It Ain't Over Until Faye Leung the Hat Lady Sings

CHRIS BEST

It Ain’t Over Until Faye Leung The Hat Lady Sings Join us on a hillarious road trip to the millineum and beyond Foreword by Peter C. Newman

How Canada became multi-cultural!

This is a story of the empowerment and dedication of a Chinese couple who supported the Chinese community living in Canada to grow amid the racist environment and succeed. The book mainly focuses on Faye (or the Hat Lady), a pioneer businesswoman who had a crucial role in women’s and ethnic minorities’ development since she resisted prejudice and fought for Asians’ rights. She also helped Asians find a good position in business in Canadian society, thus enhancing their lifestyles. The couple’s achievements delivered the Chinese the benefits that new generations of Chinese Canadians currently appreciate, changing their fate forever.

It could easily be adapted for a TV Series: Network, Cable, Limited Run / Mini-Series, or Streaming.

DRAW OF STORY The story of a powerful, wise, and dedicated woman to her community instantly draws our attention, especially because she fights for the Chinese’s rights at a time Canadian people were absolutely racist against immigrants.

HOOK

The hook is about the struggle of Chinese immigrants for a dignified life at a time when they suffered constant discrimination in Canadian society and were excluded from the possibility of good jobs and fair wages. The story goes far beyond Faye/Dean lives and tells the brutal story of Chinese immigration.

UNIQUE ABOUT STORY The story of this Chinese couple and their struggle for the Chinese community’s rights in Canada has not been widely explored, so it is an original story still to be discovered.

CHARACTERS STAND OUT The characters are robust and well-developed, both protagonists and the antagonist are historical figures who have gained visibility in the media because of an important fact that was widely reported in the tabloids. And as the story is told by Faye herself, the content is quite precise, and the development of the characters turns out to be much more profound and assertive.

RARE GEM The book itself is not a rare gem because it is just an interview that was arranged into this biography, but Faye’s life story is indeed a

rare gem.

PUT THE BOOK DOWN The story is undoubtedly awe-inspiring, but as it is an interview in which a reporter asks questions that Faye answers, sometimes those answers sound a little repetitive. However, the book is still very engaging.

Chris Best is the author of twenty books among them The Life & Times of the Legendary Mr. D, The Train To Haida Gwaii and My Greek Barber’s Diary. He lives in Vancouver.

It ain’t over until

Faye Leung the Hat Lady Sings!

The Faye & Dean Chun Kwong Leung Story by

Christopher Best

Great Wall of China, 1993

Copyright 2023 Christopher Best All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior permission of the publisher or, in the case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, a licence from Access Copyright, www.accesscopywrite.ca, 1-800-893-5777 Warfleet Press 1038 east 63rd Avenue, Vancouver, B.C., V5X 2L1 www.warfleetpress.com All photos from the collection of Christopher Best unless otherwise noted.

Front cover photos: Premier Vander Zalm, Grace McCarthy, Peter Lawford, Lillian Vander Zalm, David L Lam, Peter C. Newman, Dean, Dana and Faye, Jack Lemon, W.A.C. Bennett, Glenn Ford, Tan Yu, Tony Curtis, Li Kai Shing

Cover design by Christopher Best Text design by Christopher Best Edit (rough) by Robert E. Thompson, Godwin Books Edit (main) Brian Pollard Edit (special) Peter C. Newman, This is the last book that Mr. Newman worked on before his passing in September 2023.

Printed and bound in China

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Best, Christopher 1949

It Ain’t Over Til Faye Leung the Hat Lady Sings The Faye and Dean Chun Kwong Leung Story ISBN13: 978-0-9812574-0-2

DEDICATION:

When you write a book, you need to know who your audience is and I knew right from the start that the audience for this book was all the baby boomers everywhere who grew up in the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. You will remember most the times in which this story unfolds, the politics, the world situation and what was going on in Canada, the USA and China. And the glorious music, oh the music, the soundtrack of our lives that inspired generations. Feel through the lyrics of the songs what it was like to be a young boy going to Vietnam, “Well, it’s one, two, three, what are we fighting for,” and the shock we all experienced when we heard, “Four dead in Ohio,” for the first time. So I dedicate this book to you: and I especially dedicate it to those of us who grew up in Vancouver in those years because you will remember the people and events in this book the most.

This book is not for reading before you fall asleep at night, you need to be engaged and alert or most of it will fly over your head. If you never lived in the moment and were not a hippie fighting for what you believed in, this may be your last chance before you croak, but I warn you, you might like it and wish you had started to live in the moment earlier.

As well, this book is dedicated to all new Canadians who came to Canada after 1967. And to all future Canadians. You’re all here because of the book’s main character, Faye Leung, so join us as we re-visit those days when, “We were so much older then, we’re younger than that now.”

CONTENTS Foreword 9 Prologue 13 Acknowledgements 19 Introduction 21 Part 1 - Background 26

Chapter 1 - The Empress Hotel of Chinatown 31 Chapter 2 - Freedom Road 53

Part 2 - A Warning of the Challenges Ahead 82

Chapter 3 - A Fine Romance 83

Part 3 - Our Struggles To Bring Our People Into The New World 122

Chapter 4 - Under The Bs For Bay Day 123 Chapter 5 - Daily Interest Versus Monthly Interest 155

CONTENTS Chapter 6 - Opening Canada Up To All 181 Chapter 7 - Making Canada Multicultural 199 Chapter 8 - Vancouver’s Only Big Time Lady Developer 225

Part 4 - Laughing On The Outside, Crying On The Inside

Chapter 9 - CRASH! BOOM! BANG! 303 Chapter 10 - Opening Up China 319 Chapter 11 - Fantasy Faye 371

Part 5 - Epilogue

Chapter 12 - You Haven’t Changed A Bit! 423 Author’s Note 433 Index 439

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AN INTERVIEW

This book is an interview between the writer and the main character. As the story progresses, the excitement in the main character’s voice increases and she runs her sentances together until the paragraphs become one long sentance, depicted in the text through comma splices. This is the way the main character talks in real life. Let yourself go and feel her sadness, joy and excitement and anger as she tells the writer her story from her heart as only she can do.

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Foreword

by Peter C. Newman

Faye Leung is a force of nature, and anyone who meets her feels the power of her presence. She is the ultimate definition of a successful entrepreneur.

Through her works, she paved the way for advancement in most socio-economic aspects of Canadian-Chinese relations. Her legacy reaches far and wide.

Faye and I are kindred spirits. We both know a thing or two about being a minority in Canada, and about persecution, the politicians who feather their nests, and indeed a thing or two about how power corrupts. We know how lawsuits eat up your emotional reserve and leave you feeling eviscerated. We see the injustice meted out by those at the troughs as they chew their way through peoples’ honest and decent intentions.

We met in person in the late 1980’s, when I made Vancouver my home. I had already been living in Victoria for several years after leaving the helm of Maclean’s News Magazine. By then I had spent decades writing weekly columns about the nation’s business – social, political, and economic concerns.

In BC, Premier Bill Vander Zalm headed the political pecking order; but he had ruled the roost with a recklessness which would see him charged with conflict of interest. The stories surrounding this erstwhile Premiership and his shenanigans had dominated the provincial news for decades. But he was about to be knocked off his perch. And Faye Leung, with her indomitable values of fairness, and transparency was swinging the axe. She would forever be known as the “little hat lady” who brought down a devil-may-care provincial Premier.

This book will delineate the character values that possessed her and enabled her to take on a sitting provincial premier and his henchmen.

But there is much more to her story – very much more. And readers will be drawn along on the journey of how much can be accomplished by someone with the vision and the mission to make the cultural and economic life better for her people. I was so impressed with this brave dynamo that I told her in 13 Faye at SFUs Convocation Ceremonies with SFU President Andrew Petter, 2016

1993, “If you ever write your life story, please contact me.” Her story is worth recording, and thirty years later I am proud to contribute to this long overdue saga.

By making the cultural and economic life better for her people she made life better for everyone in Canada. She and her husband Dean’s accomplishments contributed to the multi-cultural Canada we all enjoy today and were at the forefront of the economic boom Van-couver and Canada have enjoyed since the 1960s. Their achievements play out through her relationship with her husband which is the stage upon which everything else is acted out.

This book is for ordinary people, and it is crucial that they recognize and remember who was there to advocate for them throughout the years. But more importantly, it is a record of the times and not only illuminates the system-wide human rights abuses that Chinese Canadians suffered but the good times as well. It is the first of three volumes of her incredible life. Her achievements are vast and impressive--so that one book cannot be all-encompassing. Although the Premier Vander Zalm fiasco is dealt with in detail in the next volume, it must be introduced and acknowledged here because it was an important historical issue that was pivotal.

This first book is crucial for the reader to illuminate the influence she wielded and how she contributed to so many aspects of cultural enlightenment for second generation Chinese Canadians and pioneers. It is a book Faye needed to write. Her undertaking was not to produce a vanity book--nor was it a public relations endeavor. Now at the focus of her career, she had nothing to prove and nothing to gain. Nothing that is, except to defend the truth.

It is essential that she tell her story because she is the voice of Chinese people in Canada and was there at the forefront of their struggles. Through her reminiscences, Faye has recorded her trials and tribulations for the common folk.

She did not set out to write an academic level ethnography, but she succeeded in doing so by documenting what racial discrimination looks and feels like in Canada for much of the past 90 years and how one individual can make a difference.

Faye Leung has not received the recognition she richly deserves. The Order of Canada motto “Desiderantes Meliorem Patriam” translates as “They desire 14

a better country.” Many desire such a transition, of course, but the majority does not dedicate their entire lives to making Canada a better country. Faye Leung did, and now her passionate quest is down in words and feelings for all to see and read --- and to savour.

Peter C. Newman Victoria, British Columbia 2019

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Prologue Suddenly on June 8, 1998, Vander Zalm resurfaced into B.C. politics at a political meeting in Prince George. He beat Mr. Hani who was the leader of the B.C Reform Party to become its new leader. The B.C. Reform Party represented what was left of the Social Credit Party after Social Credit lost the election to the New Democratic Party in 1993. It was billed as a ‘Bill Vander Zalm Political Comeback.’ The Vander Zalm Show was on again!

Vander Zalm began showing up again at various functions. Two memorials he turned up at were for Emery Barnes and Jack Webster. I am sure they were two he had wished he hadn’t attended because Faye showed up as well and she wasn’t averse to letting him know what she thought of him in public.

“I thought the pews would expose them if they all sat together,” Senator Ray Perrault said to Faye. The memorial service for the Honorable Emery Barnes was held at the Christ Baptist Church on Burrard on July 10, 1998. Faye sat a few pews behind where Lt. Gov. Gardom and his aide sat. In the second pew sat Gordon Campbell, opposition leader and the Premier and Mrs. Glen Clark and Mayor Philips. In the third pew sat former Premier Barrett, Vander Zalm and Lillian and other politicians.

“We date back a long time,” she said when she greeted Senator Perrault with Gordon Dowding. “You listened to me and we made it happen because you liked my work and we brought in billions to Canada. The Honorable Lloyd Axworthy still thanks me because he used my papers to sell the provinces on the new Entrepreneurs and Investors Program. In 1962, Jack recalled in my office we started Van Centre Politics and then in 1965 we did the new no blood relative immigrants program. It succeeded in 1966 when the Red Army marched into Hong Kong flooding a new wave of immigrants to Canada.”

“You were the motivator,” Senator Perrault said. “You should get the Order of Canada for what you’ve done.”

17 Faye with Jason Kenney, 2006

“If Vander Zalm is at the Hall I will go after him for my money,” she told Gordon Dowding, as she walked with him afterwards over to the Pender Hall for a reception.

“It’s your money,” Gordon said. He never paid her the commission on Fantasy Gardens. As they got their coffee Premier Glen Clark stood by. Faye gave him a greeting, “Give the Americans hell. Congratulations to Washington D.C.” She told him of her interest still in pulp and paper to help the BC economy. He invited her to help the BC economy if she could. Faye told him she would do her best.

“I will talk to Houlan Waddell,” she said, who Premier Clark told her was at this memorial. She told Premier Clark she was going over to give Vander Zalm the devil for her money as Clark grinned and the dispute ensued.

“You with the Buddha smile. Now that you are coming back into politics when are you going to pay me the money you owe me and the money you owe my family and the money we lent you for all your expenses and costs and to the IAA Brigadier General Chang the money you are holding In Trust as a trustee only and that you have not paid and are spending on your political comeback?”

Standing firm, she moved around to brandish her will in the face of the grinning toothed Vander Zalm. Shouldered together, both Lillian and Bill, in spite of Faye’s personal appearance, acidulously pushed her pulled at her to throw Faye off and said, “Get out of the way. You are blocking the people here,” spilling her coffee all over her. Faye regained her composure and said, “I am not blocking anyone. I’m asking you for our money!” Vander Zalm turned his back to Faye, “Turning your back to me doesn’t solve the matter,” she said. Vander Zalm turned back around and said, “Shut up! Let me say something.”

“I will not shut up,” she said. “I’ve shut up long enough, I will now have to speak up and you know that what I say is the truth. But, I’ll listen to what you have to say.”

“You talk so much. You caused a lot of people grief,” Vander Zalm said with his hand half cupped over his mouth. Faye replied, 18

“You are the one that caused so much grief to everybody. You caused Dean’s loss of life. You caused the loss of our home and now I am homeless. You caused the loss of our family. You caused our financial difficulties.” Vander Zalm did not have his usual politically quick grip to lash out at Faye as he surely would have attacked her with verbal brutality, because here clearly he was not so reproachable. Vander Zalm tried to look innocent and reached over for a piece of fruit. Both clamored to appear oblivious while recoiled over their own suppressed behavior.

“Who was it who called Dean and begged him to go to Taiwan as many as six times with me to close the Fantasy Gardens deal for you with the IAA Group and whose money you are holding in trust as ‘Trustee’ and have not paid back?” Faye asked Vander Zalm. Surely, Bill and Lillian now knew and felt guilt over owing the money to Faye looming under their curtained smiles, daring not to lash out at her face to face. Where was his political will now for him to hide behind where in past days he had sought defense through the eyes of the media. Faye realized when Vander Zalm is face to face with the truth it is a different matter. This is the man that is in the media, this is the man who she dealt with and she is still dealing with in this matter. She attacked him with more words.

“Who put US $16 million in your pocket and also put $6 million more in your pocket because of the 40% US exchange which allowed you to buy a twenty-five acre estate home which made it possible for you to have the life you have today? Who got you out of your six hundred square foot dinky apartment on the second floor of Fantasy Gardens?” Vander Zalm with his phony smile and grin turned. Faye turned towards Vander Zalm’s side.

“Here’s Gordon H. Dowding who is a witness. He came to your home to collect our expenses and the IAA money. The Honorable Emery Barnes’ spirit is up there towering, shining on me, Faye Leung as he believed in fairness and equality over discrimination which he fought for and believed in and this is my strength now to fight for what is mine to collect.”

Vander Zalm was still thick faced, never embarrassed. Lillian and Bill were now confused, cornered with guilt and praying there was no media hanging over them. He was shocked and surprised at Faye that she would go after him 19

at such a timely event. He was uncomfortable and not able to defend himself because he had no defense. Vander Zalm turned to greet someone and tried to ignore her. Faye poked at his arm.

“Your flowery talk to others will not hide you or change things and ignoring your debt and the money you owe me and the IAA and my family, this will not stop me from talking and trying to collect. You know you are guilty and owe the money.” Lillian would have called Faye names and scratched her eyes out with cat calls but riddled with guilt she did not say a word or a peep or a boo as she too was stunned with guilt.

“I didn’t want to come too close because I was afraid I had put you up to it,” Gordon later told Faye.

“Be ready to embarrass Vander Zalm in the fall when he runs for leadership of the BC Reform Party,” he said. A lawyer came over and said he was in court and appreciated enjoying Faye’s blitz with Judge Bolton.

“Good to see you Mrs. Leung now that Vander Zalm is back in politics,” he continued. What Faye said to Judge Bolton was, “Will you help me collect my money from Vander Zalm so I won’t be in such a position?” Judge Bolton said, “Yes, you bring a lawsuit on!” Mary Lamb said, “I have admired you for years. I’m a Vancouverite like you. We need more people like you.” Many repeated the same that they admired Faye.

“You are famous,” they said.

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Acknowledgements Foremost, I would like to thank Yosef Wosk for asking me to write Faye Leung’s biography. Yosef is a great supporter of books on minorities and their struggle to get their stories heard. Writing this book has been a little like taking off in an airplane, call it Wosk Air if you like, without enough fuel to reach our final destination. Unfortunately, there were no re-fueling stops along the way, which I didn’t know, so it was a one up, one down flight, making for a rough landing in the end. Even worse was the turbulence on board that needed to be dealt with before the plane could land safely. Anyway, thanks to changing world climate conditions and a few updrafts and downdrafts near the end, we landed safely, and the book got written. Next time though, I will book a flight on one of the big airlines such as Air Canada or KLM or at least be sure the flight plan has some scheduled fueling stops, in case the journey takes longer than anticipated. I don’t want to have to deal personally with in-cabin turbulence, lack of fuel and updrafts and downdrafts again, but I wouldn’t have missed this experience for the world! Thanks, Yosef!

I would also like to thank Faye for the wonderful two years I spent with her, hearing all her stories and both the ups and downs in her life. I already miss the chocolate eclairs and the tea party at the end of each weekly six-hour session. Spending two years with Faye was like being enrolled in a master class on China/Canada relations, past, present and future. I will be forever great-full to her for her insight and knowledge, which she graciously shared with me. I would suggest, if she decides to go on any more airline flights in the future, she stays seated with her seat belt on for the entire flight. Her mere presence on board is enough to cause a lot of turbulence and might even result in the plane not reaching its final destination.

Thirdly, I would like to thank Peter C. Newman for agreeing to write the Foreword to Faye’s biography. Mr. Newman was probably the first to realize the scope of the Leungs accomplishments. That was way back in the late 1980s when they first met.

Luckily, he was still interested in writing the Foreword; by the time I caught up to him.

I would also like to thank Brian Pollard, who proof-read the book for me in the end. Brian was a college English instructor, so he added a sane approach to 23 Faye at SFU with Yosef Wosk, 2016

my sometimes over the top prose. I appreciate his keeping the book grounded on more than one occasion. Thanks, Brian!

I would also like to thank my editor Robert Thomson who I blindsided at the beginning of this project when I gave him a ton of Faye’s manuscripts to edit. Being the trooper and professional he is, not to mention a Yale grad, he approached the task with his usual grumbling but the job got done and I didn’t have to do the initial editing phase myself. His contribution allowed me more time to work with Faye on getting her stories down for posterity. Thanks, Robert!

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Introduction I never had a vision that I would write this book, although I did pass by Fantasy Gardens a few weeks before being asked to write Faye Leung’s biography. When asked, I assumed right away that it was to be a story about Fantasy Gardens because that’s what everyone would remember, and there were probably people out there waiting to hear her side of the story. These people weren’t interested in learning anything new about Faye Leung; they were interested in seeing if her version supported their vision; who the villain was in the story? The public; was divided on this question. The establishment had long since made up their minds as to who was guilty. But they liked hearing the sordid details over and over again about the brown paper bag, the hundred dollar bills, the elusive Taiwanese billionaire and the larger than life Chinese realtor who found herself on the front page of every newspaper in town for months. These Shaughnessy landlords with their mega-acreage homes with gazebos and luxury cars. Many owned hotels on Hastings Street in disrepair. Then there were the little guys, the common man on the street who supported her through thick and thin. Vander Zalm is no more, political parties come and go, but the little guys will always be there rooting for the underdog no matter who the next one happens to be. It’s just the way things are and the way; things are done. People all bought newspapers in the day and kept up with the stories; it was the thing to do. For those with a more wholesome view of life, Faye was the culprit. For those with a more cynical view of government and politicians, Vander Zalm was the culprit. They would all get together over drinks and make rude remarks about the whole thing. It wouldn’t matter which group I wrote the book for, they would all have their point of view and their minds already made up. Even the wealthy have good guys and bad guys, as do the lower classes. So I figured if I wrote a story that gently pokes fun at it all, then both sides might not take themselves too seriously.

27 Faye in her office in the early seventies

So I wrote a story about a kid growing up in Chinatown and all her adventures. She meets her one true love, and they get married. He was a great guy; they both seem like story-book characters when I get through. They go into business together in Chinatown; everyone loves them. Great! It was the usual; boy meets girl; they fall in love and live a long accomplished life together story. I knew though I had another story, the real story of Faye and Dean Leung but it took me a while to figure out how to write it. I had all these colorful characters with zany tales to tell living through a crazy time, sitting in a happily forever after story, then it dawned on me. I knew what I had to do. I couldn’t write the story for others. I had to be creative and write the story as I saw it. The majority of the establishment and the majority of the little guy on the street probably will find it uncharacteristic, over the top, even demeaning, vulgar or ridiculous. It was the only way for me, inspirational and creative.

It still took me a long time to write the story I wanted. I had a lot of trouble getting Faye’s words out of my head and finding my voice. The book was supposed to take a year because that was all that was budgeted. I remember what she said at my first meeting in a board room at SFU in downtown Vancouver.

“It’ll take more than a year to write my biography,” she tossed that out into; left field for all to hear, I guessed, to see if it would stick. I would soon discover she was a good pitcher and often threw things out into; left field or any field to see if it would stick. The others agreed, one added, to console her, “There can be other books, Faye. This book is to get you started. It doesn’t have to be your whole story in this one book.” She murmured something like, “That’s for sure, not even half my story.” She wasn’t happy, I could tell. I didn’t think much about it and figured we would work it out when the time came. Boy, was I ever wrong! It turned out to be a big problem. My first impression of Faye was that I felt she could be her own worst enemy. I was right.

So, I started by reading through all of her crazy weird manuscripts spread all over her apartment because she could remember where each was when she needed them. The problem was she often couldn’t remember where she had put them.

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But then I got talking to Faye. It became clear she was dead serious about it all.

She had become a semi-recluse in her apartment for decades so she could write all her stories down, stories that most people upon first glance would dismiss as gibberish. She became obsessed and would often write the same story over and over, starting in different places. She did other things to help pay the rent, but her manuscripts became her obsession. She became the complete storyteller of her own life.

There was a gem in each story that she had written. Once it was all edited it became the basis for this book: It Ain’t Over Until Faye Leung the Hat Lady Sings. But it took two years to go through everything. There were lots of photos as well. We had created a layout using her photos, and all it needed was to finish the story. I told Yosef Wosk, who had hired me, that the book was still not quite ready. He tells me to wrap it up and include what I had written even though I knew it wasn’t fine-tuned yet, because there was no more money. About 8 pm that night, we get an email from Faye wanting to cancel the book if it isn’t going to be written properly. I trusted you guys, she said.

What was wrong with the book was it was all about her stories and not enough about Faye. I could see that neither of us would be happy with it, as it was. So I started writing down all the details about writing the book: meeting Faye, our interviews, her thoughts, her speech patterns and soon something started to happen. I began thinking back more about my early days growing up in the 1950s and 60s in Vancouver. There was an energy around Faye. Before long, I was able to capture that energy by concentrating on the details of the times.

I could see an incredible story about energy plus money unfolding in a place that no one ever gave much thought to: at least in Caucasian Vancouver: Chinatown. The classic sixties style of Faye Leung with her Oakridge housing development and her Canada Trust branch office helping the little guy move forward towards a better life. She was influencing a whole society. Usually, it is the upper class that does this. But after World War II, things changed. There was more money everywhere in society. Faye would go on to change the way banking was done in Canada, how construction sites operated, how high buildings could be built and most importantly of all, who could come to Canada to live

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a better life. All these things greatly changed Canadian society in the twentieth century.

It was not only the little guy whose life she changed but the wealthy as well. Developers made a fortune from what she introduced. In twenty years, the skyline of Vancouver went from three stories to thirty stories. It doesn’t matter if buildings are three stories or thirty stories but this shift in people’s thinking marked a radical change in society that still goes on today. Not many think of the effect these changes had on society but are more concerned with the money involved, the wealth created. The educated classes in society who control everything are more interested in what they see today. They were not interested in helping the little guy. Or that millions of people would be able to come to Canada to live a better life. They were interested only in the money that her fantasies were generating.

A curious thing was happening in Vancouver society as well. Because of the Leung’s success, they were getting invited to all sorts of society functions: garden parties, balls and benefits. They found themselves around establishment bigwigs, bankers, CEOs, presidents. Faye was soon sitting on various boards and joining establishment clubs. She and Dean paved the way for other minorities to follow in their footsteps. Faye was the embodiment of the new sixties girl liberated from the home, a businesswoman, free and willing to speak her mind and take her seat at board meetings with the best of the men.

In later years, she would travel to China where the media went crazy over her. But in Vancouver, there was a lot of outrage over her lifestyle. Why was a woman like that being followed so much by the media? She came to represent the new lifestyle of the day: not the super lifestyle of the movie stars, but more home-grown. Faye celebrated the lifestyle of the newly liberated sixties, multicultural woman. Long after Faye is gone, Canadian society will be celebrating what she did. She will still be influencing Canadian life with her flamboyant hats, her modern woman lifestyle and the Leung’s many achievements: that fantastic Vancouver skyline, now found in every suburb and town in Canada, new Canadians of every color and nationality found in every Canadian city, town and home. The impact that she has had on Canadian 30

people everywhere has been enormous. Yet, she came out of a discriminatory environment with little education.

If you ask new Canadians today who is responsible for you being in Canada? They usually think economically. Family money or I worked hard to get here. I say to them, “No, I mean, who in Canada made it possible? Who opened the door so you could come to Canada and live a better life?” It doesn’t matter if I ask a Filipino, an Indo-Canadian or a Mexican; they don’t know the correct answer. When I ask them, “Do you know that Canada was once a racist country?” They usually don’t know or they say something like, “Oh I heard that.” If I tell them that their race was once restricted from entering Canada they are shocked; especially younger Chinese. Then, when I finally tell them, they are here today because of one person who helped change the immigration laws they think about it over and over and over again and say, “Freedom!”

Marvelous! It doesn’t matter the person’s name, only that it is synonymous with the word freedom. They are not hung up on names. To hell with Trudeau, Chretien and Harper if they have even heard of them.

They are the new world order speaking. They are here. They are grateful.

So I realized I needed to write a monument to the hat lady. Here was this incredible woman who lived through an exciting time and accomplished big things.

Suddenly I could see what was happening. The details of the events in her life far surpassed the story of Fantasy Gardens, yet it was still a part of her story. Who would ever have thought that the little hat lady had lived such an incredible life.

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Part One BACKGROUND 1930s-1940s

A CPR steamship, Aunt Susie, Mom, Dad, Kenje, Faye, Wally

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Vancouver’s West End 2017 I arranged to meet with Faye in the library of her apartment building the following Friday afternoon. Faye was sequestered high on the twentieth floor of an apartment block on the Georgia slope, in the West End of downtown Vancouver. I was looking forward to getting to know her on a one on one basis. There were no little voices in my head telling me, be careful what you wish for, so I figured everything would be smooth sailing.

When I arrived at her building, I pushed the number she had given me.

Faye answered and buzzed me in.

“I’ll be down in a minute,” she said in an anxious voice. “Go on into the library.”

Once inside, I made my way down a hallway past two elevators and turned to my right. I could see an indoor pool on my left in the distance on a lower level, but there was no water in it. Either management was trying to save money, or the pool was under repair. Thirty feet away, I turned to my right to go to the library, which was at the front of the building, through an exercise room. The exercise room was just a floor area covered with weights and other athletic equipment. The library, in comparison to the weight room, was very tiny. I gathered most of the tenants were younger and preferred working out rather than sitting reading a book. There weren’t that many books anyway, just one six-foot-high bookshelf about three feet wide. The first book I picked up was Peter C. Newman’s, A Company of Adventurers.

Was that prophetic or what? Little; did I know that Peter C. Newman would play a role in the writing of Faye’s book and, in some strange way, make me feel like, I too, was a part of the Company of Adventurers.

When Faye finally came down to the library about an hour late, we sat down at a long card table in front of a large picture window. I set my recorder down on the table and turned it on. She was all dressed up with another floppy hat; however, upon further inspection, I realized she was wearing a t-shirt with a colourful red sweater on top and a Chinese embroidered vest. It worked, and Faye looked like a million bucks.

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“I know how to dress,” she said. “I just threw this together.”

“I’m looking forward to hearing all about Fantasy Gardens,” I exclaimed.

“Fantasy Gardens? That didn’t happen until the 1990s. I had a whole life before that and did many amazing things along with my husband. We need to go back to the very beginning, to Victoria, where I grew up, my first home, the Yick Fung Company. You need to understand first the time and place that I grew up in and the people who shaped my life, then I will tell you all about Fantasy Gardens.

So she began: “My grandfather was an inspired man. In 1881, on the traditional land of the Lekwungen people in the days when the city fathers of Victoria and the Chinese got along, imagine a Chinese man wanting to start a textile manufacturing business. What the HECK! British Columbia was all wildernesses with gigantic fir trees, no roads, even on Vancouver Island. It was only ten years after confederation, twenty years after the start of the Cariboo gold rush and only thirty years after the proclamation of the crown colony of Vancouver Island. Here was Victoria more British than anywhere in Canada, named after the queen. There was nothing more significant in Victoria than a few streets and bars where everybody sang British songs, maybe you might hear a bagpipe or two. It began as Fort Victoria with only about two hundred and fifty people but shot up to over twenty thousand during the gold rush and then fell back down afterwards, remaining western Canada’s largest city throughout the rest of the century.

My grandfather probably brought the money with him from China to start his new business because there is no mention in the family history that he struck it rich as a modern-day Argonaut in the goldfields; of the Cariboo. But there is mention that he did start the first textile manufacturing and distributing company in western Canada. The only British connection was he supplied linens and bed sheets to British companies, the Hudson’s Bay Company and Spencer’s Department Store and, he secured exclusive contracts with the CPR Steamships, how British can you get? To tell you the importance of the Hudson’s Bay Company, James Douglas as Chief Factor of the Hudson’s 34

Bay Company received title to the whole of Vancouver Island. So all the big establishment corporations supported my grandfather. It was cheaper to do so than having merchandise shipped from England or Toronto.

His store on Fisgard Street he named the Yick Fung Company. It was a popular place for all to drop by and purchase dry goods and work clothes. My aunts would help the older Chinese write letters and send money home to China.

It became one of the most popular businesses in Victoria with a retail store in the front with tons of fabrics with such colours as red, green, blue, brown, yellow, purple, vermillion, sapphire, ruby, magenta, orange, fuchsia. It had a large pantry and kitchen area in the middle and a manufacturing area in the back.

Upstairs was all residential, where the family slept with a large staircase and banister, leading up to a mezzanine floor. Oh, such grandeur!

The business history of Yick Fung was quite successful also, as my grandfather turned out to be a visionary. Thanks to the CPR, people kept moving to Canada; and British Columbia and, so did the Chinese. There were often fights between the Caucasians and the Chinese. The Chinese would work for less that the British immigrants causing a problem. After lots of legislation to discourage Chinese immigration to Canada that didn’t work, finally, in 1923, the government passed the Exclusion Act barring all Chinese from immigrating to Canada.

Yet, my grandfather’s vision and inspiration continued to thrive. As long as they were making money, the establishment corporations continued supporting him. It must have been an awkward situation when the head of the largest textile manufacturing company on the west coast suffered from discrimination. Businesses continued to pop up all over Victoria and western Canada in the decades that followed. I am sure they competed with Yick Fung until after World War II. By then, Yick Fung only sold antiques.

The six square block area where the Chinese lived on the outskirts of Victoria; was known as Chinatown. In later years, Caucasians would regard it as a novelty where they would go for dinner on a Friday night after work and buy colourful trinkets and bamboo items just off the boat from China. It would never be the same again, the way it was before 1923.

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Chapter One

The Empress Hotel of Chinatown

Life in Chinatown in the 1930s could do things to a person. There was a lot of aggressive behavior everywhere. If given a chance, probably no one would have chosen to live there. Living in Chinatown seemed to make aggressive. people. Aggression can ruin a life, there were a lot of fights in Chinatown. The Chinese were always fighting amongst themselves. They even fought with those who visited Chinatown. They say if you put a Chinese man and a Japanese man together, they will start a business, but if you put two Chinese men together, they will fight. Yet, it took aggressive people to be able to survive in a place like Chinatown in those early days.

It was always a busy afternoon in the Yick Fung Company on Fisgard Street in downtown Victoria, B.C. My mother, Kate Nipp Leong and, my Aunt Susie Nipp were both seamstresses. They would be busy sewing the CPR chef ’s uniforms and filling orders for Spencer’s Department Store and the Hudson’s Bay Company. When I was working, I would be straightening the bags under the retail store counter in the front where they sold men’s work clothes, pants, socks and other items. My aunt and mother always praised me for doing such a fine job at such a young age of three or four.

37 The wedding of Faye’s mother and father

When I wasn’t working at Yick Fung, I was out on the street with my friends Louise, Reta and Corinne Quon. There were no parks because this was Chinatown. All kids played outside in front of where they lived. I remember an incident that happened one day while we were playing. Suddenly, we all ran into Yick Fung and locked the door behind us, except Louise; she was still outside. Louise pounded frantically on the window-pane in the door so hard that the glass broke and cut her arm with a long gash (The Chinese couldn’t afford stitches or medicine). Childhood tragedies often have long lasting consequences. The several inches long gash on Louise’s arm from early childhood remained throughout her whole life. Her father Mr. Quon Yen was the landlord of Yick Fung and also the official Chinatown bully. After it happened, the Quon Yen family snubbed our family and was wouldn’t speak to my grandfather, parents or anyone in our family. Chinese families are like that. Rivalries and ill feelings often run deep and long!

I am not sure if my grandfather ever dreamed that Yick Fung would become the icon of Chinatown that it did, just like the Empress Hotel was an icon to the people of Victoria. But in many ways, it did, without any of the establishment baggage of the real Empress. The real Empress Hotel was for high society types.

They would take the CP Steamship Princess Alice, Princess Margaret or Princess Louise over from Vancouver and stay the night or longer, Englishmen with lots of money. They had to dress for dinner and have high tea at noon, none of which those at Yick Fung would ever think of doing. HECK, we had tea at (L-R), Louise Quon, Corrine Quon, Faye Leong and Reta Quan in front of Yick Fung in Victoria, B.C.s Chinatown.

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any time of the day, whenever someone came to visit. At the real Empress, you had to have money and dress the part but not at Yick Fung. Yick Fung was for Chinese without any money. All Chinese, the pioneers, young people and the business class frequented my grandfather’s store. Guests at the Empress Hotel included Edward, Prince of Wales and Shirley Temple. There was lots of small talk (establishment talk, not very important) going on in the glass-roofed Palm Garden, I am sure. Guests at Yick Fung; included the father of Doug Jung, Canada’s first Chinese MP and Harvey Lowe, the future yo-yo champion of-the-world. There was always lots of direct talk (important talk by the little guys in society) going on upstairs in the living room at Yick Fung. It was a big part of the permanent landscape of Chinatown.

Although Yick Fung was always there, it moved a few times in Chinatown; which was all right because Yick Fung was as much an ideology as it was a brick and mortar store. It was the idea of having a place where all Chinese could gather and feel safe, socialize, do business and get whatever help they needed for free. I had several Yick Fung’s in my life, later on, all based on the same ideology and still do. We greeted people from near and far as taught to do at Yick Fung. That is why my husband and I became known as the host and hostess with the mostess. As the old Chinese adage says: “When faraway people arrive, you must show hospitality.”

Yick Fung moved to 1605 Government Street (at Cormorant) into a much larger three-story commercial and residential upstairs building owned by an early Victoria pioneer named Mr. McPherson. He also owned the whole block of retail stores. For me, this was great. I had a larger world to explore. Then, Yick Fung moved again to 1623 Government Street because a fire caused much smoke damage. Eventually, Mr. McPherson donated these properties to the City of Victoria which built McPherson Square in his honour.

The York Theatre next to Yick Fung was where we kids saw free movies which we enjoyed both days and evenings. Because the theatre was next door to Yick Fung and had long line-ups to see the films, Aunt Susie expanded the operation of Yick Fung to sell candy bars, soft drinks and cigarettes. The York Theatre is now called the McPherson Theatre and; is used for operas and symphony concerts.

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“That’s interesting!”

“It’s important for you to know the history of what’s what and who’s who!”

Yick Fung was a haven for young and old, an oasis in a sea of discrimination, after 1923. Everyone was looking for a safe anchorage during those bad times. All Chinese were seeking an answer and looking for a place to belong and contribute. Every day was the same in Chinatown. Nothing changed. Yick Fung offered relief to all from the tedious boredom of the times. It gave short term pleasures so everyone could go back and concentrate on solving the long term problems of making a living, surviving and living in the discrimination and depression eras.

My sense of contributing began when I accompanied Chow Bing Choy, a helpful friend who was also an employee of the famous Butchart Gardens. He Faye’s grandfather, Nipp Ng and her grandmother Nipp Eng Shee who founded and owned the Yick Fung Store in Victoria B.C. They are seen below with Faye’s aunts and uncles in this 1930s era photo.(L-R) top row, Lun Hung (maid) became Mrs. Jang, Faye’s grandmother, Chew who became Mrs. Woo Lin (maid), Faye’s grandfather, Uncle Jim, bottom row (L-R) Uncle Philip, Aunt Susie, Faye’s mother Kate and Uncle Frank.

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would come to Yick Fung to help. I would go with him to Spencer’s Department Store. In the linen department on the main floor, the woman manager, Betty, would load a wooden wagon, with bolts of material. Chow Bing would then pull the wooden cart, with me walking by his side, back to Yick Fung for cousin Nipp Gee Jing to cut into sheets for beds and pillowcases and for my aunts to sew. I felt so proud. Yick Fung was a high energy store, bustling with people and full of good spirits.

Yick Fung was much more though than a work place. My whole family lived together in Yick Fung. Ours was a large family; besides my grandfather, Nipp Ng and my grandmother, Nipp Eng Shee, they had eight children in all who lived to adulthood, including my mother and Aunt Susie. We all lived together in Yick Fung. All Chinese families lived together in one place for several reasons (1).

The Exclusion Act of 1923, impacted the lives of all Chinese both in China and in Canada. In China, it meant families could not see their loved ones in Canada. In Canada, it made it much harder for the Chinese to make a living, prosper and find positive meaning in their lives. The establishment put (1) The first Chinese to come to Canada came to work in the goldfields in 1858 and then again in 1881 to build the CP Railway, yet it seems we only hear about them after they are banned in 1923 when only British Commonwealth subjects could immigrate to Canada and even some of them were restricted such as the East Indians and the Hong Kong Chinese. Why, because between 1885, with the completion of the railway and the 1923 Exclusion Act, over one hundred restrictive laws and policies were passed by the provincial government in B.C., aimed at disrupting Chinese family life and stunting Chinese family growth in Canada. Chinese in Canada couldn’t apply for Canadian citizenship so they didn’t have the right to vote or to attend English schools so they were English illiterate.

They were forced legally to live in what were really ghettos but referred to as Chinatown.

They were barred from getting jobs other than in the laundry, grocery, farming or tailoring fields so they had to work for low wages. They were prevented from bringing their loved ones over to join them in Canada so they had to live a lonely existence all alone.

Besides the above, it was the Depression and the unemployment rate amongst Chinese was at eighty percent. These bachelor Chinese became known as the Chinese pioneers.

The Chinese lost all social acceptances until after 1947, but things still wouldn’t completely improve until 1967. If any Chinese did not follow the above rules they could be reported and deported at any time. We always lived under the fear of deportation.

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a choke-hold on Chinatown and tried to squeeze the last breath of air out of it.

Had it not been for strong-minded community leaders like my father, mother, grandfather, Aunt Susie, Uncle Frank and others, they would have succeeded. Five family members were the most important influence on my formative years growing up in Victoria, British Columbia, especially showing me what was most important in life.

My grandfather, Nipp Ng, was a visionary and taught me to be one as well.

My mother, Kate Nipp Leong, was an excellent role model, a community leader and taught me; that I could raise a family and work outside of the home, as she was also a teacher at the Wah Kiu Chinese Public School on Fisgard Street in downtown Victoria. My Aunt Susie was also an excellent role model for me growing up and taught me how to be a good businesswoman. She was aldso a teacher at the Wah Kiu Chinese Public School and a strong community leader.

My father was a scholar, an educator, a businessman and a leader of all Chinese, and my Uncle Frank became an exceptional scholar in the USA. Hard work, vision, leadership skills and a good education were the most important things to the Chinese. I learned these things from them all. Here are their stories.

My grandfather, Nipp Ng, was the first Chinese person in Canada to secure tailoring contracts for his business. He was a visionary and inspired me to think big as well. Ours was a family business. It was the first shop in Western Canada to offer exclusive hand-made men’s three-piece custom-tailored suits. With my mother and aunt’s help, ladies’ designer dresses. Yick Fung also retailed men’s underwear, work socks, and shirts. He sold these in the front of the store and expanded to include new products and services. He was the first Chinese to manufacture linen goods such as tablecloths, bed sheets, pillowcases, towels, and tea towels, all for the Hudson’s Bay Co. and Spencer’s Department Stores.

Yick Fung was very prominent all over Vancouver Island and supplied men’s denim work overalls to the saw-mills and forestry workers and the CP Steamship’s chefs and kitchen staff.

My grandfather and the Chinese community raised funds to build the Chinese Wai Kui (Overseas Chinese) Public School in the; 600 block Fisgard Street (2). My mother and her siblings attended that school. My mother and Aunt 42

Susie, as I said, became Chinese school teachers there. My mother and Aunt Susie were illiterate in English due to the restrictions: Chinese could not attend English public schools because they were not Canadian citizens. Aunt Mable was a younger sibling. In her youth, she was allowed to enter a segregated oneroom Canadian/English public school with a limited curriculum.

My mother, Kate, was the eldest daughter and a teacher and community leader. She raised four kids in Victoria and three more after we moved to Vancouver in 1936. As the loving wife of my father, Leong Chap Kwong, a leader, scholar and the Chief Editor of the Chinese Times Daily Newspaper, she was always by his side and supported him in every way. She did all these things in a time when women usually stayed at home and cared for the family and were not expected to become leaders-in-the-community. My mother showed me that I could do it all, work, be a community leader and raise a family for which I am forever grateful.

My Aunt Susie was the second daughter and third born. She was also an influence and exceptional role model for me while I was growing up and in my later years. She was an intelligent, versatile, intellectual and charming business lady. Aunt Susie served as a Chinese community leader all her life. She was also a teacher at the Wah Kiu Chinese Public School for many decades. Aunt Susie Nipp continued to operate the Yick Fung business after Grandfather Ng died, but she never married.

Uncle Frank Nipp, the younger son, was a genius. He was a scholar and had the rare good fortune to attend a Canadian public school, which prepared him with the familie’s help to attend the University of Washington in Seattle and (2) Today, the Chinese Wai Kui (Overseas Chinese), Public School is still in operation and has taught many generations of Chinese students just as it did my mother and Aunt Susie. The best Chinese scholars were allowed to come from China to teach Chinese students in the Chinese public schools. They had to pay a 1000 dollar bond to the Canadian government. Back then 1000 dollars was a lot of money. I spoke to some Canadian government officials, and even wrote Prime Minister Harper about this 1000 dollar penalty, and they didn’t even know about it. Their ignorance really made me angry. Not being able to attend Canadian public schools caused so many problems for all Chinese growing up.

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Faye’s Uncle Frank departing for the U.S.A.(Empress Hotel in background). (L-R) Aunt Susie, Uncle Philip, Faye, Uncle Frank, Aunt Mable, father carrying Wally, mother carrying Gwen Early 1930s.

the University of California at Berkeley. Uncle Frank was a capable professor, but because of the lawful discrimination in the USA against all Chinese, he was not allowed to work in his chosen profession and remain in the USA. He suffered severe hardships in the USA although during World War II, the Chinese National Government office in the USA hired him as an “Overseas Voice” in Washington, D.C. He lived in San Francisco after the war. I visited him many times. My Uncle Frank was an example of the value of an education and how education can change one’s life for the better. The whole Chinese community took great pride and joy that a Chinese person from Victoria, B.C. proved able to graduate from an American university, a rare accomplishment. Just the cost given the limited opportunities made it nearly impossible for Chinese to attend university. The importance my family put on education stayed with me all of my life.

My other aunts and uncles were: fourth son Uncle Philip, third daughter Aunt Mable, fourth son Uncle Bill and fourth daughter Aunt Gladys. They were all born in Victoria, making them all second-generation Chinese Nation44

als, which: was stamped on their birth certificates. Chinese could not hold Canadian citizenship.

What stops a man from being what he aspires to be and leaves us all without anything? The answer is in the following phrase, a premature departure from this world!

Life was very fragile for us Chinese because of the horrid situation thrust upon us by the Canadian government. I had two more uncles who both died in their early teens. Uncle Poy died of pneumonia. Uncle Jun was cycling with a group of boys on Beacon Hill Park’s waterfront when one of the boys fell into the water. The other boys tried to pull him out, but all drowned as they pulled each other into the water. Again, it made me realize how fragile life can be. We shouldn’t waste one minute.

Yick Fung played a role in the lives of many young people in Chinatown.

Like-minded souls huddled in places like Yick Fung for camaraderie around a prominent figure like my grandfather. What held them all together was that spirit of defiance against the establishment. They donned their crazy hats, long scarves, a picture of the poor, but free spirit began to form. They aspired to be classless, forever cutting themselves off from the ruling class, the establishment. They tried to be whatever the establishment feared most. They tried to look at the world in a way that the establishment couldn’t see. They enjoyed themselves and partied high but lived low and wanted to live forever.

Yick Fung was a great meeting place for young men and ladies. Friends of my aunts and uncles would frequent their shop and home on the weekends and hold parties in their upstairs living room. There was a piano with song sheets. They played and sang songs like “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree,” and “Sleepy Lagoon,” amongst others. I remember how I would take a tray of candies and sweets upstairs to the guests in the living room. People who visited Yick Fung were friends: Harvey Lowe (the world yo-yo champion and later a producer and part owner of the Smilin Buddha Cabaret). Roy Mah (the famed future Chinese WWII veteran and later, founder and editor of the Chinatown News in Vancouver that circulated widely in the USA and Hawaii). Then there was Richard Mar and Pearl, the future wife of Tim Louie, 45

Louie, brother of London Drugs former chairman Tong Louie. They all lived nearby and joined in the sing-a-longs and parties. I was in contact with many people at a very young age because of my notable mother and father. This exposure made me want to be around exciting people. I did just that; throughout my life!

I am not sure where the inspiration for Yick Fung came from or if it just slowly evolved out of necessity. It was probably the latter. Anyway, the inclusion of my grandfather, Nipp Ng’s, store from entrepreneurial to include a social conscience; probably astounded him more than anyone. He probably built Yick Fung for his family. But discrimination made all Chinese his extended family, sort of like what happens during war-time when everyone huddles together. I do not recall there ever being a problem at Yick Fung. So the combination of successful entrepreneur/visionary coupled with a social awareness and a need for a place where people could gather, spelled success.

Everyone came to Yick Fung. Many Chinese pioneers who were illiterate would use Yick Fung’s address as their mailing address and would drop by frequently to pick up mail. My aunts would help them with whatever

(LtoR) Faye’s Uncle Philip, Uncle Bill and Uncle Jim on board one of the Princess steamships to Vancouver. Pre-1936.

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they needed. Chefs on the C.P. Steamships would drop by and so would the families of future leaders of Canada.

Many future leaders in our society came out of Victoria’s Chinatown. My earliest recollection of this connection was of a kindergarten in a local church on Fisgard Street, which we all attended. Our teacher was the mother of Canada’s first Chinese Member of Parliament and WWII veteran, Douglas Jung.

They called her “Shee Mo” (Madam Teacher). She was a charming, gracious lady. Douglas Jung’s father was a tall, lanky gentleman who always wore a felt hat. He was a landscaper who would come to visit in Yick Fung after work.

I fondly remember many of the Chinese master chefs on the CPR steamships. Yick Fung manufactured all the chef ’s uniforms for the Canadian Pacific Steamships (Princess Joan, Princess Louise, Princess Patricia and the others).

They often came to Yick Fung to visit us and pick-up their chef ’s uniforms and hats. On their day-off, they came and asked for my mother and aunts to assist them with their correspondence in Chinese and English. Sometimes they needed an interpreter. Often, my mother and aunts would help them send their money that they had saved to their wives, children, and parents in China. Most of their money, they sent back to their loved ones. They were very frugal and lived a very sad existence in Canada. It makes me so mad how Canada’s laws hurt the Chinese. It was horrifically sorrowful. Everyone suffered. They were such wonderful, hard-working gentlemen, who never thought about themselves. I made my mind up at an early age to help them as much as I could. I have spent my whole life crying on the inside for these Chinese pioneers.

While many Chinese came to visit in Yick Fung, others went off in pursuit of more complex pleasures. They would take a few bucks with them, had to be cash because there were no pension cheques from the government or Joe’s Laundry or Sam’s Tailors or Western Market in those days. They’d disappear down an alley for an hour or two. Gambling offered the same short term pleasures as a visit to Yick Fung but usually was more costly. Even with the restrictions, gambling went on twenty-four hours a day. There were lots of back alleys in Victoria’s Chinatown. Lots of things went on in them that I knew nothing about at such a young age. They were like traps for the Chinese; 47

whenever life got too unbearable in the Age of Discrimination. The alleys are still there today but what went on in them, of course, is not.

My mother’s Cousin, Nipp Gee Jing, was the master cutter at Yick Fung and cut all the pieces of the men’s suits ;but he had a sideline. He helped the; Bak Pew (Chinese Keno) that operated in a back alley shop. Everyone needed more than one job to survive. This famous Chinese lottery (Keno) was like the present British Columbia 649 lottery.

The Bak Pew is a square of white paper, framing poetic phrases in green Chinese characters. You choose from four to six numbers, and they sold for 25, 50 cents or a dollar. I and my friends; were asked by the Chinese pioneers to choose the Chinese characters up to 6 or 5 or 4 numbers for them just for fun and good luck. It is the ancient Chinese Keno that I believe Reno and Las Vegas casinos also copied. Every hour or two, the Bak Pew would draw the winning numbers. At night, when they closed, the pioneer gentlemen would bring their stacks of money that they won for Aunt Susie to audit for them. I developed a strong work ethic helping my Aunt Susie and watching the others.

Funny though, later in life, I never gambled. I felt I worked too hard for my money to risk it on a bet.

In later years, I had a vision for a place like Yick Fung that would be all about the people and not about business. I could see hundreds of people dropping by daily to connect with all things Chinese in the community. My husband and I would help build such a place years later in Vancouver and he would come up with its name, the Chinese Cultural Centre. I will tell you how we and many others got it started later on. It’s quite a story with lots of intrigue in the beginning. It has become a very culturally important place for the Chinese today in Vancouver.

As I became older, I loved working in Yick Fung. Behind the glass counter, on shelves, were the various brands of tobacco, including snuff tobacco and cigarettes. Alongside was a smaller cast iron cash register with gold decorations. The bottom shelves held multiple paper bags. I remember how often I would help sort out and stack everything neatly. The visitors and my aunts complimented me for my excellent work and sales ability at such a 48

very young age. Working became another of my fondest memories.

I learned a lot about purchasing, inventory, retail sales, unpacking and stacking of displays and how to use a cash register and other machines. With Aunt Susie we would go to the Imperial Wholesale Tobacco Company in Victoria to purchase inventory such as tobacco, chocolates, and candies. Crepe paper decorations framed our two front window displays, which were both artistic and elegant. My days spent at Yick Fung were a strong influence on my young life; as I said, I developed a strong work ethic from watching my aunts and mother.

At 7:15 on any given night in Chinatown, amidst the hustle and bustle of traffic noise and people buying groceries to take home, a well dressed Chinese pioneer could be seen somewhere on a sidewalk lecturing a child or children on the rules of how to play the game, the game being discrimination. These children would soon find themselves out in the Caucasian world and would need to know how to act in public. If they were ever going to fulfill any of their fantasies in life, they would need to know how to behave survive.

The Chinese pioneers all treated Chinatown families and children as part of their own family because of being forced to live restricted lives. They had a say in everything. They taught girls to respect their gender and act correctly. Such as never going alone to eat in restaurants. It was only ‘bad (naughty) girls’ who do that. To this day, I will not dine out alone. The whole community watched us kids grow up in Chinatown. Everyone looked out for everyone else, for the most part. That’s why I have always loved; the pioneers. This respect helped develop a strong sense of community within Chinatown of which my mother and father were leaders. Because we were all confined to live in Chinatown, Chinatown shaped all Chinese lives but didn’t necessarily bring all Chinese together.

Somehow we managed to survive in this sea of discontentment.

Despite the difficult times, there was lots of fun to be had for us kids growing up. Boys would play hide and seek ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five. But you often couldn’t hear the rest of the numbers because a truck or car would pass by and drown them out. Those playing the game had already scattered to parts unknown behind signs, down alleys, behind buildings. There was usually an 49

accident close by where some car hit another car and smoke would pour out from under either one or both hoods, a Ford or a Chrysler. The driver of the Chrysler would be holding a big cigar. He would dislodge from the Ford with a big screeching sound from his wheels and carry on up the street. Spectators would come over to see what the fuss was all about. It was all the aggression and destruction that caught their eye. What can be more aggressive and destructive than the modern-day automobile? The adult world was the real world. But for us, it was an amusement park for kids.

By the time we moved to Vancouver in 1936, we had four kids in our family: me, my brothers Wally and Kenjie/Ken and my sister Gwen. One thing that made life bearable in Chinatown was the fun and camaraderie we all shared.

Hazel Yee, Uncle Fred’s niece, challenged my brother Singie/Wally. He had to jump two stories from the second floor of Yick Fung’s staircase to the ground floor. She had done the jump herself. Wow, what a brave kid! The Chinese elders would give my brother Singie/Wally and Waysen Quon, Louise Quon’s brother, a hammer; to walk along the; 500 block Fisgard Street and bang a dent into every car’s fender. “Bang on” became a bad word. The pioneers taught them. The elder’s had fun with the young boys. But it was more to do with aggression and destruction, I think.

Today, if you get sick, you go to the pharmacy. In the pharmacy, you look around for something that will cure your ailment. There is an instant cure for everything; it says so on the box. If you ask someone today, they will know for sure what will cure the problem. Try aspirin, histamine, this and that. Everyone knows for sure. You will probably still be asking around after you don’t need it anymore. The Chinese had their way of dealing with illnesses.

Everyone in Chinatown was strongly connected to the past because there was no future. There were many; 500-year-old taboos brought over from China that I would learn more about as I got older. Because we could not afford doctors or medicine, our families passed down 100-year-old herbal remedies that often came in handy.

It was never a good idea to get sick in Chinatown. The Chinese would never be sent to the local hospital because they couldn’t afford it. There were no halfway houses or drop in centres or gathering places where you could dress in 50

street clothes all day and socialize with the staff and eat and relax until you felt better, all paid for by the government. HECK that’s what Yick Fung was all about.

Reta Quan and I were often sick with either: the flu, colds or bronchitis.

My mother and Grandma Quan Nin, and Mrs. Wah Quan (her second son’s wife), would concoct an old Chinese herbal remedy for us to drink. The Chinese could not afford doctors or store-bought medicine. It was a horrible thick brown drink that they forced Reta and me to drink. To this day, I cannot take any medical fluid, only capsules or tablets. We hated that Chinese herbal drink.

Ugh! The elderly Chinese men would point to Reta andme and say; you will not live to be twelve years old.

Corinne Quan and her sister Reta and me were at Louise Quon’s wake, “Bless her soul.” Reta said, “All the “ginseng, cinnamon and Chinese herbal drinks we were forced by ‘holding our nose’ to drink when we were kids, may have been useful after all.” Corinne chided in, “Look at you both now,” meaning we were healthy and well. Corinne was the most robust and was never sick or had colds like Reta and I. I think I know how a mummy must have felt in ancient Egypt.

Really?

Yes, all wrapped up in those layers of cloth. It wouldn’t have had to worry about breathing because it was dead, but I did! The layers would have been suffocating if it had been alive, and if wrapped too tight, that would have been even worse. Believe me; I know what I’m saying. it wouldn’t have been a pleasant situation. I still don’t know though how they managed to keep the cloth from coming off over the centuries. My experiences of being wrapped up in cloth from head to toe; didn’t last that long. Thank goodness!

I had an allergy. My allergy (which was then unknown) caused itching and my skin to break out. Doctors said it was eczema. It turned out I was allergic to wool and flannels which irritated my skin and gave me problems. The problem was there was no central heating and I had to wear layers of wool clothes. At night we slept in flannel sheets and Pajamas. All Chinese needed to watch out for their health because, as I said, we couldn’t afford doctors or medicine. We all lived this way. I remember how loud I would scream in pain when 51

the ‘Chinese witch doctors’ told my parents to wash the skin outbreaks in the fold of my arm with Lysol and similar products. They wrapped; cotton cloth around my arms, legs and elbow. These were held in place by rubber bands that cut deep into my skin. I would not tell them that I was afraid of the Lysol wash and that the rubber bands cut deep. I still have scars on both of my arms. Medical doctors and medicine were too expensive and out of the question, and there was no Medicare in those days. We had to rely on the old remedies and ancient treatments. Many are excellent and used today, and I still use them and share them with others.

If you were lucky enough to be still standing after all the street fun and didn’t come down with some incurable disease or did but showed courage and showmanship in the way you dealt with such adversity, all your friends would give you a rousing cheer or boo you if you hadn’t. The boos were for those who didn’t participate but stood on the sidelines away from the action. If you were one of them, everyone would dare you to do something dangerous or destructive, and you had to do it or never show your face in public again. Then, everyone was free to go back to whatever it was they loved doing the most, which for me, was exploring Yick Fung.

Even after we moved to Vancouver in 1936, Yick Fung was a sanctuary, especially for us kids when we returned in the summers. There were always many exciting places to explore. The staircase leading up to the next floor: called the mezzanine, was unusually-wide, five times wider than ordinary stairs. It was a beautiful natural hardwood. Aunt Susie’s bedroom was here, and there was a long hallway for storing fabric. A private wall telephone hung there for residential use and cost less than the business phone downstairs. Its number was Empire 8136, and it was under the name of Uncle Willie Nipp. Later, B.C. Tel changed it as technology improved, and the population increased to become Evergreen (EV 8136), which remained until Aunt Susie went to heaven and Yick Fung closed in 1981. A large ancestral memorial altar tabernacle table was located at the top of the stairs on the mezzanine floor and had incense burners with incense joss sticks or Chinese blessing candles. Large portraits of my grandfather and grandmother and Uncle Jun and Uncle Poy, who died young, sat on the table on the landing between the main; and third floors. When I and 52

my siblings and I were little kids passing by the altar, we were scared because it seemed like the portraits’ eyes were staring at us; telling us to be good. We had to go past the pictures to go up to the third floor to the row-of- bedrooms. At the end of the row of bedrooms was the living room parlour, which faced Government Street. I can remember it all just like it was yesterday.

Everything seemed so big and animated in those days, but that was because I was so small. You had to be careful not to knock anything over because everything was valuable and we couldn’t afford to replace it. It was like a Chinese version of Alice in Wonderland, and I was Alice, although I wasn’t really. It was all so magical thinking back on those days and the experiences I had. Whenever we left Yick Fung, I wanted to take the magic with me and keep it with me for the rest of my life. I knew I would try to recreate Yick Fung someday, somewhere else, using the magic I took with me from my childhood. And I did.

“One pill makes you larger and one pill makes you small.

And the ones that mother gives you, make you strong and tall.

Go ask Alice; when she’s ten feet tall.” 1. (song list p 465)

My mother had a lovely giant-size wooden leather padded rocking chair to rock us kids to sleep when we were babies. The Chinese pioneers always joked about mothers “rock a bye babying” us kids to sleep, and she would fall asleep too. At certain times of the night, one of the babies would always cry on time.

It was my brother Singie/Wally who always closed his eyes to sleep nightly at a specific time: 9:00 pm. Chinese pioneers and friends’ frequented our shop and as the whole Chinese community “says” to help raise the kids as we were raised by the watchful eyes of the Chinese community, meaning the pioneers.

I was known and called ‘beautiful daughter’ with out-standing looks, the teacher’s daughter.

Aunts Susie and Mable and their lady friends formed the Chinese Ladies Auxiliary during WWII and raised war funds for Canada and China. Members of Victoria’s WW II Ladies Auxiliary raised funds for the Red Cross, which financed a truck. Aunt Susie led the ladies and organized the Chinese 53

community who worked on the “One Bowl of Rice” campaign raising money for China’s WWII war-starved Chinese refugees. I remember seeing Chinese men parading in the streets carrying a large Chinese National government flag into which parade bystanders threw coins and bills.

Adults sold War Savings Bonds and children, sold War Savings Stamps to raise money. Aunt Susie and the whole Victoria Chinese Community did their best to help the two great allies, China and Canada. While the war was hard for the Chinese, it proved to be a turning point for us, as well.

We live in a world where everyone wants to label others. My father later worked in a bakery. My mother and Aunt Susie were seamstresses. Uncle Frank probably had a part-time job in a grocery store when he was earning money for college. But to think of them only in those terms; wouldn’t be representative of their true potential. Just because someone is unemployed or even a student, it doesn’t mean they will not rise to be something far more contributory to society in time. Chinese culture in Canada was at a low point during The Age of Discrimination. But it too came into its own when Canada changed for the better in later years. Today, Chinese cultural centres are a part of Canadian society, and Chinese associations are everywhere in Chinese Canadian communities. Their future may depend on Chinese from other countries who come to Canada and what ideas they bring.

All my family succeeded in life despite the restrictions. Aunt Mable left Yick Fung during World War II after she married Uncle Fred. They founded the Ideal Fruit Market at 640 Yates (on Broad Street). When we returned to Victoria in the early days, we always stayed at Yick Fung, but later we often stayed with Aunt Mable and Uncle Fred. They lived above the Ideal Fruit Market until they bought an elegant home at 2069 Lansdowne Road with a beautiful garden that Uncle Fred loved. He was co-editor with my father, the managing editor and chief; of the Chinese New Republic Daily Newspaper at 640 Cormorant Street.

