A special beauty contest for chubby women held in Shenyang, China. 40 women participated. (Xinhua)

Latest release from Statistics Canada:

The visible minority population of the census metropolitan area (CMA) of Vancouver could more than double from 910,000 in 2006 to just over 2 million by 2031, according to new population projections.

The main factor would be immigration, as well as fertility.

During the same period, the rest of Vancouver’s population is expected to increase at a much more modest rate of roughly 12%.

These projections on Vancouver’s diversity are based on a ‘reference scenario’, that is, the medium assumptions of how the population might evolve as determined by analyzing recent demographic trends. Other available scenarios are a low-growth scenario that assumes low fertility, life expectancy and immigration, and a high-growth scenario that assumes high levels of each.

By 2031, visible minority groups could account for nearly 60% of Vancouver’s population. Of the 2 million visible minorities, one in three would be Canadian-born.

Counting both first generation and second-generation immigrants, 70% of the population of Vancouver would be either immigrants or children born in Canada of immigrant parents by 2031. This would be the second-highest proportion in Canada behind Toronto.

The largest visible minority group in Vancouver would be the Chinese, as it was in 2006. Their population could double from 396,000 to 809,000 over the next two decades. As a result, their share of Vancouver’s population would rise from 18% in 2006 to 23% in 2031.

The South Asian group, which ranked second in 2006, is likely to remain the second largest visible minority group. They would account for 14% of the population in 2031, up from 10% in 2006.

The share of Vancouver’s population having a non-Christian religion is projected to increase from 16% to roughly 21%. The proportion having a Christian religion is likely to decline from 50% to 47%.

The proportion of persons reporting no religion in Vancouver is likely to continue to be one of the highest of any metropolitan area in Canada, with this group accounting for nearly 33% of the population in 2031. This would be virtually unchanged from 2006. This situation is in part related to the high level of Chinese immigration in Vancouver. The population of Chinese origin has a high propensity to report no religion on the census.

One could only imagine how this ethnic mix would affect the already stringent race relations in Canada.

The last two points are both concerned with maximizing government efficiency and exercising fiscal restraint. As we follow our roadmap to return to a balanced budget, we need to take action to ensure that government lives within its means. All Canadians have had to make sacrifices over the past year. Families everywhere have had to take a look at their own expenses and set priorities. They expect their government to do the same, and that is exactly what we are doing.

We have recently announced that the operating budgets of federal departments will be frozen at the 2010-11 levels. Based on Budget 2010 forecasts, the freeze is expected to achieve savings totaling about $1.8 billion by 2012-13. Here, we are leading by example by freezing salaries for the Prime Minister, Ministers, MPs, Senators and Ministers’ offices budgets.

What’s more, we have introduced a strategic review process whereby all federal programs must demonstrate that they are effective and efficient. They must show they are focused on Canadians’ priorities and meeting the changing needs of Canadians. The 2009 round of reviews reallocated up to $287 million to Budget priorities. In 2010-11, about $33 billion will be reviewed and in all, we anticipate savings of close to $1.7 billion.

In addition, we will also conduct a comprehensive review of administrative functions and overhead costs. Our goal is to eliminate any redundant spending and find savings wherever they may exist. The review will look at external and internal service operations, business processes, and administration.

And yesterday, as part of our plan to improve efficiency and governance across federal departments and agencies, I also announced the elimination of 245 federal appointment positions across government. In streamlining these organizations, the Government is ensuring its resources are put to the best possible use for Canadians.

A balanced budget over the long term is necessary for economic growth and job creation. As opposed to previous governments, we are not going to balance the budget by cutting transfer payments for health care and education or by raising taxes on hard-working Canadians.

Under the leadership of Stephen Harper, Canada is in a good position to come through the global economic recession stronger than ever. Indeed, the International Monetary Fund, the World Economic Forum, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Economist Intelligence Unit all say we are now in the best position financially of the G-8 countries. Sound financial management always helps attract foreign investment and foreign investment spurs domestic economic growth.

