is that of Lieutenant-Commander William King Lowd Lore, an extraordinary example of service and sacrifice. 

Born in Victoria, British Columbia, in 1909, Lore sought to serve Canada during the Second World War. He applied three times to join the Royal Canadian Navy but was rejected because he was Chinese. In 1943, following a change in naval policy and the personal intervention of then-Chief of the Naval Staff Vice-Admiral Percy Nelles, Lore was finally permitted to enlist. 

He became the first Chinese Canadian to serve in the Royal Canadian Navy and the first naval officer of Chinese descent in a Commonwealth navy. 

In August 1945, Lore became the first Allied officer to enter Hong Kong following its Japanese occupation in 1941. He led a party of Royal Marines ashore and helped liberate the prisoner-of-war camp at Sham Shui Po in Kowloon, where Canadian, British and Hong Kong prisoners were being held. 

“William Lore’s story is deeply moving,” said MP Au. “He was a man who had been told that, because he was Chinese, he was not considered eligible to serve his own country. Yet he never gave up. He persevered until he was finally given the opportunity to serve Canada. When that opportunity came, he fulfilled his duty with extraordinary courage and distinction.” 

“Imagine the significance of that moment: a Chinese Canadian naval officer representing Canada and leading forces that helped liberate Canadian prisoners of war in Hong Kong. His story represents loyalty to Canada, dedication, sacrifice and an unwavering commitment to his country, even at a time when Canada had not yet treated him as an equal.” 

MPs Vincent Ho and Chak Au are calling for Canadian stories such as William Lore’s to be taught in schools, shared within communities and passed from one generation to the next. They believe these stories remind Canadians that Chinese Canadians did not simply come to Canada to live—they helped build Canada, defended Canada and made sacrifices for Canada. 

This is a history Chinese Canadians can be proud of, and a history that all Canadians should know. 

Call for Canadians to Support the Initiative 

MP Vincent Ho invited MP Chak Au to Toronto for the press conference to raise public awareness of Motion M-32 and to encourage Canadians, community organizations and leaders across the country to support the initiative. 

A public online petition has been launched to build support for designating June 22 as National Chinese Canadian Contributions Day and June as Chinese Canadian Contributions Month. 

For more information and to support the initiative, please click this link: 

Motion M-32

國會議員何諾軒及區澤光呼籲 全國承認加拿大華裔的貢獻 

多倫多，安省 — 2026年8月21日 — 加拿大政府就華人頭稅及《華人移民法》作出歷史性道歉及賠償措施20年後，國會議員何諾軒 (Richmond Hill) 邀請來自溫哥華卑詩省國會議員區澤光 (Richmond Centre–Marpole)共同舉辦新聞發佈會，呼籲加拿大人踏出下一步，以正式方式肯定及慶祝一代又一代華裔加拿大人對建設和強大國家所作出的貢獻。 

20年前，即2006年6月22日，時任總理史蒂芬．哈珀 (Stephen Harper) 在加拿大國會下議院代表政府，就過去針對華裔加拿大人的歧視性政策，包括徵收人頭稅及實施《華人移民法》，作出歷史性正式道歉。這份道歉承認這些政策為華裔加拿大人帶來的深重苦難，並成為加拿大歷史上重要的和解時刻。 

今年正值這一歷史性道歉20周年。 

區澤光議員表示：「二十年前，加拿大承認了一段嚴重的歷史不公。今天，我認為我們是時候再向前一步，以持久而有意義的方式，肯定華裔加拿大人過去及現在為加拿大所作出的卓越貢獻。」 

「華裔加拿大人的貢獻絕不只是修築鐵路。早期華人先民曾經從事鐵路建設、採礦及農業工作，而且往往要在極其艱苦和充滿歧視的環境下工作。然而，他們的貢獻一代接一代延續下去。今天，華裔加拿大人在商業、教育、科學、研究、慈善、文化、社區服務及公共事務等不同領域，都為加拿大作出重要貢獻。」 