Aunt Gladys; was able to attend Sprott Shaw Secretarial School even though Chinese ladies were not allowed to hold secretarial jobs. She married a Chinese scholar and teacher, Uncle Stephen Bing Foon Mah. Together they founded and operated Vancouver Island Produce at 601 Yates Street and later 54

the Esquimalt Fruit Market, 1239 Esquimalt in Esquimalt B.C. (across the Johnson Street Bridge from Victoria), off Fisgard Street. We were a hard-working family, as successful as a Chinese family could be at this time. Experiencing success at a young age; made me want to be successful later on in my life. The Nipp Family in Victoria served the Chinese community in every facet of life.

ALBERT, DIANA, HARVEY AND VERA escaped Shanghai! Does anybody understand what that means? Does anybody comprehend what it took to leave China in 1949? Does anybody understand what a victory it was to return to Vancouver safely? Does anybody understand what was happening in China in 1949 when Mao seized power and communism got a foothold in the country allowing land-owners, teachers and shopkeepers, decades later, to be rounded up, imprisoned, tortured and eventually killed? No, I doubt it. Nobody will understand unless they were there, not even Chinese Canadians, although they will be more sympathetic, having heard stories from loved ones of the atrocities committed.

You can imagine how Albert, Diana, Harvey and Vera felt when they arrived safely home, especially decades later after hearing about all the atrocities. They went into business here together and did quite well. You will soon read their story, the same kind of business they had in Shanghai, the night club business.

Down on Hastings Street with the glass panels and the big Smilin Buddha sign out front, I bet they felt pretty good to be home and safe; and back in business.

A notable Chinese family we all knew well that lived and thrived in Victoria’s Chinatown in those days was the Kwan family. The Kwan (Quon) family (Albert, Jock Ning, and Jock Tong Kwan); were sent to study in China because Chinese Nationals were not allowed to study in Canada’s English schools. Only Canadian citizens could attend Canada’s schools in those days. Their mother, Mrs. Quan (Ah Nee Kwan), was one of my grandmother’s shipmates on the Empress steamship. It brought the first three Chinese ladies to Canada. These ladies were; my grandmother Nipp Ing Shee and two maids, Mrs. Quan and Mrs. Lim, later the mother of Harold Lim, who was the owner of W.K. Gardens in Vancouver), to Victoria from China. The Kwan family owned the well-known Yee Lun Chinese Merchandise and Grocery Store in Victoria, B.C., on Fisgard Street near my grandfather’s Yick Fung Manufacturing Store. Most well-to-do families would send their children 55

children to China to study in either Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton) or in Shanghai, where the Kwan kids studied at St. John’s University. Shanghai life was very cosmopolitan.

Albert Kwan and his wife, Diana Au Kwan and Harvey Lowe and his wife Vera, and their children, stayed in China until the Communists took over Shanghai in 1949. Then they returned to Canada that had political stability. Over the years, Albert and Diana had four sons, Sherman, Eugene, Brewster, and Shubert. All Canadian Chinese in China fled in 1949 when the Communists came into power. Some went to Hong Kong and Taiwan. Elwin Xie’s father, Henry Xie Yuan was another. I need to mention Albert and Harvey because they are part of our story later on. You won’t know who I am talking about later if I don’t.

In Chinatown, Aunt Susie was something of a legend. No matter what she put her mind to, she was loved by all, running Yick Fung, the Ladies Auxiliary, teaching school, helping the pioneers. She wasn’t only a legend in Chinatown for her abilities and style but later, in Caucasian Victoria. My grandfather was a visionary, my mother was a community leader, my father was a leader of all Overseas Chinese, my uncle Frank was a brilliant academic, but Aunt Susie had style. At Yick Fung, people would want to be waited on

by Aunt Susie. In the world of Yick Fung, she was the commander and chief, the head honcho. The one everyone loved for her wit, hard work, loyalty to duty and beauty.

Aunt Susie was a superb businesswoman, multi-talented and had a winning personality. After the war, she converted Yick Fung into a Chinese antique shop and imported antiques from Hong Kong from the Lun Kui Company run by a Mr. Yu. Aunt Susie and Uncle Fred Yee, with Aunt Mable, bought shares in Lun Kui in Hong Kong. Uncle Fred; was involved in exporting to Hong Kong from the U.S.; ginseng and fertilizers for chickens.

Besides assisting or auditing Chinese “Bak wa pew,” Keno (lotto), Aunt Susie designed the menus for the cafés, the Poodle Dog Cafe and ex-principal, Lee Jin Hong’s Chinatown Cafe. She was highly respected and admired in all of Victoria. Chinese friends from across Canada would come to visit her at Yick Fung and ask for her advice. Several generations of Victorians got to know Yick Fung 56

Aunt Susie (Suey Gim Nipp), Aunt Mable (Suey Hung Nipp Yee), Aunt Gladys (Suey Fong Nipp Mah), and my mother Kate (Suey Kate Nipp Leong). They were all prominent Chinese community leaders.

Aunt Susie never married. I remember seeing my father and Peter Hem, a prominent Chinese translator, court interpreter and Co-Chairman of the 1936 Vancouver Golden Jubilee (50th birthday), with my father. He advised me not to sacrifice my marriage as Aunt Susie did. Peter Hem had wanted to marry Aunt Susie, but Aunt Susie felt she could only look after one family. “Married still can do,” he said. Later, when I found myself in a similar situation, I remembered what Peter Hem had told me.

At famous Butchart Gardens, Victoria, B.C. (l-r) Jon Wing Jung was the co-editor with Faye’s father at the Chinese Republic Daily Newspaper, Aunt Susie, Peter Hem, Lily Chan Nipp/Uncle Jim’s wife, Faye’s father, Chap Kwong Leong.

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ABOUT ALL I KNEW AT MY TENDER AGE WAS I wanted to be just like my mother and my aunts, who were all highly regarded. My mother, Aunt Susie and Aunt Mable were all exceptional role models for me growing up. My mother was always by the side of my learned father. My Aunt Susie was always helping the pioneers and, Aunt Gladys, who was younger, later managed to get into secretarial school. When discrimination hit all Chinese hard, they managed to hold their heads up high through it all; and for that, I am most proud of them all.

My three aunts and my mother were exceptional women despite the social pressures and restrictions preventing women from working outside the home.

They were some of the first Chinese women to cut through the glass ceiling of discrimination in the early 1930s. They were excellent role models and mentors to me as I would break through many glass ceilings of my own starting in the 1950s.

Aunt Susie ran Yick Fung until she passed away in July 1981. Our whole family honoured Nipp Ng, his progeny and Aunt Susie was one of them. She was a hard-working, compassionate lady. When she died, people came from all over the world to pay tribute to her. I aspired to be most like Aunt Susie.

Sadly, the Yick Fung Company closed its doors in 1981 and stopped contributing to the community. It closed a full century after Grandfather Nipp Ng opened it, in 1881. So Yick Fung served all Chinese in the Chinese community well; for several generations. That includes my mother, who, as I said, was a great role model for me and Aunts Mable and Gladys, both devoted, loving wives. I would carry on the Yick Fung tradition in Chinatown in Vancouver in many social and business ventures.

In 1936, my parents, siblings Gwen, Sing/Wally, and Keng and I at; the age of six, all moved to Chinatown in Vancouver. I have many exciting stories to tell you about that, as there was more opportunity than in Victoria.

“Yick Fung sounds like it was a wonderful place to grow up.”

“Oh, it was, despite the hardships. I hadn’t thought about Yick Fung in years until you started interviewing me with this book. I mean, for this book.

I think in Chinese. My parents made us spit it out if we made a mistake. My 58

and aunts were sure good role models.”

“I did some research and found headlines in the Vancouver Province newspaper from December 21, 1921, which (pulls a paper out of a binder) read: Liberal Candidates pledge to a White British Columbia. It went on to say: Who is to dominate British Columbia, the white or the yellow man?”

“Discrimination was terrible. People don’t remember it today. Look around Vancouver in 2019, and you can’t imagine that the Chinese and other minorities ever could have suffered discrimination. But it happened! The Government of Canada was so racist in its effort to help only British immigrants settle and find work. It wasn’t until the war came that things began to change. The war changed everything with the Chinese in Canada, I mean for the Chinese.

My grammar is bad. I don’t have no grammar. No phonics. I don’t know what it’s for A or B, thee or they.”

“Neither can anyone today imagine working for the wages the Chinese worked for in those days.”

“No credit cards or debit cards. What can you buy for two dollars and 50 cents today? Maybe a loaf of bread, and that’s all. Nowadays minimum wage is 15 dollars an hour. WHAT THE HECK, who would ever think of working a whole shift for 2 dollars, but the Chinese, did!

We all should have a Yick Fung in our lives at some time or another. It was our Rock of Gibraltar. I had more than one Yick Fung in my life.

Really?

I will tell you about the others later, but first things first.”

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Chapter 2

Freedom Road

ABOUT ALL I KNEW ABOUT VANCOUVER’S CHINATOWN was it was bigger than Victoria’s Chinatown and there were more people. With its colorful lights, Vancouver’s Chinatown was bustling twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Traffic noises argued long into the night. Chinatown’s characters and energy in the 30s and 40s attracted everyone from all over Greater Vancouver. It was the place to go. First and foremost Vancouver’s Chinatown meant good food and the place to shop for herbs, art crafts and merchandise of all kinds. In comparison, Victoria’s Chinatown seemingly had been left behind at the turn of the century when all eyes focused on Vancouver rather than Victoria, at least economically speaking. Business and commerce had shifted to Vancouver and Victoria would eventually evolve into a tourist and retirement destination. Vancouver was the terminus of the CP Railway and its chief benefactor. For me, Vancouver’s Chinatown was an exciting new place to explore, even during the war years. I would make many new friends and through my learned parents, come in contact with many important people. I often heard the streets beckoning, calling my name. Those days were the Chinatown of my youth.

All of us kids attended Strathcona School. On our way to school, we would walk past this elegant “Hollywood style” house built by Chang Wun Fung, 61 VJ Day Parade through Chinatown, 1945

Chairman of the Kong Chow Benevolent Association. It was very exceptional and classy for the Chinese community and Chinatown to have that kind of a house. The house had white stucco, a flat roof with blue tile and double blue garage doors that you could drive-in from the street. Alongside the built-in garage were stairs up to an elegant living room with a long curved sectional couch. It was very elaborate and gorgeous and only a dream for most Chinese to own and live in. Most Chinese lived in Chinatown from the unit block of Pender Street to the East to Campbell Avenue on Pender, Keefer, Georgia, Union, and Prior Streets. This Chinatown residential area in the 1960s became known as Strathcona.

Chang Wun Fung, a prominent Chinese community leader, and philanthropist was the Chairman of the Kong Chow Benevolent Association of Canada which he incorporated on December 23, 1925, and registered under the Societies Act of British Columbia. The Chinese community called him by his profession as, “Yee Sub Low.” It meant the head of a fishery company that hires workers. He and his family lived in Chinatown and built that house at 477 East Pender Street, second to the corner of Jackson by Strathcona School. It was a big deal for a Chinese person to be able to afford their own house let alone build one.

I recall Chinatown resident, Mr. Chang Wun Fung very well. He was a distinguished pioneer gentleman, and his wife Mrs. Chang Wun Fung was a handsome looking woman. Their family, son and wife, daughter and husband and grandchildren, all lived together in this home. I visited their home with my mother’s sister-in-law Aunt Lil Nipp, who was a good friend of the yo-yo champion Harvey Lowe’s sister, Winnie Chang, the daughter-in-law to the aforesaid prominent chairman of the Kong Chow Association. Carol Ann Wong Sung is his granddaughter. Carol Ann’s mother Florence was married to George W. Wong, who was then the manager of the famous Bamboo Terrace Chinese Restaurant at 174 East Pender Street on the lane corner in Chinatown.

It seems my father had a very express purpose for moving to Vancouver. It was to start a very public-spirited project. He and mother wanted to go beyond being an educator and a teacher. But first of all he needed to find a place for 62

us all to live. I suppose he figured if they were going to make the move, they better make it at that time. If it didn’t work out, then all he would be out would be a little bit of money. If it did work out, then so much the better for everyone.

In any case, they were going to follow their fantasies.

In Vancouver, my mother, Kate and my father, Leong Chap Kwong founded the Kwong Gee Chinese Public School at 320 East Pender Street at Gore Avenue next to the Paramount Gas Station. They also both taught at the school.

We all lived in the same building behind the school, on the third floor. All Chinese lived above or behind stores in Chinatown which was cold in the winter because there was no central heating and hot in the summer because we didn’t have refrigerators, only ice boxes. My parents became pillars of the Vancouver Chinese community, and founding the school was only one of the reasons we moved to Vancouver. I was proud of my parents for opening a school. This school played a big part in my life, and what happened to it, partly made me into the force of nature I became.

As luck would have it, everything worked out for my mother and father and their school, at least for the next decade or so and us kids had lots of fun exploring the nearby buildings including the one that housed their school and learning about all the past stories of people who lived there before us. My The Kwong Gee Chinese Public School building at 320 East Pender is on the right behind the Paramount Gas Station in white. Wintertime 1930s. The photographer has his back to Main Street.

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parent’s new school was well received and became very successful. All eyes were on my parents to see how things would turn out, at least for the short term. There were only so many Chinese kids in Chinatown since the passing of the Exclusion Act. But my father didn’t enter into things lightly, he knew they would succeed.

I vividly recall my parents, Kwong Gee Chinese Public School building at 320 E. Pender Street. On the third floor was the headquarters of the Hong Fook Tong, the official name of the Yen Ping Society of Canada, which my father founded. On the second floor was the Nam Ping Bit Suey Society living quarters, for the pioneers. On the main floor was Kwong Wo Yuen Chinese Merchandisers and meat store (Earlier it had been a soybean cake manufacturing shop). My most unsettling memory of it was the owner of the soybean manufacturing company, Lowe Sum, sadly hung himself inside the doorway by the stairs where I and my siblings passed by on the mezzanine floor. He committed suicide because of his gambling losses. Every time we kids ran upstairs, we had to call for father to come and get us because we were too scared to pass the doorway on our way up to the third floor. There were many superstitions in Chinatown and we kids were often scared. The Chinatown YWCA was on the other side of the street at 311 E. Pender. It’s now the Lee Association. My father and my future husband were always involved in many Chinatown associations. The associations were important in those days because they actually helped people.

We arrived in Vancouver the year of Vancouver’s fiftieth Jubilee in 1936.

It was quite an occasion. In fifty years Vancouver had gone from a population of about two thousand to over three hundred thousand. The promotional

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In the ROC China National Government’s Kuomintang building rose garden at 529 Gore Avenue at Pender Street.

Chap Kwong Leong, father, Singie/Wally, Kengie/Ken, mother, Faye and Gwen. The Kwong Gee Chinese Public School building is in the background, 320 E. Pender Street, 1936.

material for the event declared the city as cosmopolitan with quarters for Hindoos, Chinese and Japanese. There was also mention in The Vancouver Sun newspaper of the many Indian villages located in Stanley Park, Jericho, False Creek, Coal Habour and Kitsilano Beach but none of these ethnic groups were allowed or even asked to participate in celebrations due to racism so the Chinese decided to hold their own celebrations in Chinatown. I am not sure if any of the others were in the mood to celebrate or not but the Chinese were ready.

My father, Leong Chap Kwong, was co-chairman with Peter Hem of the Chinatown celebrations. It was a really big deal. They imported from China musical troupes such as the famous Chinese Cantonese Opera. They built a traditional pagoda with archways and stages both inside and out located at 544 Columbia Street at Keefer Street. It had all the conventional Chinese paraphernalia: embroidered silk tables, chairs, beds, and coverings for the opera properties. 544 Columbia Street, at the corner of Keefer Street was where one of two Chinese opera houses was located in Chinatown.

When I got a little older, I would walk across the Georgia Viaduct which connected Chinatown to Caucasian Vancouver. Lots of Chinese travelled this route to get to uptown. We would walk down Dunsmuir Street to Granville and alongside the Hudson’s Bay Company with its amazing window displays.

All we kids dreamed of one day being able to buy the clothes we saw on display in the windows. We would walk all the way up past Georgia Street to where the movie theatres were located. It was all very exciting even though we couldn’t go to the picture shows because we were Chinese. Vancouver was even more restricted than Victoria. Chinese needed to find other ways to entertainment themselves.

Although we were not allowed to go into Caucasian theatres, no Chinese, East Indians or Jews allowed, Cantonese opera troupes traveled regularly, by ship, to perform along the west coast, in the Chinatowns of Victoria, Vancouver and San Francisco. Each city had at least one opera house and Vancouver, as I said, had two. It was always exciting when they came to town.

When I was a kid, my parents took me and my brothers to see the operas on the ground floor of 544 Columbia, (the opera house is still there). It is called 65

the Gin Wah Cantonese Opera House. The other one, the original one, was in Shanghai Alley and was called the Kiu Shing Cantonese Opera House. I still love Chinese operas and can sit through several in a row. Troupes would arrive every few months in Vancouver. I have a photo of 544 Columbia when we attended the opera with my mother. I will never forget the famous diva, Mow Done So. She sang dressed as a ghost in an all-white gown, her long black hair hanging loosely to her waist as she knelt at a grave. It was a sad scene that scared me.

I doubt if any of us kids in those days truly understood the sitution in which we all found ourselves, it was just the way it was and we accepted it. We were so absorbed in everything that we never realized there was a hidden side to it all. Sometimes I would disappear with a friend and we would talk about how we felt, all sorts of things, life, our siblings we talked as candidly as we could about what we saw around us for kids our age. We didn’t understand a lot of it but thankfully, there always seemed to be someone to talk to about things so none of us were ever lonely. We may have looked lonely from time to time but heck we were just starting out we couldn’t come swinging into every situation like tarzan king of the jungle, those days would come soon enough.

This site above was once a vibrant center of Chinese culture. I have known the old stories of the people’s heritage ever since I was a young child, such as Ng Shew, the famous Chinese de da (a traditional bugle) player for Chinese weddings and funerals. He lived at 544 Columbia Street when it later housed Chinese pioneers. Ng Shew was the only Chinese bugle player in Vancouver.

Faye With her siblings and mother and father at the Gin Wah Shing Opera Association presenting a Cantonese opera at 544 Columbia in Chinatown.

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A tall, handsome, distinguished, gentleman, he was in much demand. I also knew other pioneer men who lived there like Leung Yen Lim, an expert carpenter who built a cabinet for my mother’s school. If there had not been a Chinese Pioneers’ Housing building, the pioneer men would have been homeless with nowhere to go. The building housed mainly men. All our problems were caused by the 1898 Immigration Act and the 1923 Exclusion Act. The Canadian government was racist. The establishment was racist. No Chinese allowed. I get so upset and cry all the time inside for them. I think I am repeating myself.

“That’s okay. It doesn’t matter if you are. What you said should be repeated many times until everyone hears it. You know what they say, “You need to repeat something three times before people will remember it.”

“My mother later donated the cabinet that Leung Yen Lim made to the Vancouver Museum as a much loved treasure. He also made two foot stools later when my first son was born so I could rest my feet. The pioneers were so unhappy because they could not bring their wives over from China. They worked hard in any jobs they could find sawmills, agriculture, farms, landscaping, not only in Vancouver but all over B.C. Some found work on the Douglas Ranch in Merritt, B.C. Others operated laundries and groceries during the discriminatory era. I still get mad when I think of it, laughing on the outside, crying on the inside.

IT DIDN’T TAKE ME LONG TO REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT A MAN MY FATHER WAS to all Chinese Canadians. He was always busy. Besides running and teaching at his own school, he was heavily involved in many Chinese Benevolent Associations and the Chairman of one. It was a strange phenomenon sharing your father with everyone but he had a charisma and a presence about him. I always enjoyed it when he had time for us and always loved it when he was able to spend more time with the family. It was a long shot though at times because of his schedule, teaching, the associations and something else which was the other reason we moved to Vancouver.

To give you an idea of how important my father was he was appointed Honorable Secretary General of the Kuomintang KMT (Vancouver Branch) located at 529 Gore Avenue by the Chinese National government in Taiwan. He was 67

very scholarly and had been well educated in China. He was voted twice by all the Chinese across Canada to be their chief delegate (an appointment ratified

by Chinese National Government President, Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shek) to the National Government Congress Legislature first held in China in 1934 and then held again in 1952 in Taipei, Taiwan. He represented all the Overseas Chinese in Canada.

Even though my parent’s school prospered they had to be careful because of the restrictions.Vancouver’s Chinatown was no different than Victoria’s Chinatown with its share of bullies. The aggressive behavior of many made daily life a constant challenge. Because everyone was looking for a way to make money and get ahead, some would use any means possible to achieve their fantasies, even at the expense of other Chinese. There was not only a conflict between Caucasians and Chinese, but a conflict between Chinese and Chinese who often couldn’t seem to live together and get along. There was very little sense of being united against the establishment in a common cause but more like every man for himself.

Our family was always worried about being deported back to China. Those who tried to deport us, wanted to close my parent’s Chinese school and use the premises for their own gain. Any mean-spirited government official could have deported us. We kids are third generation Canadian Chinese born and raised in Victoria and Vancouver and my mother was second generation, born and raised in Victoria B.C., yet because of the restrictions, this was possible. My uncles and parents put up a pretty tough fight for our security in Canada as they were harassed and discriminated against by the elder Fung Chang Gee who is Olympian gold medal gymnast, Lori King’s great grandfather. He was also the grandfather of World War II veterans Henry Fung and his sibling’s. My father had to arrange for me to study in Hong Kong at St. Paul’s School should we be deported. They were horrid times for my parents. My two younger siblings never knew how severe our situation was or even knew they were rough times and how much our parents sacrificed for my generation so we could become excellent Chinese Canadian citizens who all contributed greatly to Canada. My parents served the Chinese community as academic scholars and taught the Chinese students who still today praise and compliment me.

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Despite that fear, we prospered!

“Yes, and how many times must a man look up Before he can really see the sky?

Yes, and how many ears must one man have Before he can hear people cry?

Yes, and how many deaths will it take ‘til he knows That too many people have died?

The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind The answer is blowin’ in the wind” 2.

I was always working somewhere and soon my boundaries grew to include other parts of Vancouver. Somehow my strongest memories of Vancouver in those days seem to be of when I was working. I’d catch the trolley if needed and climb the Main Street hill or travel out Broadway the same way later on, through Kitsilano not far from the Indian villages at Kits Beach and Jericho, although I never went down there. I was always going to work at one of my relative’s, grocery store or at a friend’s store. I never knew the Indian villages would sadly soon disappear as more Caucasians arrived in Vancouver and the establishment would confiscate their ancestral land for developments and city infrastructure, such as parks and public beaches.

Betty Wong was my classmate in Chinese School. As pre-teens, we worked weekends from nine a.m. to midnight at her brother-in-law, Sam Joe’s Western Produce at 4150 Main Street in Vancouver. Betty and I worked for 2 dollars a day. Then I would spend 2 dollars and 50 cents on groceries to bring home to my family. I learned all about bedding plants and cut flowers from working and selling hundreds of flowers at Western Produce. I remember we sold 2000 bunches of daffodils one day at Easter. In later years, my father and Uncle Philip bought Western Produce. The business did quite well until Safeway opened across the street. It was a hard life. Just when it seemed like you were getting ahead, something knocked you back down. In spite of it all, we were rich with lots of friends and family. Where money was concerned though, the taboos, restrictions and discrimination hurt us and all Chinese badly. My childhood 69

was both good and bad and this propelled me as an adult, to want to have what the establishment had, stability and security but I didn’t want to be one of them (a racist).

Interestingly, when the war came none of we Chinese realized it would change all our lives forever. What was a terrible thing turned a majority of people’s thinking around and eventually opened up opportunities for we Chinese and other minorities to accomplish things that we had been struggling to achieve for decades. Funny, at first we are all so opposed to the war but each individuals faith and love of Canada made it happen where we should have all let history just take its course rather than always try to oppose everything, no matter how noble our thinking or reasoning. Here’s how it happened.

The action – meaning what everyone was thinking about - all shifted after 1941, over to Asia after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Canadians everywhere were joining the war effort and enlisting to go to the Pacific theatre the same as they had been doing since 1939 to fight in Europe, bumper to bumper, flying planes, driving jeeps, tanks, joining the infantry but here in the Home of the Chinese, things were different, it’s not that our boys didn’t want to go and fight the Japanese who had invaded our ancestral homeland. Everything here in Chinatown was about not being recognized as Canadian citizens.

During the early years of WWII, Vancouver’s Chinatown held big rallies and demonstrations against the Canadian government. Heated debates took place as to whether Chinese Nationals should enlist and/or be drafted. I vividly remember as a young girl after the Chinese boys got drafted and deployed to the Pacific theatre. Their parents were emotionally distraught and cried out for help to my parents whom were their confidents. Some of the young Chinese boys felt obliged to fight for Canada’s freedom. They enlisted patriotically. I can remember Frank and Bing Wong’s mother, Mrs. Wong Chew Pang and her daughter, Francis Wong Lim, (Mrs. Alfie Lim) agonizing in our kitchen. Her two sons, Frank and Bing, had gone off to fight in the war and she needed my mother’s support. They had been my parent’s Chinese school students.

But the war was not just about fighting overseas. The whole Canadian lifestyle - shopping, restaurants, trolley cars, factories, corporations, racism, and 70

ethnic quarters - here in Canada needed to be preserved, or it might all die off, even the students at the university, across the water from Vancouver needed to be looked after so the whole cycle could continue on into the future. We didn’t want it to get to the point where the Chinese might disappear. Who would do the laundry, tend the gardens, run the grocery stores and make the clothes? It was unbelievable to think the Chinese, who were the focus of so many restrictions since 1885, who couldn’t get near the university let alone graduate from it, who all lived in one neat little spot near downtown Vancouver called Chinatown – the object of all those years of restrictions and discrimination could be gone forever? No, someone had to stay home and defend the home front.

My family was lucky during the war years. Uncle Willie, who moved to Vancouver from Victoria, was drafted then rejected because he was flat footed and overweight. Uncle Philip got selected, but he was allowed to remain home to operate B.C. Bakery and feed the home front. During the war years, it was one of only three bakeries in Vancouver, the others being McGavin and Weston. In those days, my father was a partner in B. C. Bakery. He was of course a teacher but because teachers were poorly paid, he needed another income. B.C. Bakery was located at 1500 East Hastings Street at McLean Drive. The Richmond Dairy was next door. One of my father’s jobs was to feed the bread into the slicing machine. I would be at the other end to grab the loaves. At age eleven, I could lift ten or fifteen loaves at the same time and load them on to the wagon.

I can still see it all. My mother had to get up at three a.m. to feed Uncle Philip who did the baking. Uncle Willie delivered the French rolls to the stores and restaurants at 6 cents a dozen because of wartime price controls. It was a money losing business but everyone had to follow the wartime restrictions. The bread was 6 cents a loaf. I can still see the design on the cover of each. My father was not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty in the bakery. Yet, he was just at home as the head of the Kuomintang representing all Overseas Chinese across Canada or being a scholar and teaching at our Chinese school. He was an amazing man! Chinatown in those days was not like Chinatown is today.

So I was beginning to get used to life in Vancouver’s Chinatown. Meantime, the war started and miraculously my family all stayed in Vancouver to protect 71

the home front. But that didn’t mean we didn’t feel the effects of the war here at home. All precautions were taken to protect the public even though the war was being fought many miles away. If the Japanese had sprung a surprise attack here on the west coast, we were all prepared. Everyone knew what to do just in case. It was a dangerous situation none-the-less. We all needed to go beyond the danger and be prepared.

Vancouver had wartime blackouts. I can remember the sirens sounding.

When you were on the street, the Bamboo Terrace Restaurant was one of the places you must go to be safe in blackouts. My Aunt, Mable Nipp Yee, and I were walking in Chinatown one day after visiting Ming Wo owner, Wong Chew Lip when the sirens sounded. The lights all blacked out. We rushed into the Bamboo Terrace, frightened and worried. I can still envision this event in the darkened, creepy Chinatown night!

Beyond that though, night life in Chinatown was such a big thing, I discovered, that despite the blackouts life went on. Everyone still wanted to enjoy themselves and they found ways to do it. All eyes were on Chinatown during the war years as everyone needed a break from the horrors of the war and Chinatown and its many restaurants, filled the bill. Lots of sailors and soldiers frequented Chinatown when off duty to have a good time. What was meant by a good time was often questionable. It could mean anything from having dinner, to getting drunk to womanizing, to visiting the gambling joints and other such dens of iniquity to getting into fights with the locals.

During the war, there were two famous restaurants in Chinatown. One was, as mentioned, the Bamboo Terrace at 155 East Pender Street (in the heart of Chinatown), with its brilliant green bamboo neon sign. It was featured on many of the postcards and photos of Chinatown. It was, “The Chinese Restaurant in Greater Vancouver.” People came from all over and lined up to get in.

The other famous restaurant was the W. K. Gardens dine and dance supper club located a few doors down. Harold and Wilbert Lim owned W.K. No liquor allowed. No liquor of any kind was for sale in restaurants and nightclubs because there were no licensed premises, except beer parlors. Beer parlors had separate ‘Gents’ and ‘Ladies’ entrances. Nothing was open on Sundays not department stores, or even movie theatres. Because nothing was open on Sundays, Chinese 72

banquets were always held on Sundays in Chinatown. Everyone would “BYOB,” which meant to bring your own bottle and hide it under the table in a brown paper bag. The liquor helped to ease the nerves in wartime because the sailors and soldiers who came into Chinatown to drink and get drunk, got into fights with “ching chong” chinaman, as they called us. My Uncle Bill had his ear bitten off by a sailor. My mother and father would go into a tizzy if there was a late night telephone call out of fear that Uncle Bill had gotten into another fight.

Other restaurants included the Chungking Chinese Restaurant, the famous Sai Woo Restaurant, Mings, Yen Lock, the Hong Kong Cafe, the Royal Cafe and more. The Golden Coin Cafe served the best ever original apple tarts, butter tarts and other Chinese delicacies. Wo Fat Chinese Bakery had ‘egg cake’ (KaiDone-Ko), almond cookies and all the various pastries needed for a traditional Chinese wedding. Chinatown was an exciting place to grow up in those days.

Throughout 1944, many young Chinese men joined the war effort and went off to fight in the Pacific theatre. The armed forces eventually found a need for our Chinese boys infiltrating Japanese lines in South East Asia. Because of the color of their skin, the Japanese would not notice them in the local population.

When the war ended in 1945 and everyone came home, the Chinese veterans staged their own mock ceremony down Pender Street in Chinatown for a couple of reasons, one was to protest the fact that they had gone off to fight for Canada even though they were still not recognized as Canadian citizens. It should have been a gathering of all tribes but it was not. The other reason was when the veterans came marching home from the war, they were not allowed to take part in the big victory parade down Hastings Street. Because of the discrimination they were not allowed to participate in Caucasian functions, they were acknowledged only in Chinatown by the Chinese. Eventually, their participation in World War II would prove to be the turning point for the Chinese in Canada but at the end of the war they sadly returned to the same racist country they had left.

In the years to come when veteran’s associations sprang up, all but the Chinese veterans were allowed to purchase property and build a legion hall. The Chinese vets had to rent their own place. Later, I and my future husband were charter members in Chinese Veteran Unit 280 and attended their functions.

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V-J Day celebrations down Pender Street, the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown.

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Looking west on Pender Street towards the Sun Tower.

Today, most veteran’s associations are rich because they own land. Chinese veterans today still do not have a legion hall. There were so many different ways the Chinese were discriminated against by the Caucasians. It still makes me cry when I think about it.

Life goes on, even during war time. No one knew the changes that would soon come for the Chinese as a result of the war so in the mid-1940s, for most Chinese it was still life as usual in a sea of discrimination. We still lived on Pender Street behind my parent’s school at Pender and Gore. Like most of Chinatown, it was full of a lot of aging wooden buildings that didn’t stand the test of time very well. Even though it would be considered Vancouver’s slum neighborhood by Caucasians, if you could see all the people going about their daily business, it was really a wonderful interactive, vibrant, little community, with different neighborhoods.

By the mid-1940s, our family had grown considerably. Besides us four kids, there were now a total of seven. Third daughter Joan was born, then third son Moody/Wilfred, then a fourth son, Bernie/Honkie. I have a photo of Moody at age five or six, taken by the lamplight in front of where we lived in Chinatown at 320 East Pender Street. We had just come back from buying a quart of milk (for 10 cents) at the Jong Wah Confectionary Store. We also had a half-brother, Chun Gee, who lived in China. My mother had seven children to look after.

What a job! And besides that, she had her teaching and community leadership activities as did her husband, who was the leader of the leaders with his community and academic circle, always by each other’s side. As for me, I would learn how to work with all different sorts of people with different backgrounds, different social status and differing wealth, thanks to my parents.

One of the ways we were all taught to deal with discrimination was to be exemplary citizens in every way. The world we found ourselves in was a chaotic place and that didn’t mean for us to go around waving the Canadian flag in everyone’s faces. Maybe that would have been a good idea or perhaps to sew pieces of the Canadian flag on our clothes but that might have been interpreted in another way. The world was a theatre with lots of different acts to be played out and we were the actors. We needed to know how to play every part. All the seats were empty right now but soon they would be full and we would have to 78

be able to present ourselves in a way that won over all audiences, whoever they happened to be.

Early in life, I was raised in the old fashioned Chinese ways of speech, respect, traditions and custom. Then I was also trained in the Chinese-Canadian cultural way. I and my siblings were taught to respect the elders. If we got out of line, we would be in trouble with the community. Our parents would be seen as irresponsible for not teaching their children to be proper Chinese-Canadian citizens. We must not be seen as street people without a home or education. No class! Goodness was instilled in us by the community and our noble parents. I and my siblings were all watched over and in a sense raised by everyone in the entire Victoria and Vancouver, Chinese communities. We learned to respect Chinese manners and etiquette, both in everyday life and in our business/work ethic. We had to take on the best ways of the Chinese and the Canadians, both customs. Respecting people is essential! There is an old Chinese adage: “At three you are taught a good life which will stay with you until you are eighty.”

Over the years, I learned to speak several dialects of Chinese by helping the pioneers. I also learned early in life to both read and write in Chinese.

When on stage (out in public), I felt I needed to be nine feet tall, taller than everyone else. I needed to glow. I wasn’t really nine feet tall but I felt I needed to be bigger than the rest and glowing from head to toe. I needed to bounce across that stage far above the fluorescent lights below. When I stopped, my face must always be pleasing to the eye and I must always wear a smile when greeting others. I must always say something pleasing to get a positive response from the audience, glowingly, and then go bouncing off the stage to the delight and laughter of my audience.

I had to behave extraordinarily well and to have the highest standards. As the prominent teacher’s, role model daughter, I too had to be a leader to the other Chinese students and their families. This would prove to Caucasian society that Chinese were good people and should not be discriminated against.

Girls, young ladies were very conscious of themselves and not allowed to walk alone through Chinatown because the eagle eyes of the Chinese pioneers who hung around the streets were watching them, criticizing them. I overheard the streets talking about you. They would watch the girls and ladies go by and 79

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At the same time in Europe the biggest crime of the 20th century was revealed to the world- The Holocaust - 6,000,000 jews died in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany during WWII, this one is Dachau.

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criticize or gossip about whose daughter or wife you were. They respected me as the eldest daughter of prominent Chinese teachers and community leaders.

I was trained to be a good role model for all the children in the community. We had to uphold these standards throughout our childhood and youth as I still do today. I learned to laugh and put on a good face in all situations. In my presence, mothers of friends lectured their children to learn from Faye, the Chinese teachers’ daughter. Before long, I had a following!

A bigger glow in the center of the stage attracts more followers. I see a school bus in all different colors orange, green, and magenta covered in hundreds of designs big and small, ready to take us all to faraway places. A sign on the bus reads, THIS IS YOUR LIFE, HOP ON BOARD! Music is playing from some where and everyone is happy as they all get on Faye’s bus of life. The audience loves it as the bus is about to embark on the first scene, of the first act, of the first play, in the first theatre of our young lives. No one knows where we’re actually going or where we will eventually all wind up but everyone trusts me and that’s good enough for now.

Girl’s mothers would allow them to go out because they were going out with the teachers’ daughter, Faye, who does no wrong and goes to no wrong places.

All of them had to have permission from their parents whenever they wanted to go out. In our teenage and young adult years, my girlfriends would tell their parents that they were going out with Faye, the teachers’ daughter. They always got permission to attend dances, roller skating parties, and outings to Lynn Valley and Bowen Island that I led. I made life-long friendships in this way and was fond of taking photos as treasured, cherished, keepsakes of those good times.

This strikes me as marvelous. I am the hero of the play, the CHINATOWN KID, always racing around, back and forth, always chasing life and all its fantasies, trying to outrun everyone else, I wonder where I will be at forty, always talking. I never stop talking. It doesn’t matter if anyone is listening yet there usually is someone, all are welcome aboard the bus. We can’t stop anywhere for very long; we have to get to the next stage, the next play, and the next act in the next theatre on Faye’s bus of life and good times.

I became known as a leader. Faye is the one who creates joyful activities.

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My friends stuck with me through good times and bad. I would also get blamed if there was a problem, though. Well, they’re all wonderful old friends now. As for my new friends, it seems I am still the organizer and coordinator for activities, whether social or business. Today, I have a vast network and portfolio of business and social contacts from all over the world from the highest officials to the political heavyweights to the average girl or guy on the street. They all remember how good I was to them and that I cared. Eventually, my family was prosperous enough to move out of Chinatown.

BY 1945, LIFE PRETTY MUCH WENT LIKE THIS FOR ME IN OUR apartment behind our school above the Kwong Wo Yuen Chinese Merchandisers and meat store. The Chinese pioneers continued to watch us all as we grew up. They had lots of suggestions for us all so I did everything they said to show I was listening. We all just hung around for something to change as life went on, kids went to school, babies cried, I continued to glow and be a leader, people continued to go to uptown over the Georgia Viaduct and the neon lights on Pender Street continued to dazzle the crowds as they gathered on the weekends to enjoy the nightlife of Chinatown.

Life changed for me and my family though when my mother and father were able to buy their first house. It was located at 117 West 15th Avenue by Manitoba Street in Vancouver. The law changed in 1945 and Chinese were allowed to buy a house outside of Chinatown. We were the only ones in the Nipp and Leong families to have their own house. Buying a house was a big deal. Everyone appreciated it as a huge accomplishment and congratulated my parents.

Chinese friends visited and hosted parties in the house and relatives came and stayed with us. We enjoyed their visits. The previous owner, Captain Lewis built the house and it featured a ship’s interior décor with a three-piece bathroom and a sawdust furnace. He was a ship’s Captain. Both upstairs bedrooms each had two built-in (ship style) double bunk beds for Captain Lewis’ many kids.

We used one bedroom for my brothers Wally (Singie) and Kengie (Ken), and Wilfred (Moody) and Bernie (Honkie). Later on, Singie shared Uncle Philip’s room.

You can imagine the change in all our lives moving from a few rooms above a retail store in Chinatown to having our very own house in a nice new neigh83

borhood on Vancouver’s west side. We left behind all the street noises, lack of privacy (often no hot water as we all had to share), line ups for the bathroom, no central heating (hot in the summer and cold in the winter), our new house was like heaven. Who knows what lives in the rafters of those old wooden buildings in Chinatown. If there was a line up for the bathroom we could always go down the street to the Paramount Gas Station but that wasn’t really convenient. No, having our very own house was much better.

Our house was living space for ten people. There were five bedrooms, den, living and dining rooms, all with solid hardwood floors, full size kitchen, basement, rec. room and garage. It was my Saturday job to polish the hard wood floors on my knees. I will never forget when I was about thirteen going down into the dark basement when no one else was home and looking for the string that hung down to turn on the lights. When I found it and pulled it and the lights came on, there was a big black bear staring right at me. It was a gift a hunter had given my parents that he hung on the wall waiting for my mother to turn it into bear soup. The bear’s fur became a bear rug which lay between the living room and dining room forever.

Our house was actually quite elegant. The dining room had built-in tiffany, glass cabinets and beautiful oak panels with ‘plate holder’ edges. The beautiful solid elegant, walnut, three-piece dining room suite, with ten solid walnut and Our first house at 117 West 15th Avenue.(L-R) Singie (Wally), Gwen, mother, Moody (Wilfred), Bernie, Joan, Ken (Kengie). 1946.

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Christmas in our dining room with (L-R) top row Faye, Sing (Wally), Gwen, Keng (Ken), second row (L-R) Wilfred (Moody), Chap Kwong (father), Bernie (Honkie), Kate (mother, Joan Leong - It was always a delicious meal! 1947

leather chairs and buffet china cabinet, is now in Moody/Wilfred’s home. The full-size living room had a black brick fireplace. On the mantel were attached red and green lanterns. In the kitchen, we inherited Captain Lewis’ old electrical cooking range (a very inefficient antique), but it saved us from buying one.

Cash was scarce. The old refrigerator was better than nothing because if you lived on top of a commercial building or store in Chinatown, you certainly had no fridge or central heating. Our first house seemed genuinely luxurious like a castle with all the needed amenities. I loved the brown velvet curtains and the Venetian blinds. The public yearned for such a lovely home. I almost forgot to mention the large guest bedroom. Like Yick Fung, I can remember it all so vividly as though it were yesterday. This house made me want to have a house of my own someday.

The sad part about it all was what we left behind in Chinatown was not going to change for most men, women, boys, girls from the lower class, children and babies and this is the way we had been living for years as well. Visiting 85

Officials of the Legislative Congress Yuan (National government) from Shanghai visiting Faye’s mother and father at their house in 1946.

bathrooms in service stations and restaurants was normal for many I am sure. I can still imagine the hassles they would get into with the owners trying to keep their facilities clean for their patrons let alone have it become a drop in center for those less fortunate. We were lucky; we could afford to move into our own house but it always bothered me that so many others could not and I made up my mind that I would try and do something about it one day.

Everything costs money; especially a new house so we couldn’t afford to do everything at once that needed doing. It didn’t take long for us all to get used to our new house, although there still seemed to be an issue with space. With all the boys in one bedroom, that was difficult especially for my oldest brother Wally/ Singie. He needed his own space and it wasn’t long before a solution to the problem presented itself. The feeling begins when the others start to get on your nerves and you start saying things you shouldn’t and then you flip out over something not very important, you try to keep your head down in the universe of the house and go outside or into the basement and then it dawns on you, nothing happens by accident.

My sister Gwen was asked by Aunts Susie and Gladys to come live with them in Victoria when she was still a kid because there was more room, as our aunts were not married. Gwen saved all her “Lai Shee” or good luck red envelope money, which she received from the pioneers each Chinese New Year, as tradition. It was 500 dollars. That was a lot of money then. My father used it to convert the sawdust heating to natural gas, even though it was expensive. My mother felt it was a waste of money. Later, Singie converted the sawdust storage room in the basement into a lovely bedroom for himself. Years later, back in Vancouver, Gwen attended King Edward High School, and UBC to get her Ph.D. (Honors) in biology.

After our Chinese boys had fought so valiantly in World War II, it was im86

possible for the Canadian government to not let we Chinese become Canadian citizens. For two years after the war, the Chinese lobbied Ottawa to change the laws regarding barring Chinese from immigrating to Canada and becoming Canadian citizens. Finally, on May 12, 1947 the Chinese won what was called Enfranchisement and we were all allowed to become Canadian citizens and bring our families over to be with us in Canada. Unfortunately, not all the restrictions against the Chinese especially those having to do with jobs and where were could work were removed, many stayed in place, some for another twenty years, up until 1967.

After enfranchisement was won, my parents and I helped many eligible Chinese apply for naturalization and to bring their families over from China.

To become a Canadian citizen, you first had to fill in the papers in English, and then you were summoned to the B.C. Supreme Court before an Honorable justice. The judge would either approve or reject your application. Finally, wives and underage blood-related children could join their loved ones in Canada without restrictions caused by the Exclusion Act of 1923. Each applicant needed to bring with them a witness, and I often helped them with each step of the procedure. The pioneers were English illiterate, so they had to be assisted with their papers. I was often in court acting throughout the years as their witness, interpreter and translator when I was in my late teens.

“Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth Rip down all hate, I screamed Lies that life is black and white Spoke from my skull I dreamed Ah, but I was so much older then I’m younger than that now” 3.

I will tell you later how I single-handedly fought Ottawa between the 1960s and the 1990s. I cried inside not only for my people but for all minorities. I won more rights for not only Chinese but for all immigrants to enter Canada legally, making Canada the multicultural country it is today.”

“I thought there had to be more to this story than merely Fantasy Gardens.”

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“Oh, there’s a lot more. You haven’t heard anything yet. We’re just getting started, back to the China connection.

WOW! The establishment actually meant it, enfranchisement I mean. Every body’s life was significant. Everyone was alert though watching for the meaning of it all. But the vibrations, there was no end to the vibrations. When everyone found out that not all restrictions against the Chinese had been lifted, everything became a parable of their life. That was typical with the establishment; everyone had to still carry on playing the game. That’s the way they designed it. It’s always in their favor and not in the favor of your life, it’s the old bullshit, they didn’t even really think about it, they just gave us some rights and that was it and they are there and we are here and they were still going to keep coming at us.

It was still a bad situation where the work place was concerned. The Chinese still couldn’t get good, high paying jobs and employment prospects were still very difficult. Canada still discriminated against its minorities: NO ORIENTALS AND EAST INDIANS HIRED was a sign in all businesses in Canada.

Especially guilty of this were the multi-national corporations who wrote these restrictions right into their constitutions. It would not start to change until I in 1953 and my sister, Gwen Leong Chan (Dr. Gwen Leong Chan) in 1954 invaded The Bay and Woodward’s and convinced them to hire us. Our efforts led to a change in policy regarding hiring minorities. The old ways of doing business would then begin to fall.

This horrible situation gradually changed one step at a time over the next two decades until the Chinese in Canada were on an equal par with Caucasians, at least legally speaking. It didn’t change the thinking though of a majority of the establishment who were still racist and full of prejudice and discrimination.

There was sure a lot of talk though, everyone’s life was becoming more important than the characters in some of the best novels. It was all phony but infectious. It was all about games. The whole world was playing games, millions of people and they didn’t even know it. Even the Communist Chinese in China were playing the game of power. Their side was winning so if they wanted to call someone a hero whether he was or not they just did it. If they wanted to kill people, they just did it. Brainwashing everyone including ourselves is a game.

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The more you oppose someone the more they will want you to play the game.

It was a long time before people saw through the games being played in China and it cost a lot of people their lives.

Shortly after WWII ended, civil war broke out in China. My father’s brilliant brother, Uncle Leong Shek Tung, was a university student in Guangdong/ Canton China at that time. He and a group of university students were all killed as the Communists took over China in 1949. Mao Tse Tung killed millions and changed the course of many lives. The ROC Nationalist government, led by President Generalissimo Chang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan. The pioneer losses were dreadful. The communists honored my father’s brother, Leong Shek Tung, as a Communist hero and placed a forever plaque on the threshold of our Yen Ping Region ancestral home in the village of ‘Tit Mah Tune.’

All families in Chinatown were close to loved ones in China. They were essential to everyone’s life. Without them people in Chinatown would feel no connection to the past. Without the letters being sent back and forth a strange lonliness would set in at home. For the most part life in Chinatown was bearable but you had to force it sometimes to remain that way. Besides maintaining a home in Chinatown, people often needed to contribute to maintaining a family home in China. Every family had to do what was ever necessary to maintain both homes. But there was a locomotive coming down the track and around the bend that was about to throw everything off kilter. A really big monster train, a menace of the highest order and the only energy that could stop it was barking commands at it which would hopefully stop the monster in its tracks but if it didn’t then there wasn’t a goddam thing anyone could do about it.

In 1929, my mother had used her 24k gold wedding gifts to finance their ancestral home. She sent the gifts back to my grandfather (my father’s father), to build the house in their ancestral region. The Communist plaque was to honour my uncle’s bravery. The Communists thought my uncle was fighting for them because the group of students he was with was pro-communist. Whatever, the communists made a hero of him. Many years later this plaque saved the life of Leong Chun Gee, my half -brother. If it weren’t for this honour, he and his family would have had to go to hard labour and re-education during the Cultural Revolution. I will tell you more about the hard times of the Cul89

tural Revolution when it happened. Much later, my nephew Kerry and niece Cindy Leong travelled to our ancestral home and honoured our ancestors at their ancestral village.

Before President Generalissimo Chang Kai-shek there was Dr. Sun Yat Sen. Dr. Sun Yat Sen served as the provisional first president of the Republic of China and the first leader of the Kuomintang (Nationalist Party of China).

He is referred to as the “Father of the Nation” in the Republic of China for his instrumental role in the overthrow of the Qing dynasty during the Xinhai Revolution in 1910. He lived for a while in Honolulu, Hawaii with his brother where he learned English and then returned to China where he became disillusioned with the policies of the ruling class. He escaped to Hong Kong with his childhood sweetheart and enrolled in medical school and was one of only two to graduate from his class. Because the rulers of the Qing Dynasty refused to use western medical technology he decided to devote his life to changing the political structure of China. He was a great man!

Dr. Sun Yat Sen stayed on the second floor of a building on the corner of Pender and Carroll Street owned by the Freemasons, #1 W. Pender Street for a while. In 1910, Dr. Sun Yat Sen traveled overseas to Japan, the USA, and Canada to raise funds to overthrow the Qing/Ching Dynasty. He stayed in Boston for a long time. You can still see a sign on the side of the building in Chinatown along the top that reads Peking Chop Faye’s father Chap Kwong Leong meetSuey Restaurant which in later years was ing Dr. Sun Yat Sen in on the third floor of the same building.

Vancouver in 1910.

After WWII, the building was the home of the Kung Yee Chinese Public School sponsored by the Freemasons Association.

“Do you know anything about a letter he wrote to a colleague back home during his visit?”

“I might but not now. Don’t interrupt me or I will lose my thoughts.

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My friends were always waiting to see what I would do next. I arrive. I give no indication of what might be next such as carry a suitcase which meant I was about to take off for parts unknown. I was just a clean cut kid from Chinatown, wearing inexpensive clothes, laughing and smiling like I always did, very outgoing just someone everyone loved except for maybe a few who were jealous of my popularity I don’t know, like I said, I always glowed especially after dusk, walking around Chinatown with my friends. I got lots of letters from my genius uncle in California inviting me down. He was definitely a genius that’s for sure; he looked the part and always hung around with scholarly types. When they went out together they always looked like a college fraternity group but he had gotten a new job and I was anxious to learn more about it. I wondered if he would seem so scholarly doing what he was doing now.

I often travelled to San Francisco in the 1940s where a lot of my father’s distant cousins and friends lived. It only cost 99 dollars to fly down in those days.

I always saw my favorite scholarly uncle, Frank Lung Foon Nipp and his friend Dr. Hoenigbaum. He was a skin specialist. He discovered my allergy to wool.

As I said, Uncle Frank worked during the war as a news broadcast writer for the National Government of China in Washington, D.C. (Overseas Chinese Voice). Uncle Frank was a Chinese Canadian, and it had been an exceptional honor for him to be able to attend university, let alone an American university.

In the U.S. he was classified as a foreigner and Chinese which restricted his rise in academia.

This horrid situation existed all over North America. He was now however, doing public relations work for the Chan brothers who owned the famous Kuo Wah Chinese Restaurant in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

Faye’s Uncle Frank.

I got my first taste of high society at a young age. The Kuo Wah Chinese Restaurant hosted a dinner for the Democratic National Convention in 1949, while I was visiting. They invited me, 91

through my Uncle Frank, to be one of the VIP guests. I was seated next to James Roosevelt the eldest son of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and his wife, and behind US Vice President Barkley and his wife. Roosevelt lived nearby in Millbrook. He was instrumental in trying to draft Dwight D. Eisenhower as the Democratic candidate for president. When Eisenhower lost, Roosevelt resigned as head of the California State Democratic Central Committee. Roosevelt was a decorated WWII Major in the Navy and a colorful fellow. I remember the conversation was quite stimulating and inspiring for a young Chinese girl from Vancouver as we held hands and had pictures taken.

This trip to San Francisco didn’t disappoint and I think it was good for my uncle Frank to move into other circles outside academia. Yet, as they say you In San Francisco, California Faye with James Roosevelt the eldest son of former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, George Jue and US Vice President Alben W. Barkley and his wife behind Faye at a reception at the Kuo Wah Chinese Restaurant in Chinatown during the Democratic Convention, September 18, 1949.

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can take the boy out of the homestead but you cannot take the homestead out of the boy so I was not surprised by some of the people I met on this trip to San Francisco but it was still so exciting. I was broadening my horizon that’s for sure.

Chen Kong Min was seated across the table. He was a Chinese classical scholar from Nanking, China, and had been a classmate of my uncle, Stephen Bing Foon Mah. In 1949, he wrote the only book on the Chinese in North America. It preserved for posterity the stories of the pioneers, the Chinese scholars, the merchants and others, what their life was like and the contribution they made to society. I spent many months off and on in San Francisco. It was beautiful in those days. Easter was always a lovely time of the year. What I have been telling you is all from my diary when I was 17-years-old. That’s why I remember it so well.”

“You graduated into higher social circles.”

“I guess you could say that. I was certainly broadening my horizon and meeting people from all walks of life and social circles but back to Vancouver’s Chinatown. A lot of the people I have been mentioning, while they may not be still with us, their children are and I am in touch with many of them. I want to honor their family by mentioning their family connections to you.

Back in Vancouver’s Chinatown, a pioneer sits on a chair outside a building and smiles but says nothing. Another pioneer tells me as I walk by with a friend; he’s waiting for the game to start. Another pioneer standing beside the first says: We don’t have anything to do except wait for the games to start.

The first pioneer continues, it may not look like much but it transcends all the bullshit. The pioneers all wanted to stay away from the games the establishment played, the power, the authority, the positioning, why should they play the establishments games when they have their own games to play. God isn’t anyone listening to them these poor souls, I thought.

Another way the Chinese found to entertain themselves during these segregated times was with Chinese social clubs. Chinese social clubs in Chinatown were legally established for the Chinese pioneers to gamble for recreation on a social basis. The game was Pi Cow but rarely Mahjong. Various organization 93

tions/associations held Mahjong games which were more social. Pi Cow was for larger bets and hard gambling, serious Chinese pioneers. This was the pioneers’ only recreation. As I said, they were alone in Canada without their families.

Soon, someone opens a door and they all disappear inside one of these social clubs one by one, bowing politely to us as they go. Strangers are coming towards us down the street so it is time to leave. At least when we were with the pioneers we were safe. We could get into a lot of trouble out here all by ourselves and I would be to blame because I was the leader but we were all happy the pioneers were busy so we quickly departed. When I was young, I and my friend Kay Jung went into these gambling clubs, only on Tag Day, to tag each of the gamblers to raise money for the Red Cross (which is now known as Poppy Day). In these days, any women who frequented the social clubs were considered low class.

They were only there to entertain the men.

I remember them all so well! Gordon Lee, Gary Lee’s father, ran one of the social clubs. His brother, Henry Lee was the doorman at the entrance preventing foreigners (Caucasians) from entering, Chinese only (I always called him Chinatown Charlie). Later, when I had my own business, at 156 E. Pender, a few doors up the street, he was always there waiting for me when I drove up in front of my place. He would yell, “Get out!” then he would park my car. Henry was terrific, and I will never forget him with his cigar in his mouth and his black derby hat.

Thank God for the Chinese social clubs, at least the Chinese pioneers had some place to go, there were lots of them still out on the streets though, trudging off into the gloom, towards wherever they lived the Pioneer’s Men’s Building probably, with their hands by their sides, walking slowly, heads down, one then the other, they never got to go anywhere but then again no one in Chinatown ever got to go anywhere for that matter, what a life!

As I have said, everyone needed more than one job to survive. Gordon Lee became the first undertaker at the Armstrong Funeral Parlour. Henry Lee also drove in the Chinese funeral entourages through Chinatown. To digress for a moment, his stepson Winston Wan is the efficiency expert with Jack Gordon’s SCI-USA, funeral and cemetery conglomerate. Gordon Lee’s two sons, Gary and Alvin, are both excellent artists. I am sure you have figured out by now 94

that Chinatown for the Chinese was very special and a haven from the difficulties we Chinese faced in those days and we would protect it at any length to preserve what little we had.

Through the sunlit glass window in the front door of our house, I see a car pull up and out of the car steps my father. The Chairman is home early.

I half expect the whole neighborhood to jump with joy but that doesn’t happen. In fact, it’s all very quiet. My father has his eyes down as he walks towards our house. He is carrying something in his arms. He sees me but there is no hello, not any sign of recognition. He opens the door and comes inside and still doesn’t say anything to anybody as all have gathered behind me waiting for the Chairman. It is unusual for him to come home so early. We all rush up to him but don’t know what to say. My mother comes down from upstairs. She has long black hair and is one of the prettiest women I have ever seen. She is radiant. Then, all of a sudden the Chairman smiles and hands my mother a bouquet of flowers and lets out with a big, hurry let’s all go down to CHINATOWN for dinner. Now, that was a surprise!

Vancouver’s Chinatown was the bustling centre of commerce for the Chinese in Canada before the 1950s, because it was much bigger than Toronto’s Chinatown. Toronto’s Chinatown had fewer Chinese pioneer families. Ships from the Orient docked in Vancouver laden with Chinese merchandise and goods such as ginger, herbs; dried mushrooms rice and much more had to be shipped to Toronto by train from Vancouver. The gold rush was on the west coast and the railway ended in Vancouver, both reasons for the large number of Chinese pioneers on the west coast.

We didn’t go out together for dinner often in those days, it usually only happened on special occasions so you can imagine how surprised we all were but happy none-the-less. We all loved going down to Chinatown, especially after we moved to west fifteenth-avenue. I already had so many wonderful memories of Chinatown and would soon have many more as I grew older and met more people. My world was quickly growing and I was beginning to understand it all much better, even the discrimination.

Kuo Seun Emporium at 89 E. Pender at Columbia shipped goods across Canada and I worked at Kuo Seun from 1950 through 1953. I remember Cal95

gary, Alberta gift shop owners Linda May, Mr. and Mrs. Poon and Chung Hem who came out from Calgary to buy art gifts to sell in their shop in Calgary.

My father knew them all because he hosted conventions and gatherings in our home for people from cities all across Canada as the Chairman of the Benevolent Association in Chinatown. I got to know them all as well because I served them in Chinatown. I met people from across Canada, Saskatchewan, Montreal, and Toronto. I had a super memory. If you tell me their Chinese name, I would know them. If I read it in Chinese characters, I would recognize it. I would even get correspondence from these gentlemen starting in 1944 when I was only thirteen!”

It wouldn’t be long now before I would meet someone who would change my life forever and for the better, in oh so many ways!

“So on May 12, 1947, Enfranchisement was won, and the Chinese were able to apply to become Canadian citizens.”

“That’s right, they sure were. Amazing! Discrimination didn’t end like I said, for another ten years or more. It was still hard with the Chinese to get goodpaying jobs. I mean for the Chinese. Everybody made money off the Chinese.

Mining companies sold them penny stocks, lots of them. To go to the movies, it later cost us 25 cents to see the feature and 5 cents to see the cartoon. Yet they still discriminated against us.”

“But after 1945, the Chinese were allowed to live outside of Chinatown?”

“Yes, if they could afford it. You have to remember making a decent living was always the problem for the Chinese and other minorities. Also, twenty years of discrimination left the Chinese very wary of Caucasians and their motive tives.”

“The Chinese united in Chinatown you said?”

“No, I’ll tell you next about the many different factions in the Chinese community. The differences were caused by their birth location (Canada or China) and to a great deal by their social and economic level. None of them mixed.”

“So, they were not only wary of Caucasians; they were wary of other Chinese as well.”

“That’s exactly right.”

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“How did that change?”

“You’ll find that out shortly as well, but I’ll tell you this, I think Dean and I played a major role in first bringing the different Chinese groups together and then a major role in showing them the way forward into the Caucasian world.”

“It sounds exciting! I can hardly wait to hear how it all happened. Both Chinatowns sound like they were exciting places to come of age, despite the hardships.

An imperfect situation as you so nicely put it.”

“Oh, they were. Vancouver’s Chinatown had two opera houses. There were were lots of restaurants, all serving different kinds of Chinese delicacies and regional styles of food. There were lots of associations that helped people out when they needed it. It was not like it is today, where it costs a fortune to join an association and then they don’t do anything for you. There were lots of other businesses as well. We had our doctor, Dr. Chu and a dentist, who was Dr. Chu’s brother.”

“It sounds like a city within a city!”

“It was; that’s exactly what it was. We had our schools. We put on events like the Fiftieth Jubilee Celebrations and the Victory Parade down Pender Street in 1945 to welcome back our Chinese boys from WWII. What I’m telling you is real. I don’t make things up.”

“I found it interesting that the reason you needed to be good Chinese Canadian citizens and contribute to Canada, was so that Caucasians would see that you were just like them, trustworthy and therefore should not be discriminated against.”

“That’s true. And because I was the daughter of such prominent parents, I had to be extra well behaved. When you’re brought up to think that way, after a while, it just becomes natural, I suppose.”

“Oh, I am not so sure of that. You always hear of someone who is well brought up and from a good family, rebelling in later life, the classic rebel without a cause, rebelling for rebellion’s sake.”

“I suppose, but we had a common enemy, discrimination, which pretty much set me on a course early in my life, and it stayed with me into adulthood.

You don’t forget things like being told you’re not as good as someone else. Or 97

you’re not being allowed entry into certain establishments because of your colour. It’s what I know. I don’t speculate.”

“So, Dr. Sun Yat Sen stayed in downtown Vancouver.”

“That’s right, pretty historical, eh? Who’s who and what’s what! I will tell you more about Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s visit later. It was imperative to all Overseas Chinese but most important to the future of China and what happened there in 1910. He’s the father of modern China.”

“The building where he stayed should be made into a living history museum.”

“Good luck with that one. With the price of real estate in Vancouver, it will be torn down and a condo tower built on the land. City Hall is already allowing gentrification to take place in Chinatown. Chinatown should have been declared a National Historic Site, years ago, but all three levels of government in Canada are more interested in making money than they are in preserving Canada’s history. They keep passing the buck. I’ve got to get after them.”

“That’s sadly true, especially here in Vancouver. So, you were dining with the son of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt in San Francisco when you were seventeen.”

“Something like that, I forget exactly how old I was. My Uncle Frank was with me, so it wasn’t like I was there by myself. As I said, Chinese ladies didn’t dine by themselves. But it was pretty exciting; I have to admit.”