There are encouraging signs of a global economic recovery. Although that recovery remains fragile, Canada is well placed to emerge from the recession stronger than ever. Our plan to see Canada through tough economic times is clearly working.

Stockwell Day
President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Asia-Pacific Gateway

Recently my friend Rattan Mall of the Indo Canadian Voice phoned me up to ask me what kind of responses the Chinese community has over the lack of multicultural representation in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympic.

I told him, other than what Mr Tung Chan of SUCCESS told the Vancouver Sun in this report, I have not heard any complaint from people around me, nor did I receive a single letter/email/fax to our newsroom that vent grievances about either ceremony.

Mr Mall was shocked, saying it’s the complete opposite to the Indo-Canadian community. His newsroom was flushed with emails/calls and radio phone-ins are flooded with angry voices. Their community is outraged of the lack of mention in the ceremonies about Indo-Canadian contribution to Canada and their history in Canada.

On the other hand, the topic is not hot at all in the Chinese Canadian community. I asked a few friends why and this is what I generally heard from them (far from representative of the views of the community I must add):

• it’s just a show, an entertainment; as long as it’s entertaining enough and interesting enough, it has completed its mission
• the way the First Nations were included in the opening ceremony was so fake… native people were still portrayed as primitive and backward as if they were too happy to open their arms when white colonists came to kill them; if that’s the mindset of the organizers of the ceremony, it’s better to not have us being included rather than having old stereotypoes being reinforced.
• not enough French? I thought there was too much French!
• I have not thought of the issue [lacking multicultural elements] before I read what Tung Chan said in Vancouver Sun; why would I feel sad? It was a boring show after all…
• I’m more concerned and feel embarrassed by the malfunction of one of the poles and the overly long torch trip of Wayne Gretzkey…

I’d like to add another point. The opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in 2008 included representation of each and every ethnic moniories of the country. But I found the token dressing-up stuff so fake and so propaganda-ish. I have the same feelings when I watched our opening ceremony in Vancouver. Why were all performers white? First Nations were included only as background dancers. Why weren’t they made a more central role of the main performance? I don’t want to see any dragon dancing if Chinese Canadians were there only because VANOC wanted the world to see Canada was inclusive when in daily life it’s more complicated than that… I don’t want to see that kind of comsetic playout. I’d rather see a pure entertaining show.

What do you think?

Finally, this is coming. If the funding cuts to pride parades aren’t first sight of anti-gay attitude of the Harper government, this one definitely is.

Well, I have to applaud to the Tories. They have the patience to wait for 4+ years to let this deep rooted sentiment slowly slip out. Applaud to Kenney for having the guts to be the “bad guy” on so many controversies the Tories hold dear of (being the bad guy, for instance, for “speaking up” against China’s human rights when Harper be the “good guy” during his historic December visit to China. watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKV7Un6HNZE&feature=player_embedded)

Having said that, this “progress” is the last thing I’d want to see Canada heading to. We used to be inclusive, open and socially progressive. But after the last few years, I feel a dramatic degradation to many Canadian values I used to love and identify with. (I am not talking about race, if some of my regular readers might suspect)

I just heard on the radio that a spokesperson for Kenney responded: “we have to make editorial decisions so that the guide won’t become encyclopedic”.

Is this a justifiable explanation? What do you thinks

Immigration Minister Kenney nixed gay rights in citizenship guide: documents

CP – Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney blocked any reference to gay rights in a new study guide for immigrants applying for Canadian citizenship, The Canadian Press has learned.

Internal documents show an early draft of the guide contained sections noting that homosexuality was decriminalized in 1969; that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation; and that same-sex marriage was legalized nationally in 2005.

But Kenney, who fought same-sex marriage when it was debated in Parliament, ordered those key sections removed when his office sent its comments to the department last June. Senior department officials duly cut out the material, but made a last-ditch plea with Kenney in early August to have it reinstated.

