Council Members Bios

Co-Chairs

David Choi

David Choi is the elected national executive chair of the National Congress of Chinese Canadians since 2010. He is the founder, chair and president of Royal Pacific Real Estate Group Ltd., which include subsidiaries Royal Pacific Realty Holdings Ltd. and Royal Pacific Realty Group of companies.

David is a recipient of numerous awards. His broad volunteer community experience includes academia, government, health and social service, governance, and media in international, national and civic organizations in the chair, governor, adjudicator and director positions. 

He is a SFU adjunct professor and co-chairs the SFU David Lam Centre’s Chinese Canadian History Project Council, which produced the first Chinese Canadian Chronological Chart in English, French and Chinese in both 2000 (A Canada Millennium Celebration Project) and in 2010. He was also co-executive producer of the film “Canadian Steel, Chinese Grit”, a documentary on Chinese Canadian railway workers.)

Henry Yu

Henry Yu was born and raised in  B.C. He received his BA in Honours History from UBC and an MA and PhD in History from Princeton University. After teaching at UCLA for a decade, Yu returned to UBC to help build new programs focused on the trans-Pacific connections between North America, Asia, and the Pacific.

Between 2010 and 2012, he was the Project Lead for the “Chinese Canadian Stories” project involving UBC, SFU, and over 29 community organizations across Canada. He was the co-chair of the City of Vancouver’s project, “Dialogues between First Nations, Urban Aboriginal, and Immigrant Communities” in 2010-2013.

He received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his community service. Currently, he is the principal of St. John's College, UBC, and for the past eight years has been the director of the Initiative for Student Teaching and Research in Chinese Canadian Studies, which is part of the new Asian Canadian and Asian Migration Studies program in the Faculty of Arts at UBC.

 

Council Members

Don Bain

Don Bain is the executive director of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, an organization dedicated to recognition of Aboriginal rights and respect for Aboriginal cultures and societies, as well as fostering fundamental and necessary research skills for Aboriginal people in the province.

From the Lheidli T’enneh community outside of Prince George, Mr. Bain graduated from UBC with a degree in Anthropology, and worked on his community’s Traditional Use Study. For over ten years he has been instrumental in supporting the work of UBCIC to build trust, honour and respect, to continue the healing and reconciliation of First Nations, to support Aboriginal peoples at regional, national and international forums and to build intertribal relationships.

Thomas Chan

Thomas Chan has been a Chartered Accountant since 1986 and has practised exclusively in Victoria from the start of his career in 1981 with Touche Ross & Co.

After leaving Touche Ross in 1989, Mr. Chan continued his professional development with Crawford, Patterson and Campbell before starting the firm Chan & Wong in 1991. In 2008, Mr. Chan formed his present firm, Chan & Associates. He has extensive knowledge in all facets of accounting and tax for profit-oriented businesses and audits of not-for-profit organizations.

Mr. Chan has been very active in the Chinese Community in Victoria and throughout Canada. Mr. Chan presently is the national president of the Dart Coon Club and president of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. He has experience in bridging communities of different cultures proven by his various invitations by the Government of China and Guangdong Province to attend special functions and make presentations and introductions regarding business opportunities. 

Tung Chan

Tung Chan is dedicated to building social pathways to connect people in our society. He is currently an honorary captain of the Royal Canadian Navy and the chair of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. He is also a board member of the Vancouver Foundation, Rick Hansen Institute, and the Canadian Foundation for Economic Education.

In his professional and political career, Mr. Chan has served as the chief executive officer of S.U.C.C.E.S.S., VP of the TD Bank Group and councillor of the City of Vancouver. Mr. Chan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia and a General Management Diploma from the Institute of Canadian Bankers where he is also a Fellow.  In recognition of his contribution to the community, Mr. Chan was awarded the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Order of  B.C.

Queenie Choo

With her strong background in community services and effective leadership ability, in 2012, Queenie Choo was appointed as the CEO of S.U.C.C.E.S.S., the largest non-profit social service organization in  B.C..

Ms. Choo’s role as CEO -has been based on her ability to blend a rigorous and result oriented approach with a genuine sensitivity to people. Her unique contributions include, but have not been limited to, presentation to the CIC standing committee on women’s issues, and the Senate Committee on termination of entrepreneur investment programs, to name a few. She has led the teams to develop many innovative programs in the area of skills and training, employment, business development, settlement, language, family and youth, seniors care and housing.

With a true devotion to community, Ms. Choo was recognized as the QE II Diamond Jubilee award recipient for her significant contributions to the community. She received her master degree from the University of Alberta. Ms. Choo has also presented widely, both nationally and internationally.

Lily Chow

Lily Chow, a researcher, writer and educator, immigrated to British Columbia in 1967. She received her Master of Education from the University of Victoria, and taught in high school and at UNBC before retirement.

Her writing focuses on Canadian Chinese history. She is a community activist making efforts to promote and preserve Canadian Chinese culture and heritage, and has engaged in many projects and activities related to building bridges between Canadian Chinese heritage organizations and institutions of other ethnic groups as well as the cultural exchange establishments in Guangdong, China.

