“By celebrating heritage here, maybe (we can) build a bridge between communities,” says the regional council member behind the local Chinese Heritage Month declaration.
Joe Lee said he became inspired by Chinese heritage when he began delving deeper into his roots.
The Markham Regional Council member is a Hakka Chinese from India, whose origins and lineage go back to immigrants who settled in the region of India hundreds of years ago. He helped hold the World Hakka Congress in Markham in 2022, and said he has spent more time studying his lineage recently.
After seeing the success of Tamil Heritage Month in January, Lee said he wondered about a month to celebrate Chinese heritage. With no date scheduled in Canada, Lee said he decided to make it happen.
“We have a history that goes back 5,000 years, and recently, we have a lot of tension between Canada and China,” he said. “By celebrating the heritage here, maybe (we can) build a bridge between communities…so I decided, ‘OK, I want to do this.'”
As a result of Lee's council suggestions, both the Regional Municipality of York and the City of Markham declared Chinese Heritage Month at the end of February. They believe they are the first municipalities in Canada to recognize it, coinciding with the Lunar New Year.
Canada and Ontario do not have a specifically designated Chinese Heritage Month, as Asian Heritage Month is widely recognized in May. He told me that he had contacted members of parliament to raise the issue, but had received no interest so far.
Lee said that visiting his hometown in India and seeing an amazing multicultural Chinese New Year celebration there, with people coming from all over the world, motivated him.
“This has nothing to do with politics. This has to do with celebration,” he told me. “I’m so glad it passed.”
York Region has become home to many immigrants, especially from China. Based on the 2021 census, the region had 53,495 new immigrants between 2016 and 2021, with the highest percentage coming from China at 18,805. Followed by Iran with 5095 and India with 5050.
The Chinese are also the largest visible minority population in the Newmarket and York area. According to the 2021 Census, Newmarket has a visible minority population of approximately 30,230, with the largest group being Chinese (8,635), followed by West Asians (5,610) and South Asians (3,765). This applies to York Region as a whole, where the minority population is approximately 641,195 people, led by Chinese (289,320), South Asian (127,960) and West Asian (62,310) residents.
He said that this diverse community welcomed the step taken by Li on the occasion of Chinese Heritage Month.
“Overall, the community welcomes what you've done. This is long overdue.” “Canada, it's a wonderful country. We are not like the United States. You go there, they tell you: “You have to integrate, you have to change.” Here, in Canada, we say: “You can share your culture.” This is what we are trying to do. “We are very proud and happy to live in Canada.”
Promoting Chinese culture in Newmarket
For nearly a decade, the 108th Health Promotion Society of Newmarket has been promoting Chinese culture in the community and providing a gathering place for many Chinese Canadians, with a focus on senior health.
The association began with many Chinese Canadians moving north to Newmarket and Aurora, association president Huanming Wu said through a translator. The association was formed to help create connections and support for isolated seniors.
Since then, the association has held regular events, often at the Upper Canada Mall. They also host a variety of events around Chinese New Year, including dance and music.
“Canada, as everyone knows, is a country of many cultures,” Wu said, adding that many seniors “have a deep respect for our Chinese culture. They bring this culture here, and they want to share it with other Canadians.”
These efforts can continue during the new Chinese Heritage Month, Wu said.
“We always want to promote Chinese culture,” Wu said. “We hold many events and activities every year, both small and large. We hope that more people will learn about our Chinese culture.”
Wu said the association faces challenges in finding a more permanent facility, as well as getting more young people involved in its activities.
But association director Jenny Young said they hope they can change that.
“China has a lot to offer in terms of history,” Young said. “The whole family can come out to enjoy and take something of Chinese culture.”
Although Lee said there is no desire yet to declare Chinese Heritage Month at higher levels of government, he hopes more municipalities, including neighboring Toronto, will join the idea soon.
Without time to celebrate Chinese Heritage Month this year, Lee said he's optimistic about a big celebration in 2024. He said he hopes to reach out to different parts of the local Chinese Canadian communities to showcase different aspects of their culture.
“I'm excited,” he said. “We will try to expand the culture, and what we can offer here as well.”