“Recommend the re-insertion of the text boxes related to … the decriminalization of homosexual sex/recognition of same-sex marriage,” says a memorandum to Kenney from deputy minister Neil Yeates.

“Recommend the addition of ‘equality rights’ under list of rights. Had noted earlier that this bullet should be reinserted into the list as a means of noting the equality of all based on race, gender, sexual orientation etc …”

In the end, however, Kenney’s view trumped that of the bureaucrats. The 63-page guide, released with fanfare last November, contains no mention of gay and lesbian rights.

About 500,000 copies were printed and citizenship applicants will start being tested on its contents March 15.

The $400,000 project substantially updated an earlier edition of the guide created in 1995. The new version significantly expands sections on Canada’s military past and on aboriginals, drawing on the views of a panel of prominent Canadians.

The new guide got generally positive reviews when it was launched, though some immediately noted the absence of gay rights, including same-sex marriage.

The publication does include a picture of Olympic gold medal swimmer Mark Tewksbury, however, with a caption saying he is a “prominent activist for gay and lesbian Canadians.”

Drafts and other internal documents related to the guide were obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.

“Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1969 and more recently, civil marriage rights to same-sex couples was legalized nationwide in 2005,” the earliest draft of the guide says under the section Towards a Modern Canada.

And in the section on citizenship rights, the early draft said: “Equality Rights – Canadians are protected against discrimination based on race, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or age.”

Neither sentence survived the minister’s red marker.

Kenney has steadfastly opposed same-sex marriage since his time as an opposition MP in the House of Commons.

He spoke against the Civil Marriage Act, or Bill C-38, when it was debated in the Commons in February 2005. And days earlier, Kenney told a session with Toronto-area Punjabi journalists that gays had every right to marry – as long as it wasn’t someone of the same sex.

He reaffirmed his stand in 2006 when the newly elected Conservative government attempted without success to revoke the legislation.

Last year, Kenney appointed a longtime Conservative who opposes same-sex marriage to the Immigration and Refugee Board, which among other things makes decisions about whether gays can be given refugee status in Canada.

When the new guide was released Nov. 12, Kenney brushed off a reporter’s question about why it lacked any reference to same-sex marriage.

“We can’t mention every legal decision, every policy of the government of Canada,” he said.

“We try to be inclusive and include a summary. I can tell you that if you were to read the old book, you wouldn’t even know that there are gay and lesbian Canadians.” He then noted the caption under Tewksbury’s photo.

Kenney’s spokesman reiterated that the 1995 guide “produced by the Liberals” did not mention gays and lesbians.

“We can endlessly debate what was included or not included,” Alykhan Velshi said in an email last week. “Unavoidably, choices had to be made about content because we had to ensure the guide did not become encyclopedic.”

Velshi also noted the new guide does not refer to marriage at all, whether opposite sex or same sex.

The gay-rights group Egale Canada met with the minister in early December after learning the booklet made no reference to gay and lesbian rights, and is negotiating with the department to have them included in the next printing, about a year away.

Executive director Helen Kennedy said Kenney told the group that gay rights had been “overlooked” when the guide was being prepared. She expressed surprise when told draft versions contained references to gay rights and that they were ordered removed.

“I’m hopeful and optimistic that we’re going to get it fixed because we’re not happy with it.”

The NDP’s critic on gay and lesbian issues said new immigrants need to know about basic rights guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

“The minister, Jason Kenney, can’t edit gay and lesbian Canadians out of Canadian history,” Bill Siksay said. “That’s something that newcomers to Canada should know about.”

Liberal MP Marlene Jennings called Kenney’s actions “abhorrent.”

“It’s unfortunate that this government again has driven an ideological wedge on an issue of fundamental charter rights.”

The Canadian Press previously reported that other sections of the draft version of the guide were excised at the suggestion of the panel of prominent Canadians.

The deleted sections included one reference that said Canadian churches ran Indian residential schools, where aboriginal children were abused.