“It gave you a taste of high society at a very young age. I can see how you went on to meet and befriend so many people from all levels of society, during your lifetime. I’ve been reading your manuscripts, and I looked at your website.”

“Yes, it was a good training ground, I guess for sure. But I never forgot where I came from and the people I knew growing up in both Chinatowns.

They were always there for me growing up, and I was determined to be there for them for the rest of my life, which I was. Dean and I were both that way.”

“It sounds like Dean was a pretty special guy.”

“Oh, he certainly was, but I’m going to introduce you to Dean next. Dean was my extraordinary, one of a kind, forever lover.”

“I can hardly wait!

We have set the time and place of your story, learned how the two Chinatown’s shaped your early life and met a few of your friends. The only person I 98

haven’t met yet though is your hero.”

“That’s right. My husband was my hero, as you will soon hear. This is really when our story together begins. Are you ready? Do you think you know enough about the place and times and who some of the people were who came in and out of our lives? If not, you better go back and review it.”

“I hope so. I can hardly wait to hear more.”

“My story gets complicated. I hope I don’t confuse you. You have to think Chinese to understand my story.”

“Well, I’ll try my best. I’m not sure how to think in Chinese. You may need to help me along.”

“Don’t make a mole out of a big mountain. You’ll manage just fine. Here we go.”

“I’ll try not to.”

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Friends from Victoria

In Calgary

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Part Two A WARNING of the CHALLENGES AHEAD 1950s

In Vancouver

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Chapter 3

A Fine Romance They say when you fall in love it can happen when you least expect it and hit you on the head like a bolt of lightning which is exactly what happened to me.

Dean always said, he fell in love with me first and I think that’s true, I was too busy glowing and taking my friends to different places on Faye’s bus of life.

So you were a social butterfly way back then.

No, I didn’t become a full-fledged butterfly and get my wings until the 1960s, I was still in the cocoon stage of my life, a green caterpillar trying to find my way but Dean could see the butterfly within. One doesn’t expect to marry someone years older than themselves but that’s what happened to me. When I think back upon those days, we were all very lucky that Dean even made it to Vancouver after what he went through during the war but he was a lucky man.

He was always lucky they say, the luckiest boy in Yen Ping Village but I will tell you all about that shortly. First, let me tell you about Dean. That wasn’t his real name you know.

No, I didn’t know that.

No, it wasn’t. I’ll tell you all about that too.

Okay!

“Chun Kwong was to come from China in August 1948 to the University of British Columbia. His father, Leung Hing Yee who lived in Vancouver, sent him passage via ship. Chun Kwong loved his grandmother. He told his grandmother he would die from seasickness. Grandmother immediately gave him the money for airfare which, in 1948, took 36 hours flying via Philippine Airlines to San Francisco and several days for stopovers before arriving in Van103 Chun Kwong in Hong Kong before coming to North America, 1948

couver. It was still better than to be seasick on the high seas. Grandmother, handmade a black silk money pouch for him. Chun Kwong called it his ‘Chinese kidney bag.’ It was to carry his money, and it was also a symbol of prosperity, the money he was going to make. Grandmother was a landlord and collected rent money from her different buildings. My future husband later would say: “I always had pocket money during the hard times in WWII, for eating and spending.”

Walter Pang, a Hong Kong school pal, met Chun Kwong at the San Francisco airport in August 1948. Chun Kwong had written Walter from Hong Kong asking him to meet him. Walter said: “Chun Kwong was a stranger with limited English in the USA.” Walter looked after him, showed him around, took him to his first ball game and then sent him to Vancouver.

Chun Kwong was the real deal, he was well educated, not like us in Chinatown, he had school pals all over the place in Canton City, Hong Kong and even in San Francisco, he had been an actor in World War II in China and looked like Robert Taylor but here in Vancouver, he was still Chinese. The establishment had a thing about Chinese. In their minds, the worst were the educated Chinese and they descend from there. They had a thing about all Chinese but at least the uneducated ones they felt they could keep under control. It would soon be the same in China when the communists started grabbing the educated class and the landowners and the businessmen. Back in China, Chun Kwong was very popular but somehow being an educated Chinese person with a nice new suit and shiny shoes didn’t mean he would graduate to doing the Caucasian strut anytime soon, in the racist world of Vancouver.

Chun Kwong arrived in Vancouver at the University of B.C. to start his postgraduate studies. He lived with his father at his father’s Daily Fruit Market store on Burrard Street near Broadway on the mezzanine floor, which had a shallow ceiling, no heat, and no hot water. It was entirely different from where he had come. It was quite disappointing and sad to him that his father lived here. How different it was from the beautiful six-floor home and grand commercial building they owned in Canton City. His father, Leung Wah Suey/Hing Yee and 104

grandfather, Leung Sheung Yen, had sent money back to China to raise their family and educate them and to build this Canton homestead. It was Chung Kwong’s first experience with our horrid situation.

GOOD THINKING THERE CHUN KWONG. CHUN KWONG has just arrived in Vancouver feeling very out of place coming in from the old Vancouver airport in a taxi and down Fraser Street with Grouse Mountain looming in the distance. All those small newly built one level wooden houses constructed during and just after the war, houses with a view for the white establishment streaming down the hill. His first glimpse of downtown Vancouver over on Main Street reminds him of Hong Kong with all the views and the harbor and the mountains in the distance but there weren’t as many people as Hong Kong or even San Francisco and the people who were here were all white, even the policemen and customs guys at the airport, all white. The customs guys at the airport had looked at him kind of funny like he was from another planet so he wasn’t sure how he was going to fit into this strange new world, he didn’t want to be messing up the minds of the citizenry everywhere he went, something had to change.

So Chun Kwong decided he needed a different name. Dean is the highest in the educational field, so he named himself Dean. He figured he would be more comfortable in the western world if he were called Dean. His new friends at UBC though called him Lo Leung.

UNIVERSITIES SEEMED TO BE FAR AHEAD OF THE REST OF THE CAUCASIAN WORLD when it came to recognizing the Chinese. What was it that made them see so much promise in other ethnicities when the rest of the Caucasian world was beating them up? Could it be there was a competition between universities or maybe it had to do with funding. There is of course lots of evidence of the high quality of Chinese scholars going back hundreds of years so they certainly couldn’t buy into the current ideology of discrimination, if they wanted to be credible. Nor was there any evidence that these Chinese scholars would be successful in the Caucasian world they would soon find themselves in but maybe they did have hope that things would change or maybe, they were trying to effect change from within.

Dean was in one of the first groups of Chinese post-graduate students at 105

UBC and everyone in this group became close friends. One was his old classmate, Lowe Bak (Wing Lowe) who had been an old school pal in China. During World War II, they had out-run the Japanese together, staying one foot ahead of them all the time. Dean always said, “Lowe Bak’s father saved us when we moved from place to place hiding from the Japanese. Lowe Bak used some of the money his father sent him for his education to buy pork fat.” No wonder Dean had a blocked artery later in life.

KEEPING ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE JAPANESE must have been a challenge. When you think about it to the Japanese they were real life fugitives. The advantage they had though was the Japanese couldn’t ask around to the town folks in the villages to see if they had seen any fugitives. If they tried, no one would have given them a straight answer. They’re over here. They’re over there.

They’ve gone to a completely different place. They would all seem to know for sure. The Japanese never did cross paths with them even though they did come quite close on a couple of occasions.

Dean was throughout his school days known as a successful sportsman and playwright. The whole school knew the school Captain who led his team throughout Canton province. When he was running from the Japanese with his classmates during the war years, everyone in all the towns where they hid remembered him from his school days, and he received royal treatment in all the villages especially Yen Ping. They say he was the luckiest boy in the school.

It is said that if we prepare ourselves for life, then we will be ready when opportunity comes along but what is that quality that makes some people always able to see opportunity while others, always seem to be out of step with life?

Whatever it is Dean certainly had that quality. Everyone knew that whatever it was he decided to do in life no matter how difficult, he would be successful.

Certainly fitness, good health and a positive attitude and strong mental capabilities are traits that we associate with successful people and Dean had them all.

Dean was always lucky and never starved. He had a good supply of food and money. In Yen Ping Village they asked him to coach their basketball team.

Dean was their hero and he felt safe and secure as everybody looked after him because of his winning ways. He won so many awards for Yen Ping Village in 106

his school days that he became not only their sports hero known affectionately as ‘King of Sports’ but also as a director and storyteller for which he was called ‘King of Songs’. There were also great hardships being on the run and often walking for days and having to hide in the bush when the Japanese passed by on the road above.

Once a student he was now on the run from the enemy and trying to help others from his school. Once an athlete remembered by all for his winning ways now needing to use his athletic abilities to merely survive. For most of the war, he had been acting in a play called the Black Rose to bolster the morale of Chinese troops all over China but now he needed to use all his skills to merely stay alive. What is it that people draw on when times are tough to rise above the present situation and become heroes to others, it has something to do with courage I would say!

During the war, while Dean and his classmates were running from the Japanese, one of their classmates with them was a girl. She became exhausted so Wing Lowe kindly and tenderly encouraged her to keep up. She told him she liked Chun Kwong, but Chun Kwong didn’t feel the same. He patted her on the shoulder and helped her to walk alone. Chun Kwong was busy carrying his professor’s possessions. The professor had a family. They took turns helping the professor’s kids.

Luckily Chun Kwong made it through the war years and with the help of his grandmother was able to fly to San Francisco and his friend Walter Pang sent him on to Vancouver where he became known to one and all as Dean. The scene must have been one of joyful anticipation for the future within this first group of post-graduate students at UBC. I am not sure where they were taught at UBC but after the war they built a lot of huts on the university grounds. I guess money was scarce so they might have been taught in these army huts.

They had a jolly good time indeed.

They all became life-long friends. There was Wally Lee who would later open a communist store in downtown Vancouver in the 1960s (selling goods from Red China). Then, there was Jeffrey Hoy who I would get to know quite well as he was always hanging around Dean. Richard Wong, Yukon Lew and Wing Lowe, Dean’s friend and fellow student from China when they were run107

ning from the Japanese, Colin Seto, Ding Wong and Dean. They had many memorable parties’ together and social events and activities. Dean was a champion photographer in Hong Kong and China in his youth. He enjoyed very much taking and organizing his pictures. It had also been my favorite hobby in my younger days.

Dean is standing impeccably dressed in a suit, wearing a white shirt and a colorful tie gazing out the window of the Wah Kiu Chinese Public School towards Pender Street below. His hands are gentle like those of an artist and his forearms although hidden by his sleeve are long but wouldn’t be considered lanky. He is tall but looks even taller probably because his posture is so straight.

His face is very handsome with chiseled jaw and cheek bones like those of an athlete. He has often been compared to the Hollywood actor Robert Taylor as I said but without that thin moustache outlining the top of his upper lip and with his jet black hair all neatly combed he pervades an air of elegant masculinity that everyone recognizes immediately.

In 1949, Dean was in big demand. In addition to studying at UBC, he took a teaching post at the Wah Kiu Chinese Public School at 529 Gore Avenue at Pender on the top floor of the Kuomintang Building. As Bill Lee, one of his students likes to say, “And so enters, this tall, dark, handsome, young Chinese teacher.”

He taught them Chinese which was extra special. He was knowledgeable and 1949, The Overseas Chinese Student Varsity Club Dance in the Fall at UBC (first group of post graduate students aftter WWII. Back row (L-R) Verna, Tommy Wong, Annie Yee, Kate Yee, Eleanor Yee, Irene Yee, Kay Chow, Macy, Margaret, Nadine. Front Row (LR) Hornby Derr, Colin Seto, Dean Leung, Wing Lew, Yeasting, Henry Yuen, Wally Lee, Richard Wong

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intellectual and they all respected and admired him. Invitations to homes for dinner soon followed. Everyone wanted to enjoy Dean’s company. His greatest fans were the mothers and fathers who wanted to cultivate a friendship with Dean and to introduce their daughters to him. He was easily the most handsome eligible Chinese bachelor in Vancouver (if not in Canada). They also wanted their sons to be friends with Dean, to learn from him. It was considered an honour to be his friend.

I wasn’t very tall but I had beautiful long black hair just like my mother’s that fell down to my shoulders and I always dressed quite smartly for work or socializing in those days. Mother always told us to look like we belonged to someone when we went out. I was quite thin and full of energy. People said I was good looking and beautiful and that I always greeted people with a big, friendly smile. I tried to consciously dress like I belonged to someone. The worst fate that could befall any of us we felt in those days was someone thinking we were homeless, with no class, a street person. So I always tried to look smart and be accepted as an honorable member of society even at the young age of sixteen.

I was busy myself in 1948 and 1949 and went to my share of parties. One day my mother told me, I was invited by the Wong’s Association to be the leading lady in a play Dean was producing as a fundraiser. I had heard rumblings and praise for this tall, dark, young man who seemed so powerful. They told my mother that I had the right features and asked my mother if I would consent to play the leading part. I had participated in many Chinese pageants, fashion shows, dances, and parades.

“Who is this Chun Kwong Leung and where did he hear about me?” I asked.

I refused. I wasn’t an actress, “Whoever invited me must be crazy,” I said. After, they all talked about the great time they had. Even many years later when we were married, I would hear them all reminiscing about the play.

So life carried on – Who is that?

Is that my hero?

This strikes me as marvelous. I always wanted to meet my hero. Is Chung Leung going to be the hero in my new fantasy The Life & Adventures of Faye Leong, the CHINATOWN KID who is always chasing around all over the 109

world, back and forth across the country in her bus, always one step ahead of herself and larger than life and here now is this older man, a producer stirring up all the girls in Chinatown with his good looks and powerful charm. So go the fantasies of an adolescent teenager looking for her Prince Charming in every one she encounters. I can’t stop to think about it anymore, there’s too much to do you understand so many miles to go, pictures to take, diaries to write all punctuated by – it’s all in your mind, you haven’t even met him yet.

We finally meet. The Yee sisters, Mamie, Katie, Irene, and Annie, lived at 195 West 20th Avenue. I was often invited to dance parties in their basement.

After I paid my respects to their parents, I would go downstairs to their recreation room. This night, upon entering the recreation room, I noticed on the right side the men including Chun Kwong Leung, all leaning against the wall. I was escorted to a seat at the other end of the room.

Most of my friends were all older than me because I was involved with people of all ages through the Chinese pioneers and friends of my parents. I was encouraged at a young age not to discriminate on where people are from or January 7, 1950, Faye and Gwen’s party in their rec room in the basement of their home. Faye brought together different classes/groups in Chinatown. This photo includes Harry Eng, Gilbert Eng, Ernie Kent, David and Albert Chow, Katie Lee, Lillian Chow, Bessie Kent, Mary and Margaret Chow (twins) Gilbert Mar (donout man), Ken Yuen, Yew Lee

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how old they are. I was often invited to parties by my older friends.

“Oh! So this is that Chun Kwong Leung, across the room in a blue double breasted blazer jacket with gold buttons and white trousers and saddle shoes.”

There he was, his arms folded, smiling, leaning against the wall chatting with his fellow UBC post-graduates.

My escort introduced me to Lo Leung, and we spoke for the first time. Every Chinatown mother fought for their daughters to catch this eligible, handsome, Chinese classical literature scholar, this bachelor, and gentleman. I heard over the decades that the ladies would swoon over his speeches like the ‘bobbysoxers’ swooned over Frank Sinatra in the 1940s or Elvis Presley in the 1950s.

The party and meeting Dean were pleasant. But he was Dean, the older brother, and I was Faye the younger sister. We had to respect Chinese etiquette.

“Only sixteen, only sixteen And he loved me so-o-o I was too young to fall in love And he was too old to know” 4.

MY TEN MINUTES WERE UP AND THE PARTY WAS OVER. It was my first brush with this powerful, dark, handsome, stranger everyone had been talking about, the one every mother was trying to catch for their daughter, the one whose mere presence made girls swoon. I had lots to keep me busy so I didn’t expect to run into him again anytime soon but I was wrong. It seemed like a long shot that I would get to talk to him again since I turned down his offer to be in his play but as it turned out he seemed to be everywhere and our paths often crossed during the course of our daily lives.

It was hard for everyone in the Chinese community to get a job but even harder for me after I worked at my father’s Western Produce. Luckily, the Zack Brothers opened one of their Spotless Cleaners in Chinatown, and I was able to secure a position. Harvey Lowe would come in with his trousers creased from sitting as a security guard. Dean would come in as well always extra elegant and and dapper, to have his pants pressed.

Dean was always impeccably dressed. All the men wore four season hats 111

in those days. He always tipped his hat to be courteous. Chow Mee Ding, the grandfather-in-law of the now famous architect Bing Thom, always said, “Dean is the most respectable man in Chinatown.”

Whenever Dean saw me walking down the street he would stop, “Bow/Kum Yow” and greet me very courteously. Everyone in Chinatown raved at how respectable he was; a true gentleman and scholar.

It’s funny how people always want to know how you met someone, were you introduced, was it by accident, a chance encounter due to a change of plans, maybe they think if it worked for you then it might work for them as well.

Maybe they figure they haven’t met anyone interesting lately because they aren’t in the right place, I don’t know. Maybe people just like to be nosey or maybe they really, truly want to share in your good times and be a part of it all so they want to know every little detail.

If Dean and I were asked how we met and got married, Dean would always say, “I picked her up on the street corner,” or I would say, “I was picked up by Dean.”

“You’re so young and I’m so old This my darling I’ve been told Sugar sweet and oh so nice Won’t you come and be my wife” 5.

No one ever got the real story. Some Enchanted Evening from South Pacific, is so appropriate, it became our meeting song. One chance meeting and three years later, we became husband and wife so dearly, so deeply in love, forever.

“When I grow too old to dream,” this was our song, “I have you to remember.”

My strongest memories of Vancouver in those days were going to parties at my friend’s houses and being driven around in someone’s car, slipping and sliding down the hills to CHINATOWN. Everyone worked somewhere in CHINATOWN and one restaurant became our HQs, where I would sit glowing with my friends thinking we were in the center of the universe while the world carried on around outside. It was so great to be a part of something, I am 112

not sure we really knew what but we were out and about. Everything was larger than life and everyone seemed important to us even those we didn’t know (I was developing a social conscience).

I had lots of friends. We were all very busy but we always found the time to get together. Mamie Yee Wong was working at Kuo Seun Emporium on Pender Street. Dookie Wong, Raymond Lee and Lil Chan Lim worked at the Bank of Nova Scotia at Hastings and Columbia. Irene Yee worked at the Peggy Lee Beauty Salon a block away in the Holden Building. Katie Yee worked at the Bank of Commerce at Pender and Main. We would all get together for a Saturday luncheon at Yen Lock Chinese Restaurant at 135 E. Pender Street in the middle of Chinatown.

There were lots of different social groups in Chinatown that differed by their place of birth, social status and education. Many groups wouldn’t mix socially and lacked the social skills and desire to even talk to members of other groups.

I was different because of my upbringing and I found it easy to mingle with the different groups.

I got to know the Yee sisters quite well and also their brother Danny. I lived just five blocks from the Yee house, and they picked me up. Katie was the driver. In Chinatown, we would all go to our separate jobs. The Yee’s hosted a lot of parties. They were four single girls, although they were much older than me. I was the only one born in Victoria. They were an educated, mature group from China. In 1949, their father, who then lived in Saskatchewan, went to China and brought them to Vancouver. Because of my knowledge and personality, we were all able to mingle together. Their style of communication and expression was different from the other groups.

The action - meaning how far I could get ahead in a job – was over for me at Spotless Cleaners. I couldn’t advance any further nor make more money which was often the reality of many of the jobs available to us Chinese. No matter how much fun we all had, we all still had to make a living and get ahead in life.

Pretty soon I would be older and life would pass me by and I would still be working in a dead-end job with no future. Everything in Chinatown economically speaking was about getting ahead.

Mr. Seto Kuo, of Kuo Seun Emporium, came to steal me away from Spot113

less Cleaners. I became his director of sales. He was an astute businessman who exported goods across Canada. He was also the largest importer of Chinese herbs and traditional medicine throughout Canada. The Emporium was like a department store. Wherever there were Chinese, he successfully imported to them. He added a pharmacy department while I was there. That was for western medicine.

We were all looking towards the future so Kuo Seun Emporeum offered an opportunity for me to get ahead, at least for the time being. I am not sure how Mr. Kuo found out about me or what made him think I would be a good employee for his business but maybe it’s best that we don’t always know these things, but just be happy when they happen. I was young and full of energy and could help breathe new life into his business and I guess he saw that and that’s exactly what I did.

I increased sales for Mr. Kuo. When I became sick with bronchitis Mr. Kuo and Walter Wah Gor Chan visited me at our home to tell me; my job was always waiting for me. I was an expert in Chinese merchandising. I could read and write and fill the Chinese orders (they were all in Chinese). Mr. and Mrs. Kuo appreciated my abilities. His staff was surprised that I could mix Chinese and Western culture as they were mostly elderly and from China. I ate lunch and dinner with them, which was traditional Chinese cooking that most Chinese Canadians wouldn’t eat so they knew I was no snob. They realized I was different. I won their hearts, love, and respect and later they became my clients when I had my own business.

Our house on west 15th Avenue always had lots of visitors – we never knew who was going to come to visit, it gave me a chance to see what my friends were really like some restrained, some reflective, some just plain crazy. 15th Avenue and Manitoba was a typical lower west side neighborhood in those days with picket fences and wooden two story houses. The window frames were often painted white and there were lots of shingles, usually painted brown, which was an earthy tone. It was a world away from skid row Chinatown but despite all the trimmings, home is where the heart is and where friends gather.

Throughout 1950, the more mature overseas Chinese students would come to visit me including Dean. They had lived through the war in China, and my 114

father was most interested in hearing what had happened to his brother Leong Shiek Tung. We learned later that the National Kuomintang government executed my father’s brother for participating in a pro-communist rally. Charlie, Stan Nagi, and Andy Wong were friends from Victoria who often came to visit me. Gwen would play the piano. When Dean started coming, he sang and Henry played the violin, and we all played Bridge and my mother would make food for my guests at midnight.

“It sounds like they were really good times!”

“Yes, they were good times.

My whole single girl hip life style – out with the girls, parties with the girls, and lunch on the weekend with the girls started to change about this time. I found myself being drawn more and more towards this powerful, handsome, university educated, teacher that every mother wanted for their daughters to marry, the Dean phenomenon, although I still only thought of him as my older brother. The hip scene for me now seemed to mean two not one, we were gradually thinking as a couple at least always doing things together, yet the word love, still never really entered my head if that makes any sense.

I got Wednesdays and Sundays off. Five and a half days a week, forty-eight hours was good. Mr. Seto increased my pay to 90 dollars a month. By now, Dean’s and my friendship had turned into what in those days was called courtship, Dean would walk by my Columbia Street window with his handsome smile and nod his head to let me know he was waiting for me on Wednesday afternoons. He didn’t teach until four p.m. and finished at six p.m. On Wednesdays, I was off at noon. These were extraordinary happy times in 1950 and 1951. We sometimes went to the Honey Dew Café in the Toronto Dominion Bank Building at Hastings and Cambie. Then we would go to Sunset Beach or Third Beach and enjoy our time together. Besides dancing, this was our favorite thing to do. Dancing was Dean’s passion, and it became our great hobby. I was naïve and didn’t feel the love growing and our friendship, romance, did not happen right away because I still thought of him as my big brother.”

“The detail is superb. Good thing you thought to keep a diary.”

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“Yes, I always kept a diary in those days. I’ll read some more.

So I was starting to get the trend of thinking as a couple in the Chineseworld of Vancouver. Meantime, Dean and I had a very public spirited project we began thinking about. We had many friends in many groups and we wanted to bring them all together. We wanted them to all think about the future, it was going to be a GRADUATION CEREMONY out of Chinatown with a safe landing somewhere in the Caucasian world. Thinking beyond Chinatown with its discrimination was dangerous but we could do it if we all united together as one. The script was very popular in Chinatown amongst the different social groups who included the following.

My Golden Phoenix Girls Club girls were all from Vancouver, not China. It was a Chinatown YWCA group run by Esther Fung and directed by Florence Chu. For us, it was an extension of our teen years at Chinatown Y. Another group, considered snobbish, formed another CS Club. Some of their mothers invited Dean over to their houses under the pretense of their son’s friendship with Dean. They were mostly born with a silver spoon in their mouth. They were too wealthy. Besides these two groups, I had good friends, from Chinese school who were Chinese who had been born in Canada like me. Betty Wong, Nellie Chin, and Norma Koo, I had close friendships with them throughout elementary school. These friends did not often mix with the kids from China.

It was even more complicated. Some boys and girls from China were from villages and unsophisticated while others were from the cities. Those from the city could be classified as either university educated or not so well educated with less polished manners. None of them mixed socially.”

“I see what you mean now about the different groups.”

“Yes, there were quite a lot of them.

A big event having to do with the war took center stage which grabbed all our attention. Anything that had to do with war was important to all Chinese because the war represented our liberation from oppression. Everyone in Chinatown always attended any event that had to do with the war. We all roared together and couldn’t help boasting about how better things were now after Enfranchisement, at least on paper. Dean and I were still working on putting 116

together a GRADUATION CEREMONY but we all needed to join in when events regarding the war came along.

The Chinese Veterans of World War II (Pacific Unit 280) formed in 1950, met on the second floor of 112 East Pender Street. Dean and I, as I said, became two of their first charter members. It was here that the Vets held their regular meetings and functions. We were served tea and sandwiches by the Chinese Vets Ladies Auxiliary who faithfully and loyally made all the sandwiches and goodies which they had frozen for each occasion.

I remember one time I asked, “How long have these been frozen?”

“Two years,” someone said.

That scared the devil out of me! Dorothy Leung, the wife of veteran Captain, Dr. Won Leung, was the Leader of the Ladies Auxiliary for many years. Mrs. John Ko Bong made her famous Australian Angel Food cake which was always one of the highlights served at the tea parties which Dean and I attended.

All eyes were on Dean and me or so we felt. The thing was, to get them all together. The thing could mean the future, parties, life, success, the way forward, salvation, prosperity, a better life, it wasn’t a negative word. We wanted to do something big to bring everyone together and soon we would do just that. But for starters, we did what we could as a couple.

Henry Yuen was very fond of my friend Nellie and asked Dean to double date with me and Nellie. So we went dancing at the Cave Night Club in Henry’s jalopy, an old black Desoto. As a good sport, I kept Nellie, company. We often went to the Cave, the Palomar, Isy’s, all the nightclubs. Henry’s father owned the original English Bay Cafe, and we would have parties upstairs above the cafe.

Faye and Dean with Nellie Chinn and Henry Yuen at the Cave Supper Club celebrating Dean’s birthday, March 17, 1952.

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The ladies never asked the men to dance or to go out on a date. That was considered undignified. Chinese-Canadian men and women socialized in a limited way. Chinese women were not allowed to go out by themselves. They had separate classes as well. People at the top tended to be snobbish.”

“I haven’t heard the name Desoto in years.”

“No, times have changed, haven’t they.”

“You can say that again!”

THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO IN THOSE DAYS FOR ME AND DEAN around town with our groups of friends while we tried to figure out what our big public spirited project was going to be. My friends took Dean and me pretty much for granted. They all thought I was pretty silly whenever it came to any questions about my relationship with Dean. They were all just eager to know what was happening. HECK, I didn’t even know what was happening; they seemed to know more about it all than I did. So I kept my cool to show I had pride. But nobody seemed to care about that, they just kept asking questions and I kept giving them silly answers.

At the end of 1950, Dean invited me to the annual Chinese Veterans Christmas Ball, in Happyland on Christmas Day, at the P.N.E. It was the event of the year. It was the who’s who of the Chinese community. The ladies were always eager to be asked to go. There was also a formal ball in Victoria on the twentyfourth of May, earlier in the year. We would go to Victoria to see the parade and the sporting events such as Chinese basketball and later the Chinese Golf Club and dance gala. It was excellent fun. It was always a joint social event between Vancouver and Victoria, not a competition. We also looked forward to the Labor Day Dance and golf tournament in Vancouver as well when the Victorians would come to visit.

My girlfriends bugged me over and over if Dean had asked me to be his date for the formal ball. The girls always expected to be invited. Everyone knew that Dean would ask me. They laughed and giggled at my reply.

“Why should he ask me?” I said. “He might want to take someone else.”

So we all just hung around and Dean continued to bow courteously whenever we met on the street, Chinatown noises continued into the night, babies 118

cried, my friends continued to flip out over my silly answers, I glowed, people walked up and down, the pioneers kept a watchful eye on Pender Street as we all waited for some sign from Dean.

Then it happened, he asked me! I wore my blue laced mandarin collared gown with layers of blue and pink nets which I wore as the maid of honor for Aunt Gladys and Stephen Nipp’s wedding on June 15, 1950, in Victoria B.C. at Christ Church Cathedral. It was a remarkable time on that Christmas day.

My parents hosted a Christmas dinner for all their Chinese bachelor friends and the pioneers from the community. Mr. Dong Yuu Wai, the owner of Yen Lock Chop Suey Restaurant and C.C. Ho, C. C. Liu, and Dean arrived to pick me up. Dean gallantly entered our living room. He was in his tux, white scarf, and cashmere overcoat. The guests applauded. I came out in my beautiful lace gown. They say I was radiantly beautiful, and I can still hear the lovely compliments to Dean and me. Dean looked so handsome and elegant with his bow tie and white silk scarf draped over his black overcoat. We waltzed to the Blue Danube and tangoed to Jealousy that night into the wee hours of the morning around a huge dance floor.

Dancing was our passion. We always tried to go places together where we could dance. It got so we could dance anywhere in a hallway, behind a fence outside, in our living room, at the office, anywhere there was a wide open space we learned to use it to our advantage but we danced best in a ballroom that was designed especially for dancing and of course the more people the better. No floor was impossible to dance on for us as long as we were together.

We would always try to get out on the dance floor first before anyone else could ask me to dance. Dean and I always preferred to dance together. Dancing was always so enjoyable to us. It felt as if we were in another world. We danced tangos, rumbas, sambas, cha cha, flamingo, bossa nova, twists, rock, fox trots, waltzes, to the lyrics of “Always,” and “I Love You Truly,” and the admiration of the dancers who often copied but never equaled Dean’s fancy choreography.

Back at our house, everything carried on as usual. People came to visit my parents. Slowly, I was getting to know more and more people. What with all the visitors, the dancing, the bus and all my friends, I was a busy girl. We went to 119

a lot of parties and clubs. There was so much going on I sometimes wondered about the importance of everything, how did it all and I fit into the universe so to speak, I’d often mull it all over until I had mulled the hell out of it and then someone in his wisdom would say, nothing happens by accident.

C.C. Ho and his colleague, C.C. Liu were interesting fellows and friends of my parents. C.C. Liu was a Shanghai businessman who partnered with C.C. Ho and established a Chinese magazine here called “Life Mirror.” They imported Cantonese Chinese movies from Hong Kong that were shown every Sunday at the Avon Theatre which was the old Pantages Theatre at 142 E. Hastings Street.

[C.C. Lui also founded the Buddhist temple on East 49th Avenue.] C.C. Ho was the best man at mine and Dean’s wedding because he was a family friend and was always with us in our home. He was always joking around with us, in a respectable way. Henry Yuen should have been the best man at our wedding.

He had been a close friend of Deans since Dean’s arrival in Vancouver.

Here’s a thought, think about the term Mr. Everyone had two ways of referring to Dean. If it’s on a casual or trivial note or something off the cuff they are talking about, it’s just Dean. But if it’s Dean as an authority figure, a person of stature and importance, he becomes Mr. Leung. This can sometimes come off as insincere but if you want to change the tone in a room, it works. Funny, how one little word can change people’s vibrations from good or bad.

In January 1951, it was decided I and my friends would get a group together and go to Victoria to introduce the guys to my Victoria girlfriends. At Beacon Hill Park by Ross Bay Lookout, I was standing by the rail looking out over the ocean. Dean came up behind me and climbed up on the railing and pointed out to sea and said, “Look at that beautiful future.” It didn’t dawn on me that it was our future to be together that he was meaning. I still only thought of us as good friends.

As usual, the girls all went wild when they met Dean. My aunts even addressed him as Mr. Leung. They respected him also because they were all academic teachers. Even after we married, for many years they still called him Mr. Leung out of respect and admiration. They all loved him!

Everything in everybody’s life was significant. We were all watching for the meaning in everything. But not everyone had the good fortune and upbring120

ing that I had bestowed upon me with important parents and a wonderfully intellectual family of hard workers. There were lots of kids that were trapped in the past by their parents and trying to find a way out. The situation they often found themselves in was much different than it was for me and they often tried to rebel.

Chinatown was steeped in tradition and superstition. Dong Way Yu was an old friend of my parents who as I said owned the Yen Lok Restaurant at 135 East Pender next to the Wing Sang Building. Sherman Dong, his son, was a playboy. His daughter Han was a C.O.D. bride. She came from China for a matchmaking marriage in Norfolk, Virginia. Dong Way Yu convinced my parents to let her stay in our home for several days, which ended up being for a few months because she didn’t want to go to Virginia.

Anyway, and so the camaraderie continued, everyone joining in and having the time of their lives as if everything is fine in the whole wide world. We all enjoyed ourselves immensely in those days as if it was all never going to end.

Of course we knew it would eventually end but it became so infectious that it was easy to get lost in the moment.

We all went up once to snowy Grouse Mountain in January 1951 and it would be a day to remember forever. Dean and I had to borrow ski clothes Snowy Grouse Mountain, Faye and Dean’s first time up the mountain in winter, January 1951. Faye and Dean with Florence Ding Mah, Helen Lee, Henry Yuen, Alice Louie, Jack Eng, Tommy Lee.

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from my brother because we were not outdoor, sports types. We took the Grouse Mountain ski-lift up to frolic in the snow. There were twenty of us.

Four of us, Henry Yuen and Nellie Chin and Dean and I, paired off to enjoy the freezing snow. Dean always looked after me and protected me.

It was sort of like a game that we knew was going to end but we just didn’t know exactly when it would end. At least we knew it was a game which is more than I can say for the Caucasians with their silly rules and restrictions. They all acted like discrimination was right but we knew it wasn’t. It was good though that we had all these good times to look back on later on because as I said, they certainly didn’t last.

Throughout 1951, our group of friends invited us to ever so many functions.

There were many fun events that we all enjoyed. Everybody accepted life as it was, with everybody contributing to help make life better. We didn’t have much money, but we had many good times. Everybody chipped in whether it was volunteer work with food or money. Dean and I were very actively busy with parties, work and community activities which we recorded in photographs and our papers. It’s so precious now to have this recorded history.

I was good looking with a pretty smile and as I said had black hair down to my shoulders, not how one would expect the quintessential Chinatown Kid to look, well dressed, with good manners sort of like a Chinese version of Shirley Temple, I could dance ramble, ramble, I was a leader so I could show others what to do, I was positioning myself to one day take over the world, well, not quite but you get what I mean.

I wrote, produced and directed a traditional Chinese wedding for the International Brides Festival on May 2, 1951, at the Hotel Vancouver. Proceeds went to the YWCA. Ng Shew was in the production. Remember I told you that he was the only de da (Chinese bugle) player in Chinatown. I was now nineteen years old.

Was there no end to my talents and then with Dean by my side, we were almost ready to take on the world, almost. I never had a hard time concentrating because I was always fascinated by the world around me and everyone in it. I shudder to think what life would have been like for me if I hadn’t been so conscious of my surroundings and cared so deeply for the people around me.

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Dean and I would do a lot to raise people’s awareness of our Chinese-Canadian community over the years and to respect it. We both kept diaries of our activities in the city. I always felt that Canadian-Chinese heritage is a compelling, precious history that needed preserving for posterity.

Dean and I danced almost every night with our friends. We were in time with each beat as if it were a part of us. Everyone complimented us. Over the years, people from all over told us how they admired our dancing.

It is all well and fine to live in a fantasy world for a while when we are growing up but then there comes a time when we all must wake up and see things for what they are and accept life and all its possibilities. A time to put aside the bus of life and the mom and apple pie version of the world, no more Shirley Temple, step aside here comes the Chinese version of Elizabeth Taylor the original Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and the star of National Velvet getting ready to run the race of her life. But you know what? People want you to grow up and be what you can be. They don’t want you to be lost in childhood fantasies forever and certainly no one wants to be Shirley Temple for the rest of their life either.

Before the Christmas Ball of 1951, Nellie Chin and another friend Linda Loo, and I decided to go to San Francisco to visit Nellie’s sister and my uncle, Frank. Dean contributed US100 dollars for my trip. That was a lot of money then. He helped me roll it into a ball of wool (I was knitting him some dark blue argyle socks and a sweater). These were fashionable then with beautiful beehive wool, made of light ply and very soft. I knit him many pairs at the time. Nellie Chin was to meet her boyfriend, George Lee, who on this trip enhanced their romance which blossomed into an engagement and they married on April 20, 1953. I was the maid of honour, and Mary Hoy was her bridesmaid. On this San Francisco trip Nellie, Linda, and I sat at Martha and Donald’s home, Nellie’s sister in Alameda, California, where we stayed. As we teased Nellie about her new romance with George Lee, girl’s talk, to my astonishment Nellie barked out about Dean, declaring we were in love. It shocked me because I still didn’t think of us this way or feel that way, but they said they could tell by the way Dean looked at me. It was in his eyes they insisted.

“You’re crazy,” I said. “That’s impossible. There’s no such thing.”

With this song and dance, they encouraged me.

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“You two are a match,” Nellie said. “The way you are when you are together, I can see it in your eyes and his eyes,” she continued.

“It’s clear that you’re in love.”

Boy, did they all give me a hard time and have fun teasing me as girls do. All the gossip and good fun was girl’s privilege. WOW!” “Wow is right! So, you two finally met.

“We sure did! We didn’t hit it off right away, though.”

“So you say.”

“As they say, love grows, but gradually over a short time, I realized I was in love. He fell in love with me sooner than I with him, I think.”

“Dean was quite accomplished by the time he arrived here in Vancouver.”

“Oh yes, he was, that is why he was in such high demand. His looks helped too. He was very good looking. They used to compare him back home to the actor Robert Taylor.”

“Dean was quite lucky to have survived the war days.”

“Yes, he certainly was. Those were terrible times. He was just all-around lucky, I think. Some people are like that.”

“They say we make our luck. When opportunity comes knocking, and we are ready, we seize the day. You had accomplishments yourself and had done some travelling to California.”

“Yes, I was always busy helping someone just like my parents. I guess it’s in the blood. I enjoy being a part of a group where we all work for the common good of all.”

“What I like most about what you have been telling me is it shows a different side of you to the reader. The public these days thinks of Faye Leung from your Vander Zalm Days, the hat lady extraordinaire. This chapter shows you long before those days when you were a young romantic, falling in love for the first time and all the fun you had with your friends. There is a real innocence about all your adventures in this period of your life.”

“That’s true. It was long before Vander Zalm. I’m just the same as everyone else. I had my dreams, my hopes and my wishes, as all young girls do. I like to think I still do. I hope I haven’t grown so old and cynical that I have forgotten 124

what it was like to be a young girl in love for the first time.”

“Oh, I don’t think you have forgotten a thing (she smiles).”

“Life is hard enough what with everything that gets thrown at us on a daily basis. If you cannot remember the innocence of youth and the good times, you miss out on a lot.”

“You sure had lots of friends.”

“Oh, yes, and good ones and I still do. I am still good friends with many of my childhood friends. Many of my friends stayed around Vancouver, and we see each other at functions yearly. That’s one reason I go to so many functions and events to see my old friends, how else will we know who is still alive?”

“Good point! I see what you meant regarding the different social classes in Chinatown.”

“Yes, we brought them together through different functions, and it worked.

If we hadn’t invited so many of them to join our social events, they never would have learned to get along with each other, and they certainly never would have been able to make it in the Caucasian world.”

“So, events and functions and bringing everyone together were pretty much what those days were all about.”

“Pretty much!”

“And your friends helped bring you and Dean together by planning parties and functions where you could meet and get to know each other.”

“That’s right. That’s one of the things lacking in society today, I think. Young people don’t have the same opportunities to get together and mingle and meet other young people. That’s when they start to go astray and get involved in drugs and other bad things.”

“You could be right about that. Everything today is so fast-paced that often young people get left out or are forced to grow up too fast.”

“I’m happy that we had the time in our youth, to get to know others and were not forced to grow up too fast. It made us much more socially minded human beings, I think.”

I would agree. I always told my kids when I was teaching to take a year off after high school and backpack around Europe. Too many kids today go right into university before they get a chance to grow up and mature. The problem is, 125

of course, that society today is very competitive, and everyone wants a university degree to get ahead. And it is so expensive now. That is not to say it wasn’t competitive in your day, but the scale of it all seems much greater today than in earlier days.”

“I understand what you’re saying. The world today is running at a much faster pace, and if you don’t keep up, the fear of many kids, is they will be left behind.”

“So your friends encouraged you and Dean to get together.”

“Oh, it didn’t take much encouraging, I assure you, certainly not on Dean’s part. But I guess I was just naïve at first and unaware of my true feelings. I would say that is what they made me aware of more than anything, my true feelings. I always liked him, but I didn’t realize I was falling in love.”

“I can hardly wait to hear how you finally became man and wife.”

“You will enjoy the story. It’s a real cliffhanger with a few unexpected twists.”

Yeah, yeah, yeah right! says Dean, breaking into laughter as if I just said the funniest thing in the world. Hah, hah, hah with his eyes glowing and his face beaming from ear to ear. I was glowing too as I was finally beginning to see the love between us growing. It didn’t matter what either of us said, we were now always in total agreement with each other just like when we were on the dance floor. Life was become one big dance party in more ways than one and would soon lead to us discovering the way forward with our public spirited project and everyone’s graduation ceremony out of Chinatown.

Upon returning home from San Francisco in 1951, Nellie, Mary Lee, and my other girlfriends, all created more opportunities for our relationship to develop into a more serious romance. At a Halloween Party at Phyllis Sung’s home where Nellie and I dressed as twins, our relationship was further enhanced and love blossomed. We had lots to talk about with our many interests.

A SHORT GUY, COMES INTO A DANCE HALLCARRYING SOME kind of a wooden chest, he looks very distinguished but you can tell by his hands clutching the wooden chest that he has worked hard all his life. The crowd in the hall gives him a big ovation and so do Dean and I. So we finally figured 126

out what our public spirited project was going to be. It had to do with a dance, a song, my Golden Phoenix Club Girls, the above distinguished short guy and this wooden chest. It was nothing like what either of us ever could have imagined.

My Golden Phoenix Club Girls sponsored dances (I was one of the leaders) and Dean helped. The Pagan Love Song was our theme song. At one dance, Mr. Seto Kuo donated a small hand-carved camphor chest which Dean and I won as a door prize. It was good luck. The club led to me and Dean forming the “Mei Wun Choristers,” made up of Golden Phoenix Club Girls and ChineseCanadian and China boys and ladies. The most beautiful thing about the Mei Wun Choristers was that we were all from different social backgrounds. We all worked hard to create this first, men’s and ladies Chinese mixed choir in Chinatown. Dean was the leader. He wrote and directed the lyrics and musical arrangements by Kay Kent which were suitable for our choir, under choir director Margaret Forrester. The famous number one chart song, Rose, Rose I Love You, Dean wrote out in Chinese and sang in Chinese, as well as others: My Hero, Chocolate Soldier, It’s a Grand Night for Singing and Red Sails in the Sunset.

Members of the Mei Wun Choristers with Margaret Forrester (choir master) standing next to Gim Wong (center back) at Gim’s home, January 22, 1952. Chinese New Year’s Party.

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The Mei Wun Choristers would soon be center stage waiting for Dean. We didn’t look like much at our first rehearsal nor did we have any place to sing once we had learned a few songs but that would soon all change. There were a lot of random notes at first but we had a genius in charge in the form of Lo Leung. I can’t say for sure that he was a genius but hunched over a table in a corner writing out some musical scores wearing casual clothes, he could have been mistaken for a Chinese Gene Kelly ready to break into a song and dance routine at any given moment. One could see the muscles in his leg straining as as he leaned further over the table oblivious to the rest of us gathering around.

It was quite a scene as we all got organized and waited for the show to begin.

Dean could take on any subject and become a pro. He designed the men’s white mandarin jackets with black pants and I designed the ladies royal blue Chinese Cheongsam gowns with red trim, custom made by Mrs. K. Lee my mother’s friend. In those days, it was tough to find or make Cheongsam gowns here in Canada. The only place you could have them made was in Hong Kong, and it would have taken an eternity to get them to Vancouver in 1951. China was Communist, (closed to the west) and Taiwan was not able then to export Chinese handmade gowns. Dean designed a lovely blue membership card.

Wally Lee was around to help. We were so good that we were invited to sing in many events such as festivals, the P.N.E. and other Caucasian functions. My parents’ friend from Vernon B.C., Wong Kuo Choy knew my abilities. He was the Chairman of the Vernon B.C. Chinese Freemasons. He invited our choir to sing in Vernon’s 60th Diamond Jubilee and asked me to write, direct and produce a traditional Chinese wedding with all the trimmings. It was a great honor.

It truly did become our GRADUATION CEREMONY out of Chinatown in more ways than one. We were actually doing it breaking out of the old world and coming out into the new world. Why should we continue to worship the old way and our elders form of authority, we each had a voice and together we could sing out our message loud and clear and for the first time in our young lives we were being heard, oh it was glorious and magnificent! We were magnificent, Dean was magnificent. All these Chinese kids from different backgrounds, now together singing out and letting their voices be heard, as one.

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We were a smashing success!

With my experience in producing pageants, I told Mr. Wong Kuo Choy, that I would create a traditional wedding ceremony that the choir could act out for the City of Vernon. I researched with many elders and fine-tuned all the classic details. Everyone helped. Dean played the father-in-law, and I played the mother-in-law. It was a onetime only production that night in Vernon, and never again. It was a significant event in all our young lives.

It was a busy time. Smokey Smith, a Victoria Cross recipient, was in attendance. We got to sightsee around the Okanagan. Dean and I delivered speeches in Chinese and English to the audience and thanked the City of Vernon and the Chinese Freemasons.

That evening Dean was a great speaker. In China, he was a great playwright, director, and orator of many plays. Dean and I shared everything, and we were soon to become husband and wife. We had the entire Chinese community’s support.

Celebrating Vernon B.C.s, 60th Diamond Jubilee with a traditional, Chinese formal wedding ceremony. The bride and groom are seen here kneeling in front of the mother and father of the groom (played by Faye and Dean), in order to be accepted into the family, 1952. The traditional Chinese wedding altar with candles and incense burner can be seen in the background. It was a good omen and offered double happiness.

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We knew that if we Chinese just worked together we could move mountains and soon we did. It was all about trusting one another and everyone doing his part. The old ways were all about divide and conquer which is why the white establishment put us all in Chinatown away from them in the first place.

Then, they could start undermining our community and our family structure and that’s exactly what they tried to do with their many restrictions over the years. But if we stood together like my parents and family had done, as one, the establishment couldn’t hurt us as much as they had hoped. We needed to all stand together and be united and work for the common good of all.

THROUGH THE SHEET OF GLASS IN THE DOORWAY and down a road to the motel where we were staying in Vernon comes our bus. We need to be ready by 9:15 to get to where we are going next. It’s the 9:15 shouts the

Break on their road trip to Calgary after Vernon, 1952.

bus driver as he steps out on to the pavement. 25 dollars he yells if you are getting on this bus. Two by two, he adds as we line up. He continues, three 130

O’clock is when we arrive at our destination, there are forty-five seats on this bus check the ticket for your seat number, that’s seat twenty-four and twentyfive, he says to Dean and me. Everything is about numbers, no hello, how are you, thanks for using our bus, just numbers so we play the game and get on board. Oh ya I almost forgot, we’re still in the Caucasian world even though we have graduated out of Chinatown.

After Vernon B.C., our train ride to Calgary holds the fondest memories.

It was a joyous ride and a very, cherished moment in our young lives. Jeffery Hoy and Dean and I traveled to Edmonton to meet Dookie and see her brother.

With Dookie, we went to Jasper and Calgary. In Calgary, we visited Hornby Derr (also a great person who excelled in the quick waltz in his UBC days in Vancouver). Dean and my father got Hornby a Calgary Chinese public school teaching position. Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Poon (a trustee at the Calgary public school), Herman Lowe (whose family were in Calgary and knew Alderman Ho Lim) and Betty Yipp and Ruby Lee Fong (my friends from Victoria B.C. who moved to Calgary) showered us with great hospitality and took us to a Calgary night club and then to Banff.

Dean explained to me that the ancient taboo (that two people with similar last names should not marry) was superstition and wrong. Besides, he was from a completely different part of China from my ancestral homestead. I was exhausted from my production work and my responsibilities with the Mei Wun Choristers (there were two busloads of us). I always worked so hard that I would collapse from exhaustion. Any other young men introduced to me were hopeless now, as the old Chinese proverb says. Dean and I were soon deeply in love and not afraid of others knowing.

Getting married for us would prove to be a big challenge! Usually everyone is happy when one gets married but if getting married means breaking the rules for some, then that can cause problems. The age old problem of, old world thinking versus new world thinking, each side can explain their point of view but if one is not convinced and they don’t want to play the game then there is a problem. And, if you ignore the situation as often is the tendency with the younger generation, then you still have a problem so it is often best to approach the problem head on and try and work it out. Victoria was a completely diff131

erent world from where Dean was born. No connection. We must not be ashamed and worry about gossip. We needed to keep our heads up and proudly show our affection and love for each other. It was nobody’s business or future but ours. Respectively, my parents believed in the old Chinese teachings and saw things differently.

We needed to find someone my parents looked up to, to plead our case to my parents. Someone who was a hero to them, someone they looked up to, someone respectable, someone who was smart and knew what he was talking about and someone who also knew Chinese history. A very beautiful thing was happening, things were changing for the Chinese and other minorities in Canada, and we could now vote and become Canadian citizens. A lot of people’s minds were opening up to new ways of doing things but sometimes they needed a little help from someone they respected. They needed to know it was all right to think differently in this brave new world in which we all now found ourselves.

Chinese Consul-General Wei and Mrs. Wei of the China National Government; were good friends of mine and Deans. He often had us over to his official residence at 3351 Marguerite Drive for parties and functions, and we helped as assistant host and hostess for him and Madame Wei. Consul Jeffery and Eva Liang and Consul Chu also became dear friends for life (There were many consuls). My parents respected Consul-General Wei and were also good friends of the Wei’s. Dean was thinking of marriage. Dean went to Consul-General Wei to plead our case and ask him to convince my parents that it was okay for a Leung to marry a Leong (It was taboo for Chinese with the same last name to marry). All hell broke loose! My parents were so mad they almost threw Consul-General Wei out of their house. They had nothing against Dean; they loved Dean. It was just that they felt they would lose face because they believed in the 500-year-old taboo. I didn’t know if they had any previous idea that we were in love or that Dean had proposed. We always had groups of friends surrounding us so it may have been hard to identify what was what. Maybe they thought one of my girlfriends was Dean’s girlfriend as they knew everyone was trying to hook Dean for their daughter. They just loved Dean, but not as my future husband.

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It was as if my parents didn’t know what was happening in the world around them. People were changing their way of thinking but the fear and paranoia of the past made it difficult for many to move forward. They were still afraid of that knock on the door and someone telling them they were being deported because they were Chinese Nationals and they hadn’t played the game. They knew better but the fear still got the best of them and they wouldn’t let go of the old ways and instead, took it out on us. We had to get them to think differently but how was the question?

Dean and I were cut off. I was quarantined at home and not allowed to return to my job. I collapsed in a nervous breakdown. Dean gave me a 5x7 photograph he had taken of himself (sitting by a statue of an airplane at the airport) to keep with me until he found a solution. Our song was still When We Grow Too Old Too Dream, I’ll Have You to Remember. I was allowed no telephone, with strict orders from my parents to my brothers and sisters. Dean was not allowed into our home. It was torture. Of course, we cried our eyes out. Dean was devastated but steadfast and full of encouragement. For the first time in my life, I was isolated from my family and confined to my bedroom where I gazed into the garden from the window. That’s all I can remember.

IN OUR LIFE LONG QUEST TO HELP OUR PEOPLE LIVE A BETTER LIFE we couldn’t help wondering if this was a warning of things to come. Maybe it wasn’t going to be as easy as we thought to make life better for everyone, including ourselves. Taboos are only powerful if people believe in them and there were a lot of Chinese who still believed in them. How could we bring our people into the Caucasian world if we couldn’t even convince my parents that it’s all right for us to get marThis 1949 photo Dean gave to Faye to remember him by her side always lovingly forever. It was taken at the Vancouver airport.

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ried? We couldn’t worry too much about it though for the moment, as we had to solve our own problems first but we wondered more and more about what lay ahead for us if we chose to continue trying to make life better for everyone as well as ourselves.

How I lived and survived through it all, I don’t know. Maybe I was sustained by the memory of many cherished times with Dean. We had been seeing each other now for more than two years. Everybody including our most influential family and friends over generations was on our side. Peter Hem jumped on the bandwagon to encourage Dean and me not to give up. Their moral support to us and also to beg my parents verbally was appreciated. My parents ignored everybody and made life miserable for Dean and me, which was unfair. We had done nothing wrong. Dean was the most elegant, intelligent and scholarly young man and my parents should have been proud to have him as their sonin-law. Dean loved and respected our family, but they were blind with pride and what people thought. My aunts did not approve or disapprove. Dean was only a low paid Chinese school teacher, but that wasn’t important. We were determined to win out. A Chinese proverb says, “If you have love if you drink water you are full.”

Dean slapped me in the face when I needed it the most. We had reached the end of something and we weren’t going any further with it. That was a good thing. We had done the work, now we needed to harvest the rewards. It was time for a new direction. All of a sudden I had a second coming. I knew it was in our power to rise above it all and be heroes to everyone or be nothing. Once you’ve been through the door there is no turning back. Later, we will help others through the door but we need to push forward now and show the way so that others can follow.

Dean told me not to worry. He would borrow 700 dollars which would be more than sufficient for a wedding. We would go for a few days to Harrison Hot Springs for our honeymoon. In the meantime, he moonlighted at the Smilin Buddha Cabaret which I will tell you about shortly, to buy a diamond engagement ring for me. Every cent he earned was for me. At Christmas, he worked at the post office. He worked at three jobs to save 400 dollars (a lot of money in those days) to pay for my large diamond engagement ring from Birks (18k, 134

white gold). It was very precious to Dean and me and very modern.

Dean had faith in what we were trying to do. It’s easy to have faith if it goes along with what you know. But it has to continue until the end. You cannot have faith only part way and then give up so we had to see this through to the end and trust that our faith would get us through. It was hard for me to go against my parent’s wishes on just faith alone, leaving my blood-relatives and joining the likes of some mystic brotherhood that I knew nothing about but then I had Dean to show me the way.

Dean was a good sport and never grumbled or complained.

“In China and Hong Kong,” he said, “Waiters served me, but I never thought I would ever be a waiter in Canada.” He worked at Ming’s as a busboy when he first arrived in Vancouver but not as a waiter until he had learned the menu.

These occupations were difficult for someone with Dean’s academic background. However, opportunities were still limited in Canada at that time for the Chinese because of the horrid situation. Through it all, we were proud and held our heads up high.

No one expected change to come fast in 1950s racist Canada with its long embedded restrictions and strong moral compass albeit off center, its minority vibrations with 500 year old herbal remedies, heading out in Desotos and buses of life amid the golf ball headed masses but it did! When you least expect it, that’s when real change happens or so it seems and no one can possibly be prepared for what follows.

A turn of events changed our family forever but brought Dean and me even closer together. In 1952, my father was preparing to go overseas to Taiwan. As I said, he was appointed the prominent leader representing all the Overseas Chinese in Canada at the National Congress. My parents wanted a family portrait on October 6, 1952, days before my father departed for Taiwan. It was a significant event (It was the second time my father was invited to go to Taiwan. The first time had been in 1934 to Nanking). I have the portrait and in it you can see how nice and skinny I was. When we saw our father off, my mother tripped on the curb and hurt herself. A few days later my two younger brothers couldn’t find our mom when they came home for lunch. We all came back at six and called out for her. There was no answer. Then, we saw her trying to stagger to 135

the top of the staircase and put on her housecoat. Something was very wrong.

We got her to lie down on the couch. The following day, we took her to Mt. St. Joseph’s Hospital.

The doctors wrongly diagnosed her, “We’re treating her for high blood pressure,” they said. It was her kidney that was the problem, and she should have had medicine for that. Her kidney ruptured killing her with its poison. She went into a coma for a couple of days.

We were all standing around her bed and didn’t know what was going on.

“Your mother has gone to heaven,” the doctor said. She went to heaven, God’s Paradise, in the wee hours of October 24, 1952.

IT IS NOW LATE EVENING back at our home. Most have gone to bed. I stand in the gloom of the living room amidst all the memories of my mother, the pictures, the furniture, the table I had to polish every Saturday when I was growing up just over in the dining room, my note books where I had written everything down just as it had happened, the flowers, keepsakes, mementos of a life lived in service to others, in short, the family archives. What was I ever going to do now all alone I wondered? I needed to have faith, while not a considerable new message, it was one Dean had started using more and more as these difficult times were developing. It was a good word and I went to sleep that night trying to have faith that everything would work out and eventually it did.

Dean was invited back into our home by Uncle Philip. Uncle Philip didn’t write Chinese well, so Dean was summoned to write letters in Chinese to father in Taiwan and to help us deal with other things. He helped me with my grief and the responsibility of caring for a family of seven and Uncle Philip.

We contacted my father in Taiwan, who we heard later from a government official, collapsed in grief. Dean was much strength to all of us in our sadness. He protected and guided us. It sounds strange now, but my mother’s funeral didn’t occur until my father could find a new wife to look after the kids. My relatives had all insisted he not come back without a new wife to care for my brothers and sisters. We didn’t understand this at all. It was devastating and caused lots of concerns. Everyone in Taiwan helped him to get home. He finally came back with our new stepmother.

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Back on west 15th Avenue in still racist Vancouver everyone waited around for father’s return from Taiwan. But it wasn’t the same without mother. Things had really changed and there wasn’t any going back, it was permanent. Everyone could see our new stepmother coming a mile away. She had that opportunistic look written all over her or at least so we imagined given the situation, instant family yearnings for security and a better life. How could she ever live up to my mother the hard working, sacrifice all for her family teacher and close confident of my father, we sure couldn’t see it. But the extended family liked the idea so we were all resigned to seeing how this whole situation would play out, especially for me.

My mother had been such a hard worker. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek in his hand-written Chinese calligraphy wrote a huge eight-foot by ten-foot by four-foot memorial poem in honor of my mother. It read, “Honor thy Mother who never took a holiday. Respect her greatness as she sacrificed her life for her family, people, and country.”

Father brought the memorial poem back from China with him. In the traditional Chinese funeral style, it hung by the casket in the service then it was burnt. They burned the incense and paper money as well as an offering and a blessing. If they had not, (which was not allowed), it would have had a priceless value today. My siblings were now in my young care. At the time she went away, we said, “She sacrificed for us all!”

This is very emotional for me. Let’s change the subject for a moment. I’ll tell you about the Bamboo Terrace. I’m getting rather teary eyed.”

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine.

Harvey Lowe and the Bamboo Terrace Chinese Restaurant are synonymous with Chinatown. Harvey Lowe was the yo-yo champion of the world. He started winning contests when he was very young and wound up having sponsors that paid for him to travel the world showing off his skills, Yo Yo’s were a big sensation at one time. Harvey was very popular which probably led to his association with the Bamboo Terrace Chinese Restaurant, one of Chinatown’s 137

most popular restaurants.

The Bamboo Terrace Chinese Restaurant somehow seemed to exemplify our Chinatown. The Bamboo Terrace sponsored Harvey Lowe and was the home of the first Chinese radio program in Canada. It broadcast in English and some Chinese every Sunday evening on CJOR AM 600 at nine p.m. It was called “The Call of China,” and its theme song sung by Harvey Lowe was “Chinatown My Chinatown.”

“Your broadcast is a huge thing for the Canadian Chinese and Canada,” I said to Harvey. “To hear a Chinese person on the radio in English is something.” Harvey Lowe’s clear baritone voice was exceptional. “You’re a joy for us young Chinese to listen to,” I told him. Harvey played the famous old Shanghai mandarin melodies, modern Cantonese music and told bits and pieces of Chinese culture.

There are many stories about the Bamboo Terrace. Most circulated in the 1950s and they often include Harvey Lowe, George W. Wong, and Winnie Lowe Ching. There are other stories about the Bamboo Terrace over the years from the lo-wah-kiu (Chinese old pioneers’ relatives from mainland China that dripped through Hong Kong to Canada) to the massive influx of Hong Kong immigrants in the mid-1960s. Now, I’ll tell you about the Smilin Buddha.

Albert Kwan and Harvey Lowe survived World War II and became quite successful businessmen in Shanghai. Then the Civil War came, and they had to leave China. That, I told you! In 1949, they returned to Vancouver, and because they had experience in the nightlife of Shanghai, they formed a partnership to bring lively nightlife to Vancouver.

“There’s no good Shanghai style supper club in town,” Albert said. “Let’s open one. Let’s call it the Smilin’ Buddha!”

Albert got Wong Kwong Gim, (the father of Nelson Wong of Hot Delivery) and Wong Kwong Gim’s wife, (who later received Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s redress apologies and 25,000 dollars for the Head Tax Wong paid) to do the cooking. Chun would be the assistant in the kitchen. Wong Kwong Gim was the chef. Harvey did public relations, and Albert was the manager. It was a great success! There, that’s better. I’m feeling less emotional now so I’ll go back to my story.

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Somehow everything worked out… perfect … having a new stepmother to look after the family was great while Dean and I made plans for the future. The relatives were all very supportive and so were our friends BUT HOW TO TELL THE KIDS would soon be a problem. After mother died I became their new mother so they were not only losing one mother, in a way they would be losing two, especially the younger kids but they were all little troopers so we knew it would all work out just fine. They all knew and loved Dean so that helped as he was no longer a stranger to any of us.

Our stepmother was anxious to get me out of our home, so she encouraged me to marry Dean. Uncle Philip had gone to Prince George to open the Embassy Café, so my brothers and sisters were now my concerns. Peter Hem also encouraged me to marry Dean and not make the mistake of not getting married like Aunt Susie had (Aunt Susie felt she could not marry Peter Hem and look after her siblings as well, after her mother died. She could not do both).