區澤光議員提出的國會議員私人法案動議M-32，已於2026年5月4日在下議院正式提出。動議呼籲加拿大政府： 

· 將每年6月22日訂為「加拿大華裔貢獻日」(National Chinese Canadian Contributions Day)；以及 

· 將每年6月訂為「加拿大華裔貢獻月」(Chinese Canadian Contributions Month)。 

這項動議肯定華裔加拿大人一直以來在建設加拿大及塑造國家發展方面所作出的貢獻，從早期參與鐵路建設及採礦，到今天在商業、公共服務及社區事務等領域擔任領導角色。 

區澤光議員表示，他於去年12月開始構思這項動議。經過多次修改及不同的黨內審批程序後，動議終於於今年5月正式在國會提出。 

區澤光非常感謝保守黨同僚對這項倡議的強力支持，尤其感謝同僚何諾軒國會議員(Vincent Ho)對動議的支持及擔任附議者。二人認為，華裔加拿大人對加拿大的貢獻，遠遠超越早期修築鐵路的歷史。 

歷代華裔加拿大人在加拿大成為企業家、教育工作者、科學家、研究人員、社區領袖、慈善家、藝術家及公共服務人員。他們更突破重重障礙，在加拿大最高層級的公共職位上作出貢獻。 

其中包括： 

· 伍冰枝 (Adrienne Clarkson)，加拿大首位華裔總督； 

· 林思齊 (David Lam)，卑詩省首位華裔省督； 

· 鄺友良 (Norman Kwong)，亞伯達省首位華裔省督；以及 

· 李紹麟 (Philip S. Lee) ，緬尼托巴省首位華裔省督。 

區澤光直言，令人遺憾的是許多這些故事仍然未被充分認識。不只是廣大的加拿大公眾，有時甚至連年輕一代的華裔加拿大人自己，都未必知道這些重要的歷史。」他指出，如果下一代沒有機會認識前人、了解他們克服的障礙，以及他們對加拿大所作出的貢獻，我們不能期望下一代真正明白身為華裔加拿大人所代表的意義，並為自己的身份感到自豪。 

他特別提及，其中一個值得加拿大人更加認識的故事，就是羅景鎏中校 (Lieutenant-Commander William King Lowd Lore) 的故事，堪稱服務與犧牲的典範。 

1909年，羅景鎏於出生於卑詩省維多利亞，在第二次世界大戰期間，他希望為加拿大服役，曾經三次申請加入加拿大皇家海軍，卻因為是華人而遭到拒絕。1943年，在海軍政策改變，以及時任海軍參謀長珀西・奈爾斯中將 (Vice-Admiral Percy Nelle) 親自介入後，羅景鎏終於獲准加入海軍。 

他成為加拿大皇家海軍首位華裔軍人，以及英聯邦海軍中首位華裔軍官。 

1945年8月，他成為自1941年香港被日軍佔領後，首位進入香港的盟軍軍官。他率領皇家海軍陸戰隊登陸，並協助解放位於九龍深水埗的戰俘營，當中包括加拿大、英國及香港的戰俘。 

區澤光說：「羅景鎏的故事非常感人，他是一位曾經因為是華人，而被告知不夠資格為自己的國家服務的人。然而，他從來沒有放棄。他堅持到底，直至終於獲得為國家服務的機會。當這個機會來臨時，他以非凡的勇氣和卓越的表現履行自己的職責。試想像那一刻的意義：一名代表加拿大的華裔海軍軍官，率領部隊解放香港的加拿大戰俘。他的故事代表着對加拿大的忠誠、奉獻、犧牲，以及即使加拿大當時尚未真正平等對待他的堅定信念。」 

國會議員何諾軒 及區澤光呼籲，像羅景鎏這樣的加拿大歷史，應該在學校教授，在社區分享，並一代一代傳承下去。二人認為，這些故事提醒大家，華裔加拿大人不只是來到加拿大生活 — 他們參與建設加拿大、保衛加拿大，並為加拿大作出犧牲。我們應該為這段歷史感到自豪，而所有加拿大人都應該認識這段歷史。 

呼籲加拿大人支持 

國會議員何諾軒特別邀請區澤光來到多倫多，舉行新聞發布會，旨在提高公眾對M-32動議的認識，並邀請全國各地的加拿大人、社區組織及領袖支持這項倡議。 

目前已設立網上公開請願聯署，期望更多公眾會支持將6月22日訂為「華裔加拿大人貢獻日」以及將6月訂為「華裔加拿大人貢獻月」。詳情請登入連結：https://chakaump.ca/support-my-motion-to-formally-recognize-chinese-canadians/