To clearly stand out a guest blogger entry, all such headlines will begin with [GB]

Last weekend, Ribiao Chen, Overseas Chinese Affairs Consul of the People’s Republic of China’s Consul-General, attended the celebration lunch for the Chinese Spring Festival and the inauguration of the second session of the Canadian Alliance of Chinese Associations. The gentle-mannered Consul Chen delivered a speech which was taken to heart by everyone in the room. What he said made a deep impression on the majority of the audience.

About a hundred people attended the luncheon; they were all leaders of the Chinese community associations. There were four main points in Chen’s address:

1) Community events should start punctually. Programs should proceed on time. Invited dignitaries are busy people; organizers shouldn’t make their guests wait and hold up their time.

2) Those on the floor should respect those who are speaking on stage. They should not talk or make noises.

3) Organizers should respect participating politicians and treat them fairly. They should not selectively pay attention to or ignore invited dignitaries.

4) Community leaders should respect Canadian law and the rules of the society; leaders must step down when their term expires and let others succeed them.

These points might sound like basic common sense, but they were a wake-up call to some leaders in the community.

From what I have observed, some of the Chinese community leaders run their societies in ways that are close to being disrespectful and improper.

Vancouver Mount Pleasant MLA Jenny Kwan has recently sent a letter to the organizers of the Vancouver Spring Festival celebration parade and banquet, complaining that politicians were badly treated.

This is what happened. When Kwan and other parliamentarians tried to enter the VIP section of the Spring Festival parade, she was stopped by a volunteer because her name was not on the list. In fact, none of the names of the NDP MPs or MLAs, including the Official Opposition Leader, were on the list. Although Kwan was rejected, some unlisted dignitaries did enter the VIP section.

Kwan is the MLA representing Chinatown and she has contributed a lot to Chinatown and the Chinese community. When the NDP was in government, she worked hard to secure funding for infrastructural projects for Chinatown. Compared to some politicians who only showed up before the election, Kwan participated in the parade every year, come rain or shine.

That evening, Kwan, her leader Carole James and many NDP MLAs and MPs attended the banquet. Although Kwan and James were arranged to be seated at a table in the front row, other NDP MPs and MLAs were seated at a table at the back corner close to the washroom. Kwan discovered that people sitting beside her were friends of the performers. While she was puzzling as to why her NDP colleagues were positioned so far away, she realized that the master of ceremonies did not introduce the NDP leader, MPs and MLAs.

Witnessing the mistreatment of NDP parliamentarians, many of the dignitaries seated in the front also expressed discontent. Parliamentary secretary MP Alice Wong, representing the federal government to attend the event, questioned why the MC would read a greeting note from the federal Liberal Party leader whereas the BC Official Opposition Leader who was attending the show was not invited to speak, not to mention being introduced.

When Kash Heed, the Solicitor General who represents BC, spoke on stage, he first introduced the Opposition Leader and her fellow MLAs. Vancouver City Councilor George Chow went around to collect the business cards of the politicians not introduced and brought them to the MC on stage for them to be introduced. The staff member of SUCCESS who was responsible for registering politicians showed me her list of the dignitaries. She said the list was passed to the organizer and she did not know why the faux pas happened.

This is indeed a blunder and a discourtesy, but these kinds of things happen almost every year at the Spring Festival celebration banquet.

This writer recently communicated with leaders of the Victoria Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and the experience was horrible.

Unlike previous years, the Spring Festival celebration parade and banquet in Vancouver and Victoria Chinatown were hosted on different weekends. As advisor to the New Democrat Opposition, I recommended that James and her Victoria MLA participate in the Victoria Chinese celebration. When I tried to reserve places for them, the process was not smooth. The CCBA lady responsible for reservation told me that they had already invited MLA Rob Fleming, so they had no more seats for James and MLA Lana Popham. I was surprised that with a banquet seating about 30 tables and one month ahead of the event, the organizer could not find two seats to accommodate some dignitaries. I asked whether they could just accommodate James, who is also the MLA representing Victoria Chinatown. The celebration would be a good occasion for her to greet and meet her constituents. The CCBA lady said, “Maybe next year. This is a private function and we have the right to choose whom to invite.”