I never talked to my aunts about my social life because they were in Victoria.

Father was still very much opposed to me marrying Dean and threatened: “I will not be here, and I will not give you away.” Dean, of course, was not the type to back down. Dean said, “That’s alright. We will go to the church together.”

BEAUTIFUL! …. WE COULD LOOK AFTER MY SIBLINGS OURSELVES A wonderful picture of our future began to emerge. Dean would be able to help look after the kids with me and we would be able to live nearby and visit on the weekends and be free to pursue business opportunities in the weekdays.

We were going to be able to be a postwar success story after all and live in the suburbs and have a shiny new car and do all the things we had always talked and dreamed about. Who knows what the future might bring but it didn’t matter as long as we were together.

“You must marry with pride and joy,” Peter Hem told me. He encouraged me and gave me the strength and power and assurance that we could rise to anything. We could marry and also look after my siblings. If my father would not give me away, Dean and I agreed we would be married privately by Minister Clarkson at his church on Rupert Street. When I was maid of honor at George and Nellie’s wedding reception (at the Stanley Park Pavilion on April 139

30, 1953), Dean saved a big bag of money in small change and bills. Before Nellie and George returned to San Francisco, they pushed us to go shopping for my engagement ring. The four of us went to Birks. Dean chose both my engagement and my wedding ring.

It seemed we were finally Nellie and George Lee married April 20, 1953, then pushed Dean into going to Birks Jewelry to buy Faye’s engagement and wedding rings, May 2, 1953. Strolling up Granville by Dunsmuir to Birks at Granville and Georgia Street, Photo

by Foncie, Vancouver’s world famous street photographer.

almost all going the right way in life and almost nobody was going the wrong way. When someone starts going the wrong way that is when everything stalls and nobody can move. The more noise everyone makes the more the guy going the wrong way is determined to keep going the wrong way. It’s like a challenge to him. He turns off to the outside world and hunkers down determined to stay the course. So in order to make things right, someone has to do something.

The worst case scenario might be: you never speak again but likely not. Hopefully, the guy learns his lesson if not immediately then over time and eventually comes around and rejoins the family.

True to his word, Dean did borrow 700 dollars for the wedding. It was enough for liquor, chicken, barbecue pork and the gift of money that the bridegroom paid the parents of the bride when the bride left the family home. June 2, 1953, was chosen for our reception after my birthday on May 27, a Tuesday, a double day in Chinese symbolism. It meant double happiness, good luck, and double 140

good fortune and was also the coronation day of Queen Elizabeth II. I bought my wedding gown for $29.99 at Germaine’s at Smythe and Granville Street and ordered a set of luggage at Woodward’s Department Store. Purchasing a new set of luggage was a custom. Dean was excited to show my ring to his father and his father was thrilled.

The feeling we all had was one of freedom to do whatever we chose to do.

We were the first wave of a new generation ready to take the world on and all its problems. Many of us were under the age of twenty-one dressed in suits and tuxes and cheongsam gowns, ritzy we were with our own cars and now all a part of this brave new postwar world we had suddenly found ourselves in.

To HECK with the taboos and the naysayers we were going to change things, things kids our age never had the power to change before.

I was so busy with all the preparations Wally Lee helped me choose some items at the bridal department of Woodward’s (Dean was working teaching). My wedding bouquet was part of a pink, hand-carved silk fan my father brought back from Hong Kong. Gwen was my bridesmaid. Mrs. Lan of the Golden Dragon Restaurant and Richard Wong looked after the reception (at $1.50 per person). Ron Merritt led the orchestra. On my birthday, Aunt Gladys sent me a blouse for my going away outfit, and I also received a reversible skirt May 30, 1953 Faye’s garden shower.

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from Germaine’s.

Our parents would never know what it was like to be us that feeling that the world was at our feet, we were unstoppable. My parents had made it out of Chinatown but they were not really part of the postwar dream of a house in the suburbs, a family car, and vacations by the beach that was our dream and it soon would be our reality. There were so many fantasies I wanted to live present and future and now it looked like we were going to soon be rocketing to the moon and back at least metaphorically speaking but first things first.

From Ingledew’s, I got matching shoes and a red patterned handbag. We were ready. Dean had to buy new shoes and shoes for my brothers because it was customary. Mary Hoy and Mary Lee were not allowed to be my bridesmaids. Their old fashioned parents would not approve it because of the taboo.

Lillian Chow Sheng and Mary Lee decorated the bridal table and reception hall.

Nellie and George sent us a present from San Francisco. Aunt Susie and Aunt Gladys gave us a beautiful, hand-carved camphor hope chest with lotus flowers on it which we cherished forever. A chest was the customary present from the bride’s family as part of her trousseau.

WE HAD TO START THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE. The wedding fantasy would not last for long. The most interesting person at our wedding was Peter Hem because he encouraged and believed in us that we could do it all together as man and wife, get married, raise a family and have a career as a Dean and Faye’s 325 guests both Chinese and Caucasian at their wedding reception at the Golden Dragon Banquet Hall on Kingsway..

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working couple. He helped us find our way and get our footing when we could have been overwhelmed by all the outside stimuli. We needed now to take it slow and easy and work toward a common goal and not waver which was all good advice.

Aunt Mable and Aunt Gladys came to marry me off. Over three hundred guests came to the reception, and the gifts poured in.

Telegrams and gifts came from all over the world. Uncle Philip came Cutting the wedding cake. They kept the top tier for an everlasting marriage.

Prince George to give me away in the traditional manner. Father kept his word and took off for Nanaimo. He purposely stayed away, probably because of my birth mother’s wishes that we not marry. My siblings also were sad about my marriage but Dean and I, were thrilled. Our first home, a room in a big house was just a block away at 234 West 15th Avenue. Soon after, we moved into Minister Clarkson’s basement suite at 125 West 1st Ave. We kept our word and lived near my father’s house and helped raise my siblings.

We were now entering a moment in our lives full of new discoveries. It was something, rich, and personal and beyond description, we were both having so many thoughts, for the first time we could see our reality and we understood it.

We were almost paralyzed with excitement and our muscles were like jelly as we tried to keep still through it all. We desperately wanted to shout out to the world how happy we were but we had to play the game and live our own movie inside so we didn’t blow it all and let everyone know how crazy we really both were. We just hoped no one could see through our composure.

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After the seven p.m. wedding, Andy Joe gave us color slides of our marriage.

Color slides were a recent invention. Henry Yuen in his new blue Chevrolet paraded us through Chinatown. Crowds were lined up to see Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation parade, and the crowd thought we were part of the show. They sure clapped and applauded when we drove by slowly. We drove to our first home to pour tea for my mother-in-law and father-in-law. The reception followed. Our first waltz was so memorable: dancing for the first time as husband and wife. Consul-General Wei proposed a toast. Tommy Ho was the MC, and Peter Hem joined us at the head table. A telegram came from one of Dean’s Pui Jing School alumni. Everyone had a grand time and we all ended up at the Smilin Buddha until the wee hours of the morning. No one seemed to want to go home even at three a.m. See, if I hadn’t stopped and told you about the Smilin Buddha, you wouldn’t have known what that was.

IT WAS TIME TO MOVE ON PAST THE TABOOS. You can’t deal objectively with a taboo. It was well known that people who believe in taboos are likely a little unstable. You couldn’t have people though who didn’t believe in taboos try to under- JUST stand people who did believe in taboos. MARRIED! The bridal party parading through Chinatown one hour They would be in two different worlds. prior to Queen Elizabeth II coronaThat would be like asking a bus driver to tion parade on June 2, 1953. People comment on the ability of a jet airplane pi- were clapping and waving good lot. They would be so out of it; it wouldn’t wishes as if Faye were the queen just married to Dean the king of bachmatter what they said. Taboos are from a elors. So many mother’s fought for different time and have no relevance in him but now he was hers for life. today’s world. They cannot be measured using today’s criteria. They can only be measured using the criteria of the time the taboos were created and that time has long since disappeared. In short, get with it people!

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Their first waltz as husband and wife to the tune of ‘Always.’ It was the ‘talk of the town’ for decades.

We broke the 500-year-old taboo about marrying someone with the same last name. Breaking the taboo opened the door for many other Chinese Canadians to follow and have relationships.

I am sure of it. Dean was always positive. He said, “We hold our heads up high, and we’re proud of our love. We’ll show them that we’ll make a life together.”

The Chinese community was behind us and we were thrilled.

They honoured our marriage.

We needed to focus on the present not on the past. Times were tough in the past and times were still tough. We were lucky though because we had good friends that got us started off together in life but we couldn’t waste any time.

There was no one to say GO, we just knew we couldn’t waste a moment and dived into everything head first.

We used orange crates for shelves; Henry Yuen gave us a card table and four chairs, Consul Jeffrey and Eva Liang gave us 2 dollars for a wash basin. We also got lots of advice. Andy Joe said to me on his eightieth birthday, “Dean came to me and asked me how he could marry you because you 145

were under twenty-one. I explained to him how to do it.” He told Dean it was too complicated and he had to see a lawyer. In Chinese culture marriages are pre-arranged, divorces are unacceptable, and a Chinese woman has to consider marriage within this framework of thought. It’s a crucial life decision. A man’s disaster is to choose the wrong career; a woman’s misery is to marry a crazy husband. Dean and I knew we had made the right decision to marry!”

“Did you like my diary entries; they were very detailed weren’t they?”

They certainly were they were amazing!

“I’m sorry, but I didn’t keep as detailed information about our later life together but that’s okay because you want to hear about our accomplishments and they’re far more exciting than our wedding. Everyone needs to know though where we came from and who we were before they can possibly understand how we were able to accomplish everything we did.”

“I agree. So, you and Dean were married after all.”

“That’s right, we sure were. But it almost didn’t happen. My parents were against it.”

“But you two knew it was the right thing for you.”

“That’s right. We did! Others knew it too. Dean was very headstrong and wouldn’t listen to my mother and father. Now you see why he was my hero.”

“Do you really feel by breaking the 500-year-old taboo that you helped open the door for other young Chinese Canadians to do the same?”

“I certainly do. You must remember that Chinatown wasn’t Vancouver.

Chinatown represented the past. Vancouver represented the future. Chinatown had its own set of values and superstitions based on 500 years of tradition back in China. It was very hard for young Chinese to move forward into the future when they lived in the past. Their families and ancestors were still holding them back. They needed examples that they could follow as everyone does, and Dean and I tried to be that example and show them the way to a brighter future.

Breaking this taboo was only the beginning. We would spend the next decade challenging the old rules and traditions to make life better for the Chinese. It became our life’s work. But you know I couldn’t help wondering if the problems we had with my parents were not a warning of the difficulties that lay ahead.”

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“The Mei Wun Choristers sure was a great example of how you and Dean pulled people from different backgrounds together and got them all to work towards a common goal.”

“Yes, it was an amazing choir. Everyone was so enthusiastic, and the public was so supportive where ever we sang.”

“The trip to Vernon must have been amazing!”

“Oh, yes, it certainly was for us all. We all came together for a positive experience that we forever looked back on with great fondness and pride and with a feeling of accomplishment.”

“The detail in your diaries is wonderful. You recall so many names of people and places and events. It’s a glimpse into another world compared to today’s world of I-phones and e mails.”

“I can still remember it all so vividly as if it happened yesterday. But it is good I have my diaries to refer back to in case my memory slips here and there.

It does that sometimes you know when you get to be my age. It certainly was another world. A much quieter and peaceful world, I would say, than the present one.”

“Sometimes when you are forced to live within your means, life becomes simpler and more enjoyable than when you have unlimited opportunities.”

“That’s true. The grass is always greener on the other side of the hill, but it is not always a happier place to be.”

“Is that an old Chinese proverb?”

“If you want it to be, it can be an old Chinese proverb. I’m sure we have one that is similar.”

“I loved the story about the coronation parade.”

“Yes, that was marvelous. We felt like a king and queen.”

“Then, reality set in when it was all over.”

“That’s right. We had to make a living and times were tough. Because I always wanted to make a difference for all the Chinese, you know what the next thing was that I did?”

“No, what?”

“I talked the manager of the Hudson’s Bay Company into hiring me as their first Chinese employee.”

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Part Three OUR STRUGGLES to help our PEOPLE live a BETTER LIFE. 1955-1974

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Chapter 4

Under the ‘Bs’ for Bay Day! Everyone has their fantasy. It’s the rare ones that are able to make their fantasies reality. People think you are great as long as your fantasy coincides with theirs. But every time you push further, people can become resentful and confused. Chinatown wasn’t UBC where everyone was young and intellectual and supposedly the sky was the limit – I couldn’t just come out and say what we were going to do even if we knew what we were going to do. This was Chinatown. People could legally move out of it if they could afford to but no one could afford to move. No one had any money. Getting into other areas of Vancouver was like joining a club. Everyone in Chinatown knew each other.

Hardly anyone in Chinatown knew anyone in the rest of Vancouver in those days. It was this aspect of communal living that brought people together. One person moved into a neighborhood and others followed. Nobody’s door was ever shut in Chinatown.

Chinatown was sweet in that way in the 1950s. Everyone sat around shaking their heads wondering how to get out. They could see new housing developments taking shape around Vancouver, they weighed the pros and cons of moving so what if their plumbing didn’t work; they were getting by. They would take trips to other neighborhoods around town to see what how a new house looked.

There were no main players yet in Chinatown in those days just the pio151 The Leung’s window introducing the first Canada Trust branch in Chinatown (founders) on September 22, 1962. Dean’s calligraphy at the bottom explains Canada Trust to their clients and the gifts that were for every new account opened.

neers and old folks and the young people shaking their heads wondering how to get out. Everyone in Chinatown could see Dean and I coming a mile away.

We had ‘that,’ we want to do something for everyone look written all over tour faces, with lots of intellectual and other aspirations. Dean was from China – HECK everyone was from China away back – and I was home grown, with lots of credentials organizing parties, bringing groups together and a pedigree that went all the way back to Chiang Kai Sheik so we were in the right place at the right time.

Everyone in Chinatown loved us especially the pioneers. We could always be counted on to pitch in and lend a hand. If there had been a vote in school for ‘who was the most likely to succeed’ I surely would have won. I was the Chinese Canadian girl who brought everyone together. I had even gone to San Francisco a few times and hobnobbed with the sons of presidents so I could get around in high society. My literary talents had me writing and producing an authentic Chinese Wedding Ceremony that we performed in Vernon one night. Dean had the right credentials as well acting in plays in China during World War II to keep the moral of the soldiers high.

It took us awhile to get a nice clear picture of what we were going to do.

We started slow at first. It was more to condition ourselves to do more in the future. We saw Chinatown as a land of business opportunities. Whatever it was we were going to do, we were going to build it into the biggest in the area. We were going to be a success story and wind up living in the suburbs somewhere and we were going to take the people of Chinatown with us. The postwar boom in America was coming to VANCOUVER. It was going to sweep the neighborhoods and we were going to be a part of it. There was going to be freedom and mobility and money to pay for all. All we had to do was figure out HOW TO DO IT! I used to walk past the Hudson’s Bay Company, that majestic, ornate building on the corner of Granville and Georgia and also Spencer’s Department Store on Hastings Street when I was a young girl. I always dreamed of working there one day but I didn’t want to just do that, I wanted to open the door for other Chinese to follow in my footsteps so they could earn a decent wage with good working conditions. I and my friend Mary Lee who married, Normie 152

Kwong, who became a CFL Eskimo football star and then the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta, were the first Chinese to graduate as accounting, secretarial and typing majors from Vancouver College. After graduating, I decided to try to fulfill one of my earliest fantasies and this is how it happened.

Our counselor, Mr. Moore reminded us: “You won’t be able to find jobs because Canada’s corporate constitutions say don’t hire Chinese. It’s their policy.” “Hire No Orientals and East Indians,” the law reads. Mr. Moore added: “You’re ambitious for your people,” now go out and help them.”

Discriminatory laws still limited opportunities and expectations for Chinese Canadians. I wanted to break down these barriers. If I could open the doors into Vancouver’s big retail stores so others could follow and earn a decent wage with good working conditions that would be something. I felt I had to fight for the equality of the Chinese people who had for so long suffered from discrimination. Eight years after enfranchisement, still the only jobs the Chinese could work in were the grocery business, laundry business and farming.

I decided to go directly to the Hudson’s Bay Department Store’s General Manager, Mr. Ernie H. Brown’s, office and introduce myself. I already had a job so I didn’t need to work at Hudson’s Bay, but I convinced them to hire me.

“I’m a third generation Chinese Canadian,” I said to the prosperous-looking Mr. Brown in his three-piece business suit sitting behind his large, walnut desk. “I was born and raised here, and I’m a graduate of Vancouver College.

Your policy, “HIRE NO CHINESE AND EAST INDIANS,” means you will not hire me.” He listened to me kindly, interested and surprised by my boldness.

He called in the Hudson Bay’s slim personnel manager in his grey suit, who confirmed, “Yes, department stores don’t hire Chinese and East Indians.” And usually, people don’t gain access to the G.M.’s office and indeed don’t dictate hiring policy.

But I had to sell myself.

“I read and write Chinese and speak several Chinese dialects,” I said. “I’m able to translate and interpret for your Chinese customers. I was the director 153

of sales in various businesses, and I’m an experienced purchaser of merchandise. I’ve done inventories, and I’ve skills in administration, accounting, secretarial work, and other office duties.” Here I am, Faye Leung sitting in the Hudson’s Bay Department Store general manager’s office with the G.M. Ernie Brown. I’m a Chinese Canadian lady fighting for employment equality for the Chinese in one of the big Canadian corporations. I’m trying to get them to change their policy to hire me as their first Chinese staff member. Wow! The general manager, Ernie Brown looked puzzled and gazed at me. He was smart. Knowing I was highly qualified, and a rare asset, able to do several jobs, he saw a unique opportunity to enhance the Bay’s image. He offered me a twoweek trial.

“Your job starts at seven a.m.,” he said, “when you read all the cash registers on the main floor. You’re now part of the accounting department “under the Bs” (for Bay Day) accounts posting into the bookkeeping machine. You’ll be a translator and interpreter ‘on-call,’ especially for the Bay Day credit department and Bay Day sales. You have three jobs for the salary of one job at 100 dollars per month, six days a week from seven a.m. to six p.m. each day.” We both made history that day. It was a start but it would be years before all the department stores would hire Chinese. It wasn’t easy to break through the barriers. A Chinese Canadian with a good job with a reputable company was said to have a “Gold rice bowl.” A small beam of light had broken through the darkness and icons had begun to fall. The changes started what seemed to be one after another but actually still took a long time.

In 1955 my sister, Dr. Gwendolyn Leong faced the same dilemma of corporations not hiring Chinese. Gwen and I approached Woodward’s Drug and Pharmaceutical Manager, Mr. Davies, downtown on Hastings Street.

“You have to hire my sister,” I said. Hastings Street in those days was the center of downtown Vancouver. “She’s an award-winning graduate in biochemistry and can interpret and translate your customers’ prescriptions. Her long sales experience can help your sales. She can also be on call to interpret and translate for other departments if necessary.”

Kindly, Mr. Davies told us we would have to wait while he went to the Board of Directors for consideration. Mr. Davies fought hard to hire Gwen as Wood154

ward’s first Chinese employee. Finally, they hired her on a trial basis. We were elated. We were opening more doors! There it was: we had managed to have the company policy changed, and Gwen became the first Chinese pharmacist in a major Canadian department store. Her diligence and work ethic amazed the executives, and she became a much-loved favorite with everyone. She opened the door to more jobs for Chinese Canadians in Woodward’s and other department stores.

Married life – that feeling – the mid-1950s - Young Married Couple Life – was what it was all about – but what could you tell anyone about it? Except, we’re having a baby! It was like heaven to have our very first child in 1955, a baby boy we named Dana, the most extraordinary kid in the world. Dressed in hand-me-downs from our friends Diana and Albert Kwan, christening was at W.K. Gardens. What a glorious world. We somehow felt connected to the postwar baby boom and the suburbs and everything else we dreamed about in our lives which we knew was all coming true. Dean’s friends toasted him so many times it was the only time I saw him a bit inebriated but not drunk.

What a feeling to have a Superkid, the first generation of little devils. While the parents remembered the war and depression, Superkids took nothing for granted. What a life – what a glorious time to be born. The myths that touched them were The Lone Ranger, Zorro, Superman, Batman, and Sinbad. It was all a glorious fantasy but everyone believed it at the time. A house in the suburbs, a shiny new car, two kids, it was the fantasy world of the 1950s. We all started thinking at the speed of the superheroes.

1955, Dana is born their first child.

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THAT’S GOOD THINKING THERE, BENNY. Benny Patinsky was a Jew and he owned Patinsky’s Jewellers at 144 E. Pender Street. Don’t rouse the bastards. Lie low. Benny is upset because the local Lion’s Club in Vancouver won’t let him join because he is Jewish. Sitting in the back seat of a car parked in front of the Vancouver Lion’s Club in downtown Vancouver with Benny is Al Segal. Al owns Segal’s Furniture and he can’t join the Lions Club either, for the same reason. At the wheel is another jeweler Richard Mar. Richard’s shop is located at 147A E. Pender Street and he too can’t join the local Vancouver Lion’s Club. Harvey Lowe is sitting next to Richard in the front seat.

Along comes a typical uptown business man, briefcase and all, shoes shined – what are all these Jews and Chinese doing parked here? - Richard hits the pedal and their car streams off…. Soon every cop in downtown Vancouver will know they were here.

-There is another man in the back seat, Richard D. Wong. Richard is the manager of the prominent Bamboo Terrace Restaurant at 100 E. Pender Street in the heart of Chinatown. Richard is a successful restaurateur and the Bamboo Terrace is one of the two most popular restaurants in Chinatown.

-They talk it over and Benny and Al decide to call a meeting of all of the above and a few others, on the second floor of the Bamboo Terrace. When their car arrives at the Bamboo Terrace, Benny heads up the stairs first, Al follows closely behind him, George goes into the restaurant to call Tim Louie before heading up to the second floor and Harvey goes across the street to get Dean.

– and together – these men form the very first chapter of the Chinatown Lion’s Club in 1956, it was very special and something that would start to happen over and over again in the new Chinatown of the late 1950s and 1960s but it would mess up and confuse the minds of the white establishment for a while until some lady began inviting them down to see what was going on for themselves, a few short years later.

Surviving was all about how you played the game of discrimination. Dean and I worked very hard after we were married. We both were looking for opportunities so when Harry Cumyow (the Chinese representative for the Bank of Montreal in Chinatown) said, when he saw how hard Dean was working, “Why don’t you go into insurance?” Dean listened. Harry could never be 156

the manager due to discrimination so he played the game and got as far up as he could in the bank. Everybody liked everybody as long as they all played the game. All Chinese were like that back then because that was all they had. Harry was a big prominent gentleman. He built up the Bank of Montreal with Mr. Exham. Even when Benny and Al and the others were in that car outside of the Chinatown Lion’s in downtown Vancouver and a Caucasian put up a big stink about some Jews and a Chinaman in a parked car, they had to play the game and leave. They couldn’t have gotten out and confronted him because the police would have come and they would have been in trouble.

Harry’s wife Ruth was a hostess at Trader Vics Restaurant in the Bayshore Inn. All the Chinese boys got in as bellmen at the Bayshore. The Bayshore was good to the Chinese, again, as long as they played the game. Years later, Stan Yip said to me, “I worked at the Bayshore for forty-five years rising to customer service manager.”

Having to play the game was something the outside world could never comprehend. It was something you had to experience and see for yourself in action.

What playing the game does to you after a while is it makes you look around for a way out; a savior. Saviors can come in different guises. They usually take the form of someone who goes against the rules and charts their own course.

Eventually, things changed in Chinatown and elsewhere. Thirty years later Tommy Mah became the manager of the Bank of Montreal in Chinatown. He just passed away recently. Tommy’s mother was Mrs. Mah Sing. She was also my mother’s classmate in Victoria. That’s just a little bit of who’s who and what’s what.

Very few Chinese were in any professional positions so when Harry Cumyow offered to help, Dean jumped at the chance. Dean received offers for lots of positions but he had a philosophy, “Why follow the cow and smell the chips when you can lead the cow?” He took a job at Imperial Life Insurance. Mr. Knowlton was his boss.

“You were very brave when you approached Mr. Brown in the Hudson’s Bay Company.”

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“I always wanted to make a difference for all the Chinese so talking the manager of the Hudson’s Bay Company into hiring me was a natural step.”

“I love that story! I love the details down to what the manager was wearing and his attitude when you confronted him. I can see a gem, a diamond in the rough, in every one of your stories. I’m glad you wrote everything down as well in your manuscripts. We have to peel back the layers that are covering those gems, and we’ll have a virtual diamond mine.”

“Yes, I guess we were lucky that Mr. Brown was as smart as he was and knew a good thing when he saw it. Still, we were pretty brave to try and change corporate policy. Try to do that today and see how far you get in one of the department stores.”

“But today, department store managers don’t have the power to change corporate policy; I wouldn’t think. The head office runs everything in some other city and often that head office is even in another country.

And, you began to host international students in 1953 and your first son was born two years later.”

“Yes, hosting international students was one of our greatest joys. We continued doing that for decades afterwards. Because we had so many academics in the Nipp, Leong, Leung family, it seemed only natural. In later years, I always made a point of promoting anything to do with education. Maybe it was also because, like my mother and Aunt Susie, we were all denied an English school education because of discrimination.”

“That doesn’t seem to have stopped you, though.”

“No, I taught myself to do a lot and learned from others. Not so much formal schooling, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t always learning; Ph.D. on the street, you know. We were so happy when our first son was born. We made sure he had a good education. Today, he is a brilliant man, very well educated and successful. I am very proud of him, but you have to spend the time with your kids when they are young like my parents did and like we did with both our boys.”

“So, Dean went into the insurance business.”

“Yes, but he didn’t stay in it for too long. We finally figured out what was best for both of us because I couldn’t keep jumping around from job to job. The 158

Hudson’s Bay story is the beginning of what became our life’s work.

Dean and I come out of the daylight and go into our apartment. I’m young and inexperienced in business but smarter than hell. Dean is older and more distinguished. He’s well groomed and neat and wears a tailored suit, expensive looking. He doesn’t really look like he belongs in Chinatown but maybe uptown somewhere. He has a very sincere look on his handsome face which is well chiseled like the actor Robert Taylor as I said. It’s obvious he has something he wants to say to me.

The thing is Faye, a lot of people look up to you, lots of groups in Chinatown look up to you. We’re all looking for a better life. A very beautiful thing is happening in Chinatown. People are looking for a way to a better life. They don’t want to play the games any more. A very beautiful thing is happening in Vancouver as well, Faye. Everyone is looking for a better future. There are two directions we can go, we can work solely for ourselves or we can help others.

I think we can help. Vancouver is growing. Someday, thousands of people will call this city home. But there’s fear and paranoia in the ethnic communities.

They don’t want to play the game anymore. It’s causing a lot of problems for all.

We need to band together and continue bringing our people out of the past and into the future. It’s in us to be superheroes and lead the way. We can take everyone through that door and keep doing it over and over again.

“We gotta get out of this place If it’s the last thing we ever do We gotta get out of this place ‘cause girl, there’s a better life for me and you” 6.

It was a strange feeling for me at first sitting in that tiny one bedroom apartment, hearing how we were going to lead our people and everyone else to the Promised Land but it worked. But what about the Caucasians with heads like oversized golf balls and shiny new shoes? What would they have to say about it and that would be our biggest challenge.

“I went into real estate and insurance of all kinds in 1956 and was the youngest licensed realtor in Canada. I hung up my license at Sherlock Real Estate 159

near the busy corner of downtown Robson and Granville where I met Chuck Bradell and Art Jacobsen. “ “Do you think Sherlock Real Estate is a good choice,” Dean asked me.

“I don’t know,” I said. “At least it will get me started and I can begin meeting people. It’s all about getting to know people.” We both knew that after three years as a realtor I could become a broker and open my own office and hire my own realtors so it didn’t really matter where I put in my time and that’s exactly what I intended to do. Chuck became a dear friend as did Bill Holt. Bill convinced Dean and me to join him later at Jacobsen Realty. It was a 50-50 thing in the beginning and then a 60-40 split in our favor.

Being a realtor was expensive in the 1950s. When I went into real estate, I sold my first house to Albert and Diana Kwan. Commissions were small in real estate. I would get maybe 100 dollars after the split. Then I had to send a house warming gift. Making a living was hard, so I did bookkeeping, filed income taxes and did some property management.

“You sure have to have your fingers in every pie to make a living,” I used to say. Even if you did everything right, it was still a struggle. Every time we went away on a trip we felt we had to bring back a gift. Then there were gifts for births, funerals, weddings, birthdays, bon voyages. We entertained a lot and became known as I said, as excellent hosts. I want to tell you of our once in a lifetime road trip.”

“I can hardly wait.”

Our Great American Road Trip!

THAT’s GOOD THINKING THERE DEAN! Dean has a big watermelon laying on his lap sitting next to me in the front seat of our new yellow Pontiac.

Up and down. Bouncing through rural America like we knew what we were doing. Out of the back of the car are endless cornfields as far as the eye can see, all those endless wooden fence posts with barbed wire keeping the corn in disappearing and melting into the horizon. Field after field of scarecrows with bright clothes on them, the farmer’s way of keeping their corn safe - hundreds 160

of brightly colored scarecrows streaming past us and on tractors field hands looking at us whizzing along, their white heads bulging from their overalls like oversize golf balls - at us gliding along – because God knows they’d never seen a Chinese person before, let alone two.

Here’s how it all started!

“You need a car to be a realtor,” Dean said to me, so on December 14, 1955 we bought a used car from Bowmac on Broadway near Granville, with its big, multi-colored neon sign out front. “I don’t even know how to drive;” said Dean.

I had gotten my license at the age of fifteen. When my father got his license at the McKenzie Driving School, I went along to translate and learned to drive in the process. Jimmy Pattison, today western Canada’s most famous billionaire, was the sales manager at Bowmac.”

“Later, our yellow Pontiac was checked thoroughly by Al Fyfe in Bowmac’s garage. The smell of gasoline and oil was everywhere. Al and Marilyn Weston (his partner) became our good friends. Later, when we bought our first house together at 457 West 63rd Avenue, Al and Marilyn gave us a lovely plate glass mirror as a house warming gift. I still have it today.

“You’re going to drive it to New York?” Pattison exclaimed, shocked.

“Yes, we’re going to the Imperial Life Insurance Convention next summer.

We can’t afford to go any other way with both of us going.” Dean and I were always adamant about doing things together.

“You’re driving?” Pattison asked, again shocked. He was surprised because I looked too young.

“I’m going to teach Dean to drive on the beautiful tree-lined Chancellor Boulevard at the UBC campus. There’s little traffic there. He gets car sick from time to time. Our nine-month-old son Dana will ride in the right front passenger seat next to me.” Pattison took us to the service department and spoke to a mechanic, “Climatize and prepare this car for a seventy-five hundred mile trip through the United States.” We were going the northern route to New York (Seattle, Spokane, Des Moines) and returning by the southern route (Boston, St. Louis, Witchita). “I’ll get you into the British Columbia Automobile Association as well,” which added to our confidence that we were ready to tackle the world!

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But things were different then. It took us a long time to get our visas for the US because we were Chinese. It was not like it is today where you turn up at the border and show your driver’s license.

Over the years that followed at various social functions, we would meet Jimmy Pattison, and he would always come over and greet Dean and me. He was still straightforward and addressed me as, “My China Doll.” He repeated this so many times over the years that Vancouver Sun columnist Jack Wasserman and restaurateur Frank Baker (who both became our mutual friends), nicknamed me China Doll.

In later years at a luncheon held by Prime Minister Paul Martin in 2005, Jimmy Pattison asked me, “Do you still have that yellow ‘55 Pontiac?” He remembered!

The following year, Dean and I traveled 7500 miles to New York and Atlantic City for the Imperial Life Insurance Convention and later to Penticton to the Canadian Real Estate Convention in 1958, but first I needed to teach Dean to drive.

The trip to New York was a great experience. Off we went on a minimal budget. With some real estate deals pending we had hope and felt secure. Taiwan Consul Jeffrey and his wife Eva looked after Dana. They lived across the street from us at 510 West 14th. They treated Dana as their godson.

“After the trip, let’s give our yellow Pontiac to my father,” I told Dean. We had mended fences with my father and we were all together again, as one. Father, painted it red and enjoyed it immensely for years during his retirement. And we purchased a two-tone metallic green Pontiac Bonneville, a top of the line GM car. After we opened our Chinatown office, father came and spent hours reading the Chinese newspaper there. But back to the trip.

What a trip!

We left the noise of the city behind and took the upper US highway from Seattle across Washington State. As we drove up a high winding road in the fresh mountain air, I could see down thousands of feet below to a rocky river.

“That part of the trip was terrifying,” I remarked later. It was hard for us to forget that day and the dark mountains with their twisting, narrow roads. We finally arrived at a dingy motel in the pouring rain on the outskirts of Helena, 162

Montana at twilight. It sure wasn’t no, “Welcome to the Hotel California, what a lovely place What a lovely place, what a lovely place” 7.

“I guess we have no choice but to stop here in the middle of the night,” Dean said. The shower with the cloth shower curtain was not a very elegant way to start a long trip east. “My main concern is finding a gas station to ensure our gas tank is full and tracking down a motel to spend our nights,” said Dean. There were no credit cards in those days, so we had to have lots of cash. Our first impression of the U.S. freeways was excellent, and the Eastern Turnpike from Chicago to Philadelphia (then on to New York) was like driving in heaven. Chicago was very expensive so we could only afford to stay in an inexpensive hotel room. At the entranceway to the elegant five-star Hotel Morrison I pledged, “I’ll be back in ten years and I’ll check into that fancy hotel.” (Dean and our number one son and I did precisely that).

We speedily carried on to New York. We couldn’t stop to sightsee because I had to be back to close a real estate deal which was of great importance to us.

We needed the money.

“It’s sure scorching hot in the Midwest and the aroma of fresh corn is everywhere,” I told Dean. We watched go by endless rows of cornfields. We had never seen them before but had heard of them.

“I remember how we cooled ourselves in China using watermelon,” Dean told me (The car had no air conditioning which made the upholstery even too hot to touch). Dean found a roadside watermelon stand. After we ate the watermelon Dean said, “Here, wash your face, arms, and hands with the watermelon to cool your-self down.” It was enjoyable and great fun. We enjoyed being together, caring for each other. I still appreciate the memories of those days driving across America with Dean my ever so thoughtful husband. We merrily took turns driving and kept our gas tank full and changed the oil.

Dean was great! In bustling New York he bought two Yankee baseball hats, striped in black and white. In historic Philadelphia, Dean wondered, “Where are all the gas stations?” We learned that gas stations are located 163

only on the outskirts of the bigger cities. We were worried we might run out of gas. We couldn’t afford to stay in an expensive New York hotel, so we had made arrangements to stay with Ken and Lana Wong. Lana was Dean’s schoolmate who had gone to Brooklyn to join her father. The next morning, Dean had to get up early to move his car for the street cleaner. Brooklyn was not very safe. It was also noisy and hard to get around, but we enjoyed the sight-seeing tours.

We drove to Atlantic City for the Convention and stayed on the beautiful waterfront in a five-star hotel bathed in cool breezes from the ocean. We were finally able to relax after the long drive.

“If you’re going to sunbath all day,” Dean said, “I’m going to go play volleyball.” Dean excelled at volleyball on the beach. At the Convention, we wined and dined, and Dean received the President’s Award. It was an extra-special honor to be the first Chinese-Canadian couple to attend the convention and Dean was the first Chinese person to win the President’s Award for the most Dean playing volleyball at the beach with colleagues at the Imperial Life Assurnce Convention. Dean was always a youthful sportsman and led many teams in his school days. He was so good, he usually got VIP treatment and got special quarters instead of the visiting students quarters.

sales.

We got lots of compliments. Dean gave a speech and everyone told him how much they enjoyed it. Because we were such excellent dancers, the majority of dancers stayed on the 164

sidelines to watch Dean’s unique dance style. People repeatedly told us how much they admired us, even when we started to jive to the jazz music they loved us. The love within us shone through as we smoothly glided around the dance floor.

“You look beautiful my dear,” said Dean.

On the return trip, we took the southern U.S. freeway from east to west.

Our destination was Salt Lake City, Utah to visit a second generation good friend, Louie Yu Yee. He had previously been the master chef to the lumber magnate and tycoon, H.R. MacMillan, who lived on ritzy Angus Drive in Vancouver. He had left to run his brother’s casino in Salt Lake City. His brother also owned casinos in Fresno and Las Vegas.

The 4th of July was coming up, a time to celebrate. Along the way, we enjoyed Washington D.C. in the sunshine and toured the White House. There was a lot of security. Dean decided we should celebrate the 4th of July in St. Louis and spend the whole day there. We arrived in a raging, torrential downpour, and it was impossible to find a hotel where we could dine and dance. We wound up staying at a not too desirable location, which dampened Dean and my enthusiasm. There was also a nasty tornado pending.

We had to be steadfast. After a quick night’s rest, we took off early the next morning and drove along the highway. There was a dark black cloud hovering overhead and a high wind blowing against our car. Dean drove faster to get out of those weather conditions. As we raced across Kansas, a large grey colored twisting cone appeared before our eyes.

The wind swayed and rocked our car, and Dean drove as fast as possible to get away from it. It could have struck at any time and was genuinely terrifying. This lousy weather seemed like torture in the summer.

We saw a nearby town that was torn apart by this tornado. On we raced. We did not dare to stop or slow down. Our car rocked and swayed and it took all Dean’s strength to keep our vehicle in control. What a 165 Louie Yu Yee.

relief when we reached another state with a better climate! We learned a lesson about tornados.

On the long trip east, we saw a big piggy bank in a store in the town of Lake Stevens, Washington. We thought it would be excellent to take home to number one son. Dean said, “We can probably find another one further along.” We drove for nearly 6000 miles but never saw another big, fat, jolly piggy bank. It was only much later (on our way home) that we saw another one in Salt Lake City. We grabbed it.

I took it into the motel each night to protect it in case someone broke into our car to steal it. That lovely, jolly piggy bank sat at the top of our staircase for decades, loaded with the quarters which Dana was saving. The moral of the story: always buy something when you see it.

In those days, when something happened in the Chinese community it was always significant, never an accident. Everybody’s life was significant. Everybody was alert and watching for the meaning of it all. Doug Jung became Canada’s first Chinese Member of Parliament, MP in 1957. He was by then also a WWII veteran. He was sent to the United Nations in New York by Prime Minister Diefenbaker. A page boy when he saw this Chinese man, came up to Doug Jung and said, “This seat is reserved for the Canadian delegate.” Doug Jung replied: “I am the Canadian delegate!”

It was a parable of life for the Chinese in those days. If you were Chinese you weren’t considered part of the establishment. Even as far away as New York City, you were still considered second class. Didn’t matter if you were Chinese, a Jew, East Indian or what, you were still considered one of them by those with an over-size golf ball on top of their clothes. They don’t even think about it – it’s just the way the world was and they kept coming at you. The incident was a symbol of screw-you! Everyone was picking up on these details and blowing them out of proportion in those days as if they were trying to maintain the status quo. It was all so phony but it made them feel important.

Millions of people were involved in playing these games and they didn’t even know it. But people were beginning to see through it. Not just Chinese but all sorts of people, even the oversize golf balls. Forget about New York, take Van166

couver. Things were starting to happen. They’re setting the crap aside, especially in Chinatown.

Years later in 2012, Wesley Lowe created a video titled I am the Canadian delegate with the then Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Immigration & Citizenship & Multiculturalism. They travelled together across Canada promoting this video from coast to coast. The video also included an interview with me and it can be seen on my website. In 2007, the Government of Canada renamed 401 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., The Douglas Jung Tower.

Back in Vancouver after the road trip - “I’m sure enjoying driving for so many miles,” Dean said as we completed the long journey in five or six weeks.

Down a road and into a driveway comes a yellow Pontiac and in the front seat are Faye and Dean. The Leungs have bought their first house together at 457 East 63rd Avenue. One kind of expects the whole neighborhood to go wild with excitement but that will come later. Dean steps out of the car but doesn’t say a word. Buying the house was his idea. He stares at the house for a minute.

It’s large enough to accommodate his father as well as Faye and their son Dana.

Then Faye gets out of the car and joins him. She doesn’t say anything either. She gets her own patio off their bedroom and there was enough room to convert the garage into a second bedroom for a live-in babysitter and a home office for her, so she is happy. Nobody says anything. They don’t rush inside. It’s as if they’re saying, we’re home and what is there to say.

The Leungs always had trouble with live-in nannies, they didn’t stay long. The first one only wanted to improve her living standards. Another one lied on her resume. How they wished they had their mothers to help them with domestic chores when they both needed to work to establish their businesses and provide for their family. In those days women stayed at home and raised the children. Not many worked. In 2020 nannies and daycares are now available.

REAL ESTATE – HOW DID WE KNOW TO OPEN OUR OWN OFFICE and go into real estate in a big way? It was only 1957, a full three years away 167

from the first significant real estate boom in Vancouver after 1887 and many decades away before mom and pop and sis and brother would be made aware of the term ‘Monster Houses’ because there weren’t any yet and newspapers didn’t comment on real estate until the likes of Gordon Campbell and Jack Poole got involved. It was even before Bob Rennie became known as the ‘Condo King,’ a name which to this day he doesn’t like. It was quite a little secret for us to stumble into that this was was going to be the wave of the future in Vancouver – the triumph of the little guy! Before all of the above and others ruined it for everyone else we were on to a discovery that would alter people’s minds. Real estate became a drug that had everyone looking out of completely different eye holes. It was like a mind expanding drug that gave you a different view of the world. Most people’s minds are closed as to how to get ahead. Real estate was the key to opening people’s minds.

Dean and I struggled for two years to make it with Jacobsen Realty on Kingsway. By then I was qualified to be a broker. This meant I could be the owner of a real estate firm and have realtors work for me. I could expand our insurance business to include all kinds of insurance and offer property management to our clients. We didn’t have more than 500 dollars to start our business. At first, we found cheap rent in a store on noisy Main Street at Hastings. It wasn’t the best location (too much traffic), but it was in Chinatown which was a good location for us because we would be well placed to find clients among the Chinese who would be coming into Chinatown.

Before long we found another store. One day in front of 156 East Pender Street, in the heart of Chinatown, we met Mah Fat Kang. Dean told Mah Fat Kang that he was thinking of opening on Main Street because it was cheap to rent. Mah Fat Kang replied, “Not good. Take this store. Talk to Benson to come down on the rent and to give you a break and later you can pay him a little more.” It was half of a twentyfoot storefront. A door was missing. The building was dilapidated, but it was available. Upstairs was the Soo Wuen Tong Association. Benson Hoy owned the building. Benson respected Dean very much and wanted to participate in the community. Dean took Mah Fat Kang’s advice and negotiated with Benson.

Dean told him that his prominent leader status would enhance his property’s 168

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Faye with Dean and Dana age 3, at their opening outside Pender Realty & Insurance. Faye’s father’s hand written calligraphy is on the column. Dean’s calligraphy is on the window. Dean copied a Shriner’s circus sign lettering for their Pender Realty window. Dean’s master calligraphy was used on all their advertising and was copied but never equaled by others.

value. Guess what? We got the office space (8 feet by 120 feet) free! Benson wouldn’t make any improvements, but we were able to do them ourselves with the help of my talented woodworker brother, Wally Singie Leong. At the time we really did only have 500 dollars.

We had to be very innovative. Dean picked up a discarded Shriner’s Circus banner and used it as a stencil to make the lettering on our big front window.

He outlined the letters elegantly in red and painted the letters themselves silver. It read: “Pender Realty & Insurance” because we were on Pender Street. It looked very distinguished. Dean bought desks from a second-hand store for 10 dollars each and had Wally spray them with white multi-colored flecks. We did the same thing with some second-hand filing cabinets. The front of our office was wall to wall windows so our clients could see both of us from the street.

Our office girls, unpainted desks were varnished and taken into the office, when there were private meetings with clients. The toilet was terrible and smelled.

We glued old newspapers on the walls and covered them over with mahogany panels. On the front door, Dean wrote, “Dean Leung’s Business Office,” in Chinese. We were the first realtors in town to list in Chinese and English and to use photos and graphics. Afterward, everyone copied us. Dean’s masterful Chinese calligraphy added flare to our operation. We did the same kind of printing on our business cards. Our daily newspaper ads ran in the three Chinese newspapers for decades: The Chinese Times, the Chinese Voice and the Chinatown News (a bi-monthly Chinese/English magazine founded and edited by Roy

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Mah). We might even have appeared on the cover of the Rollin Stone, “Wanna see my picture on the cover Wanna buy five copies for my mother Wanna see my smilin’ face On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone” 8.

These newspapers also featured many news stories of our widely diversified businesses and activities. People from all over read these papers to find out about Chinese and English social functions and events. Even friends in San Francisco told me they saw newspaper clippings about us. Dean had my brother Singie build a sign for the front window showing our recent real estate listings. We also had a comfortable seating area for people to come and relax in our office when they were in Chinatown. We hired Chuck Bradell away from Bowmac as our manager. We received lots of congratulations and bouquets at our opening.

Their office evolved from being just a Leung office and became an informal drop-in centre where the Leungs provided people of Chinese and other ethnic origins with free assistance, especially advice on business and social relations with the English-speaking majority in Vancouver. Throughout their lives, Faye and Dean worked to bring harmony between the two cultures, fight racial prejudices and foster understanding.

The action – meaning where everything happened in Chinatown – was on Pender Street. On the weekends all the cars would come through, bumper to bumper looking for their favorite Chinese restaurant, tour buses, Home of the Dim Sum; there’s one there and the little shops selling herbs and Chinese gifts and bamboo furniture. It was a tourist attraction for the out-of-town establishment.

But Chinatown was dying. The whole old style of life of the pioneers – the cafes, cleaners, the men’s clubs, associations, societies, bakeries but it was all dying a slow death even among the establishment of Vancouver that had sus171

tained it for decades. It was getting to the point that Chinatown was not the ‘in’ place to go anymore. It was unbelievable. The Chinese were no longer even a weekend novelty to the oversized golf balls chop suey, fried rice, almond gai ding, sweet and sour this and that, stopping by on a Friday night after a long week of working before going home all over, finished.

I needed to breathe new life into Chinatown if I wanted it to prosper. So I started inviting leaders of the establishment to visit our office. The first politician to visit our Chinatown office (this would be in the late 1950s) was Alderman Harold Winch. I can still see Harold in his white trousers and blue blazer leaning against the wall in front of my desk chit-chatting. I didn’t have any particular project in mind; I was building relationships that would come in useful in the future. Often we would see him later at his home at Knight and Kingsway (which he donated to the city). The next to visit was Alderman Halford Wilson and his wife both of whom became our good friends. Our whole family spent many Christmas Eves at their home at Cambie and 28th Avenue. Others who came were Mayor Tom Alsbury (the first Mayor I invited into Chinatown) and Reeve Alan Emmott of Burnaby and his family. Everyone I met became my friend because of my bubbly personality. None of them had anything to lose by coming to Chinatown and if something came out of it, so much the better so they all came.

Bringing Caucasian VIPs into Chinatown was not very popular though in Chinatown. Reeve/Mayor Alan Emmott of Burnaby and his wife Joan became terrific friends of ours, and we were involved in business together. I invited Alan down to a Kuomintang general meeting in Chinatown in the late 1950s.

The Emmotts were the first Caucasian couple ever to be invited to any big Chinatown banquet put on by a Chinese association. Kuomintang members came from all across Canada for this meeting. The local Chinese associations were unhappy with them and treated them like invaders. It took a long time for Caucasians to be able to mix with the associations of Chinatown. The associations remembered the days of discrimination and didn’t trust them.

All eyes in Chinatown were upon us for what we were doing. They knew things were changing and Vancouver was growing. What these ‘things’ were and how they would affect Chinatown was what most people in Chinatown 172

were concerned about. Our old friend Harvey Lowe was always very considerate though. He would say kindly and thoughtfully, “I laud Dean and Faye for what they are doing. They’re an inspiration for theirs and the younger generations.” Harvey and the silent majority often spoke up complimenting us for being the first Chinese couple to attend important Caucasian events and functions. Harvey and Nora Lowe were involved in Imperial Life Insurance of which Dean, as I mentioned, was one of the President’s Club members. We all participated in many Canadian life insurance functions at a time when it was rare for the Chinese to be seen at them. We had just opened our Pender Street office a few months ago and it was becoming a hangout for all the different groups so it was only natural to invite those from outside Chinatown as well, especially if they could help us in the future.

OUR BUSINESS ALWAYS WAS A FAMILY AFFAIR. Wally my brother suggested to us that we should bring our younger brother Moody into the business. He could make some money and learn the business at the same time, Dean’s trained realtors and staff at Pender Realty (L-R) Ernie Chan, Faye, Ken Leong, Frank Chang, Albert Chang, Wilfred (Moody) Leong, Dean Leung June 1964 upon return from the Orient, Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong in April 1964.

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“Moody has no intention of furthering his secondary education. You should bring him in and train him in the insurance field. You can also help him by teaching him Chinese.” Moody had had no business experience at all. Both Moody and Bernie were now living with Wally in North Vancouver on the hill in Upper Lonsdale. It was often hard for them because in bad weather they couldn’t drive up the steep mountain road to their house. Dean and I needed to help them both out financially and supply them with cartons of groceries.

Finally, Bernie came to live with us, and we hired Moody to work for us.

OUR SUPER KID WAS BRILLIANT! Dana was very artistic, and we took him to art lessons. He had inherited Dean’s talents. He also took piano lessons and played the tuba in the school orchestra. Years later, his mouthpiece sat on our windowsill for decades. We taught Dana to read, speak and write good Chinese.

“When you go to eat in a Chinese restaurant you need to know Chinese so you can pick the good Chinese food. Otherwise, you will order only western Chinese food,” Dean always said.

At home, we had a baker who retired from the CPR Princess Lines come into our home to look after Dana and cook for us. Every night, Dean would drive him back down to the Kong Chow Benevolent Association in Chinatown where he lived. I had known this baker since I was a kid. He had been in and out of Aunt Susie’s store when I was young. It was kind of him to help us out.

Another man came from the Chinese Benevolent Association during the week to help Dean in the office. Both men were a great relief to me, but it was hard on Dean because he had to drive the cook home every night. We also had another cook for a while at the same time. He had worked at the Chungking Restaurant at 188 East Pender, up from our office. He had jumped ship a few years before. Eventually, I accompanied him to his immigration hearing and I helped him get his papers in order.

As our business picked up everyone contributed. My father picked Dana up to take him to Chinese school across from our office. Dean’s father took Dana downtown to St. George’s School. Later, Dana went to Churchill Secondary School near our home. Dana eventually taught wrestling at school.

MEANWHILE, BACK IN CHINATOWN, it wasn’t the old Faye Leung 174

any longer that everyone knew and loved. All of a sudden unannounced, the soft spoken little lady with the larger-than-life personality would come out with an enormous burst of energy. All Chinatown was starting to gravitate around her. In 1959, Faye began opening doors into a much bigger more significant world. It was the beginning of big changes for both Chinatown, Vancouver and Canada that none had ever dreamed of before. Chinatown was beginning to take on a double personality, Faye’s and everyone else’s. Half the time it would seem like the old Chinatown carrying on business as usual and then somewhere in a corner would be Faye stirring things up.

It all started one morning when their old friend Tung Jang came to visit.

“There’s no way to bring a chef over to take over my business,” cried Tung Jang, the owner of the Sai Woo Chop Suey Restaurant, next door to our office, at 158 East Pender Street. He had been the chef as well as the owner since the 1930s. He was from Yen Ping Village. Every year I would help him buy Their Pender Realty & Insurance Agency sign with Dean’s hand-written Chinese calligraphy and in English. Opened August 1958 at 156 E. Pender Street. The original Sai Woo Chop Suey Restaurant sign can be seen behind next door at 158 E. Pender.

The owners of Sai Woo were the original Chinese Canton Province, Yen Ping Region ancestral village immigrants in Vancouver since early 1900s. The master chef was Chef Tung Jang. He was a distinguished gentleman who ran this famous original Chinatown Chop Suey restaurant for decades until he retired in 1959 when under Dean’s leadership a group of shareholders purchased the restaurant: Sing Fung, Surrey Piggery Farm Owner Chin Kung Yung Chinatown Fruit Market Owner, and others.

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presents for the inspectors (Chinese custom) and translate for him in various departments (building, fire control, and health) at City Hall. Even in 1947, after the pioneers were allowed to bring their families to Canada, there was no way to bring non-blood relatives over here to help in their businesses. He was now old. I decided to see if I could change the legislation to allow chefs to come to Canada from Hong Kong. That was in 1959.

I wrote a letter to Prime Minister Diefenbaker asking him if he could help.

“Can we work together and create a proposal to approve an immigration category program to allow chefs from Hong Kong to come to Canada as skilled labor?” Diefenbaker asked Ellen Fairclough, the Conservative Minister of Immigration to get involved and we worked together to get it done. The category passed in 1960, and it still exists today. It benefits many people. Today there are many descendants of these Chinese chefs living all over Canada.

“Well I’ve got a hammer And I’ve got a bell And I’ve got a song to sing All over this land It’s the hammer of justice It’s the bell of freedom It’s a song about the love between my brothers and my sisters All over this land” 9.

“You changed Canada,” people say. I didn’t realize it at the time. I would suggest ten more categories to various immigration ministers over the following two decades. I wasn’t consciously trying to change Canada, although it certainly needed changing. I was only trying to help, Tung Jang. Once I realized what I was achieving, I worked even harder, and people are still benefitting from all my efforts. As a result of my work, the Chinese pioneers elevated me to the status of Ambassador-At-Large for Chinese business and social equality in Canada.

In their view, I had addressed wrongdoings and fought discrimination against the Chinese.

“We dub you the “Mayors of Chinatown,” they said, “in recognition of your 176

dedicated free services to the Chinese and Chinatown.”

“It’s the magic of Faye Leung?”

What do you mean?

Remember when you were a young girl and you wanted to take the magic of Yick Fung with you and keep it with you for the rest of your life? Well, you did just that. The magic of Yick Fung is now the magic of Faye Leung.

“I like that, the magic of Faye Leung.”

“Yes, the magic of Faye Leung.”

On another topic, the Chinese pioneers were the first group in Canada outside the establishment to have enough money to build a monument to their lifestyle. Chinatown was created with money from the Chinese pioneers. They were celebrating a Chinese vision of Canada. After 1923, Chinatown was ignored by the establishment except as a novelty, a place to go for entertainment on the weekends. Yet, Chinatown’s neon signs and skyline buildings continued to influence Canadian life.

The people who ran the Chinese associations in Chinatown were well respected in the early days. The associations were set up by the wise pioneers to help their people and they did. When Dean was in that role he was well respected as well. No one would think of challenging their authority. Not the people on the street, not those from star struck Los Angeles, or those from San Francisco’s Bay Area. Not even those just off the boat bearing greetings from Chiang Kai Sheik would challenge those in charge at least not publicly, they were all well respected.

The Kong Chow Benevolent Association would play a big role in our lives.

It became very successful because of the bringing together of two timely things: the arrival of its new Chairman Dean Chun Kwong Leung and the special talents he brought with him to the job. Dean would prove indispensable to the association during a crucial period in its history.

Dean was a smart businessman. In the late 1950s, when he became its Chairman, one of the first things he did was he formed the Kong Chow Investment group, ”Bak 100 Gee Voey,” and had the members buy shares as a loan to the Association. What he did had never been seen before in the association. In 1962, they were able to purchase a commercial building at 140 East Hastings 177

Street in Vancouver, next to the famous Pantages Theatre. Dean negotiated the price down to 112,000 dollars. This real estate investment was the best saviour ever for the Kong Chow Association. The rental income from 140 East Hastings paid off the shareholders of the Kong Chow Investment Group. It paid back their loan and purchased the property. Thereafter it became income for the Association.

Dean’s visionary leadership helped the Kong Chow Association, reap in many benefits. Later, when there was a fire at the head office of The Kong Chow Association on Carrall Street, they had this building to move into. Otherwise the Association would have had no home address or place for members to live and meet. Dean remained in that position for over thirty years. He made a huge impact. I would often attend various functions with our son, as Dean chaired the events in the office of their third floor headquarters on Carrall Street. Where your ancestral roots were in China was very important to determine which Association you belonged to, however you could still work for other Associations as well. Dean’s ancestral roots were in China, Canton/ Guangdong Province, Sun Voey, On Shan, Koo Cheung, Chik Kong Li village.

ALL GROUPS IN SOCIETY WHEN THEY HAVE MONEY BUILD A UNIQUE CREATION to their lifestyle no more so than the marginalized.

French royalty built Versailles twenty miles outside Paris away from the watchful eyes of the bourgeois. The mob built Vegas in the middle of a desert away from the prying eyes of the law. Canada’s Chinese pioneers built Vancouver’s Chinatown on the doorstep of Vancouver. All they wanted to do was to be left alone. After the war, the good old boys in the US south put their money into stock cars and stock car racing drew far more people than any monument the establishment had at the time. The same in California after the war, returning vets put their money into dragsters and drag racing drew more people than any establishment ceations of the day. Teenage musicians began making money playing rock and roll in the 1950s and 1960s and rock concerts drew far more people than any establishment event past or present and still do. All these creations influenced the world we live in so it shouldn’t have been a surprise that the mother of all battles was looming on the Vancouver skyline 178

when The City of Vancouver announced in 1959 that they were going to bulldoze Chinatown to make way for a FREEWAY! The City ordered bulldozers to cut a large swath down Pender Street through Chinatown and over parts of Downtown Vancouver to build a highway. The City viewed Chinatown as shabby and full of slum dwellings and wanted to run a freeway through its heart and then through the heart of downtown Vancouver. The freeway would wipe out not only Chinatown but Block 68 which was the block bordered by Granville, Georgia, Howe, and Dunsmuir. The venerable Cunningham Drugs and Ingledew’s Shoes were two buildings expropriated in Block 68. The Pioneers in Chinatown viewed their homes as an oasis in a sea of discrimination where the aroma of Asian spices and cooking filled the air on any given day. It was shaping up to be the mother of all battles.

Dean also became the new President of the Chinese National Benevolent Association in historic Chinatown in the late 1950s, taking over from my father.

As the new president, Dean led a delegation to City Hall, to begin the FIGHT. I was invited to attend the meeting and interpret for Wong Bak Yew (of the Chinese Benevolent Association) and Secretary Wong Kung Wai, those parts of the agenda about the freeway and the expropriation of houses. They couldn’t speak English. WHAT THE HECK! Nobody in Chinatown could speak English except Dean and me. The meeting was also about moving people into social housing after the city demolished their homes. The city was going to take McLean Park and turn it into McLean Social Housing, but nobody wanted to live there. Homeowners started coming to my office crying about losing their homes.

“We don’t want to go into social housing,” they would tell me. My heart was crying for them. That’s when I really got upset and decided to get more deeply involved.

I had to fight with everyone. George F. Fountain, the Director of Planning for the City, and Gerald Sutton Brown, the Manager at City Hall, held seminars about the project. Their mandate was to connect the new freeway to the Upper Levels Highway, so they started demolishing houses which included my mother’s home and school at 320 East Pender Street. My parents lost all their beautiful wooden desks and oak cabinets and lots of antique furniture. It was 179

very upsetting for our family. The Yen Ping Association had sponsored their building of which as I said, my father was a founder.

“The federal government doesn’t care about us ethnic Chinese,” I declared when the pioneers came to me crying after the city demolished their houses.

They all wanted to keep their own homes. The Chinese had never lived in social housing. They didn’t want a landlord telling them what to do. Mr. Lim, the the owner of the Gim Lee Yuen Herbal Store, sat by my desk crying. I said, “Let’s see what we can do. We’ll talk to the federal government and make an application not to send anyone into social housing. Then we’ll make an application to City Hall to stop expropriation and demolition and then renovate your homes, funded by the federal government. That will keep us all busy. The establishment should like that. We’ll bring your homes up to date. We’ll make them look just like theirs.” They applied for and eventually got a federal homeowners grant to upgrade their homes. It was the first time the Chinese in Chinatown had ever received federal money.

I got to know everyone at City Hall, in the process. Caucasians, lots of them, everywhere, with titles: Mayor Bill Rathie, Alderman Halford Wilson, Alderman Bill Street, Alderman John Moffitt, Alderman Earle Adams, Alderman Ernie Broome, Alderman Bert Emery, Alderman Harold Winch and Alderman Philip K. All were city councilors, during our fight to SAVE CHINATOWN and because of my winning personality those who were not already good friends

George Fountain and his wife Muriel in the Leung’s home. When he retired from The City he became an advisor to Faye and Dean for their building projects in Chinatown.

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became good friends and we all visited each other’s homes at Christmas time.

From 1959 through 1963, we fought City Hall to go back on their decision on the freeway. I remember standing with Dean, and everyone else at a City Hall meeting and saying, “You’re losing the heart of downtown Vancouver. You’re losing the heart of Chinatown. Los Angeles has lost its heart. San Francisco’s has not. Let’s be like San Francisco and keep the freeway out of downtown. Save the heart!” It was a really big deal and we would fight City Hall over this for the next three years.

There was a misguided movement in big cities all over North America supposedly to get rid of slum housing by running a freeway through the centre of the city but we weren’t going to let this happen to our housing. More on this later.

We won!

A Hawaiian Mandarin drama troupe, sponsored by the Chinatown Lions came to Vancouver in 1959. They performed The White Snake Lady, an old Chinese opera in English, at the Georgia Auditorium. It was a great success. In October 1959, Harvey Lowe and Nora for Aloha Week, took a group to Hawaii to reciprocate. Bob Chang of T.P.Y. Travel Agency in Chinatown was a good friend and also a Chinatown Lions Club member, as was his brother, Dr. Ted Chang. I would later build his Oakridge home for him. They convinced Dean and me to fly to Hawaii to join Harvey.

One of the most exciting things one could do in those days was we could

Faye with Alderman Halford Wilson and his wife Hazel in Faye’s home at Christmas. Faye and Dean would spend Christmas Eve’s at their home on Cambie.