One of her publications, Sojourners in the North, has won the Jeanne Clarke Memorial Local History Award, Prince George. She has also been awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal twice (2002 & 2012) for her outstanding community spirit and academic research.

Howard Grant

Howard E. Grant is currently the executive director of the First Nations Summit (FNS) which is comprised of a majority of First Nations and Tribal Councils in  B.C. The FNS provides a forum for First Nations in British Columbia to address issues related to Aboriginal title and rights and treaty negotiations as well as other issues of common concern.

Mr. Grant is also a long serving member of council from his home community of Musqueam, whose traditional territory once occupied much of what is now Vancouver and surrounding areas and is now located at the mouth of the Fraser River in Vancouver. In his role as executive director of First Nations Summit he is responsible for the overall human resources and financial management of the FNS operations.

Mr. Grant was previously employed as the executive director of the Musqueam Indian Band from 1992-1997. He also held senior management positions with the federal government (Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada DIAND now AANDC) from 1984-1992.

Within his roles as executive director of the Musqueam Indian Band and senior manager with DIAND, he was responsible for operational issues, policy development and implementation and budget/audit requirements. Mr. Grant has served and continues to serve on numerous First Nations committees, federal committees, boards, post-secondary advisory committees, and public sector committees in the capacity of advisor and/or board member. He also sits as a board member on numerous capital and economic boards.

George Ing

George Ing was born in Victoria and joined the RCAF in 1955. Recruited as an air craftsman (Private) he was trained as a radar technician. He graduated with a BSc from St Mary's University, and a MBA from George Washington University in Washington DC. In 1974 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and assigned to be the commanding officer of Comm Group Europe. He also served as the military sports commissioner.  In 1987 LCol lng, CD2, Queens Silver Jubilee Medal, NATO Decoration, retired from the CF early and became the DND civilian project manager of a $300M project. Concurrently, he served as vice-president of St James Social Services.

George Ing is the past president of Pacific Unit 280, the only unit of WWII Chinese Canadian Veterans, and is a past vice-president of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum. He has also been a board member of the Asian Heritage Society.

Jun Ing

Jun Ing has been an active volunteer in the community since the early 1990s.  He is a key player in organizing many high profile community events including the annual Canada Day celebration, Remembrance Day tribute, and the popular signature multicultural event in Vancouver - the Chinese New Year Parade. 

Mr. Ing is currently the vice-president of the Chinese Benevolent Associations of Vancouver, an umbrella organization for over 100 Chinese associations. In recognition of his outstanding community service, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Mr. Ing is an engineer with a full-time professional career. In his leisure, he teaches Chinese martial arts and traditional lion dance.

Fred Y. Kwok

Fred Y. Kwok has been president of Mainly Awning and Signs Co. since 1988. He is very active in his community, serving as co-chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Committee, vice-president of Wushu Canada and member of the Vancouver Chinatown Designated Historic Site Committee and has served as a director of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Mr. Kwok was also a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. 

David Chuen Yan Lai

Dr. David Lai has taught in the Department of Geography at the University of Victoria for 35 years and retired in 2003 as professor emeritus.

Currently, he is a research affiliate of Centre on Aging, University of Victoria, and adjunct professor of David Lam Centre for International Communication, Simon Fraser University. His researches are concentrated on the history of Chinese Canadians, development of Canadian Chinatowns and ethnic groups in British Columbia. He was appointed as a B.C. member on the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (2001-4).

He is a cultural advisor of Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Victoria. He is a Member of the Order of Canada and an Honorary Citizen of Victoria. He received a Citation Award by the Association of American Geographers in 1982 and the International Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History in 1983 for his outstanding contributions to the conservation and restoration of Victoria’s Chinatown. 

Diana Lam

Diana Lam was born and educated in Vancouver finishing at BA (Econ) at UBC. She  brings to the advisory board experience through her long time public relations career as well as many years as a senior aide to two federal cabinet ministers.

Her community contribution has been diverse, serving on the boards among them Vancouver YWCA, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation ( B.C. and Yukon Chapter), National Arts Centre (Ottawa), Pacific Sports Centre  B.C., Vancouver Civic Theatres. She has also been involved in developing programs and projects to further the interests of women, having been on the founding committee for the YWCA Women of Distinction awards and for the National Retreat for Women. She is the  founding chair of the Vancouver chapter of the worldwide International Women's Forum.

Carol Anne Lee

Carol Anne Lee, a native of Vancouver, is CEO and co-founder of Linacare Cosmetherapy Inc. Linacare, a  B.C.-based company focused on developing therapeutic skincare products. The company is headquartered in Vancouver’s historic Chinatown district. With long standing family ties to the history of Chinatown, she is strongly committed to the revitalization of the area and is the chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation for Community Revitalization and chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Revitalization Committee.

Ms. Lee has a Bachelor of Commerce from the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia and a MBA from Harvard Business School. She serves on several boards and organizations including the Faculty Advisory Board of the Sauder School of Business, the Robert H. Lee Graduate School Advisory, the Harvard Business School Canadian Advisory Board and the Leadership Council of the Perimeter Institute of Theoretical Physics in Waterloo. 