Later, I asked the president of Canada’s Dart Coon Club to talk to the CCBA and he helped James reserve a seat in the banquet. On the day of the parade and banquet, I met and thanked the CCBA leader who helped secure a seat for the Opposition leader but I was told that James could not distribute the Chinese New Year red packets in the evening. The reason? Because the guest from the other political party did not observe the custom of distributing red packets, it would be unfair, so it seemed to CCBA, if they allowed us to distribute.

So all these strange arrangements were due to partisan politics. When the Liberal Ida Chong did not give out red packets, NDP political figures shouldn’t either. Forbidding people the handing out of red packets during the Lunar New Year is totally in violation of Chinese tradition and practice.

This writer would like to remind our respected leaders that Chinese community organization is not a private company, nor is it the campaign arm of a political party. That association is organizing the celebration in the name of the Chinese community, and politicians attend to celebrate and show their respect for the Chinese community. A social function in the name of Chinese Canadians must be carried out with equity and decorum. Otherwise, not only would the organizing association be brought into disrepute, the image of the entire Chinese community will suffer as a result.

This is, I believe, part of the message behind Consul Chen’s words from the heart.

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Disclaimer: Views expressed by guest bloggers are theirs and may not represent those of CIV.

By inviting guest bloggers to write here, I’d like to see us grow together with more diverse ideas and perspectives. If anyone believe the idea is cool, please don’t hesitate to submit your stuff to me. We use real names and identities here. Thank you.

To clearly stand out a guest blogger entry, all such headlines will begin with [GB]

Last week I watched the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre with NDP Leader Carole James and MLA Bruce Ralston. I felt great to be able to watch Cloud Gate in Vancouver twice. One other thing I could see is that the Taiwanese immigrant community had increased its influence in our society, compared to that at the time of the last performance.

Cloud Gate’s last performance was 13 years ago at the Gateway Theatre in Richmond. This time the performance took place at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. The venue was more classy and the seating capacity of the theatre was upgraded. Last time, the English-language media paid no attention to it but the Taiwan dance company got some good coverage this time. Credit should be given to the Taiwan Festival organizer who has established good relations with the mainstream media throughout the years.

James was deeply impressed by the Cloud Gate performance. It was indeed a marvelous feast for the eyes. The stunning beauty of the dance performance touched the hearts of the audience.

Since “Water Moon” is not a dance theatre, it does not have a storyline. One should think that it would not be easy for an audience that does not watch much dance to appreciate it. To those who are not dance aficionados, dance is abstract, meaningless and repetitive. Nevertheless, by means of the dancers, Bach’s music, lighting and stage design, artistic director Hwai-Min Lim managed to impress the audience so much that they gave him a 10-minute standing ovation.

Compared to what I watched over a decade ago, Lim has transcended himself. He surpassed his training background and what he had established artistically. He has found his own path and has become a great master.

I watched one famous dance in Lim’s old repertoire, “The Legacy,” decades ago. The piece depicted the hardship of Taiwanese crossing the wide seas and the problem of inheritance from the previous generations. It was a great dance performance and I still remember some of the imagery. However, you could see the long shadow cast by Martha Graham who was a teacher of Lim’s. Graham is the great icon of American modern dance and her ancient Greek dance motifs work well in expressing Chinese rituals. The problem is, even if one could choreograph a more eye-pleasing dance than Graham’s, it is still a work that follows her footsteps.

The “Water Moon” has completely dispelled any shadow Graham might have cast because Lim has re-formed the root of his art. Today, dancers of Cloud Gate practice Tai Chi, Chinese traditional opera and martial arts. Thus, from what the audience sees in “Water Moon,” the dance movements are from Asia (the motifs also include Japan’s Butoh dance) and they are no longer western.