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March 1960: Fidel Castro and Che Guevara parade through the streets of 182 Missle Crisis Havana and soon the world was facing the Cuban

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now go up in a jet airplane. Going up in a jet aircraft was like joining a fraternity. In this fraternity you’re not rated by your civilian status doctor, lawyer, businessman or accountant but rather as to whether you have what it takes to survive the flight. What this quality was is never talked about. It wasn’t bravery because any fool could go up in a hurling piece of metal and put his life in danger but to do it every day and continue to do it whenever the thought arose is something else. There was no test to show if you had this quality. You just take more flights, longer flights, flights in bad weather, flights in aircraft with dubious safety standards and so forth. God willing in the end, if you survived you can boast that you have what it takes when in actuality it was probably just plain stupid luck! But that’s the way it was in the good old days during the beginning of commercial air travel and no one gave the other side of the equation much thought!

“Do you know that the flight time to Hawaii is fifteen hours?” I remarked to Dean. Our flight went through Seattle to Portland and we had to change planes to fly across the Pacific Ocean to Honolulu. Dean was ready to go home after we roared and bumped along to Portland to catch our flight to Honolulu, Hawaii.

Thank God Qantas Airline inaugurated their first jet a new flight to Vancouver from Hawaii on our return reducing our flying time to six hours. That was two weeks later in November 1959. We met Kam Fong Chun for the first time on this trip. He was one of the actors in the Hawaiian Mandarin Drama Association troupe. He was also a policeman. His friend and agent, Ana Lang shortly after got him a role on the hit TV series Hawaii Five O. He quit his constable’s job and became famous as Chinn Ho Kelly, in Hawaii Five O, “Book him Chinn!” There were wonderful good friends to see in Hawaii that we had met when they were in Vancouver and lots of people entertained us every minute.

We loved the Hawaiian way of life. On Waikiki Beach all day, we let the rest of the world go by and enjoyed the sun, trade winds, Pacific Ocean and the taste of salt water on our lips. Kam Fong Chun had a humorous personality and a great baritone operetta singing voice. He told me and Dean, “Captain Cook sailed by Hawaii right by here. He would kick his Chinese 184

cook who would reply, “Why kickee me?” That is how Waikiki officially got its name.”

I was always looking for business opportunities. Dean and I and our son Dana returned to Hawaii in 1960 to do business research and for meetings with Hawaii Trust on affordable housing. For several years we stopped in Hawaii to and from the Orient when possible. Other meetings we had were with Kaiser Pink Subdivision and on the redevelopment of Hawaii’s Chinatown.

Uncle Frank Nipp lived in Honolulu, Hawaii in the early 1960s. His dearest friend Seth Lau with Dean and I pioneered trade between Hawaii and British Columbia. We started in the 1960s with the Hawaii T-plants to Canada. The products we bought and sold were good for Hawaii’s restaurants and markets.

One business that blossomed into a successful and profitable trade with Vancouver was the Wing Wing Chinese Sausage Factory owned by Dexter Fong and his parents and siblings. Seth Lau, Dean, and I opened the doors for Wing Wing Chinese Sausage and Lap Cheung into Hawaii. Dexter’s wife was from Hawaii. On our 1960 trip, we happily met with our old and new Hawaiian friends and enjoyed the salt air on our faces and cool sea breeze while again resting on the beach in Waikiki.

It’s all well and fine to talk about creations of the marginalized but what about creations by the establishment? The establishment considers itself to be made up of smart people and what do smart people talk about – art! They write about it, they get excited about it and they share it. The Louvre, the Prado, Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall and the Paris Opera are all monuments to great art where smart people come together and share their artistic tastes. Every major city in the world that wants to be recognized boasts about its symphony hall and its opera house or its art gallery including Vancouver.

A strong and vital art scene means to be in a place ‘where things happen.’

The scale of what’s happening differs by the size of the city and of course the people you have involved. Every city wants to develop its art scene for those who find it important to be in fashion the wealthy, aristocrats, writers, publishers, journalists, impresarios and performers, the glamorous but small world of the smart set – meaning cultivated.

It’s the job of every cities society to build up its membership in the greater 185

art world. Not everyone can travel to the great museums, concert halls and art art galleries of the world but they can be involved in the arts on a continuing basis if they have their own art gallery or concert hall or museums. Cities compete to see which can have the best art gallery or concert hall, the best curator, the best symphony and of course the best directors. The best requires money so they first need to have people who can support the arts in their community or, people who can raise money from others to support the arts.

The real estate business always had its ups and downs. It wasn’t an easy business. It was all on commission. Property management helped somewhat.

Nevertheless, in 1960, Dean felt real estate was worthwhile enough for him to give up his life insurance business when Pender Realty qualified to sell life insurance and represent London Life. He took the real estate course at UBC to become a realtor and hired Ernie Chan to join us in our office.

The Vancouver Opera Association inaugurated its first opera on the eve of Dean’s real estate exam at UBC and this was a big event in my life. I and Dean attended in a box, VIP style, this first opera. Practically everyone was there -lots of Caucasian establishment, upper and middle-class ladies in gowns and the men in top hats. The stage looked small from our box. Most of the people were on the ground floor down below. Dean wasn’t too happy because he should have been home studying. There was sure a lot of small talk (establishment talk) going on until the curtain went up and the opening chords sounded.

The arts have always been a doorway into society. Today, opera boards, arts councils, fund drives, openings, parties and committee meetings have replaced places of a more spiritual nature. Mrs. Cyrus McLean, the wife of B.C. Tel’s Chairman Monty McLean after we met, later appointed me as a director of the Vancouver Opera Association. Mrs. McLean was Chairman, and David Spencer (of Spencer’s Department Store) was a director. Later, David sold one of his properties at 411 Dunsmuir Street to B.C. Hydro to bail out the opera association when it got into trouble. I always respected him for that, and we became good friends. In the coming decade, we would attend many parties at his home in Dundarave in West Vancouver. Alex MacDonald and Pat McGeer were also there. I was the first Chinese person in Canada to become a director of a Canadian cultural society. Dean and I opened the door for Chinese Canadians in 186

ever so many areas. “What do you know about opera?” my son asked me. Funny boy, I was on the business side of things. Maybe I would learn a thing or two about opera, who knows.

“So, you decided to become a realtor. Very visionary when you look at Vancouver today.”

“Yes, it seemed like a good idea at the time, although I didn’t make the kind of money realtors make today. It worked out well, though, especially after we opened our real estate office. One thing always seemed to lead to another, as you will see. When I look back on those days, I wonder how we could have done so much. It doesn’t seem possible.”

“I guess there were lots of opportunities back then, not like today.”

“Oh, there are opportunities today, but you have to have more money to get involved in them. In those days, you could do it with little money, as Dean and and I did in the beginning. We believed in what we were doing and took chances, but we also had a good time doing all the things we did.”

“I enjoyed your road trip to New York.”

“That was so much fun. We enjoyed ourselves immensely. We were still pretty carefree in terms of what we wanted to accomplish. Later, when we were so busy, we wouldn’t have enjoyed a trip like that as much.

I liked those days when we were starting out in life. We had lots of challenges, but we were still just feeling our way. Once we established Pender Realty & Insurance, the pace quickened, and we diversified our activities even more.”

“When you began your fight to stop the freeway from running through the heart of Chinatown with City Hall, that’s when you started to get involved in matters outside of Chinatown, on a municipal level. You met the Caucasian establishment at City Hall or should I say, ‘They met you.’ City Hall was probably never the same afterwards, I bet.”

“That’s probably true, but everyone was great, and we all became good friends, as I mentioned.”

“So, Faye, the activist, was born or were you just a force of nature?”

“I wasn’t trying to be an activist. I was trying to help Tung Jang. But later on, I wound up helping lots of people come to Canada. One thing led to an187

other, and before long, I was opening more doors for people to have a better life.”

“What made you even think you could change the Canadian immigration policy?”

“I didn’t think of it that way. I was, as I said, just trying to help out a friend.

I figured, if I could bring over a few chefs, I could help Tung Jang out. I wasn’t thinking by changing policy; it would help others in the future, but that’s what it did. It was the beginning of something huge that changed Canada forever.

By the way, Chinglish is half English and half Chinese. I didn’t invent it.

It has been around since the 1950s. I didn’t tell you the ending of the freeway story because the fight went on until 1963. Lots happened in our lives between 1959 and 1963. I want to tell you events as they unfolded in our lives, not jump over years or decades and tell you the endings before they happened.”

“Okay, you are following what I see as one of the main themes of this book.”

“What’s that?”

“Your struggle to bring Chinese Canadians out of the past and into the future is a major theme. You not only show others the way, but you also make it possible for others to follow their dreams, as in the case of Tung Jang.”

“We had to. We did lots more. You’re just beginning to understand. Wait until you hear what I am going to tell you next. The 1960s were amazing! They were crazy and mind-boggling, all at the same time. The whole world was going insane what with the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement in the U.S., the anti-war movement, cold war tensions between the U.S.S.R. and the U.S. In China, there was the Cultural Revolution, which was terrible. Here in Vancouer, things were changing at a rapid pace and opportunities were everywhere!”

“I can hardly wait! Your opera stories show the difference in social classes of the day.”

“Yes, the establishment versus the little guy.”

“That should be a secondary theme of the book.”

“That’s too deep for me, kiddo! Keep it simple, stupid, as the saying goes.”

“Okay. Don’t worry about the structure, that’s easy. Just concentrate on your stories.”

“I will. There my life. Are you ready for the sixties?”

“I’m ready.”

188 And the soundtrack of our lives continued And the best goes on, And the best goes on.

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Chapter 5

Daily Interest Versus Monthly Interest!

There is a difference between real estate brokers and real estate developers.

Real estate developers are a one man show. They need to be larger than life in order to get financing. People have to believe in them before they will lend you money. Lenders aren’t that interested in the group around you, they’re interested in the star of the show. You have to have that star quality that says to others, I can get the job done and I had that quality!

“An opportunity was knocking on my door KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK and I wanted to be a part of it, a big part of it, so I taught myself how to do it.

I built affordable houses: big, small, medium, red, brown, beige, I didn’t care.

I developed them all over Greater Vancouver, except in Coquitlam and Maple Ridge because no one was doing it out there yet. All of a sudden, it was onestop shopping. I would sell the property (usually to a family in those days), make a contract they could understand, hire the best builder, get a mortgage, (at a reasonable rate with TD or Prudential), employ the best tradesmen, set up an account for the client, record the finances and hope it all worked out in the end which it usually did. I was building houses, and I got my hands into everything. No one told me how to do it. Well, they may have tried, but I never listened to them. You could always find someone willing to tell you anything.

Then, as quickly as it started, it finishes. Then come the roses, the garde191 They hit the front cover! The two biggest events in Chinatown’s history were the opening of our Canada Trust Branch Office in September, 1962 and the opening of our Mandarin Trade Center in 1972.

nias and the chrysanthemums and tulips; then brilliant sunlight, shining through the rain and happy people smiling from head to toe as they take possession of their new homes. That’s when I truly realize I am in the housing business. Vancouver has Grouse Mountain; it has land, it has space, it has parks, it has water; it has trees. What I was in the middle of wasn’t even mentioned on the radio. There was one construction site after another as far as the eye could see. Tiny houses all lined up in a row costing under $100,000. We were all in the middle of a wild new thing, a building boom the likes of which Vancouver had never seen. Arthur Erickson, Geoffrey Massey, Fred Hollingsworth, Ned Pratt, Bing Thom and the toughest of them all, one of the fastest builders in Vancouver history – me! Faye Leung!

My first big project was developing the Canadian Pacific Railway land around Oakridge. CPR announced, “We’re going to subdivide our large parcel of land extending from Cambie Street to Oak Street and from 41st Avenue to 49th Avenue.” There were stories about how every day in the early 1960s I would be down at City Hall getting a building permit. That’s probably a fable because there were so many down there getting building permits that it would have been hard to pick me out. David Shepherd, CPR’s manager who was in charge of the sale and his wife, became excellent friends with us over the years.

“Which properties do you want?” David would ask. I would tell him the ones I wanted and get to work. It was me specifically though who was responsible for developing ninety percent of the land at Oakridge.

“Little boxes on the hillside Little boxes made of ticky tacky Little boxes Little boxes Little boxes all the same There’s a green one and a pink one And a blue one and a yellow one And they’re all made out of ticky tacky And they all look just the same” 10.

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It was a family affair. Dean did the sketches, my brother Ken drew up the plans and (in addition to my other roles), I did the décor. You have to remember, in 1960, it was just us. All the other developers had millions behind them.

We took them all on. It was never a question of would we succeed. It was a question of whether we could finance it all. We were like Robin Hood or Jesse James. Every time we built a house in Kitsilano, Oakridge, Fraserview, Mount.

Pleasant or where ever, later, people would say: “Thanks for building our custom house. Because you locked our mortgage in for thirty years at six percent, the problems with interest rates that came afterward didn’t affect us.” (Remember the 20 percent interest rates of the early 1980s?) We were doing it for the little guy. We built houses down to Marine Drive even though that wasn’t CPR land. We negotiated each of those units separately. We were building all over the place. It was a busy and exciting time.

I developed a lot of houses. Then, about 1962, people began to ask, “Where is Faye Leung?” The little guy on the street knew. She definitely didn’t go to Vietnam like the American boys. They say she’s gone into the banking business, was the word around Chinatown. For me now, to ever go into another line of work would have been completely insane. I was doing so well in the housing business. Besides that, I already had other interests – insurance, real estate sales. But the little guy on the street said, “It’s in her blood.” He says, “She’s like a knight in shining armor, galloping off over the hill to help us all live a better, more prosperous life. I can see her now leading the peasants on a white horse.” It was the 1960s, and anything was possible.

Serendipity is everything! When you don’t have people around you shouting in your ear telling you that something can’t be done, you can move mountains, just look today at, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. One of my fantasies was making the people of Chinatown rich or at least richer. Another one was always getting the establishment to notice Chinatown and here’s how I accomplished both, in a big way. I needed to find a way to bring the Caucasian establishment into Chinatown so Chinatown would prosper. One day, I was in the head office of Canada Trust in downtown Vancouver where I did my banking.

“Wouldn’t it be nice,” I said to J. D. Wilson, “if we could open a branch of193

fice of your trust company bank in Chinatown?” (The Western Regional, Assistant Manager of Canada Trust). “You’re missing out on a lot of business,” I said. “My customers would be very interested in Canada Trust’s daily interest rates.” In those days there were no branch offices of any trust companies in Canada.

In their head office in London, Ontario, Mr. Taylor, the boss, wasn’t too happy, with my idea.

“East is east and west is west, and never the twain shall meet,” Jimmy Pattison told me. Throughout the decades business in the east has fought with business in the west. I said to Jimmy at the horse show on January 29, 2017, “Do you remember you told me thirty years ago, “Don’t bank in Vancouver.

Go back east?”

“I still do,” he says, “Because the east and west coast never meet. Mortgages and financing have always been a problem. That’s why so many immigrants in the early days settled in Toronto.”

Our Canada Trust office opened with a great big bang! Yes, sir, the first deposit-taking branch office of any trust company in Canada. We opened, outside of any financial district on September 22, 1962, and it rocked the whole Faye with Canada Trust President from London, Ontario Allyn Taylor and Western Division GM, J.D.Wilson of Canada Trust in the Leung’s office congratulating Dean and Faye the founders of the first Canada Trust Company branch office in Canada. What they did rocked the financial districts across Canada, 1962.

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Dean giving a speech at the opening in their Pender Realty & Insurance office with Chairman Gordon and Mrs. Farrell and Assistant General Manager J.D. Wilson and his wife.

city. Dean was so surprised. Trust companies offered their customers a better interest rate than any of the five big banks. A crazy notion! Dean and I were not only becoming pros in business but role models to a whole class of people who identified with us. We were becoming modern day heroes.

The reception that followed was even BIGGER! “Look at all the multi-cultural guests from all over the Lower Mainland,” I said to Dean, “as well as from out of town.” The firecrackers exploded with good cheer at a huge cocktail buffet reception further up the street, at Steve Louie’s, son of Louie Gunn’s, Chungking Restaurant at 178 East Pender.

“We’ve sent you a thousand baby orchids, flown in from Hawaii to help each guest celebrate this historical event in your honor,” read a card from Uncle Frank, Aunt Vi Nipp, and Seth Lau. It was such a memorable event! Chinatown had never seen anything like it.

The media coverage was BIG when we opened our Canada Trust branch office because no one seemed to know that just about anyone could open and run a trust company deposit bank which earns interest (as opposed to a non-deposit taking bank which does not). No prior advertisements or announcements.

We just went ahead and did it. Everyone, Caucasian and Chinese were utterly astounded at what we did. There was a lot of straight talk and small talk going on all over the place in those days. It was all done by a husband and wife 195

team, working out of a small oriental style office in Chinatown. Some called us visionaries.

“We not only rocked the whole city but all of Canada and the Hong Kong financial district as well, and we did it in our eight foot by one hundred and twenty-foot oriental style office with no vault, just a new fire-proof safe. All expenses and costs generously paid by us with patriotism in our hearts because we felt we were contributing to Canada.” We didn’t care that Canada Trust didn’t pay us any rent for two years. Our motive was to enhance and enrich [Pender Realty would go on to develop subdivisions, commercial projects and affordable housing throughout the city. It also provided property management, financing, and construction opportunities for clients. The Leungs also brought Hong Kong and Far East investors to Canada.]

Chinatown and foster Vancouver’s growth by developing new businesses and opportunities for the public. It was a huge, important thing.

That opening was the Chinatown of my fulfillment.”

“We’ll add Canada Trust into the middle section of our store as the Canada Trust Bank,” I said. My brother, Wally Sing Leong, built the counters and facili cilities. Laura, my brother Wilfred’s wife, was a teller (Later, Rose Mah took over from her). Signs such as plastic signs in Chinese and English (which were huge) hung in front of the building along with our Pender Realty & Insurance Agency sign, a window sign, and an interior banking countersign. We had so many signs, one may have been a Coca Cola sign, I don’t remember. The signs later became more famous than us and very popular. It was unique. We pioneered new techniques in advertising and sales procedures 196 Green pamphlets Dean made with his masterful calligraphy.

which are widely used and effective in the industry today.

“I’ll make special lime green and white triple-folded leaflets in Chinese and English,” Dean said, “They’ll be handwritten with my classic Chinese calligraphy.” It had never been seen or done before in Vancouver. Thanks to Dean’s genius, creativity, business sense, and artistic vision, it was a hit. The public admired, loved and respected us right from the start.

There was a lot to do. Our life was getting a lot busier.

The routine was always the same, “Make sure you take the day’s deposits down to the bank,” I said to Dean.

The Bank of Montreal was only three doors down at 138 East Pender Street.

The deposits would be picked up there the next morning and delivered by taxi to Canada Trust’s head office at 475 Howe Street (Their head office was in the old stock exchange building in the downtown financial district). Charlie O’Hara was the head office manager. He told us, “I’ll personally put through your deposits into the vault.” It just astounded us that we were able to develop so many financial accounts, some of them quite big. There was a lot of straight talk (little guy talk) in our office. A family would come in, and each member would open an account. Soon all their relatives -- aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, grandnephews -- would go in, the whole SHIBAM! A bank account was a symbol of prosperity.

“We have to educate the public,” Dean said, “in both languages, about earning Canada Trust’s calculated daily interest instead of the banks’ quarterly interest on the minimum deposit.” We wanted all our customers to share in the wealth. Our staff was always giving away gifts.

“Which gift would you like,” someone could always be heard asking a customer: “A round bamboo plastic coated chair, a metallic Chinese tea cushion, a Pender Real Estate pen?” Those were for each newly opened account.

We admire your exuberant personality and your respect for your customers, people would tell us. Our customers came from all over the Lower Mainland. They rushed and lined up to open new accounts because they trusted us.

To many Chinese having a bank account was a symbol of prosperity. A bank account was a symbol of life itself and money bought houses. A bank account 197

was a leap forward into the good life and represented liberation from the present social structure. It represented freedom.

“I never dreamed anything like this could ever happen to us,” I said to Dean, “We’ve made a difference for Canada, for British Columbia, and Chinatown.”

The headlines read: CANADIAN CHINESE COUPLE OPENS a BANK, the FIRST TRUST COMPANY BANK, in their office. Amazing!

On the receiving line were Dean and I, Chairman Gordon and Mrs. Farrell, and General Manager Jack Wilson. I still have the signatures of all the people who attended. Prominent Chinatown guests were Quan Gow (Quan’s father was the ex-Custom Photos’ founder on Robson Street) and George D. Wong, the Chinese representative of the Bank of Nova Scotia at Hastings and Columbia.

Not everyone was on board. There was a lot of small talk by Caucasians who weren’t thrilled about the Chinese having bank accounts and living in new houses. It was a symbol of a new era in B.C., and there was a lot of resentment in the talk. Resentment against the Chinese having money and the freedom that money gave them to buy houses. Many people didn’t want the social order to change. Any breaks for the lower orders were still taboo to many.

There were some in our Vancouver office that weren’t too happy either.

“I don’t like the idea of opening a branch office because it means more work for me,” Charlie O’Hara said. He was a nine to five type plus dinners and cocktails. Neither did Gordon Farrell, the son of B.C. Tel and now Telus founder, Ted Farrell. He was the Chairman of Canada Trust.

Opening a trust company office in Chinatown was just good business to Dean and I. Nobody in Chinatown knew about daily interest. Our customers would get a more significant percentage, on their money and help them to prosper. Now we needed a plan to build more housing in Chinatown. We had forced the spring, and now we had to do the work the season demands.

Thus the Leungs broke another barrier by being the first to persuade a financial company to set up a branch office outside the business district of a city when Canada Trust opened a branch in their office in Chinatown. Then, in 1964 Dean and Faye would pave the way for the first trust company (Canada Trust) to do 198

business with a bank in Hong Kong acting as an Ambassador of, a free service for Canada Trust (meaning the Leungs did it for free). Through the Leungs efforts, the Bank of Montreal would later open a branch in Hong Kong as well. Faye and Dean acted as liaisons between local Orientals and Far East businesses for many banks and credit unions. Their work with banks started in the early 1960s and continued for decades.

You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours is a good motto to live by or at least it sure was for me. I was always doing things for everyone. Sometimes nothing ever came of it but other times I hit the jackpot. Such was the case when I extended a warm hand to someone who would later prove to be indispensable when I needed a big favor. That is not to say my idea didn’t have merit but because it had merit, I didn’t need to worry about politics getting in the way.

“I’ll be running as a candidate in the Vancouver Centre riding in the next federal election,” Jack Nicholson announced. A lawyer, Jack was sent an invitation by Assistant General Manager, Jack Wilson, to come to our Canada Trust branch opening. “This will be my first time going into politics. I hope I succeed.” Jack was modest, and he and I became good friends from then on. Jack would play an essential role in my life, when, later in the decade, together, we would kindle a fire under the dark shadow of discrimination and throw open a much larger door into that bigger more startling world out there.

Other Canada Trust branch offices sprang up when it was discovered people were developing brand allegiances. Our branch office was so successful that J. D. Wilson said to us, “We want you to assist and initiate the opening of other branches of Canada Trust throughout the City.” Because we had developed ninety percent of the Oakridge area, the Oakridge Branch was next. Gerry Bradley was its manager for decades. Wherever a large housing development was built a branch office sprang up. New Westminster, East Hastings, Nanaimo Street, all followed.

“Each new branch opening costs will be entirely paid for out of your huge deposits in your original Chinatown Agency,” J.D. said, yet they still didn’t pay us any rent.

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Other trust companies got wind of what we were doing and followed suit.

“Can I come and learn from Dean and you?” Gene Wong asked. “I’m going to use Quon Wong’s property down the street at 128 East Pender.” He established Yorkshire Trust (now defunct). George D. Wong left the Bank of Nova Scotia at the corner of Columbia and Hastings Street. He’d built up a large Chinese business there but was never able to be the manager because of discrimination.

“I’m going to copy Dean and you and open Commonwealth Trust at Main and Pender, N.W. corner.” He did, although it too is now defunct. Others followed: Royal Trust, Guaranteed Trust, and the Montreal Trust, BUT THEY COULDN’T MAKE THEM WORK. “Isn’t it amazing how you survived and all the others failed,” said Richard Mar, Tim Louie, Harvey, and their fellow Lions. They often discussed how it all happened and how Dean and I triumphantly survived while the others failed.

The head office began to take an interest in what Dean and I were doing.

Dean gave them lots of advice.

“You should extend your opening hours to enrich business. Stay open longer hours than most banks (which close at three o’clock, Monday to Fridays and are closed weekends).” I advised the President, Allyn Taylor, the BIGPOO-BAH from back east and Assistant General Manager, Jack Wilson, still a dark suit Conservative, but at least Jack listened which is how we got this far by 1963. Dean and I had a ‘noble vision’ for Canada Trust. Our office stayed open until five o’clock. “You should be open until early evening and on Saturdays. It’s just good business sense,” Dean said. I’m sure there was a lot of small talk afterward about his suggestion. In 1962, it was impossible to change establishment thinking, so they didn’t heed his foresight and good business vision.

“Don’t tell Allyn Taylor that I’m co-operating with your operation,” said manager Charlie O’Hara. “I’m doing it without his or his Board of Directors’ approval.” It was all done through Canada Trust in Vancouver’s downtown financial district, so we didn’t say a word!”

Currently, in 2018, TD/Canada Trust is open seven days a week, from eight a.m. to eight p.m. just as Dean had recommended in 1963. Canada Trust is 200

open Saturdays and Sundays as well – seven days a week, exactly as he told the President and J.D. Wilson and other banks copied. Bless Dean’s intelligence.

But the big bosses couldn’t ignore us. President Allyn Taylor came sailing in out of the sky to thank us personally from London, Ontario’s head office and congratulate and honor us. So did Gordon Farrell, the Chairman, who also came rolling in and J.D. Wilson. We were that successful.

I got another surprise.

“Faye, this is Allyn Taylor.” He phoned me from Toronto. I nearly fell off my chair.

“Hello, Mr. Taylor,” what can I do for you?” I said. He didn’t call very often.

“Can you use your connections to find a job for my daughter in Japan?” In 1962, Jack D. Wilson and his wife Phyllis and Allyn Taylor didn’t know of different cultures. Dean and I brought a new dimension to their life and business, and we all continued to work together happily. Through our connections, Allyn Taylor sent his daughter, a nurse, to Japan and she flourished with the Asia Pacific Foundation.

“We’re getting too busy,” Dean told me. “We’ve established a base of thousands of accounts, and we need a full branch.” People had been cramming into our office by the hundreds. We couldn’t believe how successful we were. There were so many people that we usually ran out of gifts because everyone was so excited about having a bank account. Upon our urging, Canada Trust eventually opened a separate Chinatown Branch at Main and Pender.

“Charlie Lee would make a good manager,” I said. It’s presently still in operation on the N.E. corner of Main and Pender Street. “We don’t have time to run a whole branch as we’re far too busy with all our other business interests,” I said. You know, the funny part is even today many former clients of ours still come up to me and tell me that they think they’re still dealing with us. They think I’m still Canada Trust and our Pender Realty & Insurance Agency business is still going strong. I’m still active but I’m no longer involved with Canada Trust or Pender Realty. Still, it was fun!

Many years later, J.D. Wilson and Allyn Taylor both became members of 201

the Asia Pacific Foundation. Dean and I were so successful in bringing Canada Trust banking to the public that they could see its importance. Today, the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada has become a vital link between all Asian countries. Dean and I were proud that we managed to get the co-operation of Jack Wilson and that we were the first to open a trust company branch office outside of any financial district. Our achievement had a significant impact in spreading the wealth to the little guy. I said to Dean, “We’ were sure getting noticed,” eh Dean? To which he replied, “We sure were Faye!”

It’s never easy to make it in business but to make it in business in those days was very difficult. Going up against the establishment was not recommended.

Many good people fell by the wayside as I have mentioned regarding those who tried to emulate us and start their own trust companies and failed. Those who survived had courage and fortitude and you never knew who the survivors would be. A certain amount of luck was involved but you also had to have that determination and vision that made you push forward when lesser people were falling all around you left and right.

By 1963, as I said, Dean and I were now in the midst of these establishment people and invited to their social functions: The Canada Trust, Bank of Montreal, The Royal Bank, CIBC and others. I remember an extraordinary banquet at W.K. Gardens Restaurant with a full bar run by Mah. These establishment folks were making direct, nasty, cruel comments about their displeasure with Jimmy Pattison, “Why he’s invading our exclusive business world,” they said. I was amazed they could speak so directly. The above happened on many occasions. On one occasion, I recall them saying, “Jimmy Pattison has NO ability, NO class, and NO business acumen NOR any right to invade our space.” These comments just burnt Dean and me up! We were so furious. We regarded him as a friend who sold us our first car. I wished that they would stick to their, small talk.

“Make sure you tell others not to deal with Jimmy Pattison,” they said. That was discrimination from within.We realized the business world could chew you up and spit you out. Those were terrible times in more ways than one.

At that time, still it seemed Vancouver was the only city in the world where eighty percent of its population, were white Caucasian? What about the im202

migrants? Didn’t any immigrants come to Vancouver in the last fifty years? Of course they did but they were all white Caucasians from the British Commonwealth countries. That means white Caucasians controlled the city politically, a white mayor, white aldermen, white cops. Now you’re getting it! Who read the newspapers, the white Caucasians. No wonder the Chinese in Chinatown resented the white establishment and were suspicious of establishment types, there was never anything written about them in Caucasian newspapers.

About the same time, Simma Holt a columnist for the Vancouver Sun Newspaper and I became good friends. All the reporters including Simma would drop by my office when they needed some information relating to Chinatown.

Newspapers of the day catered to the tastes of the white middle class so they never picked up on what would start to happen in the housing market in Vancouver in the mid-1960s. The middle class were not much interested in owning more than one house because no one rented in those days. Everyone just owned one house, the one they lived in. Newspapers finally started to catch on when MONSTER houses began springing up all over the place, in the late 1980s.

Eventually, there was so much money going into real estate and so much money being made by buying and selling real estate, that it took on an economic respectability, and became a middle-class status symbol and then newspapers began reporting about it but in the 1960s, newspapers only reported on what they felt was important to the establishment.

It’s hard to imagine that iconic institutions that are in every neighborhood today, sometimes first needed to be invited into a neighborhood in the old days.

The danger was if they just came in unannounced, nobody might have paid any attention to them and viewed them with suspicion, especially in Chinatown with all its history of being discriminated against. No, such institutions needed to be introduced by someone who was well known to the people in the neighborhood. The Chinese were definitely interested in housing so if the institution had anything to do with housing, they probably would have then been greeted with open arms or maybe not!

“We need to build townhouses for those Chinese whose houses have been demolished by the city,” I told Dean. The people who lost their homes when the city began to put the freeway through (in 1959) still had no place to live.

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Faye’s father visiting Pender Realty

I helped B.C. Housing Corporation get started and coordinate meetings with the Chinese pioneers. “We can build them on that empty site where the houses were torn down,” I said.

“I’ll draw up a map in Chinese and English,” said Dean, “showing each block and street where the development will be.” B.C. Housing was just getting started and established as a housing authority, but there was a problem. There was a lot of straight talk going on by the Chinese homeowners who complained.

“We don’t want to go into townhouses that’ll be managed by someone else,” 204

they said. “We want our own houses and to be independent.” The meetings and seminars to find a solution went on for a long time.

The Chinese in Vancouver were making great strides towards equality in the early 1960s. Housing was changing their lives, and all it required was money and a little guts. At the same time, there were still districts though in Greater Vancouver where Chinese, East Indians and Jews were not welcome.

“I just purchased a new home in West Vancouver,” said Dr. Fred Chu, one day in my office. The worst was in the British Properties in West Vancouver where I’m sure a lot of small talk went on in the country clubs on the weekends.

Dr. Chu happily lived there to a ripe old age. Today, it’s mostly Chinese and Iranian families who live in the British Properties. Isn’t that ironic!

“The 1960s was a groundbreaking and momentous time for you and Dean.”

“Yes, it certainly was.”

“I grew up in the Oakridge area in the 1960s and know it very well. A lot of the houses in those days were very similar in size. So you were responsible for building them?”

“I sure was! Back then, they all sold for less than 100,000 dollars. And you know who we sold them to our clients from Canada Trust.”

“So, everything was connected?”

“Yes, we needed the potential clients who were starting out in life who needed to buy their first house. Or maybe it was the other way around. We had potential clients who were looking to buy their first house. Anyway, it worked out nicely, and everyone was happy.”

“The 1960s was a pivotal period in Vancouver’s growth socially, economically and politically. The old guard business establishment was making way for the new and the way Vancouver, B.C. and Canada made its money was starting to change forever, again in no small measure by your contributions, I am sure.”

“What do you mean?”

“The old sectors of mining, forestry, farming and fishing which were the backbone of the Canadian economy, were giving way to new ways of making money such as the housing, financial and tourism industries. Politics changed, new visions arose for the future of Vancouver and its role on the world stage.

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Spreading the wealth is what you and Dean did. You opened your trust company branch in Chinatown so the Chinese could get better interest on their money and prosper. It also gave many Chinese bank accounts for the first time because they wouldn’t travel outside of Chinatown to deal at one of the five big banks where they didn’t know anyone. Everyone in Chinatown knew you and Dean and trusted you, and they were only too willing to come and invest in your trust company. Then, you built houses for the little guy, all under, 100,000 dollars, so the little guy could get ahead in life and join the middle class. Developers today sure aren’t building houses for the little guy. They’re building houses for the international housing market and selling them overseas. Those houses you built and sold in Oakridge for under, 100,000 dollars are now selling for 5 million dollars and more.”

“I know, everything’s gone nuts, it’s the government’s fault for not regulating overseas ownership, but they are making too much money. Housing is a cash cow for the government. HECK, they sometimes charge as much as 100,000 dollars for a building permit today.”

“Yes, today’s developers aren’t like you. They have no social conscience. They don’t care whether Canadian families who have lived here for generations can afford to purchase a house. It’s all about numbers and making the most money, and the city is allowing them to do that by supplying them with an endless supply of houses. They raise the assessment rate so the present owners can’t afford the taxes, and the house goes on the market at today’s rates. Or others sell because they stand to make so much from the sale. So, how did you get out of Canada Trust?”

“I gave them the business. Everybody was making money except us. Before we had Canada Trust, we would write up a bank draft or a money order using one of the five big banks and send it off by mail. Once we had our own Canada Trust office, we gave Canada Trust the business. We gave them thousands of accounts, thousands of deposits and thousands of other kinds of business. I said to Dean, “I don’t want to be a bank manager for Canada Trust.” I didn’t have time for it. So, as I said, we opened a branch on the corner of Main and Pender, and they hired a Canadian, Tom Harris. I don’t know where he came from or where he went afterwards. He was a short, fat little guy. We eventually brought in Charlie Lee, and he stayed for a while. But we got out.

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Next, I’m going to tell you how developers started building skyscrapers in Vancouver. There was a time you know when developers could only build two and three-story apartments. I changed all that.”

“Really!”

Oh yes, I was involved in everything. The 1960s were world-shaking times.”

“Yes, they certainly were.”

“But first, I want to tell you a little about Simon Fraser University and how we were invited to help promote Vancouver and B.C. outside the province by the government. They’re both tied together in my story.

If you ever tried to build a house from scratch, finance it, find a location, hire an architect, hire a designer, hire a builder then you will know how much work it is to put it all together. If it’s going to be sold and lived in by a third party it’s even harder trying to guess their tastes ahead of time. The main thing is to try and avoid making changes at the last minute.

Downtown Vancouver, 2020, row after row of glass skyscrapers filled with offices of the business elite rising high into the stratosphere. Every company old and new wants space if they can afford it with no complaint about the likeness of it all. They hire a designer at greater expense to install everything that will turn their cubicle into everyday living space. Then they move into their very own glass box but no one really likes it. They know modern architecture is not working. The only answers to the above problem seem to boil down to more of the same only different.

The relationship between architect and client today is not always good. In the past, architects were committed to turning their client’s visions into reality Versaille, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the turn of the century mansions of the rich and famous of New York society, Napoleon and the Arc de Triomphe. But that changed and architects embraced the ideal of modern architecture because it was simple and started from scratch which is what everyone was doing, starting from scratch after both the Great War and World War II. It all ties into being the architecture of the people, the working class, and Bauhaus style. It made them feel independent of the bourgeois society around them. So architects weren’t averse to challenging the client if his idea went against the new 207

ideology. You had to be a strong willed visionary to push an idea.

The Social Credit Party of W.A.C. Bennett was the party of the middle and upper-class establishment in B.C., and probably every Caucasian belonged to it. Despite being a free enterprise party, they formed BC Hydro in 1961 by nationalizing the province’s most significant private hydroelectric business to make sure that it couldn’t oppose the government’s hydroelectric dam construction program. They also formed B.C. Ferries in 1958. True to their policy of being a party of monetary reform in a few years they would create the second Bank of B.C. as well.

In 1963, Premier W.A.C. Bennett declared, “We’ll build a small university with 17,000 students in a short period.” He challenged everyone. “It must be open by 1965. It will be known as Simon Fraser University.”

“Don’t it always seem to go That you don’t know what you’ve got til its gone They paved paradise And put up a parking lot” 11.

They formed a committee to raise the money. Dean and I got involved in 1963 and became lifelong Charter Convocation members. This was wonderful for Dean, having come to Canada as one of the first group of Chinese postgraduate students at UBC after the war in 1949 with his scholarly background in China, to now be listed in the ranks of convocation members helping to build a new university in B.C. he was so proud. Arthur Erickson (a Canadian architect and urban planner), and Geoffrey Massey were appointed architects. Allan McGavin and Cyrus McLean, the President of the B.C. Telephone Co., were others who got involved and Gordon Shrum (a physics professor at UBC and administrator) was appointed to oversee the project. He was the first Chancellor. Patrick McTaggart Cowan (a meteorologist) was the first President.

The site for the new university was chosen in the summer of 1962 while Dean and I were travelling around California promoting tourism for the B.C. government.

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“Little surfer little one Made my heart come all undone Do you love me, do you surfer girl Surfer girl my little surfer girl” 12.

“There sure are a lot of important people on this bus,” I said to Dean. There was a busload of us. Alan Emmott, the Reeve of Burnaby, was one. Also present were mayors, councilors and business people: the general manager of the Hotel Vancouver, the manager of Harrison Hot Springs Resort, Cap Capozzi of Calona Wines, Mary Beth Wood (the Mayor of New Westminster) and Halford Wilson. Just a bunch of good old boys and us!

“Hey, Halford, where’s that totem pole the Chinatown Lions donated supposed to go,” someone yelled, “San Francisco’s Chinatown, in Union Square,” I answered. Alan Emmott, Halford Wilson, and Dean and I hung out together.

“I’m sure anxious to find out where the emplacement for the new university is going to be,” said Alan, “I’m hoping it’s on Burnaby Mountain.”

It was a busy trip.

“I’m so hungry, we should open some of that B.C. shrimp we brought along,” someone said. We had brought along with us B.C. shrimp, lettuce and salmon to host Chamber of Commerce dinners in each town and city that we visited.

“It’s too warm for those Cowichan sweaters. That’s for sure,” said another.

They were another gift we had brought with us.

We started in Sacramento and then went on to San Francisco. In San Francisco, Dean was a guest speaker at the Lions Club in Chinatown. It was a fantastic surprise to him that Walter and Zoe Pang were sitting in a front-row table at the banquet.

“I had to come and see and hear what Chun Kwong was up to,” Walter said.

His speech was in English and he had the guests howling with laughter. It pleased Walter so much that he gave me great compliments for being a good wife to him. Very often throughout the years, I received the same compliments worldwide. Dean had good taste and good fortune in Canada and success because he had a good wife in me. I always strived to be a good wife and give 209

Dean giving a hilarious speech in San Francisco at a Chinatown Lion’s Club banquet.

Walter Pang, Dean’s former Hong Kong classmate is in the front clapping and laughing. We presented a hand-carved B.C. totem pole to the SF Chinatown Lions which was erected in Union Square Park, SF., 1963 (L-R) head table: Vancouver Alderman Halford Wilson, New Westminister Mayor Beth Wood, S.F. Chinatown Lions Chairman Chang, Dean. Dean gives the traditional Chinese bow wearing Vancouver Lion’s head band with B.C. Government Commissioner Stacey at far right. He resided at B.C. House in SF and was B.C.s representative.

my best to my dear husband because we were sweethearts. Walter was so surprised with Chun Kwong’s speech he couldn’t stop raving and boasting about how good it was. I can’t recall now what it was even about. The whole audience was roaring though. It was an extraordinary speech from the heart.

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In Los Angeles, we visited 20th Century Fox Studios. It was a busy trip. We met Glenn Ford, the Canadian actor and we all wore the B.C. tartan hats and jackets. In Redding, on the way back, Alan ran to a pay phone to see what site they chose for SFU, “It’s Burnaby Mountain,” he said, jumping for joy. We went out and bought a case of Coca Cola to celebrate. Alan was a great promoter. He and his family were good friends of mine and Deans. Once they chose the site the committee began to get to work. There was a lot to do.

“They took all the trees And put ‘em in a tree museum And they charged the people A dollar and a half just to seem ‘em” 13.

“WAC Bennett has the force of a great typhoon. He’s a real winner,” Dean said. “He’ll get the job done.”

Most of the stories of SFU in the 1960s are about long-haired, blue jean wearing, pot-smoking, hippies. My stories are all about what we did and how we continued to support the university.

Chinatown at night in the early 1960s, with the neon glories up above; it was amazing to be in this generation of entrepreneurs poised to change our world for the better. We somehow felt tied to this new world of jetliners, super highways, TV and building booms in this postwar period. No one could have known what it was like to feel so empowered as though we could accomplish anything. We were immune to the problems that plagued previous generations.

We had young families; we had mobility in the form of cars. We were going to create our own superhighways and travel them to the Milky Way and back.

My fantasy of bringing interesting people into Chinatown to help it prosper would last a lifetime. The most interesting people in the country to me at the time and still are is not the writers or the intellectuals but have always been the politicians. Politicians can make things change for the better. This was before politicians became movie stars and they weren’t as concerned about their public image as they later would be. No one was concerned with photo opportunities 211

for the sake of publicity. Most of them were good old boys. The most interesting ones were from the Canadian heartland. Old fashioned, down-to-earth, even a bit awkward in public but they always had the interest of the little guy in mind.

There were all sorts of politicians. There were civic politicians, regional politicians, provincial politicians and then there were politicians that had the good of the whole country in mind. If we could get one of them to come to Chinatown and see what we have to offer, maybe we could put Chinatown on the superhighway to prosperity even quicker than even I imagined.

The first prime minister to visit Chinatown was Diefenbaker. Doug Jung came to Chinatown in 1963 as a Conservative candidate up for re-election but he had made a big mistake. All the Vets had rallied and elected him as their MP in 1957. In 1963, the Jung Association put on a dinner to honor him in Chinatown. He was so snobbish that he didn’t show up. He offended everyone. The banquet was at Ming’s Restaurant for about 300 people and even Diefenbaker came. There was sure a lot of straight talk going on that evening. Diefenbaker was in the centre of the head table. Dean was the master of ceremonies.

Prime Minister John Diefenbaker attending a banquet in his and Doug Jung’s honor in front of Mings. Dean was his speaker, 1963.

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At the head table, were Diefenbaker and myself on one side and Dean on the other because, Dean had to read his speech in Chinese.

When Diefenbaker stood up to speak, he was so tall that his hand was right in front of my eyebrow, shaking away. MY GOD! I exclaimed. He was trying to help Doug Jung get re-elected. I didn’t dare move. Not all the Chinese people voted for him the second time. The first time everyone was excited when he won. I remember, my father came in the front door and threw his hat across the room he was so happy because Jung was the first Chinese MP ever to get elected. He was defeated in this election.

Still, half the time Chinatown was like it always had been with nothing new happening. People were going about their daily lives trying to make a living.

But then in an hour, I would be entertaining someone new in my office over on Pender Street. Often it was someone from the establishment but sometimes it was someone everyone in Chinatown knew or had heard about.

What was happening in China, always affected the people in Chinatown.

They all had relatives and friends there and they were always interested in China’s past and present history. I was still sending money back to China for the pioneer’s families but now it was through our Canada Trust Branch. We would send it to the big banks in Hong Kong who had a banking relationship with banks in mainland China. There wasn’t much money to be made there but we still did it as a service to the pioneers. Many of the pioneers had brought their immediate families over to Canada by now but many still sent money back to relatives.

Not everyone I met in those days was Caucasian or a Caucasian politician.

Nor did everyone in Chinatown catch on to the value of bringing Caucasian politicians into Chinatown but they sure liked it when one of their own came to visit. The more connected he was the better. If he was a part of the old order in China before the communists came to power, he was like royalty. Those were such dreadful times when the communists came to power. Everyone’s world had been turned upside down and so many were killed in the name of the people.

R.Z. Yung was such a fellow. He was one of the five most famous and 213

wealthiest tycoons in China before the communists came to power in 1949. All five tycoons fled China to Hong Kong and then went their separate ways. Mr. Yung went to Sao Paulo, Brazil. I met him here in Vancouver through our good friends Albert and Diana Kwan in 1963. They had met him in Shanghai when Albert was there going to school. There are many stories about R.Z. Yung. He told Dean and I many things about his life, “In Brazil, I continued in textiles and industry and had a flour mill like the one I originally had in Shanghai. During the Second World War, I was an advisor to Robin Hood Flour in Vancouver. My oldest son died in an airplane accident. My youngest son, Ivan, just got engaged and is going to have his engagement party in Vancouver at the Marco Polo Supper Club.”

He wanted me to help his son.

“I hope Henry will get involved in your Simon Fraser subdivision,” Mr. Yung said to us, “and learn from you.” That was our next development project which I will tell you about later. His third son Henry came to live in Vancouver with his Brazilian wife, Elizabeth. He got involved with the wrong bunch, and they cheated him. “He lost a lot of money,” his father said, looking very unhappy, “A Yung never gets cheated!” He wouldn’t help him after that. His mother came to his rescue and bailed him out. He ended up living in his father’s apartment on Comox Street in a building owned by the David Lam family. “Henry named his son Stanley, after Stanley Park,” he told us. When Elizabeth first arrived in Vancouver our home was her mailing address. It was also the mailing address for Mr. Yung’s executive assistant, C.C. Tai and his wife Alice for many years.

Dean and I were always hosting someone.

Mr. Yung would often come and stay for the summers as our guest.

“I liked the trip to Alaska you took me on,” Mr. Yung said. He was so famous and came every year to Vancouver for about fifteen years. “I just bought a house on Nob Hill in San Francisco,” he told us later. There’s now a statue in honor of his family in Nibo, China near his homestead.

Yung’s brother Rong Yiren was known as the legendary ‘Red Capitalist’ for staying in China and helping the communists build a new socialist country. He fell from grace with the start of the Cultural Revolution. The communists took all his land and possessions and tortured him cutting off his fingers.

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“Go into the streets and be homeless,” the Communists told him. He wound up earning a meager living sweeping the streets, as many did in those days.

When Deng Xiaoping came to power in 1976, he plucked him off the streets and put him back into power. He got the job of guiding China’s opening to the global economy. He set up state-owned China International Trust and Investment Corporation now known as the CITIC Group as a vehicle to coordinate the massive foreign investment needed to jump-start their shattered economy.

He was made Vice President of China in 1993. In 1980, I visited with him in Beijing when he was Vice President and Chairman of CITIC. Deng reinstated all these tycoons into Chinese life and made them part of his team for modernizing China.

Winning is what it’s all about. Everyone wants to win and everyone loves a a winner. I’m not talking about the kind of winning associated with luck such as when you win the lotto or when you play the slots in Vegas. I’m talking about when you set goals and in the end you come out the winner. Sports teams know the feeling. When a hockey team wins the Stanley Cup or when a football team wins the trophy at the end of the season or a player wins the Heisman Trophy. If your win is to help your people it’s even better or even more so when you wind up saving a monument to the lifestyle of an important group in society such as the Chinese pioneers.

From 1959 through 1963, there were regular meetings regarding the expropriation of Chinatown houses and buildings to make way for the freeway through Chinatown. In 1963, I and the locals won minor victories, and The City (represented by City Manager G.S. Brown and City Planner G.D. Fountain) agreed not to make a final decision as to where a new freeway might go.

It wasn’t until after 1967, when city planners reached a final decision. Instead, it was to be rerouted to the Georgia Viaduct thus bypassing Chinatown, but it would still carry on through Block 68 (Granville and Georgia) to the Upper Levels Highway. So the fight for Block 68 continued for years after although neither Dean nor I was involved. It now had nothing to do with us but was becoming very political.

Looking skyward from the street in downtown Vancouver today you see nothing but skyscrapers, thirty, forty, fifty stories high, glass on glass, the best 215

of the Bauhaus style of contemporary architecture. Downtowns in practically every city in the world these days have skyscrapers towering into the stratosphere, the LAND OF THE GIANTS even Vancouver but it didn’t used to be this way.

There was a time in Vancouver when developers couldn’t build apartment blocks any higher than three stories, they didn’t have the cache name ‘condo,’ back then because it hadn’t been invented yet. As people’s wealth grew after World War II, everyone wanted to own their own homes but they couldn’t all afford a house so the demand for apartments increased. The city soon discovered with some help, that if they piled houses on top of one another they could make lots of money, much more than if they stuck to the traditional three story model apartment blocks.

It also had to do with density. Because there is limited land available in Vancouver, the only place to go is up. It took a while for the government to figure all this out in the early 1960s but they eventually did. Soon thereafter, apartments became known as condos and the rest is beautiful Vancouver history, depending on your point of view. A two bedroom penthouse condo on the west side of Vancouver today near Alma Street, with two patios and a view of the mountains, costs one and a quarter million. The patios are small, the rooms are small and the view; well the mountains are quite a ways off in the distance.

Nevertheless, it is as advertised and it is typical today in Vancouver and it’s only three stories high but it stands out amongst the ten story high rises nearby.

Here is how it all happened!

George Fountain recommended to Mayor Bill Rathie in 1963, that he form the City of Vancouver Redevelopment Consultative Committee. He suggested appointing Dean to organize the committee. Dean refused because he was too busy and said I would do it in his place.

“You go,” he said. I was him. We did that often as a team. I stood in for him as Mrs. Dean Leung when he was too busy or didn’t want to do something, and I did. I’m still referred to as Mrs. Dean Leung in the Kong Chow Benevolent Association where Dean was President.

Back in the 1960s, we were still trying to educate the Chinese people about social housing. I appointed several people to sit on the Mayor’s committee to 216

Faye Leung in 1963 with her plans for a townhouse development with Clark and Robert Bentall (Dominion Construction, as instructed by Charlie Bentall, Founder) in Vancouver’s Chinatown. The development would replace the houses the city demolished for a freeway in 1959 through Vancouver’s Chinatown to Vancouver’s Georgia and Granville Blk 68 where it would join the Upper Levels Highway in West Vancouver, B.C.

deal with multi-cultural affordable housing in Chinatown: Judge Angelo Branca, George D. Wong, Harry Duker, Emily Sawchuk, and Harry Con. The committee was successful in establishing McLean Public Housing and Raymuir and Skeena Public Housing. The first recipients were the tenants of Chinatown, and then it spread to include Chinese families throughout the city. A group of jealous people formed a group to fight us. The Chinese associations all loved us because we were doing something for Chinatown.

We were now ready for the big leagues. Mayor Bill Rathie asked those in Chinatown to submit their ideas for housing projects if they didn’t like the ones 217

proposed by the city. Dean and I were becoming known as a couple who could get the job done (tireless, relentless, hell-raisers when necessary) and our reputation kept getting bigger and bigger. To the little guy on the street who always knew what was going on, we had always seemed larger than life, even before we broke that 500-year-old Chinese taboo when we had married. It didn’t hurt the cause any though when I accepted the mayor’s challenge which led to me introducing a new technique in the housing field in 1963 called ‘strata title.’ It just added fuel to the legendary fire.

“Faye, you’re a good friend,” said George Fountain after all our years of fighting each other over the freeway. George told Charlie Bentall, the owner of Dominion Construction, about me. George had appreciated what I’d done regarding the freeway. He instructed his sons to talk to Faye Leung about building townhouses in Chinatown. His sons were Clark and Robert.

“She’s a real go-getter, back her up!” I got a hold of Art Mundy, an architect and disciple of Frank Lloyd Wright (and a classmate of my brother Wally) to design a multi-housing, attached townhouse project using oriental décor.

It would cover the area from Jackson to Dunlevy and from Pender to Union.

Clark was wonderful.

“We’re going to see the lawyers now,” he said. “We better not talk too much because they’re expensive.” We introduced Clark and Robert to Art Mundy who did the architectural designs.

It wasn’t as easy as we thought. On November 22, 1963, Dean and I filed in City Hall for a building permit along with Clark and Robert Bentall, architect Art Mundy and lawyer David Chong for a proposed townhouse development for the homeowners who did not want to live in McLean Public Housing. The Mayor and Council could not approve the project because under current law property owners couldn’t obtain strata titles for the attached homes. I will always remember coming out of City Hall and getting into our Cadillac, and instantly hearing on a radio flash, “President Kennedy has been shot!”

“I can’t get no satisfaction I can’t get no satisfaction ‘But I try, and I try, and I try, and I try I can’t get no, I can’t get no” 14.

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But I had a plan. With Mayor Bill Rathie, Alderman Halford Wilson and Alderman Bill Street, I immediately applied to the B.C. government to legislate the Strata Titles Act and in the end, it succeeded. It took a long time to get government approval. There was lots of red tape.

“We have no idea what you’re talking about,” Victoria wrote back. They said they thought we were nuts. B.C. was very provincial. It was all unknown territory and it didn’t pass until 1967. Over the years the law has changed, and in 1978 it became known as the Condominium Act. That’s how condominiums got started in Vancouver. Bob Rennie later was heard to say on the Rafe Mair Show, “Faye Leung gave me my career. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of her. She’s a real pioneer in Vancouver real estate.” Strata title didn’t make me famous in the housing industry though, because no one knew the part I played except Bob. “R-E -S-P-E-C-T, that is what it meant to me R-E -S-P-E-C-T, now you know what it meant to me” 15.

The magic of Yick Fung that I always wanted to keep with me forever, I actually did bring with me to Vancouver. I carried on the social tradition of Yick Fung that my grandfather and my family started in our new office on Pender Street. It made me very happy to think Yick Fung was alive and well in downtown Vancouver. I think my grandfather would have been very pleased.

A lot of people would regularly visit our office for chit chats, to see what’s what, who’s who, where to go and so on. Lots of, straight talk! The pioneers would drop by to read the newspapers. They would also have their English letters and documents read or replied to, whatever they needed, Dean and I did it for free. Our office was quite a sensation in good old Chinatown. Harvey Lowe, Richard Mar, my father, Albert Kwan, Benny Patinsky, Al Segal, Andy Livingston, Simma Holt as well as other newspaper reporters and various aldermen and mayors, J.D. Wilson, Mr. Yung all sorts of people were in and out all the time. Everyone was attracted by the excitement of what was going on all around us in those days.

“Boy, Faye, I don’t know how you guys did it,” said Harvey, shaking his 219

head.

His friends would shake their heads too and rave at our accomplishments. We would go out and look at the neon light show after dark. They were exciting times.

It must have been a strange feeling for all those passing by on the street who weren’t involved in the things going on in our office. They could see people com-ing and going like Grand Central Station but that’s the way it was in Chinatown in the early 1960s.

J.D. Wilson became a terrific friend of ours. When he came back from Japan, he told us about his feelings after a speech he gave at a meeting of the Asia Pacific Foundation, “I sat on one of the twin beds in my Japanese hotel room, spread out the papers and chopsticks on the other bed and stared at it all. I realized I had no knowledge of Japan and what it was all about.” Hilariously, J.D. continued, “I don’t know how to use chopsticks. How the hell did I get here? What am I going to do as I wondered and felt most concerned about my feelings of being lost.” Very few businesspeople traveled to the Orient in those days, and very few businessmen from the Orient came to Canada which leads into our next big achievement.

“I look up when I walk so the tears won’t fall Remembering those happy spring days But tonight I’m all alone I look up when I walk, counting the stars with tearful eyes Remembering those happy summer days But tonight I’m all alone Happiness lies beyond the clouds Happiness lies above the sky I look up when I walk so the tears won’t fall Though my heart is filled with sorrow For tonight I’m all alone” 16.

Sukiyaki 220

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Chapter 6

Opening Canada Up To Everyone In the early 1960s there were no Koreans, Malaysians, Vietnamese, Filipinos, Cambodians, Africans, Colombians, Venezuelans, Peruvians, Ecuadorians, Caribe’s, Brazilians, Panamanians, Pakastanis or East Indians in any number to speak of in Vancouver. Go visit your neighborhoods you smug types, Point Grey - mostly English, Kitsilano – beach bums and later hippies, Fairview, Mount Pleasant, Fraserview, South Vancouver – middle class, New Westminster – English and Scots, North Vancouver – those who can’t afford to live in West Vancouver, West Vancouver – CEOs and bosses. Do you really think things can’t change? You’re safe now but there is a big world out there, itching to come in and take possession of their new home. Do you think the Lion’s Gate Bridge will keep them out of West Vancouver when they come, The Second Narrows Bridge or the Patullo Bridge or the Oak Street Bridge? It sounds like it’s going to be Fort Apache/The Bronx all over again. You may have lots of money to insulate yourself but when they start to come you won’t even see them at first. The THIRD WORLD is perched on your doorstep just waiting to be invited over.

You and the mayor and the city council and the police may all belong to the same fraternity – white anglo-saxon – and be part of the establishment but when things change and they will change, that will change too. They will become a part of your lives, look after your kids, care for your sick, sell your 223 Premier W.A.C. Bennett thanking Faye and others for fundraising making them all charter convocation founders, at the opening of SFU on September 9, 1965. Allen McGavin of McGavin’s Bakery is in the background.

houses, buy your insurance, sell your stocks and invest in your schemes. They will see the opportunities and take advantage of them. Soon they will be running for mayor, for city council, for MLAs and MPs even though they don’t have any qualifications other than their ethnicity. One may one day run for the highest office in the land but they don’t really need to if they control the office with their own people. They may even be asked by some foreign government to do their bidding out of some sense of divine allegiance or mind control.

Your world is changing and it’s not a matter of will it but a matter of when.

You can’t keep Vancouver to yourself like your own personal Monopoly game.

The time will come when you won’t be able to afford to build a house again in Greater Vancouver, let alone buy property. You won’t get any second chance or get out of jail free card. You won’t have enough money, unlike everyone coming in and you will have to move further up the valley. Your kids will be last on the list to get into the universities. You won’t any longer be a member of the establishment, you will be in the minority and then you will know how it feels.

This is how it all started!

“You know, you’re not doing any business with China,” I told Charlie O’Hara while I was waiting to see J.D. Wilson. “You’re missing out.” He didn’t care, so I went on in to see J.D. “You’re missing out on a lot more business. We can make a lot more money for your trust company if we go to Hong Kong and let them know you’re doing daily interest calculations. They only know of the bank’s quarterly interest on the minimum. Why don’t we help the people and the company at the same time?” I got Jack listening. He then talked to Allyn Taylor. Allyn thought we were nuts and ignored us.

“Never mind we’ll figure something out,” J.D. said to me.

By mid-April 1964, people were again asking, “Where are Dean and Faye? We hadn’t been seen through the window in our office for quite some time. The little guy on the street knew, “They might have gone to Hong Kong,” were their direct words.

“Roll up for the Mystery Tour The Magical Mystery Tour Is waiting to take you away 224

Waiting to take you away” 17.

Moved to Hong Kong, the establishment hoped? No, not moved. For us now, to ever move to another country would be completely insane. We were doing too well in the banking business. Besides, we had other business interests here – insurance, realty and housing. But the little guy on the street said, “It’s in their blood. They’re like knights in shining armor, galloping off over the hill to help people live a better, more prosperous life, wherever that might take them. I can see them now leading the peasants on white horses down the Yangtze River.”

While young American boys were heading to Vietnam in staggering numbers, a week earlier, we had hopped on a plane and headed for Hong Kong. It was to be one of the most successful trips we ever made. Canada Trust didn’t offer us a cent of backing. We had to pay for the trip ourselves, and for that reason we accomplished a lot in a very brief time. We were willing to take risks. We went to establish the very first business relationship between a Canadian trust company and an overseas bank.

“And it’s one, two, three, What are we fighting for?

Don’t ask me, I don’t give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam; And it’s five, six, seven, Open up the pearly gates, Well there ain’t no time to wonder why, Whoopee! we’re all gonna die.” 18.

We visited Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Hong Kong on that trip. In each country, we met with government officials to coordinate business. The entire trip took just one month, and it was hectic! We were entertained royally in Taiwan. Our marriage was indeed becoming a journey in more ways than one.

Dean’s connections made it all happen. Because them we had no problems with class and stature. Dean was a local boy who made good, and people liked 225

Faye in Hong Kong standing in front of the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank to prove she had been in Hong Kong, 1964.

him. His non-drinking ways gained their respect. Our first stop was Taiwan. We stayed at the deluxe, classy Grand Hotel as special VIP guests recognized by the National government. It was impossible for ordinary tourists to stay at this government-owned hotel. We met with various high government officials in the ministry and the president’s office. My father and uncle had both been advisors to the president. Dean always kept up on activities in Taiwan, so he knew who to visit.

“One of my colleagues,” said Dean “is the Director of the Taiwan Stock Exchange.” Another was K.C. Poon who was the director of a tea company. He is very kind. He still sends me tea today which is very expensive. In Taiwan, we met General K.Y. Chang for the first time on this trip. He was a friend of a friend. He had seen Dean in his play, “The Black Rose,” during World War II, and looked after us during our stay. After the war, he had escaped from China with Chiang KaiShek.

“Those guys supplied the liquor. We supplied the lives,” he said about the war.

In the Philippines, we stayed at the Manila Hotel. This hotel is the oldest premiere hotel in the country. It was built in 1909 to rival Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the President of the Philippines and opened on July 4, 1912, but we almost got conned.

“You should take a trip to the Takata Philippines Corporation,” we were told at the hotel front desk. We were set up with a driver. When we arrived at our 226

destination, the two guys said, “We’re having motor trouble, and we need money to fix the car.” Another couple came along so Dean and I asked, “Can we catch a ride with you back to our hotel?” When we arrived back at our hotel, there was the car parked out front. There had been nothing wrong with the vehicle. A scam!