Shui Lee

Lee Shui Tung was born in China Tai Shan village and moved to Canada at twelve years of age.  Mr. Lee is a 5th generation Canadian, and lives with his family in Kelowna. Mr. Lee’s family has lived in Canada for over 100 years. Mr. Lee is the current chair of the Kelowna Freemasons Club.

At the age of fifteen, Mr. Lee started his own restaurant business in Enderby, called the Enderby Sportsman Cafe. He has also served as a court interpreter for 32 years, as well as an immigration interpreter. For the last ten years, Mr. Lee has been a tour guide in Kelowna, and is now semi-retired and currently working at the Kelowna General Hospital.   

Imogene Lim

Imogene Lim is an ethno-archaeologist by training (BA Hon., Simon Fraser University; AM & PhD, Brown University) at Vancouver Island University's Department of Anthropology; she is currently the chair.

She was a founding member and current board director of the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of  B.C.. In Cumberland,  B.C., she sits on the Coal Creek Historic Park Advisory Committee, appointed by the village council.

Since returning to the west coast, she has actively pursued heritage issues on early Chinese in  B.C. Her interests include food, culture (identity), and heritage; she co-edited Re/collecting  Early Asian America: Essays in Cultural History (2002).

William Ma

William Ma was born in China and grew up in Hong Kong. He graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. In the early 1970s, he founded factory specializing in outer-wear garments exporting to North America and Europe. In 1981, he became one of the first groups of Hong Kong investors to establish factories in Guangdong while establishing close relationship with the Guangdong Board of Trade. 

Mr. Ma immigrated to Vancouver in 1993 and founded two trading companies. He has been investing in commercial properties and importing garment from China. Presently, Mr. Ma is serving as City of Vancouver’s appointed consultant for the Chinese community as well as actively serving on boards of numerous community and martial arts organizations in Vancouver.  Mr. Ma was successful in an effort to designate Vancouver Chinatown as a National Heritage Site as a proponent of the National/World Heritage Site Designation Committee. 

Zaixin Ma

Dr. Zaixin Ma is the President of Dawa Business Press, a Chinese news publication serving the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and Calgary. Dr. Ma is known for his involvement in the Chinese community and charitable work within. He leads and participates in several not-for-profit organizations benefiting the Chinese-Canadian community, organizing key events such as a Chinese New Year festival, a Chinese New Year banquet with the prime minister, and the Banquet of a Thousand Aged People.

Henry Tom

Henry Tom earned a Masters of Environmental Studies (urban planning) from York University in Toronto. Mr. Tom has been working for more than twenty years as a principal in a small privately held real estate development and construction firm specializing in multi-family residential projects. 

Mr. Tom has either lived or worked in Vancouver’s Chinatown for most of his life. His family has lived and worked in a small retail meat store for four generations. 

Mr. Tom has been an active board member in a number of community and national cultural organizations including the City of Vancouver Heritage Commission, the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens, the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa and the VanDusen Botanical Garden. Mr. Tom currently serves on the Vancouver Chinatown Revitalization Committee, the City of Vancouver’s Chinatown Historic Area Planning Committee and the Vancouver Chinatown Merchants Association. 

Kenneth Tung

He is a member of the Governance Board of Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Within the community, Kenneth Tung is the president of Civic Education Society a non-partisan organization to encourage and to engage new Canadians for community involvement. He is the vice-president of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award ( B.C./Yukon) and he is the former chair of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. He was a member of the Richmond General Hospital Ethics Committee and an assessor for the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation.

Mr. Tung served on the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia as a public representative. Mr. Tung is the president of BTI Technologies Inc. and Compumax Systems Corporation in Richmond, and has over 20 years of experience in the business management and information technologies fields. 

Jan Walls

Jan Walls is a professor emeritus in the Humanities department at Simon Fraser University, where he was founding director of the David Lam Centre for International Communication and founding director of the Asia-Canada Program. 

In addition to teaching at Aichi University in Japan (1967-68), the University of British Columbia (1970-78) and the University of Victoria (1978-85), he also served as first secretary for cultural and scientific affairs at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing (1981-83), and senior vice-president of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (1985-87). His recent publications include: Using Chinese (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009, co-authored with Yvonne Li Walls) and Crosscultural Perspectives: North America and  China (Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2014, co-authored with Yvonne Li Walls).

King Wan

King Wan is the president of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society in Vancouver. He served over 35 years in the naval reserve before retiring from the Royal Canadian Navy. During his time in the military he graduated from the ROUTP (Reserve Officer University Training Plan) program and served mainly in leadership roles afloat and ashore both domestically and overseas.

In his civilian career, he is a manager and works for the City of Vancouver in the city manager’s office. His work experience includes controllership, auditing, financial advisory and risk management.

He also volunteers in many community organizations including serving on the board of the Naval Officers' Association of  B.C.; B.C. St. John Ambulance; Pacific Marine Training Institute (PMTI) - now a faculty of BCIT; Corps of Commissionaires  B.C., Canadian Forces Sailing Association and the Vancouver Canadian Club. King was a member of the Vancouver cadre of Honorary Aides-de-Camp to four Lieutenant-Governors of British Columbia for over 23 years.