Lim’s choreography has truly expressed the spirit and values of contemporary Asia. Western dance is often performed with an energy that explodes, but “Water Moon” is soft, exquisite, elegant and yet full of strength. Its energy occasionally erupts from the slow movements. A western duet often consists in a struggle and the entanglement of two bodies whereas in “Water Moon,” although the dancers are in close proximity, they seldom touch each other.

What “Water Moon” reflects is contemporary rather than traditional Asia. You can see that from the music and costumes of the dancers. During the over 70 minutes of performance, what impressed me most were the peaceful water reflection scenes and the curtain call. The latter had a strong Olympic feel about it.

****

It is no secret that I have my own opinion on the Olympics, but it does not stop me from enjoying the games and the performing arts shows.

I can watch the Olympic games on television, but I can only watch the performances live at the theatre.

Compared to those of New York, London, Tokyo or Hong Kong, Vancouver’s arts and cultural scene come up short. Not many international performing companies show up in Vancouver. Therefore, what the Cultural Olympiad has lined up is pretty exciting.

Vancouver’s multicultural society has great potentials for cultural development but the government has been wasting great opportunities for economic development arising from cultural activities.

Arts and culture throughout the world are supported by the government. In ancient time, they were supported by monarchs and the nobles. Without their generosity, many of today’s artistic masterpieces, like classic music, paintings or architectures, would not have existed. It is interesting to note that many of the great classics or masterpieces were being dismissed as junk at the time they were created.

The difference between art and design is that art is created from the heart of its creator whereas design is created to please its client. As a result, the latter can be appreciated easily while the former often has fewer admirers. It takes the general public quite a period of time to accept and appreciate ground-breaking artistic work. The painter Van Gogh is a classic example. When the Eiffel Tower was being built, it was harshly and widely criticized.

Nevertheless, that does not mean that arts and culture are money-losing business. The fact is, government support to the arts is not a long-term investment that has no return.

Studies around the world have demonstrated that government funding for the arts has an immediate effect on economic activities. Not only is the funding directly used by artistic practitioners and in artistic creation and participation, it also produces economic spin-off effects. For example, people often dine out or have a drink before or after watching a performance or exhibition. Some people even travel a long way to watch a show, so shops and the tourism industry would benefit. Las Vegas certainly knows best how this works.

According to a report commissioned by the BC government in 2006, for every dollar the provincial government funds arts organizations, it can get between $1.05 and $1.36 in extra tax revenue. The same report also cited this statistic: every dollar spent on arts and culture has an economic benefit of between $1.57 to $1.87. What is quite amazing is that, given such economic benefits, the BC Liberal government is still determined to cut our arts and culture funding by a staggering 90%! This is not only narrow-minded; it is bad for our economy.

The other function of art is to provide inspiration and nourishment for the mainstream cultural and creative industries. If BC wants to lead in the film and digital gaming industries, we need a vibrant art scene and sub-culture.

Art has an important role to play in our education too. It should not be limited to learning how to practice a certain art form or to acquiring a knowledge of art. The wider perspective is to see art as a means of nurturing the public’s capacity to appreciate. The appreciation, apprehension and articulation of feelings and inspiration, of the abstract and the incomprehensible, contribute in the long run to the nurturing of wisdom and conceptualization. This is great education for the mind, especially in today’s practical, utilitarian, unsubtle society.

From a macro perspective, arts and culture forge the identity of a nation or race. When a foreigner sees us, the perception is not limited to the superficial label of our country or racial background, it also includes the cultural impression. Thus, arts and culture serve an important role in international trade. Our neighbour on the south uses their culture or the so-called “American spirit” to sell their products to the world. Likewise, the French market their fashion and wine with the help of their culture.

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Disclaimer: Views expressed by guest bloggers are theirs and may not represent those of CIV.

By inviting guest bloggers to write here, I’d like to see us grow together with more diverse ideas and perspectives. If anyone believe the idea is cool, please don’t hesitate to submit your stuff to me. We use real names and identities here. Thank you.