Hong Kong was our most important stop. Dean had to be careful in Hong Kong. The communists were seizing people who were born in China if they strayed too close to the border. We stayed at the Merry Mont Hotel which was the only five-star hotel in those days. Dean was able to connect with many of his former colleagues: academics, businessmen, teachers, and official government people. This amazed me. It was sure a happy reunion for them all. Dean was the guest of honour and was known only by his official Chinese name, Leung Chun Kwong. He was welcomed back by Hong Kong’s top bankers, chairmen, directors, and presidents, all VIPS, with me by his side. The wife was not important regarding business.

Hong Kong was very snobbish about social classes. You had to be an important VIP to be accepted. We were important VIPs from Canada. We were hosted in the grandest fashion. We enjoyed the hospitality and protocol that was only reserved for the highest of government officials. We received traditional handwritten invitations to an exclusive banquet hosted by the aforementioned VIPs at Hong Kong’s famous Gloucester Restaurant. We were also hosted by Wing Lung Bank Chairman, Wu Kit Yee. Several times we visited in the banks exclusive Penthouse Club Restaurant. I began to notice that every businessman we met wanted to come to Canada.

There were lots of meetings. The next morning Dean met with Hang Seng Bank Chairman Ho Tim, Vice Chairman CEO & President, Ho Sen Wun, and Director David Ho, (Deans fellow alma mater alumnus). They hosted us for lunch in their bank’s Penthouse Club as special VIP guests. I commented, 227 Faye and Dean with Chairman of the Wing Lung Bank in Hong Kong, Jieh-Yee-Wu. His son Patrick Wu was vice-president.

“There’s no Chinese restaurant, only Western?” No one said anything. Then after lunch Dean went to meet with Wing Lung Bank Chairman, Jieh Yee Wu and Vice Chairman, Patrick Wu. He was able to establish business relationships with both banks. It was only Dean they wanted to do business with because women were excluded from such business dealings. Dean and I became their representative in Canada.

All this happened because of Dean’s connections through his friends. The Hang Seng Bank and the Wing Lung Bank accepted us as their correspondent bank (a bank that provides services on behalf of another), because of our business knowledge. Our customers in Vancouver sent lots of money to Hong Kong for their families in China. It was just good business. When we returned years later in 1980 and again were invited to lunch in the penthouse of the Wing Lung Bank there were two restaurants, one for Chinese food and the other for Western food. They had listened. We had made our minds up to be the first Canadian trust company to do business in Hong Kong and we were. How’s that for determination!

Mainland China was in the grips of communism.

“I don’t think we can do any business with mainland China,” Dean told me.

They were still an inward-looking regime at that time.

It was my first trip to Asia, and I was very naïve. I discovered that Hong Kong never sleeps and there was always someone to meet.

“So this is your beautiful wife,” one of Dean’s classmates said when he came to the Merry Mont Hotel where we were staying. He wanted to see how Dean’s wife looked. Life is a closed door for some but an open window for others.

A lot of future business from Southeast Asia came to Canada as a result of that trip. While away, we planted seeds with the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank. It paid off in 1980 when HSBC opened branches in Canada (They did this by purchasing the Bank of B.C. via Bermuda to save taxes). Thanks to Dean and me, Canada’s Big Five banks (and some other banks), began to do a considerable amount of business with banks in the Far East. It was a significant contribution.

In the beginning, Dean always did the commercial work in Southeast Asia, but I always handled anything to do with finance back home, especially our business with the five big banks.

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There was a lot of tension with mainland China. The streets whispered the rumors of the city. I said to Dean, “If businessmen aren’t free to travel easily between Hong Kong and Canada that would limit the amount of business they’d do.” I realized that cultivating the wise would be a fountain of life. In 1964, only Commonwealth businesspeople could visit and immigrate to Canada. Because of the red tape, it was hard for businesspeople from other countries to visit Canada. If they wanted to bring someone over to visit, they had to write a letter to their government which needed to be approved, and a visa then issued. Every rose has its thorn.

We were definitely in the big leagues. When we returned to Canada I went to see Jack Nicholson. Jack was now the Federal Minister of Immigration and Labor in Ottawa. I said to Jack, “All these businesspeople in China are not allowed to come to Canada.” Together we ignited a fire under the dark shadow of discrimination which roared into the stratosphere making the first fire I set (in 1959), pale by comparison.

I said to Jack, “Why don’t you initiate a policy that will establish a category for people who are financially qualified and not a liability to society or the government, to come to Canada and apply for landed immigrant status? Why don’t we do various categories: businesspeople, professional and skilled labor? No one in the categories would need to have blood relations.”

Jack’s assistant was Anna Long. The three of us drafted a paper and presented it to Ottawa. There were lots of meetings. Jack was all for it, and we got it passed. Later Dean said to me, “Are you NUTS? Haven’t you got enough to do?” And I got him involved the poor guy! Soon afterwards, the Communist Chinese Liberation Army Band marched into Hong Kong. It scared the hell out of everyone. The Hong Kong Chinese started using the new categories almost immediately. The first group of wealthy Hong Kong immigrants arrived in Vancouver in 1967, and the wealth started pouring in, weren’t we something!”

“I don’t really want to stop the show But I thought you might like to know 229

That the singer’s going to sing a song And she wants you all to sing along So let me introduce to you The one and only Faye Leung And Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, yeah!” 19.

Winning like I said is everything! The B.C. Lion’s Football Club won its first ever Grey Cup in 1964. The whole town went crazy. Grey Cup fever was everywhere. It only contributed to our feeling that we were on the right path and nothing could stop us now. Great things lay ahead for both us and Chinatown and everyone was a part of it in those days.

“Faye, do you want to go to the Grey Cup Game? I have VIP tickets for a box,” said Alderman Ho Lim from Calgary. It was sold out. Joe Wai, the famous architect, also had a VIP ticket for the same box.

“Faye was my date for the Grey Cup Game,” claimed Joe afterward but it wasn’t so.

My fantasy of bringing interesting people into Chinatown often had nothing to do with me at all, at least until they arrived. It was almost like all of a sudden we were on the’ A’ list for everyone’s party. Maybe word travels fast I don’t know but there we were, all of us in Chinatown entertaining the elite of the Canadian establishment. Dean always was asked to translate and read their speeches to us Chinese whose English wasn’t too good. I guess if all they wanted was our ‘X’ by their names on the ballot, it didn’t much matter if we could understand English or not.

The second prime minister to visit Chinatown (in 1965) was Lester B. Pearson.

“Dean, you made my speech even better,” said Pearson. For the occasion, they built a large outdoor stage in front of 544 Keefer Street. Dean was on stage making speeches to the Chinese. Prime Minister Pearson raved and complimented Dean for his brilliant public speaking and having his words translated almost simultaneously.

Mrs. Pearson was well known for her hatred of politics. While Prime Minister Pearson was speaking and Dean was translating his speech, I was 230

seated below the stage on row one. Mrs. Pearson was sitting on my right. On my left was Mrs. Helen Kent. The media were in front of us kneeling. Mrs. Pearson says, “Well! If they can’t speak English, they have NO right to vote!” Can you imagine saying this with the media right there in front of us? Her remarks could have been headline news. Helen and I were both shocked and looked at each other. I immediately started speaking to her loudly on another subject and saved the Pearson’s from the media people hearing any more racist remarks.

Today, official trade councils are everywhere. Every country and city in the world has one to promote their business elite both at home and abroad but it didn’t used to be that way. Before the age of high tech communications, you had to go and travel to other places in order to do business with them. That was time consuming and always depended on the other parties you needed to meet being there and recognizing the importance of your visit to their market.

Our first trip to Hong Kong in 1964 had a significant effect in enhancing the international profile of Vancouver. So much so that a group of businessmen and government officials in Hong Kong formed the Hong Kong Trade Council in 1966 and travelled to Vancouver to promote Hong Kong. Dean and I were asked to be the official host and hostess for their visit but it took local businesses awhile to get their act together and recognize their value.

“Look, come on you guys, you’re not doing anything for them. They’re here.

They’re promoting tourism and trade,” I told CIBC. When the delegation from Hong Kong arrived here, they got distraught because CIBC’s head office who, were supposed to be hosting them, actually ignored them. CIBC’s Vancouver office got embarrassed, so they put on a reception for them. From that day on the Hong Kong Trade Council became well established in both Vancouver and Toronto.

“Boy, you got involved in everything in the 1960s.”

“We sure did!

There was so much to do, and it all needed doing so we just jumped in headfirst. When I look back at it all now, I don’t know how we did it, but we did.”

“So, Faye, the condo queen was born.”

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“What do you mean? That was Bob Rennie. He’s the condo king, but he doesn’t like that title, though. I just gave him and others the tools so they could build the condos. There were still obstacles for me because I was a woman and a Chinese woman as well, and women couldn’t yet sign for mortgages by themselves in those days. Grace McCarthy fought for the rights of women to be able to sign for a mortgage on their own.”

“So, you’re responsible for all these condo towers we see everywhere today.”

“I guess you could say that. Of course, I didn’t build all the towers. Others did that, but I made it possible for them to do it by getting strata title legislation passed in Victoria.”

“Remember what I said about we make our luck. What you did was a prime example. When preparation meets opportunity, you seize the day. That’s what you did with Strata Title. You had done your homework. When the opportunity arose, you knew what to do and went immediately to Victoria to get strata title legislated on the books and you succeeded.

And, you helped raise money to build Simon Fraser University.”

“Yes, we certainly did. I am called a Convocation Founder today. I attend luncheons at SFU during each year ends convocation ceremonies and get to sit with chancellors and presidents. I am quite proud of that, as well as everything else. It’s hard to be thanked for building towers. But inviting me to SFU once a year is a nice way of saying thank you for what we did.”

“You sure new a lot of interesting and influential people like R.Z. Yung and his brother Rong Yiren.”

“Yes, we sure did. The Yungs were both very interesting.”

“I now see how the freeway story ended.”

“Yes. We did our best to save the Chinatown that we knew. We not only wanted everyone to have a brighter future, but we also wanted Chinatown to thrive, just like anyone wants the place where they grew up to prosper and continue rather than stagnate and disappear.”

“So, they rerouted the freeway to the Georgia Viaduct.”

“Yes, but that got stopped as well by the federal government. That’s a problem in Canada. The three levels of government don’t always work together.

There’s too much self-interest on the part of individuals. They cooperate even 232

less today than they did back then.”

“Then you travelled to Hong Kong and established the first-ever trust company banking relationship with an overseas bank and a Canadian trust company.”

“Yes, that was a big thing in 1964. It maybe doesn’t seem like much today what with internet banking that connects you instantly with any bank in the world. But don’t forget, there was no internet in 1964 — no I-phones. Telecommunications were not like they are today. If you wanted something done, you had to take the time to travel to other places to get the job done.”

“And that wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for Dean and his connections.”

“That’s exactly right! For a long time, Dean was at the forefront of all our financial negotiations because he was a man. There was discrimination against women, just like minorities. It was worse in Asia. In 1964, I couldn’t have made that trip by myself. No one would have paid any attention to me. No, it was all Dean’s leadership that made it happen for a long time until he started to get so busy that he sent me to be him. I was known overseas as Mrs. Dean Leung which was fine with me.”

“I would say, your ability to nurture friendships played a big part in opening doors for you, where ever you went.”

“Oh, that’s so true. If Jack Nicholson hadn’t been such a good friend, I might never have gotten in to see him. But it all worked out. Wait until I tell you the rest of that story and all the beautiful people I got to know and help. It was all truly astounding!

“Wow that must have been something!”

“Oh, it was!

“Shall we continue?”

“Let’s!

Another one of my fantasies had always been to design and build my own house. I didn’t want to hire a famous architect to design something along the lines of a French chateau or a mid-century modern. What I wanted was something closer to home, something that I and my culture could identify with like the only replica of the Imperial Palace in Beijing in Vancouver.

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After the reopening of Canada, the various ethnicities East Indians, Jews, Chinese, Filipinos, Italians, would set about building their own vision of Canada. They began to compete with each other to try to see which vision was best and what determined this was how far away from the establishment there vision was or how close it was to the establishment. The battle to be the least establishment sometimes led to some strange creations.

Certainly reconstructing the Imperial Palace in Beijing in Vancouver was about as far removed from Vancouver architecture as one could get. By designing and building our home ourselves, that was certainly also as far away from the way the establishment would do things. The establishment would hire busloads of professional designers, workers, crafts people, maybe an architectural firm or two, they certainly wouldn’t do it themselves like we did. But one had to be careful, if it was too rich looking it might be interpreted as too establishment so it was always better to make it look a little kitsch.

I loved our model home. For me, it was a symbol of liberation, our victory over the establishment. There was something defiant about it. It had a red tile roof, a courtyard, and red double doors. It was the last construction on the last lot in Oakridge, and it featured all the building materials (walnut, cherry, oak, etc.) that clients could choose from when they hired us to build their house.

It was also the only home in Canada in 1965 with terrazzo floors on all three levels.

Our home at 6088 Fremlin Street. It was the only replica of the Imperial Palace in Beijing in Canada with a courtyard. It was designed by a protege of Frank Lloyd Wright.

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The Leungs not only planted trees around Oakridge but downtown in Chinatown as well (LtoR) Faye, Grace McCarthy, Herb Capozzi and Evan Wolfe

We had the only three-story replica of the Imperial Palace in Beijing in Vancouver and I doubt many people had Frank Lloyd Wright Oriental architecture and décor in their home. Our house was a friend who protected us.

“You did a great job designing a replica of the curved rock garden at Queen Elizabeth Park,” I said to Dean, “with flowers that bloom all year. The Japanese cherry trees are also a nice touch.” The cherry trees were seas of bloom with soft and sweet perfume.

We also planted almost one hundred different trees and shrubs throughout the Oakridge area that still blossom each year.

“We didn’t really like the two, five foot by eight foot B.C. Telephone and B.C. Hydro company billboards they built at the corner of our lot but I guess we couldn’t complain too loudly because they did install, free of charge, Princess telephones in different colors to match in each room and a new speakerphone.”

B.C. Tel featured photos of our home in their annual general meeting booklet 235

(AGM) for their stock-holding friends and former clients who still talk about having attended our housewarming party for 500 in 1966. It’s incredible how everyone remembers and can describe the details of our home (which was dubbed a museum at the time), as it blended both Western and Eastern flavors.

Later, I had a vision. I could see myself Faye Leung hosting a party for the social elite of the Vancouver establishment. On one side of me would be MLA hopeful Grace McCarthy and on the other side of me, the Honorable Les Peterson. But there was a reason, an anti-discrimination message. It just might work. Think of the headlines: CHINESE CANADIAN LADY LAUNCHES THE CAREERS OF TWO FEDERAL POLITICIANS. No one will know who I am. But then I thought, they will know who I am after it is all over.

“I’m announcing my Social Credit MLA candidacy for Little Mountain,” said, Grace McCarthy in our home on February 22, 1966, at our housewarming party for five hundred. Our good friend, the Honorable Les Peterson, was also there.

“My father was your first legal client,” I said to Les Peterson. He was leavinging Vancouver Centre and moving to the new riding of Little Mountain (Grace and Les were just friends).

“It’s going to be a loss for our sales manager, Chuck Bradell,” I said, “he has political aspirations of his own in the Little Mountain riding.” Dean took lots of photos as he always did. I will forever cherish these great photos of Grace and Les on the launch of her now historic career as a politician. We hosted 500 guests at our house warming party and helped jump-start both candidacies.

Roy Lisogar, the owner of the Century Plaza Hotel, was our neighbor. He was also Grace and Les’ campaign manager. It was Roy who wanted to announce Grace and Les’ official launch at our housewarming cocktail, buffet party. I knew all three of them, so it was all right. It was the first time a Chinese couple had bridged Canadian society.

Dean and I thought of ourselves as social justice warriors, always striving to make things better. Some people resented that and held it against us, but what we got we got by hard work. We shared with Grace and her husband Ray great happiness at many social and business functions for more than sixty years.

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The term “fighting discrimination” seemed to fall, victim to political correctness in the 1960s and from then on was known as bridging the cultural gap.

Before the 1960s, Chinese were unable to attend establishment parties and mix in small talk (not that they would anyway) or participate in social gatherings.

We were the first Chinese couple to blend into Canadian society, how things have changed. Life is a fiddler, and we all must dance.

The newspapers made everyone aware of the situation in world politics in those days and 1966 was a gloomy year. The US was violently engaged in the Vietnam War in South East Asia with the communist Viet Cong backed by Mao’s China, while at home anti-war rally’s and the Civil Rights Movement provided more violence on the streets and college campuses. Canada was neutral except the antiwar movement infiltrated college campuses in Vancouver.

China was the bigger concern for Chinese Canadians.

The government of Mao Tse Tung had started a Cultural Revolution in 1966 and it was sweeping across China spearheaded by his Red Guards. No one could leave or travel to China. There was no communication with the outside world. China was a bloodbath as Mao repositioned his hold on the country and crushed all opposition.

It was started by Mao to purge elements in the party that were not loyal to him and revisionists whose aim it was to restore capitalism. China’s youth led the attack by forming Red Guard groups around the country. The movement spread into the military, urban workers, and the Communist Party leadership itself. It resulted in widespread factional struggles in all walks of life. Millions of people were persecuted and suffered a wide range of abuses including public humiliation, arbitrary imprisonment, torture, hard labor, and even death.

Harassment and seizure of property and execution were prevalent. A large segment of the population was forcibly displaced, most notably the transfer of urban youth to rural regions during the Down to the Countryside Movement.

Ancient relics and artifacts were destroyed. Cultural and religious sites ransacked. Temples burned, and all the books as well. The instigators would live to regret this.

Mao killed millions! “I have NO brother, NO sister, NO mama, NO father only me,” chanted young people during the Cultural Revolution. My half237

brother went to a labor camp in Hoi Ping. Thanks to our heroic uncle, he was later spared from doing hard labor when they found out their regime had honored our home. When light shines in the darkness, the darkness shall not overcome it. The Maoists lined family members up and shot them or used a bayonet on them one by one. They sent others to hard labor in remote villages where they later shot them. They killed millions. They punished and brainwashed all professionals, including doctors and educators. If you owned a house, you were considered a landowner. If you went to school, you were considered educated.

They were all executed. This tendency of the government persists today in the form of going to extremes to root out corruption.

There were lots of horror stories of those days and of the many brave victims.

“I had to stand up for two years locked up in this room with many others.

We were all gathered together including an opera singer, a real diva. She had to clean the chicken coup. I did it for her.” So said Shee Jung Chan, My brotherin-law’s brother, he was a doctor. Because he was a doctor, they put him to hard labor. He always complained about dragging a water buffalo loaded with water, up the mountain when there was already water up there. He told us these stories exactly the way they happened. “We had to build a swimming pool because Jiang Qing, Mao’s third wife was coming to visit in four days. She had to have a swimming pool. She was passing through the area. If we didn’t finish it in time, we would be executed.” He said they were tortured by her as well. She was even worse than Mao. “Everything will be all right if you just come back to the village with us to talk to the village people. We promise.” The father of my friend Dr. Kuo Ting Yue was asked to negotiate with the people in the village. He went back, and the minute he opened the door they stabbed him with a sword and killed him. They also came to get my Uncle Stephen Mah’s father a professor at China College.

When they came marching in the front door, he jumped off the balcony and floated down the river. He was eighty-one years old. His relatives here thought he committed suicide, but he was trying to escape or avoid capture.

All the Chinese knew.

“Don’t go near a communist store in Hong Kong or read a communist 238

newspaper here in Canada because the moment you do you will be censored here in Canada.” The father of Ken Wong, my associate, is second generation and this is something he told Ken. They lost all their land back in China. Ken’s Uncle Nip Wong was the chef at the famous Ovaltine Café in the 200 block East Hastings. Randall Wong, his son, became the first Chinese Supreme Court Judge (he recently retired at age 75). Uncle Nip (who was also my mother’s cousin), worked fifty hours a week to put Randy through school. They saved every penny. They had no entertainment. After work, they would go over to the Ovaltine Café and bring Uncle Nip home. He would buy Clancy’s Doughnuts for the kids. He saved every penny for Randy and also for his relatives in China to build their homestead and for food. It was all seized, all gone. That’s how it happened. These are stories that have never before been told or written. No one knows how much this injustice affected the people.

Overseas Chinese weren’t welcome in China. China was closed down. During the Cultural Revolution, the communist regime prevented overseas Chinese from returning to China by threats and harassment. If they did return to China to their ancestral homes or other parts of China, they tracked them down, arrested them and sent them to hard labor camps. The brutality and suffering were beyond words. A wave of locusts had descended.

EVERYONE WANTED TO COME TO CANADA it was seen as the land of opportunity! The U.S. was viewed as a warmonger with Civil Rights problems at home and a land that shot its presidents. Canada however was a new and young nation in retrospect. It didn’t seem to have the problems of other countries of the world. It was big and exciting and now that it was allowing business immigrants from third world countries who had money to wade ashore and trade with the natives for land and opportunity, well, it was first choice by many.

Dean’s aunt, his two sisters and his brother, all wanted to come to Vancouver. It took ten or twelve years for me to get approval for them all to leave. I paid the expenses for them all to come here, and they stayed in our home in the Oakridge area. Here’s how it happened!

Mei Leung, Dean’s aunt (father’s sister), married Bo Wah Chang. She fled the communists in Guangzhou to go to Hong Kong in the 1950s. It was a difficult time. There were lots of people fleeing. “I want to come to Canada,” she said.

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She eventually went to Los Angeles where she had a schoolmate, Yen Na. She married a doctor, Peter Lew and became very wealthy. They lived on Franklin Street in Hollywood and owned several apartments. When Dr. Lew died, he left a huge estate. She got tricked by someone and lost all her money.

Then, I brought the rest of Dean’s family over.

“We can bring your sisters over first,” I said to Dean. “It should be easy to get Ping Wah Won approved.” She was approved to come first. Her husband was How Wah Won a businessman who sold records and musical supplies.

His second sister would not be so easy. She was a doctor in the 1960s and partly educated in the U.S.S.R. She took the longest to get approval because of her communist connections. Her husband, K.K. Wong was a technician. He lost all his money in Hong Kong. I brought them all over, and they lived in our home. We housed them all. Our home was Grand Central Station. It’s a good thing there were only three of us. Our second child wasn’t born until 1970.

We brought my half-brother, Leong Chun Gee and his family over to Canada as well. He and his spouse had been scholars in Hoiping, China. But with the Cultural Revolution they could not work there. They had three children.

In Canada, their son, Hank, became a federal government security engineer in Ottawa. Won became an accountant for Marriott Hotels in Vancouver and, Nancy is a pharmacist. I only brought relatives to Canada at our own expense.

I never handled non-blood immigration.

Getting back to business, OUR SECOND BIG DEVELOPMENT WAS BELOW SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY-the action was starting to head over towards the new university. Pretty soon everybody would be there and the cars would be bumper to bumper out to Burnaby Mountain. Up on top of the hill, the university became known as the Home of the Hippies just after it was built due to some radical professors in the Political Science Department who aligned themselves with similar radicals at the University of Berkeley near San Francisco. The antiwar movement moved across the border and draft dodgers moved to northern Canada to avoid the draft. Vancouver was known as Berkeley North in those days and Fourth Avenue was where the hippies hung out in Vancouver around fourth and Arbutus. But down below SFU, business was booming. Burnaby was growing by leaps and bounds and we wanted to be 240

a part of it. Thousands of kids were commuting to the university daily and it wouldn’t be long before the land between there and downtown Vancouver was all developed, we just knew it was coming!

“You say you want a revolution Well, you know We all want to change the world You tell me that it’s evolution Well, you know We all want to change the world” 20.

So we bought a parcel of land and we called our new subdivision, Simon Fraser Gardens. We’re still talking 1966. The land at the time was fourteen acres of raw, undeveloped land, with no amenities at all. It was in Burnaby at Government and Piper Street. We named it after Simon Fraser University. Later we named one of the streets Vanson Street, in honor of our son. We did all the groundwork ourselves not the city: the sewer and all the wiring (which all had to go underground because of a new Burnaby bylaw).

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Again, the whole family got involved.

“This one should be lots of fun,” I said to Dean in our Pender Street office.

“Wally can do the underground work with his engineering company.” Wally had two companies and was doing well. His engineering company was on Norland Street in a new Burnaby Industrial Park. His Arthon Construction Company was also in Burnaby and was the first to do underground work for subdivisions. “There sure are a lot of empty acreages out here in Burnaby,” I said to Dean. Burnaby as yet was largely undeveloped. My brother Ken artistically drew up all the house plans. They were unique and beautiful. “As usual,” I said, “I’ll do the interior design and décor.” I added convenient household cabinets.

Dean coordinated everything. B.C. Tel introduced a variety of telephones for our project just like they had done in our home. They were all single family homes. “We’ll keep these, as well, all under 100,000 dollars,” I said. I hired several builders because it was a BIG project.

“And the people in the houses will all go to the university And they all get put in boxes, little boxes all the same And there’s doctors and there’s lawyers And business executives And they’re all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same And they all play on the golf course and drink their martini dry And they all have pretty children and the children go to school And the children go to summer camp And then to the university And they all look just the same” 21.

“Thanks for building my custom built home,” people still say to me when they see me. Our aim was always to build comfortable homes and of good quality so that everyone could have a pleasant and affordable place to live.

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“What happened? When did developers start getting so greedy so the average Vancouverite who was born and raised here can’t afford a home? You were doing things the right way. It makes me so mad.”

“I know and the sound track of our lives contined,

“And the beat goes on, And the beat goes on.”

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Chapter 7

Making Canada Multicultural All sorts of people began arriving in Vancouver in 1967 using my new immigration category reform, inviting them all over. We were quite a hit in old Hong Kong! Playboy David Lam and his wife Dorothy, Dr. and Mrs. Kuo Ting Yue his wife Mary and daughters Kathleen and Michelle, his brother Dr. Kwok Wai Yue a urologist, Hobart and his wife and two sons, Chapman Ho, Fung King Hey, the founder of the Fairchild Group and the father of Thomas Feng of Fairchild Television in Richmond, B.C., and later the Aberdeen Shopping Mall.

Others were attracted by the opportunity to come to Canada, after they heard about us they all wanted to live near us in Oakridge. It was the old communal living idea, one person moves into a neighborhood and everyone else follows. Thomas and Marie Mok who had a false hairpiece business, T.K. Tan a developer from Indonesia who had told me all about strata title and his wife Yeung Shew King a champion swimmer and their two daughters Monica and Yvonne. Everyone was attracted by the chance to leave Hong Kong and get as far away from communist China as possible – they all loved the famous Oakridge dinner parties at my house with the hostess with the mostess and a visit to Queen Elizabeth Park in the evening to gaze out over the city and their new home. Even Nam Kong the infamous Hong Kong “Tum Cheung” Police Chief and some of his detectives came, Lui Lock and Choi.

245 January 6, 1967 Hawaii Civic Theatre Formal Ball, Waikiki, Hawaii Photo By: Maggie Kwai Fong Chow. Dean Leung’s son Dana was called a “Vancouver Seal” because he liked to swim and surf so much. Dean and Faye at the Pacific Ocean Reef Hotel with Diamond Head in the background.

Vancouver was too good to be true. They couldn’t believe it clean air, lots of room, low housing prices so they just kept coming like Robert Shaw one of the Hong Kong movie tycoon Run Run Shaw clan, Shaw Wai Ying’s two daughters (aged sixteen and seventeen), Lucy and Josie, Shaw Wai Jin (the third brother in the Run Run Shaw clan) and Marie Shaw and Mrs. Liu who owned a herbal factory and Mrs. Hua. The only thing they weren’t used to was the game of discrimination the establishment played but they kept to themselves and learned to circumvent the rules very fast.

The middle and upper classes of Vancouver society didn’t see them coming. They were too absorbed in small talk and living the good life working forty hour weeks, with hockey on TV on the weekends and two-week summer vacations with the family at the seaside. In the beginning, the newspapers were focused on the middle class and never gave much if any coverage to a few immigrants, let alone Chinese immigrants. It was a strange feeling for all these good people to be here in the Oakridge area (they all bought houses from me), in small town Vancouver on the other side of the big pond. Many of these wealthy new immigrants went into real estate because coming from Hong Kong with its lack of space and high costs they could see the opportunity which lay before them. Each year they kept coming, building up their wealth on both sides of the Pacific. It was an amazing experience in supply and demand. I built the houses and they kept coming and buying them. The City later took this experiment and put it on steroids by changing zoning restrictions and raising property taxes. After twenty years had passed, these first Hong Kong immigrants were firmly ensconced in Canadian society as were immigrants from other countries who also took advantage of this tiny window that I helped open to allow them to come to Canada: Iranians, East Indians and later Filipinos, everyone.

“Come and see me if you ever need anything,” David Lam told us as he and his family passed by our booth in the Washington Plaza Hotel dining room in Seattle with two of their three daughters. By then he had done quite well in real estate sales, like other Hong Kong immigrants and was very wealthy. We picked them up at the airport in 1967 upon their arrival from Hong Kong and took them down to Georgia and Denman to stay in an apartment that we 246

owned. He was a character. David was an alumnus from the same school as Dean’s in Hong Kong where he had been a wealthy, banker and playboy in Hong Kong. His father owned the Kar Wah Bank. David was also a high official of the Poy Ying Secondary School. “I only had five cents in my pocket. I had to melt down all of my wife’s gold jewelry to come here,” he said things like that to cover up his wealth. I got him started in real estate with Newcombe Realty.

“Dorothy and I are so grateful to both of you for helping us get started when we first arrived.”

“Faye, I don’t think we have enough room to accommodate everyone coming over from Hong Kong,” Dean said to me.

“Well, they can at least use our home to come and go if they can’t stay,” So many, in this group were in and out of our home in the late 1960s. It too was Grand Central Station just like our office. I think it affected my health. I got a bleeding ulcer at Ana Lloyd’s wedding in 1968. I also had to have a gall bladder removed another time. Before 1965 we generously provided a free hospitality service in the community. But from 1967 through 1993, we welcomed, hosted, and accommodated many larger groups that included Hong Kong business professionals, professors, doctors, groups of immigrants and many families who settled in Canada using my programs. When we set that fire under the dark shadow of discrimination and threw open the door into that bigger more startling world out there, we had no idea which clouds would come sailing across the sky.

Mary, the wife of Dr. Kwok Wai Yue was always at our place. Kwok Wai lived on Balasm. I got her to open Mandarin Florists with Tim Louie’s wife Pearl, Nelly Cole and myself. We went to many dinner parties at their home on Balsam.

Faye with Jim Robison, the city building inspector financed and was co-owner with Mary Yue, wife of Dr. KT Yue (green dress), Nellis Cole wife of Keith Cole and Pearl Louie, wife of Tim Louie brother of London Drugs owner Tong Louie, their new Mandarin Florists located inside the Mandarin Centre complex on Main Street built by Dean and Faye Leung, May 28, 1972.

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They were all friends with the other wealthy and prominent Hong Kong businessmen who came over. Eventually, they moved to Skyline Drive in North Vancouver. We had Mahjong parties and many Sunday dinners together. One time, their son saw my hat in Dr. Yue’s home. He thought it was a birthday cake. Very funny!

He and Mary Yu came here with their daughter Kathleen. She married into the Robert Ho family who made substantial donations to the local hospitals.

She traveled with a considerable entourage and their daughter Michelle Ting Yue. Hobart and his wife and two sons came to join them in Canada. They all settled in the Oakridge area.

Dr. and Mrs. Kuo Ting Yue were both well known in Hong Kong. They liked to visit my grandfather and aunt’s home in Victoria. Their son was studying medicine. Later, he interned with Madeline Chung a woman’s specialist and Wally Chung’s wife. Their son eventually became Dr. Ka Ping Yue. All the prominent Hong Kong society members who came here belonged to leading organizations back home like the jockey-club and different charity associations.

I helped Thomas and Marie Mok get their kids into school. She loved to go to the horse races (All Orientals like to gamble). All the prominent businessmen who emigrated from Hong Kong in those days came for different reasons (They were the start of the third wave 1967 through the 1990s). Thomas and Marie Mok were recommended to me by the Royal Bank in Hong Kong. Dean and I were the only ones that could help them. They wanted to liquidate their business as soon as possible and get out. They bought a home from me in Oakridge because they wanted to be near me. I was the only person they knew in Vancouver. They had founded the false hairpiece manufacturing business in Hong Kong, and had two sons.

It was T.K Tan who told me about strata title and got me thinking about using it here 248 Dr. K.T. Yue with his wife and daughter at Christmas in Faye’s house.

on my construction sites. He lived in San Francisco from 1966 to 1970. He was a friend of my uncle Frank. Uncle Frank sent him up to me to look after him.

A lot of Indonesian and Malaysians came to me, and I helped them get settled in Canada. I showed T.K. Tan and his wife Yeung Shew King, the original show home (lavish), a famous large mansion on Musqueam aboriginal land. His Hong Kong wife, Yeung Shew King, was a champion swimmer and was dubbed the mermaid of the sea. She was a lovely lady. Their daughter Alice and her son were from her first marriage. Then they had two daughters together, Monica (called Sweetie) and Yvonne (called Honey).

His wife later slipped off a step-ladder and died when nobody was home.

Her son committed suicide in the home. Monica went to Holland, and Yvonne stayed here. As a favor, I hired Alice as our receptionist in 1970. She was with us for years. I have a photo of them on Balsam.

I hosted and looked after them all. I was too generous but that’s what I was taught to do.

“It’ll be expensive to host them all if more keep coming,” I said to Ken Woodward. It used to be that you offered your guests tea, cigarettes, and sweets. But more kept coming and it was expensive but oh, so beautiful!

I have strong, vivid memories of each of my prominent Hong Kong friends and full stories about each of them. They were fascinating and would make a book in itself. No one has ever heard the stories of this amazing group of wealthy, prominent Hong Kong immigrants and what happened to them. I’m probably the only one who knows. I even have a copy of the passport of Nam Kong the infamous Hong Kong “Tum Cheung” Police Chief and the group of five famous detectives who fled here because of the commotion in Hong Kong.

Just a list without the stories doesn’t speak as it should. It is interesting reading and knowing it’s something out of the ordinary. I enjoyed watching the clouds push each other around in the sky as they jostled for position.

Lui Lok had a yacht. He took Dean and I and Dr. and Mrs. Kwok Ting Yue and others on a cruise with him to Nanaimo and back. I sold Nam Kong and Lui Lock, two of the infamous five Hong Kong detectives, their Vancouver homes a block from us in Oakridge. They fled to Vancouver because of the 249

corruption. That’s when the Criminal Intelligence Bureau a part of the Hong Kong police force was founded. I would not have recognized them in Hong Kong as they would always be in disguise (for their safety), whenever they sat in a restaurant. Both were good friends of Dr. Kwok Ting Yue. I sold them houses near ours because they wanted to be near me. I sold Nam Kong his home in the 800 block West 48th, and Lui Lock his house on 44th Ave. I helped Nam Kong’s first wife and six kids in many ways (finding doctors, getting them into schools) when they lived near us. A decade later Nam Kong bilked us out of 5,000 dollars. He sold us some deer horn which was supposed to be good for Dean’s heart. I have never forgotten how it hurt to lose that amount. He also sold fake Chinese herbs to Parks Board Commissioner, Andy Livingston for Andy’s ailing wife, Marie. I still have those fake herbs that Nam Kong sold us. I also have his second wife’s gift of a lacquer box for Japanese slippers. We were invited to dinner at his home quite often. All five of them be came our friends. The media covered their story in detail.

I put up Robert Shaw for nearly a year at our house. The Hong Kong movie tycoon Run Run Shaw’s clan is quite a story. He and his two brothers were Arm waving Dean, with Dr. and Mrs. K.T Yue and Lui Lock one of the five notorious ‘Dragons’ Hong Kong detectives who came to Canada and bought a house near Faye on 44th Avenue in Oakridge. The boat owned by Lui Lock travelled to Nanaimo to inspect Malaspina University and properties as an investment.

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Nam Kong’s six kids with Dana together for a piano recital by Florence Taylor, piano teacher, 1970 in Faye’s home garden. Uncle Philip Nipps wife Aunt Ellen is at their right.

originally from Singapore but went into the movie business in Hong Kong. Run Run’s brothers’ number 1 son was Shaw Wai Say. His number 3 son was Shaw Wai Ying. Wai Say’s son is Robert. He and his brother inherited 10 million. Wai Say collapsed and died in the Singapore airport and his mother, Nellie, died under mysterious circumstances. Her dead body remained undiscovered in her condo on West 12th and Cambie for days.

Robert Shaw came to our door in Oakridge on a Thanksgiving Day and said, “I am Wai Say’s son.” He asked if he could stay with us because he didn’t know anyone. I made room for him. Free room and board! He followed my son to Winston Churchill Secondary school. His grandfather would send him 10,000 dollars a month for school, and he spent the money on cars. He even had the nerve to apply for social assistance. I had to cook him a steak and corn every day. When his parents arrived, his mother Nellie sent me a cheque for 89 dollars and I tore it up, and sent it back to her. That wouldn’t even pay for the steaks.

They wanted to buy a house, so I showed them a duplex at Cambie and 49th Avenue. They ended up circumventing me and buying it straight from the 251

realtor who listed it. I told Wai Ing that what they did wasn’t very nice.

When I moved to the building I live in now, my apartment was one floor above Robert Shaw’s. Robert bought an apartment in the same block where I am now living before me and lived there with his mistress. That was about twentyfive years ago. His wife lived in their home in Kerrisdale with his two kids.

Once, during a storm, some brown caulking leaked from my window down onto his window. For revenge, he viciously sprayed tomato catsup on my door.

He got so mad, and that’s what he did after I had done so much for him. He got me into a lot of trouble. Another time he complained that I was damaging the stucco on his ceiling. His complaint wasn’t true. One time he got invited to a Japanese restaurant. He got into a fight and threw a glass across the room. He and Patrick Chan, owner of the Thai Restaurant chain, burnt 100 dollar bills to light cigars at the Top of the Hotel Vancouver restaurant twenty-five years ago.

I looked after Shaw Wai Ying’s two daughters (aged sixteen and seventeen), Lucy and Josie, for a full year. (It was what I was taught to do when strangers came from afar). When they arrived at the border from Los Angeles, the officers held them and called Dean and I to ask whether we would guarantee them.

They said I knew their parents. We bailed them out. They were rich kids and miserably hard to look after.

Our son had to sleep on a cot in my room. When their parents came, I sold them a house on Southlands Drive.

Maria Shaw loved my congee (a type of rice porridge or gruel popular in many Asian countries). Shaw Wai Jin (the third brother) and Marie Shaw a former Hong Kong beauty queen had one son, John. They all came to our house often for dinner. John built a mansion on West Point Grey Road. They went back to Hong Kong for the division of her mother-in-law’s estate. Marie was delighted she won the raffle. The prize was a large emerald ring that she raved about to Dean and me.

I represented two partners Lui and Deng in the recycling business who were conned by a fellow named Ernie into leasing their condemned building. One is from China, the other from Vietnam, good people from good families. Lui and Deng’s father bought Georgia Pacific Realty & Insurance from the Spanish Consul, Frank Bernard. He was a business partner of Frank Baker. They paid a 252

deposit of 50,000 dollars out of pocket at significant loss to Lui and Deng. They sold their homes, gave him the deposit, signed a lease ‘as it is,’ he knowing full well there was no water, no electricity and New Westminster City had condemned the building that ‘as it is’ is up to the tenant to fix. He had no soul, Dean and I, were so sorry for them. We helped, but Lui and Deng lost money, wealthy family money, these two partners were laborers save for their home.

Their losses were huge! Names and details herewith are, correct and the real incomplete story is still untold. The lawyer was so negligent that the Law Society declared him as unprofessional because he did not go over the written lease. He conned them!

I didn’t talk nonsense. I didn’t waste time at ladies’ tea parties with the chit chat. I was always in business as a businesswoman with my dear husband who was an educator and businessman. We did it for all as a friend when still a stranger, “Once a stranger, forever a friend, Yuet she Sung wing yuen pang yow.”

“Rows and flows of angel hair And ice cream castles in the air And feather canyons every where I Looked at clouds that way But now they only block the sun They rain and snow on everyone So many things I would have done But clouds got in my way I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now From up and down and still somehow It’s cloud’s illusions I recall I really don’t know clouds at all” 22.

So much was happening!

We hosted a cocktail party on board one of C.Y. Tung’s ships in Vancouver’s harbor. We were the unofficial host and hostess for C.Y. Tung, the Hong Kong shipping tycoon for his inaugural run of his line here in Vancouver. He built a fleet called the Oriental Lines. In 1967, he had no connections in Canada so 253

we were approached. His son flew in from New York for the event. Chinatown News was asked to cover it. He wanted to add tourism to his ships so we helped him get several local people to travel back with him to Hong Kong. Later, he bought the QE II and turned it into a “floating college” calling it Seawise University. Unfortunately, it had a fire on board in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour.

He bought another ship and pursued his dream of a “college at sea.”

I sold Mrs. Lui who owned an herbal factory (herbal liniment/bit duck sing yak siu), a house close by us at 37th Ave and Oak. She was exceptionally wealthy. She leased it out. She always came over to our house for dinner and wanted to go everywhere we went. Her good friend was Mrs. Hua. Her son was studying in England. When he came over here with his wife, Yan, Mrs. Hua asked me, to hire her son as a favor. That was a financially draining mistake which cost us dearly.

The list is long of those with whom we were deeply involved. It cost me a lot in terms of money and time and energy, but we helped them and charged them nothing. We did this unconditionally with good will and were a good-hearted couple. We learned the old fashioned way and honored our traditional customs.

As this old Chinese adage says, “When faraway people arrive you must show hospitality.”

The Leungs became an essential link between banking interests in British Columbia and those in the Far East, building networks of important contacts which stimulated investment, trade, and tourism between B.C. and the Pacific Rim. They also became an important source of personal assistance for many people immigrating to Canada from Hong Kong.

254 Mrs. Lui

“Boy, after you helped open that window into Canada, it sounds like you and Dean acted as a two-person welcoming committee for anyone who found themselves in Vancouver and didn’t know what to do or where to go.”

“Pretty much, we welcomed and hosted so many people out of the goodness of our hearts and at our expense. It just seemed like the right thing to do at the time. I really don’t know how we managed to do it.”

“I have a confession to make.”

“What’s that?”

“I think I am falling in love with Faye Leung the brilliant businesswoman of the 1960s.”

“Oh, isn’t that nice.”

“While I was waiting for you, I was looking through some of your photo albums. I can see by your photos, you were very beautiful, not that you aren’t now.”

“Oh, that’s all right. I know what you mean.”

“And you have such a bubbly personality. I can see why everyone wanted to know you and how you became so successful.”

“Yes, that’s so true. Everyone wanted to meet us both here and in the Orient when we travelled. I had a good time being the centre of attention but it was always a lot of hard work too. There were a lot of dinner parties and other events but they only followed after long hours in the office or on job sites. Like I said, I didn’t have time for ladies tea parties.”

“No, I can see that. You accomplished a lot. So, you and Dean carried on hosting parties and fighting for the rights of minorities to belong in Canadian society.

Social Justice Warriors, I think you called yourselves.”

“We sure did!”

A curious example of what I was saying about groups of people building monuments to their lifestyles could be found out in the suburbs of Vancouver.

Surrey in the late 1960s was all pig farms and cow farms. All the land was in the Agricultural Reserve and couldn’t be used to build houses on, which was fine with the farmers. They had lots of money but only wanted to spend it on more 255

farmland so their pigs and cows had more room to graze.

Bill Vander Zalm became Mayor of Surrey in the sixties. He was a gardener by trade. A tulip farmer if you will. He would later build a monument to his life style in another suburb of Vancouver, Richmond and named it Fantasy Gardens. He used his influence as Mayor of Surrey to get part of his land in Richmond out of the Agricultural Reserve and have it rezoned commercial. Fantasy Gardens was the ultimate monument to the gardener’s lifestyle.

Fantasy Gardens didn’t last but its influence lived on and can be seen in suburbs all over Vancouver where beautiful gardens are part of the landscape in every municipality, including Surrey. They’re part of every subdivision in every suburb and are the new landmarks of Vancouver. The man who started Fantasy Gardens, Bill Vander Zalm, came from outside the horticultural schools and was self-taught, having grown up in the family business. He was no textbook gardener. He would go on to become premier one day but will always be remembered as Canada’s first unconscious promoter of the lifestyle of the gardener.

“Hey farmer farmer Put away that DDT (toxic policies) One day I wanna buy a house Not live with the birds and the bees (be homeless)” 23.

“No one’s going to marry a garbage man,” as the saying goes. I co-signed for the largest landowner in Surrey, Sing Fung. He moved to Vancouver when he was a teenager in the 1930s. He used to trudge up three floors to our school and carry back down a large bag of garbage for his pigs. I felt sorry for two men in those days, Sing Fung and the man who had to haul coal up three floors to our school. My best girlfriend’s sister Nancy married him. She would always say, “It sure is the sticks out here,” referring to Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver.

There were few people in Surrey in those days. By the 1950s, he owned the largest pig farm in Newton and some acreage in Surrey.

Throughout the 1960s, Dean and I bought properties all over Greater Vancouver.

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“I have 160 acres adjacent Sing Fung’s property in Surrey. Are you interested?” Gillette asked me. Gillette owned a gas station on the corner of Robson and Homer, in downtown Vancouver. He held all the properties, about five, on that side of Robson up to Richards, which Dean and I bought from him. It was all fully leased and paid for itself. In Chinese philosophy, it’s good luck to purchase the adjacent property. It’s also good luck if your house faces south too.

I decided to help Gillette out and financed the Surrey property myself. I told Sing Fung (who was very wealthy and used to dealing in cash and had no credit), about the property. He agreed and told us he would grow grass pellets to feed his animals on the property to pay for the mortgage.

“There are another 160 acres as well,” I told him, so we bought that lot together which I financed through the Royal Bank. Then he became the largest landowner in Surrey. Nineteen more acres were zoned and approved for housing. Together, we bought the nineteen acres, but again I had to finance it through two banks. He wanted the nineteen acres to hoe. Sing Fung had some cattle which he loved more than his wife. He would go and walk his cows after working all day at the pig farm. He was such a wonderful man.

“Here comes, Sing Fung,” I told Dean. Every Friday he would come into our office with money rolled up in a newspaper to deposit in the bank down the street. We had a little office in the back for Chinese who came in with their money rolled up in a newspaper and didn’t have any credit. Cash only! I assigned Bob King, one of my realtors, to look after the grass pellet business. I told Sing Fung, “I’ll sign a guarantee for you at the Bank of Montreal so you can establish credit.” When we went on vacation to Hawaii, he missed a loan payment. He had tons of money, but he didn’t tell his wife. I said to her when I saw her many years later, “You wrongly accused me. You thought I was conning your husband for his money.” Instead, it was the other way around; he was using me. I signed for two loans: one loan was at the Bank of Montreal’s head office with Bill Forsythe and the other at the Royal Bank with Bill Mar in Chinatown. When Sing Fung missed his payment they cleaned out my accounts (later, he gave me two cheques on two different accounts to cover it, but one bounced because his wife had closed their joint account). Then the banks invaded my savings again. It 257

was so unfair and I was the one who got him his properties!

Sing Fung just died a few years ago. Once he told his son Dennis, “I pay more income tax than you earn in a year. You should quit your job.”

His kids inherited everything. That’s how I got involved with the Bank of Montreal, but the best part of the story is yet to come.

Here is how we opened the Bank of Montreal office in Hong Kong.

“Do you want to have a branch in Hong Kong?” I said to Bill Forsythe one day. “You don’t have one.” He got a hold of John Ellis, the President of Western Division (he bought the home of the Consul General at 3850 Marguerite, and now he’s in a senior’s home on West 41st Avenue, Crofton Manor). “I’ll give you the clients. You can use my lists, my friends,” I told him. (By then they were all my friends). There were so many Hong Kong people who came over here after the People’s Liberation Army Band marched through Hong Kong in the early 1960s, that I couldn’t believe it. We didn’t get anything, from BMO, not even a thank you. Oh, I think we got a pen set and Dean got a Bank of Montreal blue tie. And the Bank of Montreal got a new branch in China. Dean and I used it for our vast portfolio of clients, contacts and potential contacts (networking). I also did John Ellis and Bill Forsyth another favor; I brought the Bank of Montreal’s Japan correspondence office over to Hong Kong.

Versaille and Vegas are the two most architecturally uniform cities in the world. They were both created by marginalized groups in society to celebrate their lifestyles. So where does that leave Vancouver? Vancouver was originally created by the railway. It was all laid out in uniform grids, all neat and symmetrical, at least at ground level. Bridges were introduced connecting the downtown to the east and west side and then more bridges connecting the east side and west side to the suburbs.

Vancouver’s skyline was originally all the same level defined by the height of its buildings which were not allowed to exceed three stories. If one looks at photos of old Vancouver you see wonderful old houses in the west end and similar houses across the east and west side of town. Granville Street’s skyline downtown was defined by its neon glitz as was Chinatown’s along Pender Street.

Almost overnight, that all changed in the sixties. The Vancouver skyline 258

especially downtown appeared to be on steroids as it shot up into the stratosphere, the same on the east side and the west side. The AGE OF CONDOMINIUM LIVING had begun. There was more to it all though than just the introduction of strata title, there had to be a way of building these towers quickly and then filling them quickly with people.

I was full of lots of big ideas like using prefabricated concrete on my building sites.

“The cement is so cheap and thin it doesn’t even look like proper cement.

Why don’t you go and tell the builder to make pre-fab concrete in slabs three inches thick? Pre-fab will enable builders to build taller buildings.” This is what T.K. Tan told me one day when we were watching them pour cement on a Vancouver construction site. Up until then, buildings in Vancouver were only two or three stories high. It still bothers me when I walk past a construction site if I see them using one and a half inch concrete but as my son says, “Mom, why are you worried, they’re built to be torn down.” He’s so right!

Another idea I got from T.K. Tan was the concept of pre-sales. He had been very successful in building strata title properties in Indonesia and Hong Kong and sold them on a re-sale basis. I was the first to use this idea in Vancouver.

Before pre-sales, the banks used interim construction financing. Financing construction has changed. Today, realtors pre-sell eighty percent of a project to relatives and friends. They call this in-house financing. The sellers collect a large part of the construction costs and approach a bank for the rest of the money, that’s how speculating started.

In the 1960s, houses were the symbol of success for homeowners. Later, they became a status symbol for the middle and upper class, and now today until recently they are a symbol of fast money for speculators. I think we all need to take a step back and take a breath. MY GOD! Have we all gone NUTS? How did this happen? We can talk about what governments should have done like restricting immigration, not allowing overseas ownership or at least taxing foreign owners. The NDP has started doing this today in 2018. The B.C. liberals were always in the pockets of the developers. Let’s hope the NDP stays for a good long time.

Here’s what’s happening today.

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“My god, they called me back later and said you could buy a unit for double the original price.” My friend, Alan Lam told me this on the phone. He had phoned a realtor at Oakridge to buy a unit at 12th and Cambie on the old White Spot site. “Oh, it’s all sold,” they told him (They sold it internally). Later they called him back. That’s what’s happening today. Before presales, you just showed up and bought what you wanted. With pre-sales, you look at the drawing and pre-pay for the unit which you see in the pictures and brochures. I am the one who introduced pre-sales, pre-fab concrete, and strata title ownership into Canada. Ah, the sweet smell of success!

When Bob Rennie found out what I had accomplished with strata title and pre-sales, he invited me to be a speaker at his real estate sales office in Burnaby.

It was in the late 1960s.

“Not one day goes by that I don’t realize I owe Faye Leung my career,” Bob says whenever he runs into me. What I did was not announced in the newspapers. “Nobody knows what you’re doing in the field of housing,” Bob said to me. Day by day, Bob built on the ideas he got from me. Now he’s known as the “Condo King,” specializing in strata title and pre-sales. Not many people know that I made all this happen.

The US interstate highway system was once a marvel of modern engineering, allowing the movement of goods and ideas that ushered in an era of unprecedented prosperity. But when those highways reached the cities they connected, they plowed through the lowest-income areas, physically dividing neighborhoods and financially devastating communities. This ideology spilled over into Canada as well. It was done primarily to hasten redevelopment of the cities inner core through a misguided “slum removal” program that leveled low-income housing in many cities. Seattle and Los Angeles are prime examples of what a city core looks like today where this happened. No consideration was given to the people who lived in the neighborhoods that were destroyed, the poorest of the poor and today these inner cities are not people friendly. In 1968, The City of Vancouver revived its earlier plan to run a freeway through the heart of downtown but instead of going through Chinatown they rerouted it over the Georgia Viaduct, bypassing Chinatown completely.

Stopping the freeway plan and public housing were two different things.

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Once the freeway was not an issue, three different lawyers were hired by homeowners in Chinatown to apply for homeowner’s grants from the federal government. Harry Fan led one group of homeowners. Mike Harcourt (who was just a young novice lawyer back then), led another group. The flamboyant Andy Joe led another. Andy stirred the community up with public rallies. They all used the lack of public housing in Chinatown for their benefit.

Walter and Lee Soon Chan hired Harcourt to apply to the federal government for their homeowner’s grant, but they wanted even more money and stirred up a group of homeowners to start a political fight. Lee Soon Chan was Shirley’s mother and a loudmouth who hollered for more money for her house and perks for her daughter. These homeowners in 1968 formed the Strathcona Property Owners & Tenants Association (SPOTA) and continued to fight.

Shirley got a job with Harcourt and the NDP as her mother had intended. In later years, both Harcourt and Shirley boasted how they stopped the freeway development which wasn’t exactly right. They didn’t prevent the freeway from going through Chinatown in 1963, I did that. They may have been involved with stopping the highway from going over the Georgia Viaduct later as part of SPOTA in 1968 but I don’t know. Shirley Chan was born in 1947 making her only sixteen years old in 1963. Her father worked with me at the Kuo Seun Emporium at 89 East Pender when I was Director of Sales. Walter Chan shipped merchandise across Canada for Kuo Seun. He hated the job and felt it was beneath him. His unhappiness probably eventually caused his heart attack. The Strathcona Homeowners kept the fight up for more money for many years.

All the lawyers had their fees covered from a percentage of the homeowner’s grants, but I and my group never received any compensation.”

“What do you call that?” someone asked.

“I don’t know,” said someone else, “It sort of looks like a pagoda. Let’s call it a pagoda.

Okay a pagoda. It stands seven feet high from the ground. In Chinatown no one builds a pagoda that stands seven feet high unless he puts a sign on it to advertise his building. He makes a neon pagoda that is sixteen feet high and attaches it to his building, like 261 The first pagoda telephone booth installed in Chinatown.

the Smilin Buddha or the Bamboo Terrace. But this was different. This can be set beside lesser buildings like pool halls, diners, clubs, gasoline stations, funeral parlors or bath houses. It doesn’t have to adorn the side of a building the work of a Frank Lloyd Wright or other such architectural wonder. This is for the common everyday man to use.

The stimulus is both visual and cerebral. It holds a hidden message. It is telling you something about the place where you are, Chinatown. It’s meant to attract families and tour groups and it has done so with great success. I stare but I am not convinced. A well-dressed young lady opens the door of one pagoda and steps inside. I can see inside she is putting a coin in the top of something.

There are lots of young ladies and girls on the street. Another one steps inside another pagoda. There are actually three pagodas standing in a row and then a man steps inside the last one. They are certainly popular. What is this all about?

I wonder.

NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT CYRUS MCLEAN In 1967, B.C. Telephone installed three pagoda phone booths on Pender St. These were said to be the only ones in North America that follow the classic Chinese pagoda design and coloring. The three new booths all wrapped up were in front of the CBA, at 8:00 a.m., for a ceremony at 1:00 p.m. Immediately after the ceremony, they installed the telephone booths, and they were able to be used by 2:00 p.m.

The story doesn’t end there….

CHINA CALLING! In 1968 The Year of the Monkey got off to a good start when B.C. Telephone extended GUNG HAY FAT CHOY (Happy New Year), to

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Faye with B.C. Tel rep Douglas and Sherman Dong of the Yen Lock Restaurant waiting for the presentation ceremony. All the boothette phones lined up in a row on Pender Street were a gift to each of the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. 1968.

At the opening and unveling Cyrus McLean, Chairman of B.C. Tel can be seen with Dean the designer of the three pagoda style booths and Consul General Peng and Quon Wong of Quon’s Travel Agency waiting for the first call. Earl T. Squire, BC Tel Vice-Presdient is at the far left, 1967.

to the Chinese community in a most gracious manner. They erected eight new pagoda-style coin telephone boothettes in several Chinatown restaurants: The Bamboo Terrace, Mings, W.K. Gardens, The Yick Fung Tea Room, Yen Lock, Marco Polo, Ho Ho, and the Wayen Diner, all members of the Vancouver Chinese Restaurant Association. Doug C. Watt, Vice-President of B.C. Telephone, said at the opening ceremony, “These new phones mark another step in the development of Chinatown as a unique tourist attraction. They’re also a practical means of furthering the exchange of Chinese and Canadian cultures.” The eight new boothette tele263

phones installed in 1968 differed from the outdoor type in that each had a green pagoda-style roof and bamboo walls. Chinese tradition describes the green and gold as symbolic of long life and red symbolizes happiness, and good fortune.

At the presentation ceremony held in front of the Chinese Benevolent Association building, there were brief speeches by Lam Fong, Fuen Sein, Consul Yi Fe Wang, Victor Louie, Quon H. Wong, and Mrs. Faye Leung. M.C. was Dean Leung. Mrs. Faye Leung, the only woman director on the Chinese Benevolent Association executive and also their hostess, said that the Chinese community appreciated what B.C. Tel has done.”

“It’s gratifying to see progress in a project begun several years ago by B.C. Tel chairman C.H. McLean. They will certainly spark an interest in the further development of Chinatown.” Roy Mah, Chinatown News Now the truth about how I got them to install the phones.

“There’s a lady in the room and no matter whatever function I go to, she sticks a needle in my bum,” so said Cyrus McLean at many functions. Every time I met Cyrus McLean at a BC Telephone function, I would kid him about having pagoda-style telephone booths installed in Chinatown. Kidding aside, they were a big hit. So were the Hawaiian-style boxes that he’d installed a few years earlier.

Chinatown politics were not for the faint of heart. When the pagoda telephone booths went up in Chinatown, Tommy Mah’s, father got mad at me. I think he was jealous.

“Why should they get all that publicity just for a telephone booth,” he said. I heard that he squandered a lot of money on negative publicity aimed at us. And here I had taken him to the opera. We became good friends, but I have to tell you that Chinese politics and jealousies were something else.

The Greater Vancouver Visitors and Convention Bureau were geniuses. It all boils down to giving the right award to the right person. They were always on the cutting edge. Obviously if you want to give an award to a woman such as they did in 1968 or as no one did the year before or the year before that or like the one no one ever gave to Pauline Jewett the first woman President of SFU for fighting for the rights of women to join the Vancouver Club or the one the prolific and popular newspaper columnist Simma Holt never received or MLA 264

Grace McCarthy for her work in women’s rights then OBVIOUSLY the award must suit the occasion.

I always tackled several projects at once with equal sincerity and enthusiasm and I always attempted to further the interests of Vancouver citizens and the Chinese community. In recognition of my work and importance in civic affairs, the Greater Vancouver Visitors and Convention Bureau made me the first woman in Vancouver’s history to receive the MAN OF THE MONTH award. That was in 1968.

“What about me?” Dean asked. “Oh well, all in the family I guess!”

Even after the Strata Title Act passed in 1967, I was still unable to build attached houses for two reasons: I was Chinese and a woman. As a woman, I didn’t qualify for mortgage financing. All the houses I built over the years were single-family homes with the little guy in mind. Grace McCarthy’s pet project was to fight for the right of women to qualify for mortgage financing, and it took many years for that to change. Dr. Pauline Jewitt (President of SFU from 1974 through 1978), fought for the right of women to belong to the VancouMayor Alan Emmott of Burnaby presenting the “Man of the Month,” Captain Vancouver Award to Faye Leung. It was the first time it had ever been won by a woman. Mayor Tom Campbell of Vancouver is seated on the left. Jack Bain is seated on the right, 1967.

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ver Club and other organizations. Even with her position she still was discriminated against because she was a woman. There were many mountains yet to climb.

These hors d’oeuvres are very good. I wonder what the establishment is eating? I wonder if the establishment likes spring rolls, prawn toast, crispy duck rolled up with green onion sticks covered in sauce inside a wrap none of which were being offered to us on silver trays by Caucasian maids dressed in beautiful costumes… The butlers will bring us our drinks… usually fruit drinks some with alcohol. These are the things that run through our heads whenever we attend one of these establishment celebrations out on the lawn behind some fancy monument to the establishment lifestyle like the Parliament Buildings, Government House, Cecil Green. For example would the high society types gulp down crispy duck in front of the Lieutenant Governor’s wife, probably not traditional enough?

The Lieutenant Governor’s wife is always so lovely on these occasions. She greets everyone the same Jack, Grace, Ed, Bill, David during these extravagant garden parties they’re so famous for holding. What afternoons! There are well known people everywhere in the garden, inside Government House, out on the patio. They are all very influential people mayors, aldermen, representatives from charity organizations, sports stars, media personalities, performers, actors…. and now us Dean and Faye Leung in this decade of change and upheaval around the world. Forty eight hours ago we were over in Vancouver’s Chinatown helping some of the pioneers get ready for city inspectors to inspect their homes this week.

Home inspections, bank loans, real estate transactions, inspecting construction sites, getting permits from city hall all our weekly routine and now we were actually here. The very idea that we could actually be rubbing noses with high society and the government and business elite was mind boggling. Everyone cast a glance our way or stared or tried to smile trying to size us up and then their attention returns to the house, the gardens and the opulent grandeur of it all. Deny us if you want but we have arrived! A Victoria columnist says to us, “I’ve never met an oriental couple at one of these garden parties. You both look very handsome and fit in very well.”

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“You’re invited to be guests of Lieutenant Governor Jack Nicholson at Government House in Victoria for their annual garden party on July 24, 1968.” It was all very formal. The invitations read, “Mr. and Mrs. Dean Chun Kwong Leung.” Jack was now the Lieutenant Governor of B.C. It was an honor to be the only Chinese couple invited. By then both Dean and I were the Vancouver directors of the Chinese National Benevolent Association of Canada. The Victoria Times-Colonist newspaper wrote, “Mrs. Leung, the former Faye Leong, is a third generation Victorian. Mr. Leung, wore a ‘blue silk formal tuxedo jacket which showed a cubist pattern of pale blue flecks mixed with bright yellow and red. His black bow-tie was layered with red. Lots of small talk took place that day. Mrs. Leung favored pink and white, and her hat was in the style of the queen mother.”

If truth be told, strength and dignity were our clothing. We continued to bridge the cultural gap between Caucasian and Chinese societies whenever and where ever we could, and we enjoyed every minute of it. Our small talk (establishment talk), was getting pretty good. We attended more government garden parties than any other non-Caucasian couple. While at the B.C. Government House Garden Party in Victoria, (July 24, 1968), former Lieutenant Governor With the former Lieutenant Governor George Pearkes and his wife who wanted to have their picture taken with her at the annual Government House garden party in Victoria, July 24, 1968.

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Protest songs and speeches against the Vietnam War, the Women’s movement and the civil rights movement could be heard chanting out their message on college campuses everywhere from 1963 to 1973, it was the DECADE OF PROTEST. If you love this land of the free Bring ‘em home, bring ‘em home Bring them back from overseas Bring ‘em home, bring ‘em home It will make the

politicians sad, I know Bring ‘em home, bring ‘em home They wanna tangle with their foe Bring ‘em home, bring ‘em home They wanna test their grand theories

Bring ‘em home, bring ‘em home With the blood of you and me Bring ‘em home, bring ‘em home

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The second biggest crime of the 20th century engulfed the sixties, the Vietnam War and raged from 1963 through 1973.

I HAVE A DREAM that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering

with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

WAR I am woman, hear me roar In numbers too big to ignore And I know too much to go back an’ pretend ‘Cause I’ve heard it all before And I’ve been down there on the floor No one’s ever gonna keep me down again

Hmph!

What is it good for?

269 Absolutely nothing!

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The Civil Rights Movement in the USA © Hulton Archive/Getty Images Thousands of demonstrators taking part in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on Aug. 28, 1963, in Washington, D.C.

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Man lands on the moon in 1969, Astronaut Buzz Aldrin stands for a portrait on the surface of the moon. It was taken by his fellow astronaut Neil Armstrong, whose reflection is visible in Aldrin’s visor. Ullstein Bild / Getty Images

and Mrs. George Pearkes and his Aide-de-Camp all wanted their picture taken with me. Their official tour of duty was over, and they were attending as guests.

They were kept very busy shaking the hands of old friends and well-wishers while us two social justice warriors mingled through the crowd who, ten years earlier, wouldn’t have given us the time of day. We were continuing to inspire younger generations of Chinese by our example.

But something wasn’t right! People tried to picture all these Hong Kong society people arriving in Vancouver and buying houses from me in Oakridge.

Then they would try to picture them hiring Caucasian servants, “Would you like a drink sir.” No matter which way you looked at it no one could picture Caucasians as servants of the Chinese no matter how much money they had. It didn’t fit the times. What were they to do, this set off a desperate search for Chinese servants but that didn’t work either. They couldn’t look after themselves.

That just wasn’t done in high society whether you were Chinese or Caucasian.

Everyone in Vancouver’s high society had Caucasian servants. What were they to do so they rang me up.

“We can’t bring our maids, servants, and nannies some that have been with us, for as many as twenty years to Canada,” complained many of the affluent immigrants that came over here from Hong Kong.” I got after Bryan Harrington and Bill Snell (the immigration officers) to help prepare a proposal to introduce these categories to send to Ottawa.

“Let’s create a category for domestic help and nannies, another for home care, another for caregivers and another one for nurses,” I said. All these new categories were approved and remain in place today, and that is how many immigrants came to Canada afterwards. Over 360,000 Filipino caregivers and homecare workers now live in Canada because I tried to help my Hong Kong friends. Today, they get landed immigrant status immediately which enables them to bring their entire families over, how things have changed. Amazing!”

“WOW! That is mind-blowing. You just went on and on. There was no stopping you. You really were a force of nature. I wish all those people who benefitted from what you did would come forward and thank you. Tell you how you changed all their lives for the better.”

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“Maybe they are. Every time I go out someone stops me and thanks me for this, that or the other thing. Maybe the supreme architect of the universe as you mentioned, has programmed them to let me know my efforts were appreciated.”

“God works in mysterious ways, they say!”

We’re having another baby – 1970 - Married Couple Life – was what it was still all about – but what could you tell anyone about it? It was like heaven to have our very first child in 1955, a baby boy we named Dana, the most extraortraordinary kid in the world but when we had our second child in 1970, a baby boy, we named him Dean Jr. it was like heaven all over again. What a glorious world. All the dreams we had dreamed since we had our first child had all come true. What a feeling to have another Superkid. What a life – what a glorious time to be born.

“Tin soldiers and Nixon’s comin’ we’re finally on our own This summer I hear the drummin’ four dead in Ohio” 24.

The myths that touched him though were different. It was no longer the fantasy world of the 1950s but the real world of guns and violence and movements and people everywhere looking for a better life. The myths that touched kids in the 1970s were the myths of pop culture the music, Led Zepplin, The Who, Queen, Black Sabbath and Kiss. Our second son would leave the life of the entrepreneur to his mother and father and big brother. When the internet came along Dean Jr. was in college and he would later wind up pursuing a career in Internet Technology, bless his soul.

“This beautiful lavender blown glass bowl is a present for you on the birth of your new son,” said Canada Trust Chairman of the Board Gordon Farrell and his wife who were so appreciative of what we had done for Canada Trust.

The Farrell’s were terrific and invited us to their southwest Marine Drive mansion for a special dinner. It was the start of a long, happy friendship. They 275

showed us a slide show of their extensive travels. Very interesting! Dean and my marriage certainly was a bonding of blissful joy! We have many photos together of those good times as a keepsake. We were quickly becoming one people.

The media in this country usually reports on what is; which is the way it has always been. They were never interested in what was going on in Chinatown and a few Chinese people trying to change the world. Yet, we were creating new things and they couldn’t help but notice. What I was doing was changing the lives of the whole country. A curious example of this was what was happening in Vancouver society. Here’s this lady who has her hand in almost every pie.

Vancouver’s “Man of the Month” Faye Leung the most incredible socialite in Vancouver history. I was the embodiment of this new wave of energy sweeping the country, the perfect sixties girl, a Chinese version of Wonder Woman and Super Girl all rolled into one. My story touched everyone real estate, developers, insurance, the Opera, high society, the university, City Hall and the Premier’s office. By the end of the sixties the newspapers were chasing me. I’m not sure what the establishment thought; they probably wondered why they were chasing me and that they should pay no attention to that woman and the life she was leading. Any opposition was based on their belief that a woman’s place is in the home, moral outrage. I was a symbol of the new lifestyle for women emerging across the country and they didn’t like it.

THE ONLY BIG TIME LADY DEVELOPER IN VANCOUVER! That’s what they called me in the newspapers. By the end of the 1960s, my business acumen was strong and would grow even stronger in the 1970s. In the late 1960s, Dean and I led a group (it was just us) in constructing the 2.8 million, six-story Mandarin Shopping Centre on the northwest corner of Main and Keefer Street. That’s the next story I’m going to tell you. Our group’s next target was a 4 milliom, twenty-nine-story hotel called the Mandarin International opposite the shopping center on Keefer the following spring but it wasn’t meant to be. As president of our firm, Pender Realty & Insurance Agency, by now I had a varied and extensive business background. I was associated with numerous financial, development and other corporations. Pender Realty & Insurance Agencies was also the exclusive B.C. sales agent appointed by Avon Financial 276

Corp. of California for Palm Desert Green Golf & Country Club Estate and Avon Community Development in Palm Desert, California, in Canada.

“At the pace, she is advancing, fame and fortune may well overtake her,” said Roy Mah, editor of the Chinatown News on November 18, 1971. Our social connections were growing too. I was active in civic affairs and I was the winner of several awards including the B.C. Government’s, “Kla-How-Yah,” Award for promoting tourism to B.C., the Vancouver Visitors & Convention Bureau’s, “Man of the Month” and Canada Trust’s, “Appreciation Presentation Award” (as Founders and operators of the first branch office in Canada). I was on the membership rolls of several Vancouver organizations: the Board of Trade, which was historically for men only, the Vancouver Symphony, the Opera Guild (historically, I was the first and only Chinese Director of the Vancouver Opera Association), the Real Estate Board of both Vancouver and Canada and the Insurance Agents Association of Canada.

“So the 1960s ended with a big bang, and it sounds like you and Dean were on top of the world.”

“That’s right! The 1960s were amazing for us. We accomplished so much.”

“Besides the Strata Title Act becoming law, you introduced pre-fab concrete and pre-sales in the construction industry. Then you introduced pagoda telephone booths in Chinatown. For everything, including promoting tourism to BC, you received The Man of the Month award from the Greater Vancouver Visitor’s Bureau, pre-runner to Tourism Vancouver. How did that feel?”

“Pretty good, we were so busy, but we loved doing it all. We didn’t think we had to do this or that we just did it when the opportunity arose. Imagine me getting The Man of the Month Award, and I couldn’t even get a mortgage because I was Chinese and a woman. They were strange times. Everything was changing so quickly, and it was so great to have been a part of it all.”

And then, you helped bring in more immigration category reforms” “I didn’t think, oh, I need to initiate more immigration category reforms.

It wasn’t like that at all. Things happened when the need arose. When my new friends from Hong Kong came to me complaining about not being able to 277

bring their domestic help to Canada, I saw a need. I lobbied for new immigration categories: nannies, home care workers, domestic help and nurses. It seemed the logical next step and the right thing today. I didn’t think about whom else might use the new categories, but of course, immigrants from other countries saw the opportunity right away and started to come to Canada.”

“Well, whichever came first the cart or the horse, the result and we see it today, is a multi-cultural Canada. You helped open the doors that allowed others to come to this country, thus making Canada the multi-cultural country we all enjoy today. My hat is off to you, Mrs. Leung.”

“Well, thank you. It was nothing I assure you.”

“You’re too modest. It was a big deal. You should get the Order of Canada for what you did. You made it possible for thousands of people to live better lives and build a future safe from the turmoil that sadly exists in so many countries around the world. You also made it possible for Canada to become the country it is today.

A country viewed around the world with respect, a champion of civil rights and freedoms. You gave hope to all nationalities suffering from persecution in other countries that somewhere, there exists a land where people can safely raise their families, a land where everyone is free. Because of you, the name Canada has become synonymous with freedom.”

“Oh my, I think I’m going to cry.”

“I love the back stories to how all these things happened. You were often like Walter Mitty; you just stumbled into them through the back door, like the BMO story, for instance.”

“That’s quite true. But isn’t that the way with lots of things. We don’t always go off with some grand scheme in mind, but after we’ve finished helping whomever, we often find that we have done something far more encompassing than what we set out to do.”

“True. Boy, the housing industry sure has changed since the days when you were were a developer.”

“We built houses for the people, the little guy. Developers today build houses for the money. There’s a big difference. The housing industry has become big business, a national industry, certainly in the three big cities but in lots of other cities across Canada as well. Because it’s all about making the most money, it 278

has drawn the attention of money laundering and organized crime. Where ever there is easy money to be made, skimming off the profits, they’re not far away.”

“Been spendin’ most their lives, Livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise” 25.

“But you always came back to Chinatown.”

“That’s where I came from, and my roots are in Chinatown. Even though I was doing all these other things in the Orient and elsewhere, I was still always focused on bettering Chinatown. I loved the people so much growing up there; I wanted to see it prosper and grow as well. We all want our home town to prosper. Most people who were born in Vancouver, I am sure, are happy that Vancouver is prospering. The only problem is, it is prospering too much and shutting out many who grew up here.”

“That’s true. When you see towns across the US where the industry has shut down because the young people have left and moved to the big city, it’s sad.”

“Well, we never wanted that to happen to Chinatown, but it happened anyway, thanks to the politicians. But we did our part. You’ll see by what I tell you, next, the plans we had for Chinatown, and we had lots of them. The first one worked, but the rest were not meant to be.”

“I can hardly wait to hear them.”

“Oh yes, it was quite something. You’ll enjoy hearing about our ideas. Excuse me while I wipe the tears from my eyes. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by all your kind comments.”

Faye is beautiful. She has that rare beauty of youth that shines through the years. She is blessed with a smile that can melt the coldest of hearts and a personality that bubbles over with enthusiasm. Her success can be seen in her eyes the window into her soul, who says money and success aren’t good for you. She was a top realtor, developer and businesswoman. She is the one person more than any other who has broken down the social barriers between classes in Vancouver and Chinatown with her Pender Realty & Insurance Office and her Canada Trust branch. How appropriate for her and her husband Dean as 279

leaders of the oppressed, to receive more invitations to official garden parties, large and small, than any other non-Caucasian couple in town.

“I read where they’re going to two more garden parties this summer,” said the little guy on the street. Twice monthly, Roy Mah reported on the Chinese social scene in Vancouver, Toronto and San Francisco in his “Chinatown News Magazine. They were little gems that kept the little guys on the street informed of social events in the Chinese community while people like Dean and I were busy with more important things.

“Dean, what am I going to wear to the garden party?” “I’m sure you’ll figure it out, dear.” Dean and I were again honored to be invited to B.C. Government House in Victoria for Lieutenant Governor Jack Nicholson’s annual Garden Party on July 15, 1971. Ideas are wings, and you need to let them fly.

We were also invited to be guests at Premier W.A.C. Bennett’s, large Kelowna estate for his annual garden party.

“You look smashing in that white gown, tight and flowing with matching frilly parasol and handbag,” Dean told me before we left. “I knew you’d figure that one out too dear.” “And you look very dashing in your white tux and black pants, pressed and cuffed,” I said. . On another occasion that same year, I greeted my guests in the living room of our replica of the Imperial Palace in Beijing on Fremlin Street to announce our appointment as the B.C. agent for AVCO Community Developers Inc. of California.

Faye with Dean and Lieutenant Governor Jack Nicholson seen here at his official government garden party in Victoria at Governemnt House with Roger Chang, aide d’ campe, WWII Chinese veteran, 1971.

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1971 Dean and Faye Leung were the first Chinese couple and their family to be invited

by Premier W.A.C. Bennett to an official government garden party at his home in Kelowna.

“Of the more than 400 guests present on November 3, 1971 at our home, most were blue-chip names out of Vancouver’s book of who’s who. They included cabinet ministers, city aldermen, public figures and captains of industries: Mr. and Mrs. John Ellis of the Bank of Montreal, Fraser McCormick of the Toronto Dominion Bank, Mr. and Mrs. F. Mowatt of the Bank of B.C., City prosecutor Stewart McMoran, B.C. Labor Minister James Chabot, Minister without portfolio Grace McCarthy, Cyrus McLean of B.C. Tel, Charles Jagg of the P.N.E., J.S.C. Moffitt of General Hospital, Mr. and Mrs. William Street, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Baker, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bernard, Dr. and Mrs. Edward Chan, Dr. and Mrs. Ted Chang, Dr. and Mrs. Dodd Chu, lawyer Jack Lee, lawyer Margaret Gee. Our company was promoting the 1500-acre luxurious Palm Desert Greens, a country club estate lot in Palm Springs, California. Lots were selling at $6,990.

The promotional blurb read, “This private resort is ideal for vacation, retirement or possible rental.”

Some of the amenities included swimming and therapy pools, an executive golf course, underground facilities and picnic and recreational areas.

To many of us in those days, life was just a dream in the night, a fear among fears. Dean and I wanted it to be so much more than that, and we knew it could be for us and all Chinese, so we continued to bridge the cultural gap whenever possible and the soundtrack of our lives281 continued, “And the beat goes on, And the beat goes on.”

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Chapter 8

Vancouver’s Only Big Time Lady Developer The builders of Chinatown were the pioneers. They built an oasis outside Vancouver as a vision to their lifestyle. It isn’t so important that the pioneers built Chinatown but that they were visionaries. They were the first group to celebrate their lifestyle in Canada by building Chinatown. No one seems to know who actually designed Chinatown. We don’t know much about who built the distinctive buildings and the kind of impact they had on people at the time.

Many buildings belonged to the different associations but who actually built them, no one knows. They were outside the tradition of the Caucasian builders of the time. It was a new world emerging in the wilderness and no one expected Chinatown to face the troubles it encountered.

Outside Chinatown are the sound of the steam trains pulling logs from the vast hinterland of B.C. to the CPR ships, the chugging of locomotives as passengers traversed the Rocky Mountains on the way to their new homes in Vancouver, the street cars making their way up Hastings Street to uptown along Granville Street to Georgia where the venerable Hudson’s Bay Co, stands and then turning right down Georgia taking passengers to Stanley Park on a sunny day, the boats coming and going in Coal Harbor and the industrial waste of generations of industry desecrating the banks of False Creek, these were all signs of the new culture makers.

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But in Chinatown, soon there were no signs of any Chinese culture makers.

Building had stopped, just the signs of an oppressed people trying to survive.

The buildings were allowed to decay due to lack of funds and the new culture makers outside their door tried to run it over with bulldozers every chance they got. But there was a new breed of Chinese that followed the pioneers, born of the freedom brought by enfranchisement and fueled by energetic newcomers like Faye and Dean Leung who were familiar with the problems of the past. This new breed as it gathered strength and flexed its muscle; it too looked around for a way to create a monument to its lifestyle within the confines of Chinatown.

“The land at 50 West Pender Street would be a good address for a Chinese Community Centre,” Andy Livingston said to me one day. Andy was always enthusiastic. He was the Parks Board Chairman in the early 1970s.

“Haven’t you got anything better to do, Andy, than come into my office every day?” I used to give him a hard time. He and his wife Maria often came to our beautiful home in Oakridge as well.

“You really should consider that location on Pender Street for a new community centre,” Andy repeated. He mentioned it often. So I called Wong Kung Wai and Lilac Chen of the Lotus Garden Restaurant, which was very famous and popular, and Henry Wong of the powerful, Simon Fraser University Teachers Union. The Honorable Les Peterson also got involved. So did Grace McCarthy who both supported and encouraged us. I can see them all to this day in our spacious, oriental style living room. The meetings went on for days and months.

“A Chinese Community Centre would be a good place to bring all Chinese together and show that the Chinese are truly becoming a part of Canadian society.” Oh, they were such ’sweet words!

Andy’s idea was a good one.

“Everybody likes the Ding Ho Restaurant,” Dean said. It was on land in Chinatown that was very historical. That was 50 West Pender Street.

“That property is restricted (not to be sold to Chinese, East Indians or Jews).”

That’s what I told Dean after I made some inquiries. There were several other businesses nearby: the famous Marco Polo Restaurant and Night Club on Columbia and the Chinese Book Store, which was small but the only one of its 284

kind and Foo’s, Ho Ho Restaurant, which was a landmark was also on a nearby corner. “They’ve all been around for many years,” I said. And all around, on all sides, was downtown Vancouver.

“All the businesses in the area must be leasing the land,” Dean said, motioning with his hand. “It’s the only way they could be there. The Chinese isolation meant we didn’t know these things. We’ve always had to be careful who came in here. If strangers came into Chinatown, they wouldn’t be given the time of day. This isolation has been good in a way. It’s given us a strong sense of family, honor, and courage.” Dean was very smart. After we did some more checking, we discovered that the site we wanted belonged to the B.C. Government. We were in luck!

It was now 1972 and the NDPs (New Democratic Party), Dave Barrett had just become the new premier.

“We should make a presentation to Barrett’s, government asking to buy this historical site for our new centre,” it was decided at one of our meetings. I’m not sure if Barrett knew that the Chinese had a strong sense of family, honor, and courage but two weeks later he asked Alex MacDonald, his Attorney General, to remove the discriminatory restrictions on 50 West Pender Street. Barrett told Alex McDonald, “Tell them we will agree to sell the whole of 50 West Pender Street to the Chinese associations for 1 dollar, but they must have all the associations, big and small, on board to make it happen.” Maybe he wanted to see what would happen if the Chinese were given control of their destiny. In those days there were about forty Chinese associations, benevolent and otherwise if you included fraternities and societies. There are even more today. There was a lot of arguing and fighting between them all, direct talk as to what to name the new centre.

“We have to come up with a name,” Dean said.

As the President of the Chinese National Benevolent Association of Canada, Dean, my wise husband came up with an idea and called a meeting of representatives from each association, and they made him, chairman. Everyone attended.

“You don’t have to argue anymore,” Dean said, “We’ll name it the Chinese Cultural Centre. This name, speaks for all.” With the name agreed upon the 285

government sold the land for 1 dollar to the associations, including fraternities and societies. But we didn’t have the money to build the centre!

Working together was the key. There were constant meetings of the many Chinese associations to find a way to work together to raise the necessary funds to build the Centre after Barrett’s contribution.

“Each Chinese association, new and old, has to make a contribution as well as raise funds, if we’re going to be successful,” Dean said. We organized a committee made up of members of each association and launched a fundraising campaign. Dean’s secretary was Sam Shew Cheung who had worked with Dean for many years. “Sam, drive to every Chinese grocery store and Chinese restaurant, throughout Vancouver, asking for donations, of any size,” Dean told him.

Sam was all over the place at all hours of the day and night. Some nights you’d see Sam go by ten times in the darkness with the old Vancouver moon above. If someone was following you, it was likely Sam. Something amazing was happening! The Chinese were starting to get in charge of their destiny. It was becoming a science to them; they knew what to do so well. There were still a lot of knock-down arguments, often without foundation, lots of direct talk between the many associations and the Chinese community, at large. An argument is war. Everyone wanted to get involved, young and old.

“All you younger people want to do is fight,” Dean said. Then the REDS started to get involved. There were many Chinese-Canadians who were procommunist. With some people, anger is in the heart. There was no way we could keep the cultural centre for ourselves. There was a lot of politics.

The sound of fighting, moaning, and groaning could be heard downtown all over Chinatown.

“Watch out for the REDS!” To white folk, they thought it was the tongs (secret societies) that were responsible. It wasn’t just the excitement of it. It was the symbolism of the Chinese fight against the establishment for their independence. Various interest groups tried to take over the cultural centre, which was supposed to be for the people. One group succeeded. We were warned.

“The Reds want to take over all the Chinese associations, not only here in Vancouver, but across Canada,” we were told. They infiltrated many organiza286

tions swiftly and silently getting their people (who they could control), into high positions. The Chinese Cultural Centre became a symbol of liberation from the old establishment for the Chinese in post-postwar Vancouver. Nobody could do anything about it. The dogs can’t catch a wily fox. He’ll lead them around all night. Fortunately, no one ever got hurt. Dean and I didn’t want any part of it so we weren’t involved in the latter years. Those still involved finally raised enough money to build a cultural centre in 1979 and the city handed over the land after all the rezoning was completed.

Those who rose to power in the C.C.C. all had different backgrounds.

Andy Joe (Red Joe) was one. Dr. Wally Chung, Chinatown’s doctor (who knew everybody, and was a Captain in World War II), was another. Dr. K. T. Yue got involved, as well!

“I’ll get Ron Yipp, the big casino owner in Macau to join us. He’s got lots of money, and he’ll make a big donation. We’ll take it over,” said Dr. Yue. And they did! Young people like, Bill Yee, who many years later became a prominent judge, got involved. Others who got involved were Dr. Dean W. Leung (who started the first dental school, at UBC) and his wife Sophia who became an M.P. They wanted to raise their status in Vancouver by being associated with the cultural centre. However, they were misguided because the cultural centre was supposed to be for the benefit of the people in the community.

As of 2003 the C.C.C. had 350 employees and ran many programs, out of at least eleven offices throughout Metro Vancouver. These programs benefitted the Chinese community and new immigrants. They were mainly doing what Dean and I used to do for free, but the C.C.C. did it on a much larger scale. The C.C.C. is now an integral part of multicultural Vancouver. The Chinese Cultural Centre honored Dean for naming the Centre (now a non-profit, charitable organization), and for getting it built.

I often wondered what the catering staff at these big society functions thought when they saw us coming. “Oh, it’s going to be one of those parties.” I like to think they were rooting for us. “Here they come again, this should be fun.”

The hired help probably lived in Fraserview or Mount Pleasant so they weren’t society types. I bet they commented on what we were wearing. Actually, I imagine they had so much to do they didn’t even give us any thought, if they even 287

knew we were there. They would have been busy ushering people from one area to another if dinner was being served, “Dinner is served in the tented area.” They usually served food at these events outside if it was a garden party, always elegant and always very Caucasian. We always played the game and dressed the part and had great fun doing it but we also always realized it was just a game but I know many believed in discrimination.

In 1972, Dean and I were in beautiful Hawaii when we received a telegram.

Here was something different we thought. The telegram was from Victoria.

“It’s an invitation to attend the Governor’s Ball. We’re the first Chinese couple to receive an invitation.” We just loved to dance, and we had been invited to a lot of government garden parties but never to a Governor’s Ball so we wanted to go. Our attending, opened the door, and five more Chinese Canadian couples received invitations the following year. So, we got back in time to go to the Ball.

Who’s going to believe that all this happened to us? That Dean and I traveled all over the world, in a golden rice bowl, building all these projects, meeting all these people, making all these contacts, inspiring the people of Chinatown.

Just recently in 2018, I submitted a list of my accomplishments for a new book the government was publishing celebrating Chinese Canadians, but half of what I sent in they didn’t include.

“No one could have done all that,” someone told me. Well, I did!

It’s no secret that I feel that politicians are the most interesting people in society because they make change happen. There are lots of other interesting people behind the scenes powerbrokers, lobbyists and high profile CEOs but politicians can really make a difference, if they are doing things for the right reasons. Dean and I were asked on a few occasions to run for political office but we always refused. We didn’t want to be seen as being loyal to any one side or the other. You never knew who was going to be in power next so we always made a point of being friends with everybody no matter what their political persuasion.

“We’re coming back,” Grace McCarthy announced in our home in 1972, referring to the upcoming provincial election. She was determined to get the Social Credit Party back into power. While I was never involved in politics, I 288

did bring many people together. Many Chinatown businesspeople supported Grace and the Social Credit Party because it meant perks for them. I and Dean never took one cent from any political party or anyone else for that matter.

Everything we did, we did on our own, and this garnered respect. After the Socreds stagnated and lost the election in September 1972, Grace started to campaign for the next provincial election. “We’re just taking a well-deserved break,” she said. And she was proved to be right! When Barrett called a snap election in 1975, he was defeated, and the Socreds were back in power.

Back to developments, when you think about shopping malls today in Metro Vancouver you think of Metrotown, Brentwood, Pacific Centre, Oakridge and Richmond Centre. When you think about Asian shopping malls you think of Aberdeen Centre, Parker Place and Yaohan Centre. Back in the early 1970s, there were no Asian shopping malls in Greater Vancouver. Another of my fantasies was to build an Asian shopping mall in Chinatown and we did just that.

Imagine Richmond with no Asian shopping malls and then one pops up in Chinatown. Think of the magnitude of the achievement. Others later carried our vision on to Richmond and now Asian shopping malls are everywhere, even in downtown Caucasian Vancouver but we did it first. It was not only the first shopping mall in Chinatown; it was THE FIRST ASIAN SHOPPING MALL IN NORTH AMERICA. “I want to build a commercial complex in Chinatown on the corner of Main and Keefer,” I said. Gathered in our home in 1968 was Albert Hall, chairman of the Bank of B.C., Howard Eaton (who became a real big shot), Victor Dobb and Don Clarke of Clarke and Wilson (Don was also the Director of the Bank of B.C.). Our first two significant developments were Oakridge and Simon Fraser Gardens. Don Clarke was still not encouraging, “I’m not sure we want to bring the Bank of B.C., into Chinatown.” The Bank of B.C. was Bennett’s bank, not his. Later, they came on board with Henry Fetigan as their manager. More is up! Now, was the Chinatown of my destiny.

Our Mandarin Trade Centre swung open its doors, on May 24, 1972, and let in 3,400 guests. The City closed off Keefer at Main for the huge celebration.

Gongs banged, and firecrackers exploded. It was an historical event. Great food and fine wine was served to the guests. I said to someone, 289

“Do you know, this is the first time wine in a restaurant in Vancouver’s Chinatown has ever been available?” It was a big affair, the biggest thing Chinatown had seen since being granted a 160-acre lease in 1886. All seven double doors were opened by VIPs. Les Peterson, the Minister of Labor and Education, was there. “Les, you and Dean and I will cut the ribbon on the main door at 611 Main Street.” Ron Worley, representing the B.C. government and Premier W.A.C. Bennett, had the honor of opening a door, the one at 627 Main Street. R.Z. Yung, the Brazilian tycoon was there as well. I approached him and said, “Mr. Yung, would you open the Bank of B.C.s door?” All the doors opened one after the other.

May 24, 1972, faye with the Honourable Les Peterson, B.C. Government Minister of Labour & Education opening the main doors at their new Mandarin Trade Centre, 601-627 Main and 188-198 Keefer Streets, Vancouver, B.C. Six doors were opened by six VIPS. Cocktail buffet for 2400 guests followed. Vancouver City Police closed both streets in honor of this historic occasion, the first big amenity in Chinatown. It rocked the city and it was done by Dean and Faye Leung.

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Faye with Mr. R.Z. Yung one of the five original most prominent, wealthy industrialists in China who later moved to Brazil after 1949. As a good friend of Faye and Dean’s he agreed to come from Brazil to honour us and cut a ribbon at the opening of their Mandarin Trade Centre on May 24, 1972.

The reception was spectacular! After the doors opened, I said to the guests, “Now, everyone go upstairs to the Top of the Mandarin Restaurant for a cocktail, buffet reception.” It was a six storey building which included two levels of underground parking.

“Where do you want me, Faye?” asked Chuck Bradell, my manager at Pender Realty. He and Harvey Lowe, the undefeated yo-yo champion of the world, were the M.C.s.

“Go and M.C. the fashion show,” I told him. The reception featured the first men’s and women’s fashion show by New York Fur and Mr. Robert, a local business owner.

“What do I know about fashion shows?” Chuck asked. Still, it was lots of fun. Andres Wines from Kelowna, served their wines.

“Where did you get the peach-shaped key chains?” someone asked.

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“They’re gifts for each guest. So are the gold engraved red ribbons, commemorating this historic event,” I said. Uncle Fred, Chew Ping Yee (Aunt Mable’s husband) had sent them from Taiwan.

“This complex is a true Canadian city within a city,” announced Police Constable Keith Hutchinson, Chuck Bradell’s son-in-law. “One day, these souvenirs will be an important historical treasure of Vancouver.” And they were.”

“Sounds like it was an amazing party!”

“Oh, it was, believe me. Let me tell you about the trade centre.”

Vancouver real estate was going up in price. Vancouver was booming. Almost everyone who stuck with it made money. We all roared together – with guts! But still, the middle and upper classes didn’t care much about real estate.

They were living the good life heading out on their two-week summer vacations to Birch Bay, Chelan, Boundary Bay, Bowen Island, and Cour d’Alene - hundreds of them.

“Did you finance the Mandarin Trade Centre all by yourself?” Les Peterson asked me. “Of course, it’s financed solely by Dean and me. It’s the first large commercial complex of its kind in Chinatown, you know. Interest rates were low, so we were able to do it.”

It was a trade centre and it was so gorgeous. It was a replica of the décor of China’s Imperial Palace both inside and out. It had underground parking, two elevators and a generator (novel in those days), that served all of Chinatown and the surrounding area.

“It has many firsts for Chinatown,” I said to Les. “It has the first government specialty liquor store, the first green pagoda roof (designed by Ron Hyde), the first Bank of B.C., and the first full service, 9,800 square foot self-serve supermarket, complete with hand-painted murals.”

“Who painted the murals?” Les asked.

“My son, Dana did,” I answered. They depicted beautiful European scenes from our trip to Europe in 1969 and were located all over the walls of the meat, fish and vegetable sections. I was in many feature articles including one in ‘The Province’ newspaper on October 27, 1971. I was shown inspecting the 292

primary foundation of the construction site and wearing a hard hat.

“Tell us about the restaurant,” someone yelled.

“It’s the first and most lavish Chinese gourmet dim sum restaurant in Chinatown. Because it’s on the top floor, it’s called ‘The Top of the Mandarin’ (3).”

We put a lot of effort into the building’s presentation as well (4). It was later copied many times by other Chinese restaurants but never equaled.

There are many stories about the Mandarin Trade Centre. We hosted a dinner there for Reeve Alan Emmott and his family. Years later his son told me, “I remember when you invited my family down to the Mandarin Centre for a visit to Chinatown. I’ve never forgotten it.” Not only the famous, came to the Mandarin. It catered to everyone from VIPs to the average Joe. A segment of the establishment could hardly believe what was happening.

Chinese from skid row Chinatown, a rare breed of businessmen and women were taking their place in the next generation. Politicians came to delight in the thrill of it all. They offered the Chinese businessmen perks (lunches, dinners, (3) The ‘Top of the Mandarin’ seated sixteen hundred people and specialized in twelve course Chinese banquets. It had Canada’s first Hong Kong push cart dim sum and for the event we brought in seventeen specialty chefs from Hong Kong. There was one for Chinese Western style pastries and weddings and birthday cakes, one for a Hong Kong style bakery with delicacies like moon cakes, a Barbecue chef, a chef for won ton noodles, five master dim sum specialty chefs and four gourmet chefs for specialized events and functions. [The won ton chef used a ten foot bamboo pole, three or four inches thick which he placed on top of the dough on a table and rode it on one end kneading the dough to give it more texture.] They stretched the noodles by hand. Today, there are three restaurants in Vancouver where noodles are stretched in front of their patrons but we were the first.

It makes the noodles tender. For the first time ever you didn’t need to hold large functions like weddings in several different locations. The Mandarin shops were truly an asset to Chinatown. The Mandarin Centre inspired the whole area with new construction that followed.

(4) Unique Chinese traditional décor was imported and used throughout the complex.

On the roof were non-crack, non-chip, snow-load green Sichuan roof tiles. It was the only building in Canada with these roof tiles at the time. On the sixth floor when you exited the elevator you found three archways leading to the lounge, the bar and the restau293 rant. Also, each of the three gold leaf double Moon gate (the tops were shaped like a half moon),VIP entrances had panels on both sides and top. One had dragons on its panels, another peacocks and the last, a phoenix. The God-of-Longevity was hand-carved on each panel. This was for long life. Its hand carved Chinese motif ceiling truly made it look like a replica of the Imperial Palace in Beijing.

One of three moongate entrances to the VIP dining area at the Top Of the Mandarin restaurant Each had hand-carved symbolic decor of the God of Longevity as seen above with gold hand-carved dragon and phoenix (designed by Dean).

money), to get others in Chinatown to vote for them. Grace McCarthy did a lot of that. For Dean and me, it was just business as usual. It was Canada’s first significant blending of Caucasian society with Chinese society. The best of both worlds was in our Chinatown.

The local bankers in town all knew we were trying to bring Caucasian businesses into Chinatown. After we opened our Canada Trust Branch in Chinatown and then travelled to Hong Kong to establish a relationship with various Hong Kong Banks, I was the sweet heart of the Vancouver banking world because what we did not only benefitted Canada Trust but it benefitted all the five big banks as well. Then, when I opened the door for wealthy business immi294

grants from Hong Kong and elsewhere to come to Vancouver in 1967, these immigrants spread their money around to all the banks. Everyone benefitted from what we did so it should have come as no surprise when the following happened in 1973.

On the first floor of our Mandarin Centre, we had the only Oriental style boardroom in Canada. To celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of the Bank of Montreal in 1973, its Board of Directors asked if they could hold its meeting in our office (It usually served as mine and Dean’s office).

When asked about the décor, I told the members, “It has replica ornaments and antiques like those in the Imperial Palace in Beijing and a double door entrance to the foyer in the oriental style.” Following the meeting, the Board of Directors hosted a luncheon, for the businessmen of Chinatown. It was the first of its kind. Jack Wasserman, the well-known columnist for the Vancouver Sun newspaper, wrote, “Faye Leung arranged everything and coordinated it all but because she’s a woman she wasn’t allowed to attend the luncheon.” It was for men only! It was a double whammy for me because I was Chinese and a businesswoman. However, to have such a conservative financial institution even consider holding its one hundredth anniversary meeting in Chinatown was a big step forward towards equality for the Chinese in the workplace.

We stopped Tommy Mah in his tracks. All of a sudden it dawned on me; Bank of Montreal (BMO’s) 100th anniversary directors meeting, its first outside of its own office held in honour of Faye & Dean Leung in their Oriental boardroom in their Mandarin Trade Center in Chinatown, 1973.

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our office was different from the rest of Chinatown. Chinatown had bigotry, Chinatown had work restrictions; Chinatown had unfair housing restrictions, but that was all outside. What we were in the middle of wasn’t discussed outside these walls. Wealthy Caucasian bankers in grey suits were sitting having a Board meeting. Nearly three-quarters of a century of discrimination had come to an end in our Oriental office in the heart of Chinatown. We were in the middle of a significant new thing. Tommy Mah was the representative of the Bank of Montreal in Chinatown. He became a ‘Joe Boy’ for the one-hundredth anniversary. He had to run around making sure everything was in place. I’m sure he was very jealous because we were working so closely with the Board of Director’s and not him. He just passed away not too long ago. Politics and jealousies ran deep in Chinatown!

The gentrification of Chinatown has been going on now for a few years.

The Condo King Bob Rennie bought one of Chinatown’s heritage buildings on Pender Street and upgraded it and turned it into his office. Our Pender Realty building is still there but in need of repairs. Other heritage buildings have not been so lucky, especially along Main Street. Several buildings that were once a part of the original Chinatown have been demolished and towers built in their place with no regards to the heritage of the neighborhood pertaining to height and style characteristics of the buildings. Wouldn’t it be nice if some wealthy Meeting regarding the Save The Orpheum fundraiser.

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Caucasian businessman or entrepreneurial member of the establishment came forward to rescue Chinatown, this monument to the lifestyle of the Chinese pioneers just like I did when I was asked to come to the rescue of one of the iconic monuments to the lifestyle of the Caucasian establishment of Vancouver, back in 1974?

“Faye, will you be the Chairman of the ‘KICK-OFF’ Save the Orpheum Fund?” asked Mayor Art Philips,” I was pleased to accept. We were always helping out but usually in Chinatown. To be asked to help outside of Chinatown was something new. We were now being called on to save icons of the establishment.

WOW! For our followers, it only added fuel to the myth so they could brag about us and further build up our legend.

The Chinese community celebrated their New Year on February 1, 1974, and struck a blow for The Save the Orpheum Fund by putting on a great splash at the Top of the Mandarin Restaurant.

“What’s this event called?” someone asked.

“It’s called the 4672 Year of the Tiger, Mandarin Ball,” I said.

“Didn’t you work at the Orpheum when you were a kid?” another asked.

“I sure did. I’ve come a long way haven’t I?” Chinese were not allowed into the Orpheum when I was a girl. It was strictly taboo, but they let me work as a hat check girl in a Coolie’s uniform.

“The wheels of justice turn slowly, but they do turn,” I said.

“Within two weeks, Faye Leung formed her committee, “filled with wall to wall local VIPs and dignitaries from afar, 750 guests.” So wrote the Vancouver Courier, February 7, 1974. I created an elaborate program: The first men’s and ladies’ fur and fashion show, an elaborate Chinese menu, gifts and prizes, and dining and dancing to the Kirk Douglas Orchestra from the Commodore Ballroom. Mayor Art Philips, aldermen and councilors Jack Volrich and Gordon Gibson and other VIPs such as Walter Hardwick, had to wear authentic Chinese costumes (very traditional) and parade along the catwalk. Businessmen Joe Segal and Joe Cohen made guest appearances. Introductions were made by an offspring of David Oppenheimer, the Mayor of Vancouver who opened Stanley Park, in 1888. Delightful Chinese maidens in traditional dress were all part of the colorful fashion show. The maidens were Mary Wong, Sharon Chang, Julie 297

Chu, and Donella Chong. In the background was the Emperor, Philip Nipp.

Some seven hundred and fifty persons attended and contributed to the Save the Orpheum Fund. During the Ball, there was a telephone call for Joe Cohen which sent him through the roof.

“Someone’s kidnapping my family,” he said. He rushed home to find all the servants tied and gagged. Eventually his family was returned, after he paid a ransom to the kidnappers. The Cohen’s would later become very supportivefriends.

Gone are the days when if you had a little money and good credit, that you could drive around Greater Vancouver and cherry pick whatever properties you wished to buy. Houses on the east side today, start around one and half million and go up from there. On the west side, they start around three million and go up to six million and higher depending how far west you drive. Condos today range from around six hundred thousand up to two and a half million depending on which part of the city you are looking. Anything else such as strip malls, vacant land, acreage, apartment blocks, well, forget it! But there was a time when those with money and credit and that entrepreneurial spirit could drive all over the place and develop their own real estate portfolio just like we did, of course it helps if you have your own bank.

It was a gradual climb up from Chinatown to Oakridge. Greater Vancouver consists of hills and woods and lakes and ocean views. We bought into it big time in the 1970s. We would see a piece of property, and it wouldn’t look like anything to anyone else, but we could always see the potential. In comparison to today, the land was cheap after the war. To a great many of us, a piece of land was a symbol of the future. Money for city boys! Owning property meant liberation from the present social order and a great leap forward into the Canadian dream. Nowhere in the country was this leap more possible than in Vancouver.

It got so that one of the typical rural sites in addition to Grouse Mountain, Burrard Inlet, the old heritage buildings, sea and mountain cabins, lakefront cottages and strip malls would be, beside a house, a FOR SALE sign.”

“Even back in the 1970s?”

“Oh yes! That’s when it all started.

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We were all over! On one of our many Sunday drives to the North Shore in the early 1970s, we bought the Viscount Apartments in West Vancouver. It was on the waterfront, fourteen stories high and fully rented. We planned to use the top floor, which had a magnificent view towards Vancouver, for our retirement one day. We went wild. Anytime we could, we would drive for miles searching for properties. One time we bought the Southgate Shopping Centre on Number 4 Road and Steveston Highway in Richmond. We’d scour Richmond looking for the best buys like the Brighouse Shopping Centre on Number 3 Road. When we bought a shopping centre, we had to include a chartered bank or a service station. You always needed a strong business as an anchor tenant to get a mortgage to assure you had lots of customers. The Brighouse Shopping Centre was where the sky train station is today.

“I bought it with the Chong Brothers. This location is going to be the future heart of Richmond one day,” I remember saying to them. There were four Chong brothers, Harold, George, Willy, and I can’t recall the other ones name.

I got them all financing through the bank. Funding was always in place before we bought anything.

I took them all with me to Richmond, and they all became millionaires. I was good to them. They couldn’t believe they each made 2 million when we sold. Boy, were they excited!

“The Chong brothers wealth came from you,” said Dean.

We were everywhere buying up properties. In the Vancouver suburbs, we came upon some incredible opportunities like the one on a corner on Commercial Drive, the whole corner. Then we bought twenty-two acres on the edge of twenty-second and Renfrew where the Baptist Housing is today. On the Sechelt Peninsula, we came across 4,800 feet of waterfront property in beautiful Pender Harbor and bought it. It was all in timber and quite valuable. One Saturday night we discovered a rented house on 480 feet of waterfront acreage on Hatzic Lake. The nearest town wasn’t far away, and there were lots of friendly locals in it. It was not like in the big city - that rental house paid for the mortgage. Not many people were coming in and buying up land in those days. I wondered why they were so cautious. It’s because buying more than one house or property was not yet a status symbol for the middle and upper classes. That didn’t happen 299

until the prices went up. In those days no one wanted to live too far outside of Vancouver. As I said, even Surrey was considered the sticks. Today, everyone is moving out of the city because of the cost of housing. HECK, the suburbs now cost practically just as much. Anyway, all our money went into real estate and it was all financed by the banks. We were in good shape as long as interest rates didn’t go up and we stayed healthy.

“That’s amazing! The Mandarin Trade Centre sounds like it was really classy!”

“Oh, it was. It was a beautiful building and a real boost to Chinatown. We wanted Chinatown to prosper as I said.”

“Did it prosper?”

“For a while, then problems arose. I’m going to tell you next, how our world gradually came tumbling down. It was so sad.”

“Tumbling down?”

“Nothing lasts forever as they say, yet it would have been nice if it had lasted a little while longer.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

‘That’s okay. It was gradual and we didn’t see it coming.”

“I never thought about whether there were many Chinese Canadians who supported the communists in China, in the 1960s. But now that you tell me that many did, I can see how that could be.”

“Many in Vancouver today, do, you know, support the communist regime in China, I mean. Probably more than did in the 1960s. They can travel more freely now between our two countries. But back in the early 1970s, they were an influence in Chinatown.”

“So, the groups were still fighting each other in Chinatown?”

“That’s right, and they’re still fighting today. The Mandarin Chinese are trying to take over everything and kick the old Cantonese pioneers out. It’s so sad and regrettable. First, they are discriminated against by the Caucasians, and now they are discriminated against by their people - the mainlanders.”

“You continued to attend garden parties and bridge the cultural gap.”

“Of course, we always did that. We never stopped. It was a lifelong cause.

Besides, we enjoyed going to them too. Things gradually changed for the better, 300

but it took a long time.”

“I loved the Orpheum story!”

“Yes, we were saving Caucasian icons. Who would have ever have thought that would happen, certainly not me.”

“It sounds like buying properties was your other big hobby besides dancing?”

“It truly was, and we enjoyed it. The prices weren’t like they are today. You have to be filthy rich to do what we did today; real estate is so expensive. I guess everything evolved, and the prime real estate got bought and taken off the market. Those properties sold to big developers and civic infrastructure was built on them as well as condo towers. It’s nice to know that we were a small part of that evolution, I guess.”

“You sound rather remorseful.”

“Do I? Maybe, things have changed so much since those days. A lot of the reminders of what we did are gone now. In their place is a new Vancouver making it so that sometimes, I hardly recognize parts of the city anymore.”

“You’re not the only one who feels that way. I was born and grew up here as well, remember I told you that.”

“Yes, you did. We had a great time doing everything we did, but then bad things started to happen to us. Let me tell you how it all happened!”

“Okay!”

Then the soundtrack of their lives changed, “Yeah, I should have known it from the very start This place would leave me with a broken heart Now listen people what I’m telling you I’d keep away from Chinatown, yeah I might miss her lips and the smile on her face The touch of her hand and her warm embrace But if you don’t wanna cry like I do I’d keep away from Chinatown yeah, yeah” 26.

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Part Four LAUGHING on the OUTSIDE, CRYING on the INSIDE 1974-1993

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Chapter 9

CRASH! BOOM! BANG!

It was that crazy rush hour traffic again in Greater Vancouver. Cars inched along the Grandview Highway past Rupert and past Cassiar trying to get on to the freeway north out of the city until they came to a complete stop. Bumper to bumper you couldn’t budge an inch. Traffic was so slow that people sprang out of their Chevys’, Fords, Oldsmobile’s, MGs, MGBs and MGAs, campers and pickup trucks and stood around like they were at a car show admiring all the flashy hardware. Dean stared at them all through the window of his Lincoln Mark IV Continental wondering what to do next. He knew he shouldn’t do it but he had to go visit a client and he didn’t want to be late. The only way forward was to pull on to the shoulder at the right and make his way up past the line of vehicles and hope that no one came in from one of the side streets at breakneck speed and broadsided him but he knew he was taking a chance. He cautiously pulled out of the long lineup and inched his way up past the row of traffic when the unthinkable happened. From a road to the right shot forward two faded blue fenders, a-not-so chrome bumper, a window, a hood and the 305 Faye and Dean with California Governor Jerry Brown and Colonel Brent in Palm Springs. Governor Brown became the Governor of California twice, 1974.

long sleek body of an early model Oldsmobile. It hadn’t even bothered to stop at the stop sign. It came rolling along at such a breakneck speed that it flew through the air like it was in a demolition derby. As soon as its wheels touched the ground its chrome bumper plowed into the right side of Deans Lincoln, thrashing him about inside and shaking his car from one end to the other, leaving Dean with chest palpitating, shoulders thrown back and hair disheveled.

What a mess!

CRASH, BOOM, BANG! Oh the humanity of it all! Dean’s pride and joy his Lincoln Mark IV Continental was in total ruins.

“That didn’t feel so good, he said, trying to figure out how to get out of the wreck. People were gathered around looking at him, it took him awhile to gather his senses and wonder if anyone had gone to call an ambulance at a nearby telephone. There were no cellphones, it was only 1974. He couldn’t understand what people were saying because someone had a radio blasting out psychedelic rock music. That wasn’t the kind of music he listened to but it was popular enough that he knew what it was. They didn’t have that kind of music where he came from. He liked music but his tastes ran more to Chinese folk songs and popular ballads of the fifties. All this ran through his mind in a heartbeat as he laid waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Dean was always thinking about Faye.

“Which hospital are you taking me to?” He asked the medic inside the ambulance as it sped off down the side street.

“Burnaby General,” the medic replied, “It’s the closest.” It wasn’t until afterwards that Dean learned that his new Lincoln was totaled. “Lie still. You’re in shock,” the medic told him. At the hospital, Dr. Dodek was terrific. He got the nurses, at the desk, to post a sign on Dean’s door saying, Do Not Disturb and to call Faye. When Faye arrived Dean said to her, “That’s the first time anyone’s T-boned me. The other car must have been a big one. GEEZ, it knocked me right out of the driver’s seat.” As a result, he suffered an injury to his heart, and it was severe. I was waiting for him to come home when I got the call. He hated to worry me.

His doctor told me later, “I’m worried about him. He’s always worrying about you and your youngest 306

son.”

He never went back to work and he never fully recovered after that car accident. I guess this is when marriage, our forever bonding, becomes a gamble.

When we marry, we hope our partner, till death do us part, will remain healthy, as long as we’re together. At least, he was alive, I thought! Love is the master key that unlocks the gates of happiness, of hatred, of jealousy and most easily of all, the gates of fear. Dean was in and out of the hospital from that moment on, many times. As fast as it all began, our lives started to unravel. It was a monumental turning point in our lives.

So what’s the problem? Equality is something we should see in every segment of the workplace in 2020. Equality in the work place should be at least fifty percent where minorities are concerned. It’s sad to say this is not the case.

While Canada today is a very multi-cultural country with its biggest city Toronto boasting minorities making up over 52% of its population, more than Paris, London, New York or Sydney, in its financial institutions only one percent of its executives are from a minority, even though one third of the work force in Canadian financial institutions is made up of minorities. In Canada’s six big banks only ten percent of its executives are from minorities according to Bloomberg. Having minority board members, studies have shown, means less corruption than when boards are dominated by only one or two ethnic groups.

So diversity is good. We are all equal when it comes to our physical parts so why is it that Caucasians still dominate the executive levels of Canada’s financial institutions? I checked the Bank of Canada to see how diverse its Board is regarding visible minorities and out of twelve Board members today, only one is from a visible minority Indo-Canadian and none are Chinese. Are we going forward or backwards? What is the story? What is it that has left Canada’s financial institutions utterly baffled when it comes to equality in its top level executive positions? Many pronounce the problem solvable but should it take an eternity or is it another example of systematic racism or maybe it just takes the personal touch of someone like Faye Leung?

In 1974, I went personally, with a handwritten presentation, to the Royal Bank of Canada’s Board of Directors asking them to remove the discrimination against the Chinese so Orientals could be on their Board. They listened and 307

appointed David Lam and Tong Louie as the first Chinese directors on their Board. Neither of them nor their families realized it was me behind it all that got them their positions with all the financial rewards. But there were no rewards or benefits or even recognition for me. As usual, I did it in good spirit for free as a service for others and the Chinese. Later on, all banks finally appointed Chinese as managers of their branches and members of their Boards.

We had lots of friends by the 1970s. They were all our friends because of what we were doing and who we were. We had lots of friends not because of money. We were liberating people because we dared to fight for change. The fight against discrimination continues, but some segments of the establishment still hold out until you confront them face to face.

“All the leaves are brown And the sky is grey I’ve been for a walk On a winter’s day I’d be safe and warm If I was in L.A. California dreamin’ On such a winter’s day” 27.

I wanted to take Dean south to Palm Desert, California to get him out of the whole Vancouver scene. He needed to rest after his accident and he wouldn’t relax in Vancouver with everything we had going on. Palm Desert weather was also much warmer than Vancouver. Palm Desert as the name implies is out in a desert and it’s great for people with ailments. The sun shines all day there, the perfect place for Dean to relax and get better. All the shades of yellow and browns and gold covering miles and miles of desert landscape with the brilliant light from the sun soaring into his body, a perpetual health factory full of peace and serenity which all sounded very reassuring!

It was Christmas, 1974. Dean was still having trouble moving his joints, the poor guy. I knew being away so much was not good for our businesses, and I should have stayed, but I had to think of Dean too. Employees, good or bad, 308

In Palm Springs they met (actor) Peter Lawford (the MC for Governor Jerry Brown) and former US President John Kennedy’s brother-in-law and actor in such famous movies with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. as the Rat Pack, Oceans 11 and with Fred Astaire and Jane Powell in “Easter Parade” and other movies, and Col. Brent, April 1974.

only do what you tell them to do. If you’re not there keeping an eye on them, bad things can happen. So I asked Les Peterson whom I had known for a decade, Do you think I should take Dean down to Palm Desert, for Christmas?”

We had ninety people on our payroll, and I trusted them all. My brother Moody was in charge. Most of our employees worked at our Mandarin and Continental Supper Club, which had just opened, located in our Mandarin Trade Centre. When bills, for whatever reason, didn’t get paid on time the banks that I dealt with would freeze my money, which they legally could do. Les gave me some money that he was holding in trust for me, enough to get us by, and said, “Go! Look after Dean. You know what you have to do.” Committing oneself to marriage involves time and money. I was unaware at the time that my focus was shifting too much towards looking after Dean instead of looking after our businesses.

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“Woman, I know you understand The little child inside the man Please remember my life is in your hands And woman, hold me close to your heart However distant don’t keep us apart After all it is written in the stars” 28.

But not everyone came to Palm Desert to enjoy the peace and serenity and to recuperate. Many weren’t that crazy about the unspoilt nature of it all. Palm Desert was changing and I could see great opportunities for the future. Others had a vision more along the lines of Palm Springs in which every day it too would be a playground for the rich and famous. There would soon be expensive houses, golf courses and clubs playing manic music, a far stretch from God’s country but that’s progress I guess. We met Peter Lawford on that trip. We already had business interests there but for now I needed to find a place for Dean to rest and recuperate.

“It’s sure chilly down here in the evenings,” Dean said. Palm Desert is like that. The weather, which was fine in the daytime, wasn’t agreeable in the evening, so we decided to go on to beautiful and warmer L.A. In L.A. someone told us about a treatment in Hawaii that might help Dean. Hawaii was one of our favorite places in the world. I knew the wonderful people who ran the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel so off we went.

We weren’t long in Hawaii before Dean said: “This treatment is surprising, and I’m getting my movement back,” We spent several months at the Waikiki Sheraton, Suite #22 while Dean recuperated. On St. Patrick’s Day, Frank Baker, who was also from Vancouver and a musician and a restaurateur, blasted out a tune for us on his trumpet atop Waikiki Liberty House Department Store. The Bakers, Frank, and Dorothy, haunted the beautiful Waikiki Sheraton Hotel annually.

But we couldn’t just live in the moment. Hawaii is beautiful and sure we could have stayed there much longer, forever for that matter but we had a life and several businesses to run and people depending on us back in Vancouver.

Any attempt to run, control, influence, script our businesses from Hawaii 310

would result in abject failure. As long as we were away we were locked out of the moment in Vancouver, back in the world we had built for ourselves where our brains were always on overdrive. Because we were away so much, people began to take advantage of us.

“7000 dollars for a sketch of one of my projects,” I declared.” I had hired Bill Bill Thom, an architect (not the famous one), to draw us a sketch (He was married to Min Min Wei, whose father was the Consul General of Taiwan). That’s why I hired him. In our absence, he had gone to the Royal Bank, my bank and told Bill Mah, my manager, to give him my money out of my account. He got the money but it was a highly illegal thing to do, and we were not happy about it. I doubt the sketch was worth anything like 7000 dollars. Bank branches were not as regulated as they are today and bank managers had greater power over decision making.

It just seemed to be one thing after another. My staff would improvise when we weren’t around, like the Robin Hood flour incident. You would think buying flour for a restaurant would be a simple thing to do or the cost of props, ovens or ordering shrimp everyone was soaring on what? – our good fortune, their good fortune to work for us, life, love, the overflow from the sixties, it was probably a combination of all these things but because we weren’t there our staff became uncontrollable or maybe what had gotten into them was the electronic mosaic outside, pure Chinatown neon dust. To understand what Chinatown neon dust is you had to have lived in Chinatown for a while and experienced the beauty of this discovery, you have to feel it inside you flowing from your heart to your brain and down to your toes. When you experience Chinatown neon dust you don’t necessarily think about what the effect is on the whole but only about the part you are playing. It’s contagious!

Our beautiful Top of the Mandarin Restaurant was expensive.

“Why did you order Canadian Robin Hood flour from Hong Kong?” I asked the manager. The flour had been exported from Vancouver to the Chinese in Hong Kong and then sold back to my manager in Vancouver, so it cost us a lot of money. We bought a real rowboat for a display in the dining room. We had a real Italian pizza oven as well. Another time the manager ordered shrimps from the Philippines. “It’s all bad,” I said. “It all has to be thrown out.” Our 311

staff was causing the business to lose a lot of money at our expense. For this and other reasons, the Mandarin only lasted about ten years.

We had to do something to bring in more people and money to the restaurant. Everyone was sliding in and out of mutual consciousness, introspective discovery, free conversation with whoever trying to find a solution to our problems pushing the walls of conventional logic. Each had a solution but their ideas were warped and didn’t suit the problem. We need a band, an act, dancers, a striptease show. Have you seen what they’re doing down the street? That would be too embarrassing. Apparently everyone’s doing it. – Yes, we know, everyone’s doing it but we’re not everyone but you have to survive. Do you think they’re doing it because they like it?

I’ll even get them for you.

--The girls?

--Of course. You’ll be a hit and make lots of money --Right! Incredible idea, each one of us can join them on stage and we can each sing together all at once – must be the Chinatown neon dust getting into everyone’s head but it didn’t matter because I had my own idea what to do.

In 1975, we invited Chin Ho Kelly to officially open our new supper club. But first we had some fun with him, “When Chin arrives at the Vancouver International Airport,” I said to Dean, “Let’s have my brother Ken, longtime police sergeant Bernie Smith and constable Jim McClelland

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BOTTOM LEFT: When Kam Fong/Chin Ho Kelly of Hawaii Five O arrived at the airport to open their Continental Supper Club they staged a mock arrest. Sgt. Bernie Smith with constable Jim McClelland #441 whisked him off to the police station in a police car with the siren blaring where he was finger printed by the Chief of Police.

BOTTOM Kam Fong and Ana Long and their troupe at the closing ceremony of the opening of Faye and Dean’s Continental Dine and Dance Supper Club in their Mandarin Trade Centre. MP Emery Barnes and MP Pat Lee are on Dean’s right 1975.

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shove him into a black and white police cruiser and with the siren blaring bring Chin to the Vancouver Police Station, on Main Street.” Dean and I hosted Chin Ho Kelly, by now the well-known actor on the hit TV show Hawaii 5-0, aka Kam Fong Chun. That was his character on the show. They were waiting for him. Downtown at the police station they met Police Chief Stewart and Mayor Mike Harcourt just for the publicity. Trust us with the stunts! There was always time for fun.

Chin came with an international entourage. Ana Lang was the producer and director. We brought Chin over for the official opening of our Continental Dine and Dance Supper Club on the second floor of the Mandarin, celebrating Chinese New Year, the “YEAR OF THE RABBIT.” The troupe was made up of Japanese, Korean, Hawaiian and Filipinos and called Hawaii International Pupu. They were here from February 13, 1975, to March 3, 1975. *Koishiro Nishikawa and Fukiko Kotobuki were their famous Kabuki Dancers. Tina Santiago and the Hawaii Narcissus Princess, Liana Pang, brilliantly performed the Hawaiian hula dance. The event put our supper club on the map.

While we were all well on our way to thinking as one in Chinatown except when the Chinatown neon dust got a hold of us, the rest of the swamp was beginning to change. It was still no Garden of Eden with lots of grumbling both here and in the once magic kingdom but there was no longer an all mighty leader to organize the games and control the fantasies of his people.

The personal touch was gone and so was the follow-up. No more Down to the Countryside Movement, no more Red Guards at your door in the middle of the night. But many were asking what next? Can we leave now? No-o-o-o-o, say others who will soon be in charge – we think you should stay here. Will we ever be equals? Someone else will be in charge of our lives and we will have to do what they want. It takes us all a while to realize that the fantasies are changing quickly in China and no one has the stomach for the old ways.

Finally, after ten brutal years, the Cultural Revolution in China came to an abrupt end.

“Let’s honor Mao and carry a big Chinese flag down the street,” said many Chinese in Vancouver. It was 1976, and Mao Tse Tung, the founder of com314

munist China, had just died. It caused a lot of problems here in Vancouver in the Chinese community. Even one city councilor was pushing to honor him.

“Let’s memorialize Mao with an Olympic-like, opening ceremony,” he said. It was all just politics. When Mao died, there were lots of fights in many Chinese associations all across Canada. In China, The GANG OF FOUR took over after Mao, but they didn’t last long. They were even worse than he had been. We all stayed away from China while they were in power. Luckily they were not around for very long before Deng Xiaoping consolidated power.

THINGS WERE STILL GOING ON IN CAUCASIAN VANCOUVER that we wanted to be a part of and we were. Caucasians were getting used to the CHINATOWN KID and her different ways. They didn’t yet see that they could learn from us but they were more content with us showing up at official functions. We were hip about that and knew we couldn’t change everyone’s thinking about everything. Someday I hoped they would see me more intellectually rather than just as the CHINATOWN KID. Whenever we sensed they weren’t accepting us intellectually we would move on to another group. One day they would understand.

Once again, we received an invitation to attend the Lieutenant Governor’s garden party. The letter read: Mr. and Mrs. Dean Chun Kwong Leung and your sons, on July 12, 1978, are invited to a garden party at Government House in Victoria held by the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, Henry P. BellIrving from three-thirty p.m. to six p.m. It was a chance to brush up on our esoteric conversation once more.

Maybe if people knew more about what I was doing they would have accepted me more on an intellectual level but no one knew. There was no one telling people you can learn from Faye Leung. Someone could have pointed out my most creative features or my beautiful voice and face or certainly my wardrobe or always my distinctive trade mark hats. I always wore a hat. There is something very lady like about wearing a hat, that goes for the gentlemen too. But there was always that class fear among the hip Caucasian intellectuals.

The ingrained horrors from childhood, the gossip between boys and girls, the joke telling about chinky, chinky chinaman, And don’t forget those characterizations of the humped over peasants pushing a cart or grocery wagon. The 315

grizzled faces of the pioneers who worked all day in the fields, little Caucasian kids were indoctrinated early in life about the horrors of the Chinaman which also had to do with low rent neighborhoods, opium dens and women of low stature. By the time they were older they were ready to do combat at any level and call out the military if necessary.

Between 1978 and 1980, I ignited another fire under the dark shadow of discrimination. This time it made us realize that a multi-cultural Canada was here to stay.

“You deserve the Order of Canada for what you’ve done,” said Senator Ray Perrault. I couldn’t argue with that. I helped create two new immigration categories: the Immigrant Investors Program and two entrepreneur programs.

These were entirely new categories. To get them implemented, I worked with Senator Ray Perrault and the Minister of Immigration, Lloyd Axworthy. My lengthy recommendations formed part of the overall text that Axworthy used to bring the provinces together which in turn, led to the legislation that’s still in use today.

“Everyone gets mad because so many wealthy immigrants enter Canada through Quebec’s, Immigrant Investors Program, which returns their principal in five years,” someone said to me.

“Yes,” I replied, but then, they all go to live in either Vancouver or Toronto.”

These programs didn’t go into effect until the mid-1980s.

When I think about it I guess life must have been pretty boring for Caucasian youth. They had three choices after high school go back to school, get a job or live at home. They couldn’t have had any idea what life was like for the Chinese in Canada no more than they could have had any idea what life was like for all these new immigrants coming into Canada. Those doors were not open to them. How could anyone tell them about our lives here? Compared to the experience of being a new immigrant in a new country with all the hardships and wonderments life brought, their lives must have been pretty boring. Our lives could not be understood in a text book they had to be lived and felt and experienced by us and all the other wonderful immigrants who left the land of their birth to come here and now call Canada home. We were the ones who were in harmony with each other unlike the black shoe, over-sized golf ball 316

multitudes who had their heads up in the sky watching the clouds rolling by overhead but sadly, could never see the distinct beauty of each cloud, to them, they all looked just the same.

Canada! Multiculturalism! Grouse Mountain was still the backdrop, and Burrard Inlet had not changed, but in downtown Vancouver, there were many more people. Practically all nationalities could now be seen on the streets of Canada’s big cities, and they stood out. By the late 1970s, Canada had emerged as a truly multicultural country. It was officially declared so by its new Prime Minister, Pierre Elliot Trudeau in 1968 when he took office on a wave of youthful voters including hippies and flower children, known as Trudeaumania. As more and more new immigrants arrived from Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, India, Iran, and other countries, gradually, the decades-old, discriminatory regulations and taboos targeting the above disappeared and so did the economiccultural gap. There were those, however, in the establishment who still didn’t like the change and found the path of resentment easier to travel than the road to tolerance and acceptance. I was on a collision course with them, but I didn’t know it. Our paths would cross and explode in 1990.

Dean was so wonderful when we had been together on so many of our trips.

He was in his element out meeting with business people in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines. Even when we took our Great American Road Trip everyone loved Dean. He was always looked up to and he was so proud when he received his President’s Award. If it hadn’t been for him, we never would have been successful in Hong Kong with the banks. Dean always knew what to say to get us out of trouble if need be and even when the world was burning down around us he could always figure a way out like when we got married. His smarts and physical prowess got him through the war in China and everyone loved him over there as well. It didn’t matter where he went he was always well received both on the business floor as well as on the dance floor. We could go anywhere in the world that we wanted meeting people but it was all about the moment, if I didn’t help Dean get better nothing would be the same and life would settle back down to a much slower, boring pace.

In January 1980, Dean needed a heart bypass operation because his heart was failing. When he was well, he and I were unstoppable. He wanted to be his 317

old self again. That was his ambition, but it didn’t get off to a good start. The surgeon who had to prepare him for the heart specialist made some mistakes, and he had to ready him twice. He was a real mess. The poor guy! Dr. Doris Kavanaugh-Gray was the heart specialist and the operation was a success. All Dean had to do now was rest.

“WOW! Things seemed to start to go wrong! I hope Dean recovered from his auto accident?”

“Unfortunately, he didn’t and that changed our lives!”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I looked after him the best I could but as I said that meant being away a lot and our businesses suffered.”

“You seemed to always be thinking of your friends. You were pretty good to them weren’t you?”

“We tried to be. Everything was so new and many things we did, we were the first, like getting David and Tong Louie onto the Board of the Royal Bank of Canada. After we did that, then other institutions followed and hired other Chinese. Today, it’s natural but it wasn’t always. Someone had to break through the glass ceiling and that was most often in those days Dean and me.”

“Chin Ho Kelly sounds like an interesting fellow.”

“Oh, he was. He told us lots of stories about growing up in Hawaii and Pearl Harbor. I miss those days, not all of them but certainly whenever he came to town.”

“You must have employed a lot of people between your restaurant and supper club.”

“Oh we did! Any immigrants you came over from Hong Kong and needed a job we tried to help them out until they found something else becuase we couldn’t pay that much. I had ninety people on my payroll in those days between all my businesses.”

“So, the Cultural Revolution ended in 1976 upon Mao’s death. That affected Chinese Canadians in a big way you say.”

“Oh yes, it sure did. Remember I told you a lot of Chinese in Chinatown supported Mao. There were lots of fights between the REDS and the rest. It 318

still goes on today but you Caucasians wouldn’t notice it. I guess what it really meant the most was China gradually began to open up to the west. It took a few more years but I have something very interesting to tell you about that, when we get to 1980. It changed my life, I can tell you.”

“It changed many people’s lives, I think, for the better.”

“Oh, absolutely for the better, life couldn’t have been much worse under Mao during the Cultural Revolution.”

“And you continued to get invitations to official garden parties.”

“We sure did! Those were fun, seeing all, the members of the establishment up close. We became friends with a lot of them. I never was much for small talktalk though.”

“I remember.”

“But we had to show the others the way. Teach by example is the best way to teach. Those lessons stay with you the longest.”

“And there were even more immigration category reforms.”

“That’s right. Those two were big ones. A lot of businesspeople used those two categories to come to Canada. They still do for that matter. Some provinces have scaled back their investment programs but in Quebec, it’s still going strong.”

“Did you ever meet Prime Minister Trudeau?

“Which one? I met them both.”

“I really meant the first one but you met Justin as well?”

Oh yes, It was here in Vancouver around 2016 when I met Justin at an event. He was very nice. I met the whole family actually. His mother Margaret was there as well. She was very nice. She has changed a lot since her flower girl days. I met his father in 1968 when he came to Vancouver to campaign to become Prime Minister. He would walk down the street in Chinatown, very elegantly dressed. He was a bit of a show off that way you know. He also liked to hang around with movie stars like Barbra Streisand and others. That was before he married Margaret.”

“So what’s next?”

“Well, I’m going to tell you about China and Egypt and many other countries but mostly about China. Fasten your seat belts. We are about to take off for parts unknown and the sound track of our lives played on, 319

“And the beat goes on And the beat goes on”

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Chapter 10

Opening Up China!

Now that Dean was all patched up, I was hoping for something to come along that would get us out of this mess we had found ourselves in in Vancouver. I wanted to get back out on the road again but it was hard with all our commitments here. On the road we could take on different personas and become whoever we wanted to become. We couldn’t do that at home. At home we were Faye and Dean and everyone knew us. On the road we could be Hedy Lamarr and Errol Flynn travelling to places unknown, free as a bird, people would smile at us as if to say I’m with you and all the while wishing they could be with us. It was our secret life together. We were characters in our own life movie.

The plot would weave and zag as we chose and never repeat itself everything was new, no chance to be bored or repeat anything because it’s always more fun the first time around, the unknown, being in the moment. I wanted life to be like that again when I and my friends took Faye’s bus of life to parts unknown.

We were so carefree and every day was a great new experience. Of course I had graduated from the local scene and now I was part of the world scene with my 321 Before heading to China, Faye, Dean and Dean Jr. were invited to Egypt to develop houses in Alexandria near the Suez Canal, 1980.

one true love, my hero my forever lover. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait too long before something came a long that was exactly what I had been hoping for.

Four or five representatives from the People’s Republic of China came to our home in Vancouver in the summer of 1980. They said, “Mrs. Leung, on behalf of the President of China we would like to invite you to come to China to work on economic development projects between our two countries? You’ll be the first Canadian businesswoman to come as a guest of Deng Xiaoping under his new Four Modernizations Plan.”

Here was something I could sink my teeth into again reminiscent of my Oakridge days when I was charting new territory and leading the pack before Dean’s health problems and our business setbacks in the 1970s. They had heard about me both here and in Hong Kong. It was an excellent opportunity to make joint ventures with the Mainland Chinese.

“There are opportunities in culture, entertainment, trade, and tourism,” they said. “Please bring business opportunities with you.” I was able to bring many.

Being Faye and Dean and not Hedy and Errol, we still had lots of commitments in Vancouver. We were still having problems with the Mandarin’s expenses and here we were about to take off again and leave everything to my staff to handle. It kept me up nights worrying about it and whether the Chinatown neon dust would do its magic again and get into their bodies and souls causing us even more problems. I consoled myself with the fact we probably wouldn’t be away for too long and if it was only Dean and me going it shouldn’t be too hard to organize. What a great experience I thought, to be one of the first business people to go into China after the Cultural Revolution. Dean wasn’t so pleased with the idea. He felt it would be too dangerous and he certainly wasn’t going to come with me into Mainland China, he would be staying in Hong Kong. But for me, I saw myself as a cross between Mata Hari, Marlene Deitrich and Julia Childs if you can picture that combination. While Dean was busy telling me why I shouldn’t go, I was busy making plans to be the first Chinese Canadian businesswomen to return to China after the passing of Mao. But it wasn’t to be as short a trip as I figured nor was it going to be just Dean and me.

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My good friend MLA and House Speaker Gordon Dowding who brought the double-decker buses over from London, England for tourists to ride around downtown Vancouver and who had an office, in our Mandarin Trade Centre, also invited me to Egypt that summer to build affordable houses near the Suez Canal. He said, “My friend, Safrik Mohammed, who is an Egyptian businessman, will arrange everything on behalf of the Egyptian government.” Gordon knew my business background and he would be going with us. Besides Safrik, Gordon, and I, we would be traveling to Egypt with Ron Miller who owned a finance company. Ron invited Andre Molnar who was a popular builder of housing projects in Vancouver at the time to come as well. We were all excited about the prospects in Egypt. Safrik would go first in September and then I would follow and then the rest. How could I choose between China and Egypt so I decided to go to both. Dean came along too of course. Dean’s doctor, Dr. KavanaughGrey, thought it would be good for him after his open heart surgery in January so he and our second son, Dean Jr. came as well. There wasn’t a lot of time to get ready.

We really had to speed it up. We had to make sure our businesses were well taken care of by our staff. The idea was to get to China wasn’t it? We were definitely taking the long way around. There was so much to do that I finally said what are we waiting, waiting, waiting for? Well, we were waiting for someone to tell us everything would be fine back home. Moody, my brother was in charge at the office again. My manager at the Continental seemed to know what he was doing. There are just going to be times in life when you can’t wait anymore. We’re either going or we’re not, on the plane or off the plane. If we’re not on the plane then it won’t matter if our businesses will be fine because we will be here to look after them. Finally it was understood by all we had to go.

The next thing we knew, there was a big roar from behind and our jet took off for the UK, and then on to Paris and then Egypt. I love airports. Planes landing by the hundreds angled down and angled up, this way and that, the sun exploding off their windshields. It was nice of Gordon Dowding to think of me. Already a meeting had been arranged in Egypt. I didn’t know who was shooting who because I never got involved in politics but Dean knew. There 323

always seemed to be some problem in the Middle East. At least in Egypt, we knew we would be welcome and we were. They threw a big party for us. The next morning I attended a business meeting where I introduced everyone. I remember it so well. Because I was a woman, I left the meeting early to return to the hotel. Usually, the men want to talk business among themselves. A half hour later they all came looking for me at the hotel. “No Faye, no meeting,” one of them said to me, “They sure liked me in Egypt.” I was given lots of orders to import goods to wherever on that trip.

I found it interesting how different cultures dealt with gender discrimination when it comes to business protocol. In 1964, no one in Hong Kong wanted to deal with the wife in business. Yet, in Egypt in 1980, everyone wanted to deal with me. In fact, they wouldn’t carry on without me. Now twenty years our first trip to Hong Kong, it’s me who gets invited to China. Of course I had become quite successful and well known in Asian business circles both at home and in the Orient and maybe times were changing regarding gender discrimination but I think it was more than that. I had become known for doing my thing which was getting the job done as they say. I had the business acumen to butt heads with the men but I also had the personality to go along with it, I was no prude. I would prove that on my many trips into China over the years as you will soon hear. But I was just being me, one in a million and with Dean not so well anymore I needed to take over and be strong for us both.

Next, it was on to Karachi, Iran, Thailand, Singapore, and Hong Kong. In Karachi, we couldn’t get off the plane. In Iran, the seven-year war with Iraq had just started, so we were happy to stay on the plane. As I said, you never knew who was shooting who in the Middle East.

“The eastern world it is explodin’ Violence flarin’, bullets loadin’ You’re old enough to kill but not for votin’ You don’t believe in war, what’s that gun you’re totin’ And even the Jordan river has bodies floatin’ But you tell me over and over and over again my friend Ah, you don’t believe we’re on the eve of destruction” 29.

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We stayed in both Thailand and Singapore to do some business. Finally, in October we reached our destination of Hong Kong. We were all excited with anticipation for what lay ahead. Me especially! Dean stayed in Hong Kong. He wouldn’t even let any of us travel to Macau on the hovercraft. The communist Chinese were mistakenly seizing people and interrogating them and taking them back to prison in China. They would hold people for weeks and even months. Later, when I showed friends in Hong Kong my contracts and agreements, their eyes popped open with envy. They were so surprised that officials from various provinces throughout China came to me with their offers, but they weren’t interested in dealing with them in Hong Kong. “You’re very brave to go,” they said. For me, it was an overwhelming honour.

But no one denied me any of it, not the over excited personality I brought with me, not the no nonsense business woman with one thing on her mind, not the bug-eyed paranoia that kept me going as I got less and less sleep, I was determined not to be negative about anything – go with the flow as they say – I never lost my cool and I was sure tested on several occasions but I was determined never to say no because that was to fail. The flow in China at that time was quite different than the flow in any other part of the world due to their being locked up in the Cultural Revolution for fifteen years. The sounds were different, the faces were different, the people were different mostly peasants on the streets, the stragglers all laboring to make a living, their clothing was different, I certainly had entered A BRAVE NEW WORLD but one of my own choosing.

My first trip into Mainland China was a wild spectacle like no other that I had ever experienced. I spent the next six months going back and forth on trips to three Chinese cities from Hong Kong. These three cities were Canton, Peking, and Shanghai. They were the only ones that foreigners were allowed to visit. To me, it was like taking an excursion into a magical, new world. The trips lasted only one week, Canton came first. I was the only passenger on a tiny airplane. All I got to eat was a scoop of rice in a sardine size tin can, military style. I wondered how I would survive.

I never felt once like going home but if I had it was too late now. I couldn’t see myself running off the plane crying I want to go home calling out Dean!

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Dean! Dean! Standing in the middle of the runway, in the middle of Canton, in the middle of communist China, running up to the first person I saw and shrieking I want to go home. What kind of an impression would that have made of Canada in China? I could see them taking me away to the nut house immediately saying “It’s all right Ma’am, it’s all right. No other passengers would have gotten off the plane to console me because I was the only one and there I would be crying to some airport attendant that I wanted to go home. Everything would have been so quiet on that airport runway you could have heard a pin drop and everyone would have realized I must have gone stark raving mad so I kept my composure.

The protocol was much higher in Canton/Guangzhou than in Hong Kong.

Senior officials were lined up on the tarmac at the airport to greet me. Who do they think I am, the Queen of England? I wondered. The stakes were much higher though than I realized as there was a security division called Tun Gee Bo waiting in the lineup. They were ready to shoot on sight.

“I was frightened for your safety,” Dean told me later. They were unpredictable people. I was naïve that I was in such a dangerous situation. They invited me to come and I wasn’t thinking about anything except developing a good Faye with Dean’s family paying tribute at the grave of Dean’s grandmother on Pak Wan Mountain. Faye is wearing high heels. On the ground are red firecrackers used to celebrate their loved ones buried on Pak Wan Mountain, October 1980.

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business relationship between our two countries. Nothing terrible ever happened to me on any of my many trips into China.

That my inner feelings of my momentary longing for home were anything more than fear of the unknown and a bad case of nerves, nerves, nerves never really crossed my mind, I was always in control. But control is not an absolute. I had volunteered to go and probably more and more of my inner feelings would manifest themselves into my consciousness as the trip progressed. I was doing my thing and loving every moment of it. I never did veer from my script or I might have been picked up by the police and languished in jail somewhere for the rest of my life and Dean would be long gone. The trip started out as a great round the world journey with several friends but now it was a solo flight for me into an unsuspecting China.

Dean’s family homestead was in Guangzhou. An official drove me to the Pak Wan Hotel, the only hotel in Guangzhou. It was on Pak Wan Mountain.

My room had just a bed and a washroom. Today it’s been torn down and is the location of the Guangzhou airport. No five-star hotels in 1980!

I remember walking up Pak Wan Mountain in my three-inch high heels to pay my respects to the grave of Dean’s grandmother. Dean’s cousin lived in Guangzhou. It was as busy as Vancouver’s Granville and Hastings in the old days. Dean’s grandfather had built the family homestead. When we entered the building, it was very dark because they couldn’t get light bulbs. I could see Dean’s old bike leaning against one of the walls of the hallway, as we walked up six stories. It was all very spooky and dark.

The best part of the trip for me was when I was out amongst the people meeting someone new every day. That didn’t afford me any time to let my nerves get the best of me or to worry about anything else but the job at hand. When I was by myself that was when it was the worst so I made sure I kept myself as busy as possible. Everything was scripted so I couldn’t just go off on my own. I wouldn’t have known where to go anyway. Everyone I met was presented to me and I couldn’t just stop someone on the street and ask directions. They would have been in great danger if they had talked to a foreigner.

There was no heat in the homestead. They cooked with coal and had bamboo mats. Everyone wore black and blue Mao jackets. On the roof, they 327

Faye with Dean’s relatives in the living room of their ancestral home in Canton/Guangzhou, China, October 1980.

raised chickens and said they would kill one in my honor. I told them not to because I was afraid to eat anything strange and different, as I didn’t want to get sick. There was no medical help available. If you got ill, you were stuck. I was an official guest of the government, and I was royally welcomed and looked after.

After the week was up, it was back to Hong Kong.

It was nice to be back in Hong Kong and see Dean and my son. Hong Kong reminds me of Vancouver with its mountains and waterways. I was able to get around on my own and talk to whomever I wished and lots of people wanted to talk to me and meet me. I told Dean all about his family in Canton City and that I went up the mountain to visit his grandmother’s grave. Hong Kong was a breath of fresh air after Canton City but something was pulling me back, I was yearning to return to the mainland as soon as possible. China to me was like a drug and I couldn’t get enough of it but in small doses to start with please, I didn’t want to overdose.

I met Li Ka-Shing back in Hong Kong on that trip, at a Hong Kong Canadian Luncheon to honour B.C.s Premier Bill Bennett, who was there promoting 328

trade and tourism. I had lunch with him. I made a short speech and answered some questions, to loud applause. I also visited Li Ka-Shing and one of his executives Mr. Magne in his office. My friend Dr. Tazzi who was an international financier from Great Britain was also a friend of Li Ka-Shing. Dr. Tazzi wanted me to convey some messages to Li Ka-Shing. Dean and our son and I stayed at the Hong Kong Hyatt Hotel for many months. Li Ka-Shing told me he only acquires properties that are in bankruptcy or below market value. He never buys market value properties as a policy. That’s how he made his fortune.

We did a lot of walking around Hong Kong in our striped shirts and wearing shorts Dean’s legs weren’t too muscular anymore but he still walked like he owned the place, all our spirits were high. I wished we could have gone to Macau but that was out of the question. Hong Kong was like a great big lush playground by the sea but you had to watch out for the cars, a park almost surrounded by water. There were lots of locals plying their trade to make a living so I guess we stood out because we must have looked like tourists. There were certain areas we didn’t go into because they were too busy and with Dean Jr. we might get lost or hit by a car or something. There was an open air market though with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables that we all enjoyed with lots of people and then after a while it was time to move on.

At a luncheon with one of the Lee brothers in Hong Kong, I was asked to look at an essential project in Beijing. It was in the Great Wall of China area.

“It needs developing” he said. So I headed back to Guangzhou a week later and then on to Peking/Beijing. Mr. Lee was so influential that he managed to arrange my flight to Beijing at top speed. Nothing happens quickly in China unless you know someone important. I called Dean in Hong Kong and told him I was leaving Guangzhou.

“How can you go to Beijing?” he asked. “You don’t even have a visa.”

“I don’t know,” I said, “they’re just taking me.” I didn’t worry about it even when they gave me my entry visa to Beijing, as I was leaving Beijing. “It’s sure important to know the right people,” I thought.

So I am heading for Beijing. I am all revved up ready to go again. I am thinking in opposites the capital of China, cosmopolitan versus Canton City, the more rural side but still busy. My adrenalin is pumping I was so excited and 329

my brain was racing. It was essential for me to keep moving – there were two Faye’s the one who was always on the go and then the one who was biding her time, thinking things through more. I could always tell which persona I was falling into because the excitement would build within me I could feel it building like a tornado and my eyes would bulge and sweat would form on my brow and then when I became the other Faye I would fall into a more placid state much more serene. Dean was the same, one minute Dean would look old and haggard with a skewed face but then if someone mentioned Macau or somewhere else he would became excited and full of life, ready to protect me from the evil hoards.

Dean’s cousin went with me in a taxi to the airport. “Don’t pay,” he said.

“Give me your money. If I pay, it costs hardly anything. If you pay, it costs ten times the price.” My ticket would have been US238 dollars to Beijing. The same fee for the local escort, who was accompanying me, was 90 RMB (Chinese yen) about 13 dollars US today. I had to spend what they called special friendship dollars.

Foreigners were not allowed to use the yen yet, and I could only shop at “friendship stores.” However, they wanted me to come. As I said, you had to know the right people. Back then, you had to have a visa to travel from city to city.

Others came and went but these trips were all about Faye, always the two Fayes, Faye the intrepid traveler and Faye the always contemplative businesswoman. And whereever I went, I always wore one of my trade mark hats and dressed in fashion true to my upbringing as the CHINATOWN KID and everybody loved it. People would stop and watch as I got on and off the bus or airplane or out of a car, even the staff at the hotels started to greet me like an old friend with a big smile. Why? Because I was different from them and I could dress and act as I pleased and they couldn’t, yet, I was still one of them, I looked like them and I could speak their language and write it too.

I wasn’t in Beijing more than five minutes before they rushed me off to the Great Wall of China. I remembered what Finance Minister Alex McDonald had told me before I left, “The area around the Great Wall of China has no toilets, no water, and no 330

systems in place what-so-ever.” They wanted me to work on a plan to develop the area with hotels that would be nearby a historic tomb. It was impossible at that time to execute such a plan. First, they needed to bring in electricity and water. When we returned to our car, I exclaimed, “The handle on my door’s missing!” The thought of not being able to get back to the hotel by seven p.m. caused some panic. We needed the car to get back to the Peking Hotel by seven p.m. because there were no street lights in the rural areas and that was when the dining room closed. The Peking Hotel was the only place foreign VIPs, dignitaries and government officials were allowed to stay. I had a room to myself. The hotel is still there, and it’s now very famous.

These were good times when I was out meeting people but then suddenly I would remember why I was there and the contemplative Faye would take over.

I had to remember why I was there and stay focused and that was not just there to entertain the masses. Yet, I couldn’t be too detached because I still needed to be out in front leading the way, glowing from head to toe. I needed to keep mindful of the lessons I learned growing up and always be the glow girl, larger than life so everyone would follow, the bigger the better. It seemed whichever Faye I became, to everyone, I was always the center of attention in their world and it was such a completely different world than the one any of us knew.

China had been locked up in the Cultural Revolution for ten years. My every movement was watched. I had various young people accompanying me.

Their job was to interpret and look out for me. My interpreter said, “My day is over when Madame Leung finishes.” I attended lots of banquets with important people.

“Never drink anything entirely because they will just fill it back up,” someone told me.

Everyone approved! I was a hit everywhere I went both socially and business wise. I had responded to something inside them and brought it all out front, I did my thing and that very action seemed to endear me to all. Always Faye! In my euphoria I knew my personality and work ethic was the key to success and kept everything going right for me on these trips. How could I ever stop coming back? I could see the movie of my life playing forward and I 331

never wanted it to stop and it wouldn’t stop for the next twenty or thirty years.

I would never get off the bus; Faye’s bus of life had ultimately arrived at its final destination.

I also had many meetings. I am not sure how I handled it all, but I did. I was busy from six a.m. until midnight. There were chairs lined up along the wall outside my hotel room. The chairs were filled with people every morning waiting for an appointment with me. There were even more, waiting in the lobby. It was the same on every trip I made into China.

Everywhere I went in China it was different yet it was all the same. How do you unite a big country like China and bring it into the modern world? I was trying to help on an economic level but they needed to bring the people together as well. Everyone was struggling trying to find their way after the Cultural Revolution ended in 1976. I thought I had problems trying to unite the Chinese in Chinatown this was a monumental challenge for Deng XiaoPing’s government. How do you bring together all the people of such a vast country that was so far behind the times in so many ways? If their people are not united they could cause waves in the air like over a radiator when it gets too hot. Not all of China is by the ocean but they found a way. . “We want everyone to speak Mandarin now,” an official told me. The meetings I had were all about investment, trade, and tourism. It was a tremendous experience. The people I saw were all Mandarin but they spoke many dialects.

Officially, the Cultural Revolution might have been over but it was as restrictive as ever. As I said, locals could get killed for talking to a foreigner . The trips to Beijing were both for cultural and economic development. I was in and out of China many times throughout 1980 and 1981.

I needed to stay healthy. There was so much going on and everything was different that I needed to find ways to keep calm and relaxed amidst all the hustle and bustle of my hectic schedule. One way to do it was by thinking about something familiar. Dean wasn’t with me on any of these trips so he couldn’t comfort me so I had to think about the good times when he was by my side and all the joy and happiness we had experienced together. Luckily there were lots of good times and many successes. These moments I had alone remembering our good times helped to keep me calm and rejuvenated me until I was 332

Faye with officials in Shanghai, January 1981.

once again out in the public eye but not always.

On one trip to Guangzhou on January 17, 1981, I got very sick. Dean’s cousin offered to call Dean to tell him I was all right.

“No, I need to talk to Dean myself,” I said. “He won’t believe anyone else but me.” I was staying in a VIP only guest house. I had a bad case of the flu, and we were in the depth of winter. I was in a beautiful room. Inside, the door was double locked. The chains were all on. The upper window was sealed. At one point, I woke up with a start and saw, to my amazement a doctor, a nurse, Dean’s cousin and a government official at my bedside. I still don’t know how they all got in. I could never figure that one out! My cousin told me that Dean was very frightened. I knew he would be having a fit. It was a perilous situation.

So many were locked up for weeks even those who were on tours. The Chinese didn’t care.

Most of the time though I was pretty healthy. I was so busy that I didn’t really have time to be sick. There was always something or someone that needed 333

my attention. I often thought of my mother and father and how I had now become them and returned to the land of their birth. There were no differences between us now. How much they had achieved in their lifetime and now look what I was achieving, they would have been proud. I knew they would somehow always remain in the movie of my life from beginning to end. In the final scene we all return to the land of their birth and we’re all running and dancing around like kids again.

I took a lot of people with me into China on my trips and received lots of contracts from all areas of business. Each trip was for a different purpose. In 1981, I brought with me a Swiss ballet diva and my friend Dr. Tazzi from Great Britain whom I had met in Hong Kong. We went to Shanghai and Beijing. It was cold as heck! The diva gave lessons and helped officials develop a ballet academy. I introduced Dunlop Tires from the UK as well.

“We’re already in Hong Kong, but we want to be in Mainland China too,” they said to me. I also coordinated contracts between the Mandarin Shipping Company from America and Costco a Chinese shipping container company.

China was looking for cultural exchanges as well as economic opportunities and I brought back lots of contracts from the provinces. One was for TV programs.

That I should remember my parents more and more on these trips didn’t seem unusual to me. They were two of the nicest people in the world and I wanted their legacy to live on through me. If I could bring their legacy with me to China to inspire and help the youth of China I wanted to try or at least it was always on my mind to do so. I could never be the academics that they were but I always wanted to be a part of the academic world and contribute to it in some small way.

The Diva giving ballet classes in Peking, January 1981.

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The warehouse full of antiques that Faye was taken to by the officials. Shanghai, 1981.

On another trip, I initiated a program for Chinese students to come to Canada. I also helped start a “Joint Educational Curriculum” for exchange students between Canadian universities and Chinese universities, as well as other programs of an academic nature. As I said earlier, my parents, uncles, aunts, siblings, and husband Dean were all academics and prominent educators in Victoria, Vancouver, and the USA, so it was natural for me to want to help students.

Every place I visited in China was different. The people though were all the same. They greeted me with smiles everywhere I went and loved my colorful clothes and hats and even my intellect. There were three kinds of people, those on the street working hard to make a living; the business class who I had lots of meetings with and the government officials. It didn’t matter who I was meeting with they all seemed to like me for one reason or another. I got to know many government officials on my many trips back and forth. Sometimes this put me in an enviable position although I didn’t ever take advantage of any situation.

In Shanghai on my third trip to China one official said: “Because we respect you so much, we’ll take you into a warehouse that’s full of antiques.” I could finish their sentences before they did so they knew I was intelligent. That’s why they respected me. The warehouse was full of items seized from houses during the Cultural Revolution, mostly antiques and furniture. “You can have some items to sell overseas,” they told me (even though no antiques were allowed to leave China). I never did take any home on any of my trips. In Shanghai we stayed at the Peace Hotel in the Bund, facing the 335

Pudong area over the Huangpu River. It’s very famous. At the Peace Hotel, I reminisced with a gentleman who told me Jewish merchants once owned half the hotel, but they fled from the communists in 1949.” I still have an original fan from the hotel.

At the end of my trip to China in 1981, we travelled to Taiwan. One night, we were at the back of the hotel and we both looked up into the sky which was filled with a million stars, twinkling on and off like they were saying hello to us.

They were everywhere above the hotel, between the leaves of the trees, above the hills in the distance, down in the harbor. At an angle they seemed to come together to form one giant canvas that if you tried real hard you could pick out pictures in the deep blue sky behind. I could see Faye’s bus of life, Chinatown with lots of neon dust, my mother and father, the Mandarin and the Royal Palace in Beijing. The canvas seemed to be a portrait of our life together, vibrating as one. We felt very secure there together on the balcony, arm in arm like nothing in the world could touch us. We looked again at the stars and then down at the lights in the harbor below. The stars at one point in the distance came all the way down and connected with the lights in the harbor forming a pathway to heaven.

Dean suffered a heart attack in Taiwan on our way home in 1981. We were stuck in the Grand Hotel in Taipei for six months because his doctor told him not to fly. The staff went out of their way to make it our home away from The Grand Hotel in Taipei, Taiwan.

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home. The Grand Hotel was built by Madame Chiang Kai-Shek for foreign dignitaries and VIPs and looked exactly like the Imperial Palace in Beijing.

“There is no hotel to welcome foreign dignitaries,” she said when she arrived in Taipei in 1949. She and her husband were always welcoming dignitaries. It was built on a mountain top and furnished with 300-year-old-antiques.

Bill Lee who was now our neighbor and a pastor in Vancouver, worked both in Vancouver and in Taiwan and he was there, so he helped us out a lot. He was a great guy. On the way home, we stopped in Tokyo to give a blessing at a shrine.

“We need to go there and drink the water for good health,” I told Dean. “We also need to give thanks for your surviving the heart attack. When we arrived back in Vancouver, our son Dana met us at the airport with a new Rolls Royce.

It was a gift for me. I told him, “I don’t want to do my grocery shopping in a Rolls Royce. Take it back and get me a Cadillac Elegante,” which he did. Dana had done well for himself in the real estate business in Vancouver, all through his contacts. The Rolls Royce was one of three cars he owned. The other two were a Ferrari and a Lotus!

If awards had been given out I am sure I would have received the MOST INTREPID TRAVELER AWARD, the GLOW GIRL AWARD and the MOST CONTEMPLATIVE BUSINESSWOMAN AWARD as well. Dean might have gotten an award for the most patience and maybe a survival award so he too could feel a part of the power. But we didn’t have to worry, my little jaunt over the pond had caught the attention of the establishment as well as the Chinese Communists in Vancouver. My trips into Mainland China had become a mission to me to see if I could build a bridge between our two countries. I seemed to have unlocked a door and from that moment on I was always alert to the potential of doing business and cultural exchanges with China. Even if I wasn’t always successful I was doing something right because many others couldn’t even get their foot in the door.

The Vancouver Sun financial page head-liner back home read: “IF FAYE LEUNG WERE NOT FOR REAL YOU COULD NEVER INVENT ANOTHER ONE LIKE HER.” The little guy on the street loved it. It was vintage Faye!

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I didn’t have an expense account nor was I paid a government salary. Today everyone is traveling back and forth trading with China, but I was the first one to open the door. If my trips had not been successful, who knows how long it would have taken China to open its doors to the west. I’m not bragging; it’s just true. It’s hard to do business with China as Justin Trudeau is discovering today.

Back then for each trip, you had to have a visa from the Consul General in Vancouver. You also had to have a letter saying where you were going to stay and how much it would cost. A few years ago in 2014, that changed. Now you can get a visa that’s good for ten years. It’s called a destination visa.

I was proving very competent in my abilities to work with Communist China and I became the rock on all these trips that everyone depended on, even Dean.

There was no concern about whether I would succeed, I had succeeded and I had taken a group of businessmen around the world and then gone into Mainland China at a time when no one was allowed to go there, not even the Hong Kong Chinese. While others were sick and unable to carry on due to fatigue or other pressures, I never said no because to me that was like failure, as I mentioned. I was always where I was supposed to be, on time, looking better than good and always sporting a big smile.

Wally Lee operated a communist store on Hastings Street in Vancouver with his partner, Andy Joe, the lawyer. Their store sold goods from China.

“Come and buy our soap. It lasts a long time,” Wally said to Dean.

“That’s not good business,” Dean said. “You want soap that is used up quickly so people will come back and buy more.” They also had ordered a bunch of soccer balls from China and were upset because they came deflated. The procommunists in Vancouver were so mad because I had been invited to China and not them.

Why we kept trying to save Chinatown I sometimes wondered. It was like Chinatown was built at the bottom of the steepest, wildest, mountain highway in the whole wide world and everything seemed to come barreling down that highway straight towards Chinatown without brakes. There was no stopping these things that came barreling straight towards us, all you could do was try and pick up the pieces of what was left afterwards. You could try and jump on board and ride them down the hill if you wanted like a giant, larger than life, 338

trying to stop the impending disaster with a bullwhip. I often tried to do this like with the freeway and I was successful but sometimes you just couldn’t stop the inevitable. Dean and I usually felt the same about most things. If he was upset, I was upset, if he was in panic, I was in panic. We had total faith in each other and our energy ran together. We were always as much into the moment as we could get and we shared the good times and the bad.

The death knoll for Chinatown was sounded in the mid-1980s when Riverview was closed in Coquitlam. Riverview or Essondale was the provincial home for the mentally challenged. The government didn’t make alternative accommodations for those who were housed there and consequentially, unable to afford other housing, they migrated down to the poorest neighborhood in Vancouver, the Downtown Eastside where they found accommodation in cheap hotels and rooming houses on and off Hastings Street. By this time, the centre of Vancouver had moved from Hastings Street in the 1950s, to Granville Street in the 1960s and then to Robson Street by the 1980s, leaving Hastings Street East, the new skid row. These people went about making a living in any number of illegal ways.

Chinatown had reached the point of no return yet we were like wild horses still trying to hold it all together with our might. Everybody felt the problem.

We tried band aid solutions but none of them worked. All we could do was stop and stare and wonder where the neighborhood had gone. Even the Glow Girl couldn’t change things this time. We all tried our best to protect Chinatown but things were definitely out of our control. We didn’t know what to do; the problem wasn’t one that could be dealt with rationally. Our beautiful harmonic, in tune homeland was fast becoming a dissonant homage to Schoenberg.

Thieves, drunks, prostitutes, and people on the fringe began to spill over from Hastings Street on to Pender. Whistling Sergeant Bernie Smith (he was well known for his whistling abilities) and other police constables often had to come down to our Mandarin Trade Centre facilities or elsewhere to protect us.

It was becoming the Chinatown of my worst nightmares.

Our beloved oasis was becoming a town full of misfits, kicking their way down our streets and hanging out on the corners. A misfit is someone with no place to go who just loiters around on the streets all day. If they were wearing 339

shoes they were kicking everything in sight as if they had a grudge against the whole world. They acted as though the people in Chinatown were the cause of all their problems when it was actually the other way around. They kept looking at us and grumbling something incomprehensible.

The Vancouver Police Department had a lounge on the second floor of our Mandarin Trade Centre. The police lounge was right above the liquor store.

“There’s a lion on the top, and they still break in below,” Dean would say.

When the problems started, the police were on it immediately. Homeless people would break in through the fire exit (their sleeping area). They would sleep on stacks of newspapers to keep themselves warm. As a result, you couldn’t open the fire exit. In the underground parking, thieves would take the tires off parked cars. Whistling Sergeant Bernie Smith and his group would run over whenever we called them (they weren’t always in their lounge). They knew there were lots of problems.

“Don’t park your car in the underground parking,” they’d tell us.

But the party for everyone was heading up town to the financial district.

Chinatown wasn’t mentioned much when the party moved to uptown because it and its problems were quickly becoming the old faded star in the sky. Here was Chinatown and here was uptown with me in between them. I had one foot in Chinatown and one foot in uptown. I was once the Glow Girl for Chinatown and mine and future generations but slowly I was becoming the Glow Girl for something else on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. It was like farewell and hello. Chinatown was the old star. China was becoming the wild new comet that I had latched my future hopes to.

Without any warning, the unthinkable happened. The Bank of Canada created a man-made disaster in 1982. It raised its commercial interest rates to a whopping twenty-nine percent to combat a worldwide recession. As a result interest on mortgages went up, to twenty-two percent. Art collectors rushed to sell their art. Ken Noble, a lawyer for Clarke & Wilson, tried to sell his art and paintings in order to survive. I introduced him to R.Z. Yung, so he could become his lawyer. Realtors and friends committed suicide both here and in Hong Kong. Bernie, a realtor with Jacobsen Realty on Kingsway, committed suicide. My brother, Wally, who had the engineering company in Burnaby, lost 340

his company. A neighbor of ours in Vancouver committed suicide in Hong Kong. The owner of Bowell McLean on Broadway killed himself, and his manager went crazy. They were bad times!

In the world of banking, immigration and housing in Vancouver we were towering figures. We had built houses all over Greater Vancouver and we had contributed immensely to the banking and financial world of Vancouver both in Vancouver and in the Orient. We were forceful, inventive and ambitious. We had even shown our abilities in the field of immigration and opened Canada up to people from all over the world. I wanted to use these qualities to a higher degree in Mainland China, building an economic bridge between our two countries. It could have a fascinating outcome as China was emerging from a long sleep. If I used my talents and imagination it could have a huge outcome for both our countries.

We lost a lot!

“Oh, your name is on these properties,” a clerk, years later at City Hall said to me, “Isn’t that odd.”

“Of course it is,” I said. “We owned them all for many years.” By the mid1980s, we had to sell the Mandarin and also our block of properties on Robson Street. We had hoped to develop the land on Robson, but now we had to sell.

Peter Wall, the developer, bought our property on the corner of Richards and Homer. Almost everything for sale had to have financing and very few could afford to pay the high interest rates. Even our son Dana lost everything. He moved from Vancouver to Los Angeles a short time afterward.

In Vancouver, we still had our detractors and we always had to prove ourselves to some in the establishment. “Their trying to do too much, how could people like them think they can play on the world stage?” So I wasn’t as sophisticated as the intelligent set but that was my charm. I was doing something for people so they could live a better life. All my critics were in it for themselves, special interest. I was always my happiest when I was thinking about others and not so much when I was thinking about myself. Because we rejected the establishment’s ideals they thought we were just a mock, counterfeit of themselves, a tiresome disaster and very pretentious. They thought of me as a cartoon character in the funny papers. We all got a good laugh out of that one.

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David Spencer and I had remained good friends ever since our days together on the Board of the Vancouver Opera Association. When he called one day and asked me to help him out, I was only too glad to oblige.

“Faye, will you come down to Vegas and help me look after Bruno?” his partner. That was between Christmas and New Year’s, 1983. Bruno had had a stroke at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. “I want to take Bruno to Tijuana for treatment at the American Hospital,” he said.

We helped him take Bruno down to the hospital, and we stayed at the famous Del Hotel in Coronado across the bay from San Diego. Coronado is located nineteen miles from La Jolla home of the renowned Scripps Clinic. We decided to take Dean to the clinic to take care of a gall bladder problem. While I was there, the American Hospital gave me an exclusive contract to bring patients over from the Far East. I was always working. We were invited to attend the twenty-fifth-anniversary reunion of the movie ‘Some Like It Hot’ which was held in 1984, at the Del while we were there. We got to meet Tony Curtis, Billy Wilder, and Jack Lemmon.

Faye met famed Hollywood Producer/Director Billy Wilder at the 25th anniversary of the movie Some Like It Hot honouring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe, the stars of the movie, at the Del Hotel in Coronado, California.

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Back in Vancouver, we didn’t care what some in the establishment thought, I was already thinking about going back to the Orient. I had to follow my dreams and my intuition and the prospects in China to me seemed never ending. Faye’s bus of life would soon be back on the road again to China. Nobody would understand it but it was a party and another fantasy I needed to fulfill.

Just as the establishment in Vancouver still had no idea what was going on in the Chinese community, neither did they have any idea of what was going on in China. But for now I had friends that needed my help so China would have to wait. The Glow Girl was waving her magic wand in California and I was on the go again.

At Easter, I brought our son down and put him into a school in Coronado.

David Spencer, still needed our help due to a family tragedy in Vancouver and his problem with Bruno. He was finding it hard to cope. Bruno was getting his foot amputated in Tijuana because his diabetes wouldn’t heal. After I got everyone settled, I had to drive down to Tijuana to see how Bruno was doing.

Halfway back between Tijuana and La Jolla on the highway, I had a flat tire.

When I eventually got to Dean, he said, “How’s Bruno doing?” He never thought of himself. He was such a kind man. He gave of himself to everyone. If asked, Dean would probably have said this about our life together, “There was always something happening when you’re married to Faye. Life certainly is never dull. She’s always helping somebody. That’s just her way.”

Dean would have preferred staying at the Del Hotel than Scripps Clinic, but since his auto accident, it seemed like it was one thing after another. You never realize how important your heart is until you have a problem. Then you seem to have a problem with everything, a gall bladder, of all things. I of course saw it as an opportunity to get involved with Scripps Clinic. Dean was glad Bruno was okay. Bless his kind heart!

While Faye’s bus of life drove around Southern California it was quite a phenomenon as it tried to find a way back to the Orient. The movie of our life was at the half way point and the cameras were still rolling, filming every minute of it. We loved California and its warm weather because there was always some kind of a show going on it seemed. If there wasn’t, there was always 343

Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm. Everyone seemed to be in California including Dana our first son so it felt like a good place to be for a while longer.

We liked driving the high curves of the Pacific Coast Highway around Malibu and seeing the houses of the movie stars. We seemed to feel at home practically everywhere we went because we were the happiest when we were together on the road.

In 1984, the Intercontinental Hotel opened in San Diego, and David went back to Vancouver. Dean and I were in L.A. while the ‘84 Olympics were on and we received tickets because we met the head of the Olympic committee who was staying at our hotel and he hosted us at the Olympics. He gave us a limo because Dean was still recovering. We were guests of Diane Sawyer, the news anchor, and that’s when we first got involved with Olympic pins. We collected them and wore them all over our jackets. Later, Dean began designing pins but I will wait and tell you that story when we get to it. I want to carry on with our journey in 1984.

While we loved California, if we were really going to feel fulfilled again we needed to get back to the Orient. People seemed to be more accepting of me in the Orient and sincere; they accepted us in the moment and didn’t ask for At the games! Dana who lived in L.A. came along that day as well to join his family.

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pedigrees first. I felt we could accomplish great things in the Orient and who knows who we might meet. There were a lot of billionaires there and they were involved in businesses all over the world just like we wanted to be. While I always kept my options open, this intrepid traveler was always the conscientious businesswoman.

In Vancouver, we had been involved in “double ten” for many years. We were often the hosts in Vancouver for Chinese National Day on October 10. I said to Dean, after the Olympics were over, “Instead of going home directly, let’s join this group that’s on their way to Taiwan to celebrate double ten.” So we joined the group and went to Taiwan.

It was spectacular!

We expected this trip to be amazing and it lived up to our expectations.

When you are optimistic you see opportunities everywhere. We thought of ourselves as modern day explorers and the only ones in the world engaged in trying to open China up to the west. It was a fantastic experiment and we were leading the way. What we were doing was totally new. And now we were going back to take another look at the energy in other countries surrounding China.

On this trip, I met Tan Yu for the first time. He was the richest man in private sector companies in Southeast Asia and he had just opened his Asia World Hotel in Taipei. His Asia World Complex included a shopping centre as well as a hotel. He was in banking. Private sector companies are entirely different from public sector companies because you are not under the thumb of the government. Li Ka Shing was the wealthiest man in public sector companies. Li Ka Shing, got the exclusive contracts because he was involved with the government. I never had anything to do with the government or public companies.

We had just come from the summer Olympics and we were in a party mood. When we got in sight of the Grand Hotel we decided not to stay there this time and instead stayed at Tan Yu’s Asia World Hotel. Everywhere in Taipei people were celebrating double ten with fireworks and loud music in the streets. Blooms of green smoke could be seen clouding up the night time sky as our taxi rolled and bounced along the streets to our destination. We were here! We were here!

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We had lots of friends in Taiwan. My father and my uncle were die-hard Nationalists. In 1953, they began sending exchange students to Vancouver from Taiwan. They represented the Chinese National government in Vancouver.

When we arrived in Taiwan, I put our son into the Dominican School of Taipei.

Both our sons have a good education. They both speak Chinese very well. After a short trip back to Vancouver to check on our businesses, I was off again to Korea and Japan to promote tourism to British Columbia for Expo 86. I worked with B.C. Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Claude Richmond on that trip.

We were welcomed royally everywhere we went. We expected festivities to continue in both places but the Koreans and the Japanese are a little more reserved. It took a while for them to catch on to the idea of a world’s fair being thrown in the little fishing village of Vancouver on the other side of the big pond.

Vancouver was not a household word yet in international circles and here we all were promoting it like it was the biggest thing to happen since Swiss cheese which I guess it was at least in Vancouver. It didn’t take long though for them to catch on and then they were partying with the rest of us. I sure wished I had had Frank Baker there with us to blow his trumpet a few times to get everyone in the mood. Faye’s bus of life was entering new territory with a completely Faye with the Hon. Claude Richmond, center, B.C. Deputy Minister of Tourism Ken & Millie Woodward, third and fourth from right and Mel Zajac, second from left. Promoting tourism in Korea, December 3, 1984.

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new band of merry passengers but everyone loved us. It sometimes took a while to get people to change direction and jump on the bus and come along for the ride but they all came and the success of Expo was the testimony.

It was a busy trip. I personally visited with Japanese and Korean government ministries to discuss various trade agreements between Canada and their countries. I had meetings in both countries with the government’s Department of Education regarding bringing students to British Columbia as international students. Back then B.C. did not allow its secondary schools to accept international students. As a result, B.C. never collected the millions of dollars in big fees that the students would have paid. Toronto was smarter because it allowed international students in and charged them high prices. Before long the parents of these Chinese students were also settling in the Toronto area, and they helped Toronto’s economy by investing heavily in industry and manufacturing.

One of the effects of this is that Toronto’s Chinatown grew prosperous.

Whether Vancouver was ready for Expo in 1985, I’m not sure. We certainly were but we were always in party mode. But Vancouver was in many ways still a sleepy backwater fishing port on the west coast of Canada. It needed something to usher in a new era of growth, excitement and development and it got exactly what it needed and then some in the form of new leadership. Expo 86 changed Vancouver from a lazy afternoon in the country into an international playground for the rich and famous. Everything changed after Expo 86, immigration, housing, banking and education. You can go through the downtown financial district today and say, There’s the Bank of Montreal!

There’s the Sun Tower!

There’s the Marine building!

All the downtown icons of the establishment in 1985 today hold very little importance to Vancouver society including the Orpheum Theatre and the Queen Elizabeth Theatre today because everyone has moved out to the burbs.

HECK it should be called THE VANCOUVER LIVING HISTORY MUSEUM. Someone should give annual tours of what Vancouver used to be like before EXPO 86 and all the changes it brought both good and bad.

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“What I’m going to tell you next is very important. Successive B.C. governments from this period on stopped working for the people and began working for special interest groups. Remember what I’m going to tell you. It will help you understand, where we are today.”

“Really.”

In 1985, Bill Bennett stepped down as Premier and leader of the B.C. Social Credit Party. At their leadership convention in Whistler, Bill Vander Zalm narrowly beat out my friend Grace McCarthy, to win the leadership of the Social Credit Party and become Premier of B.C. Under his leadership, the party changed again and grew, dominated by social conservatives (who were skeptical of change and wanted to keep the status quo). Having so many social conservatives did not sit well with many in the party. Vander Zalm himself was an unknown. Would he be good for the party or would he not? Time would tell!

Getting back to THE VANCOUVER LIVING HISTORY MUSEUM now ladies and gentlemen we are embarking on the first annual tour to salute and remember the good old days. Now over here we have a statue of Lord Stanley one of B.C.s early Lieutenant Governors and whom one of Vancouver’s icons of the past is named after, Stanley Park which luckily has not been turned into condo towers. Be careful though not to rouse any present day mayors or they might turn a whole block of today’s heritage houses into freaking condos.

While tourists tag along trying to see the old with the new, they sense an air of foreboding as the tour guide raps off the best features of a heritage house, its staircase, its paneling and its fireplace none of which are available in most condos.

Throughout 1985, I was in and out of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China many times on business. I would return to Vancouver in between to check on our staff. It was a busy year. Dean Jr., remained in school in Taipei. Again, my absence proved not good for our businesses.

And now for the best part of our trip through the Vancouver Living History Museum a return to the place that changed a country. This part of the tour is also known as THE RECLAMATION TOUR. It’s one of the new Vancouver’s pride and joy as it puts a positive face on the legacy of EXPO 86. This is where city officials take visitors when they want to justify building so many condos.

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THE RECLAMATION TOUR shows Vancouver’s metamorphous from a lazy afternoon, to a world class event, to the land of the rich and famous.

Just before EXPO 86 opened in Vancouver, we were down in Los Angeles for our first son, Dana’s wedding. When he came up for EXPO that summer we had a banquet for him at Mings. By now, we were so high profile that we had to have security whenever we went out. We were well known for building the Mandarin, and our pictures were always in the newspapers for so many events, parties, and functions. I wasn’t too worried. Walter Sundquist, a big guy, was there and he looked out for me. So did Gordon Dowding and Ric Elliott, a former policeman. They were all our friends.

The old Expo lands are really beautiful today. You can go and sit by the water in False Creek and watch the little ferries go back and forth to Granville Island.

What happened there in 1986 afterwards changed the way business was done in Vancouver and in Canada as well and has all become part of our life movie. It became known to us who knew what was going on as the BIG DECEIT. Where were the government watch dogs? Someone should have been looking out for the interests of the people of Vancouver. After Expo, everyone was waiting for the next great thing to happen and they didn’t have to wait long but no one understood the implications of it all. Well, there was no government watchdog or should I say when the fox is in charge of the hen house, what’s to stop him from taking what he wishes? Those who knew were very disappointed that no government watchdog stepped in to greet them. Everyone wanted Vancouver to prosper but not everyone wanted it to prosper for the people.

EXPO 86 was good for everybody. It sure put Vancouver on the map. Everyone came! It was a great party and woke everyone up, including Dean. We hadn’t been doing much dancing since Dean had his heart bypass surgery in 1980. When we were home in Vancouver, he just lay around the house watching TV. Dean Jr. would build him electronic toys to turn the TV on and off from the other room and other things to help him out. But I needed to find a way to motivate him to get him out and to walk again. Expo provided that opportunity. Every day we walked all over the grounds from one end to the other.

It was great! Soon, he was starting to get his resilience back not to mention his enthusiasm. The excitement of seeing people from all over the world right 349

here in our backyard was contagious. We even started dancing again at the top of the Hotel Vancouver.

There was nothing wrong with Expo; it’s what came next that was wrong.

Many of us did our best to steer the good ship Vancouver into calmer waters but it wasn’t meant to be. There was too much wealth to be realized from what Expo had started. It shone a light on our lazy little back water fishing town and it has never been the same since. The captain and his crew were in firm control and though we tried to influence the good ship Vancouver’s course, there was nothing we could do about it. Soon, I would leave Vancouver again for China but not before ruffling the feathers of a few more politicians.

“What I’m going to tell you next was the beginning of government for special interest instead of government for the people.”

“Really!”

There was a lot of controversy over the sale of the EXPO lands. The B.C. government advertised for bids to purchase the Expo lands when Expo 86 was over. There was a big fight between Premier Vander Zalm and MLA Grace McCarthy. Vander Zalm wanted his developer friend Peter Toigle to buy the Expo lands. My friend, Dame Kitty Ng, told me, “In 1988, I and my husband hosted a dinner for Grace McCarthy, her husband Ray and Premier and Mrs. Vander Zalm and two other couples at Gar Lun Chinese Restaurant, in the corner basement at 41st and Granville.” Dame Ng and her husband, who was an OBE (Order of the British Empire), immigrated to Vancouver from Hong Kong in 1987. They were very high up in Hong Kong society.

Members in the government soon found themselves all thinking in a group mentality. They could all see dollar signs as far as the Expo lands were concerned. They wanted to leave everybody behind and keep going in their own direction. None of them could break away from thinking as a group. Once they felt the lure of fresh, crisp greenbacks they became recklessly infected and insensible to anything else and wanted to be the richest in their ranks. When all laid eyes on the possibilities before them they lost it! Some felt they had been had when it didn’t work out in their favor but they all quickly realized it was an experiment and that there was more where that came from if they kept travel350

ling in the same direction..

The Honourable Grace McCarthy was the Minister in charge of the Expo land and wanted either Mrs. Ng or her husband to buy the Expo land. She appointed one of them as a land advisor (a perk to a friend). She intended to have the Ng’s enter into a joint venture with her and her husband’s company to buy the land and share the profits. The Ngs told her that because they had just come to Canada in 1987 and had a young family it was too early for them to invest in such a vast parcel of land. It would be best for them to diversify by purchasing multiple small real estate holdings which is what they did. Mrs. Ng’s husband suggested to Grace that he would introduce her to Li Ka-Shing in Hong Kong to buy the Expo land with spin-offs to them.

There was little money in the government coffers after Expo had spun its magic so anyway they could find to get it back was okay. The usual revenue building ways were too slow now as Vancouver had graduated into the big leagues. They were advised to go it alone meaning finding new ways of building up revenue streams without all the baggage from the pre Expo days. Look outside of Canada was the mantra and they all got turned on to the wealth they had seen passing through town during Expo. No matter what they did all they could see was all this money erupting from pockets and shirt sleeves as it passed from one hand to another. It was enticing and mesmerizing and exploded their world from top to bottom.

Years later a journalist came out from Ottawa to do a story on me and told me that in the press club in Ottawa discussions were flying around at that time, that I was a front for Grace McCarthy. He said Grace and her husband were lavishly entertained by Li Ka-Shing on his yacht in Hong Kong’s, Victoria Harbour thus circumventing Mrs. Ng and her husband. He had lots of amazing stories which were mostly gossip but that one was true. Mrs. Ng still tells me today that she wished she had insisted on a finder’s fee, but she hadn’t.

Once you jumped on for the ride you felt compelled to keep riding for as long as you could. Everyone in a position of power felt the same. The rocket to nowhere was just about to blast off and was in its final stage of launching us all into orbit on a mission of no return. The rocket was committed to making money for those who controlled it and to HECK with everyone else. If you 351

wanted to come along for the ride then you to would share in the wealth but if you didn’t then you would get left behind and have to go find your own playground because as far as those controlling the rocket were concerned, Vancouver was going to continue on its path as a playground for the rich and famous started during Expo 86.

The bidding was unfair. “It wasn’t cheap, something like thirty-six to fifty million, to clean up False Creek.” When the lands were put out for tender, I received a package. I made a bid on behalf of a group of local builders. Our package stated that we would first have to pay for the clean-up of False Creek.

The government used us and other bidders as a, ‘call for bidders.’ It was just a public show for bids when their backroom deals were already made and rubber-stamped at huge losses and costs to the taxpayers. Li Ka-Shing negotiated with the government to remove the clause about the contaminated soil removal by the purchaser, having the costs paid by the government . I can’t help remembering what Li-Ka-Shing had told me over lunch in Hong Kong in 1980, “I only buy undervalued land and properties.” Someone didn’t do their homework. Li Ka-Shing wound up selling a small corner of the land to Mr. Hui’s, Concorde Pacific and that covered his purchase price in full. He then sold them the rest of the property and made millions. Concorde then built all those towers.

They got all the Expo land for a bargain except, the Plaza of Nation’s land which was owned by an Indonesian group and the Edgewater Casino which was held by another. All local bidders dropped out because they would have had to clean up False Creek and it was too expensive. The precedent of favoring a foreign bid by Li Ka-Shing and letting him dictate the conditions (not having to clean up the chemicals) over local bidders (who first had to clean up False Creek) was the beginning of the race towards today’s unaffordable housing crisis. The focus shifted towards favouring foreign buyers over favouring local buyers.

The sweet beauty of the Expo lands today show no signs of the bargaining chip and weather vane mentality (meaning which way the wind of money blows) it introduced into the world of housing in Canada. The serene beauty of it all today is mesmerizing but if you look into the rear view mirror you see metaphorically what happened and still is happening which is quite a different story. The water is in flames and shooting up the hideous grey towers but 352

through the windows everything is peaceful and serene with boats sailing by.

Then back in the mirror the flames shoot up again, soaring higher enveloping the towers with all inside. Through the mirror we are forced to endure the visual revelation of lives being lost in the name of progress while through the window everything is calm and its business as usual, a comparison of lives lost physically with lives lost metaphorically due to unavailable affordable housing.

Just recently, in the fall of 2018, Concorde resolved its dispute with The City over the last six towers to be built on the former Expo land: Instead of constructing six towers for affordable housing as was initially agreed, they now only needed to develop three, although the density is now double. For the other three towers, they are free to build market housing. Concorde is sitting on several properties because of zoning restrictions waiting for the opportunity to use them as bargaining chips when the time is right.

“That’s all very interesting. I would like to hear more about that.”

“It will come up again. A lot of the problems facing Vancouver today originated back in those days as Chinese investors became increasingly bigger and much more important players on the local scene.

Nothing seemed to work smoothly in those days on any level. But some knew how to get the job done. There were individuals in government circles that worked in the right direction like a team. They took turns making good things happen while the others just looked after themselves and their friends.

Once they did something once, they got it all worked out and they were ready and knew what to do the next time. They thought like a group as well but they didn’t put themselves in the forefront of everything, they did it for the little guy.

The first official China Trade Delegation came to Vancouver in 1987.

“What do you mean we can’t hold our reception downtown? Get rid of the protesters,” said Ray Perrault. He arranged with Lt. Gov. Bell-Irving to have the reception moved to Government House in Victoria. There were only five couples invited. I and Dean were one, and Tong Louie (of H.Y. Louie and later London Drugs) was another.

Although I ushered in a lot of the changes that later started to cause prob353

lems for Vancouver and Canada due to a lack of government regulations, I wasn’t above pointing them out when given the chance. Demons were sweeping over the land and things were getting out of control. Flames still engulfing towers metaphorically. There was no more time to wait, something needed to to be done now before things got really out of control. When you are heading two hundred miles an hour down the highway you don’t wait for the car to crash, you take your foot of the gas NOW. The map of Vancouver and Canada was changing quickly and I could see it but would anyone listen? Someone needed to draw a red line on the map so everyone would STOP! In 1989, Vancouver Sun columnist Denny Boyd interviewed me in my home in the Oakridge area. He later wrote in his column: “There are fierce bronze dragons at the bottom of Faye Leung’s front steps.

Inside the enameled red doors are a sleek racing bike, a statue of an oriental princess and an Oscar the Grouch doll. Inside this house, cultures blend casually and the lady of the house, a third-generation Canadian of Chinese origin, frets about the enormously accelerated blending of her two cultures that is going on beyond her house in the Oakridge area.

“Immigration is moving too fast. People are coming here from Asia and cashing in on all our benefits, and all they’re thinking about is taking out, not putting in. Where my generation joined the opera society, the board of trade, the churches and the service clubs and contributed to local charities, we are now seeing youth gangs springing up, extortion and knife fights. We are letting in a different set of social and moral values. Making money has become too important; too much money is going into real-estate speculation.”

Been spendin’ most their lives, Livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise But nobody had a magic crayon to draw a red line. Only if it were that simple. If they had, would they have known where to draw the line? Just one line is all that was needed, running through everything. Everyone liked to think in groups so if we all had the group mind to think as one and stop at the red line it might work. Pretty soon Canada would become even more unrecognizable as 354

everyone changed their appearance and what about the left behinds? Everyone was getting pretty good at playing all the Canada songs out of tune and you know what happens when a band starts to play out of tune undisciplined, it just just gets worse.

“If we continue to allow immigration without proper guidelines, we are going to be eaten up. If we continue to enable speculative money to pour in here, housing, clothing, and food will become priced out of sight.

As well, for the best of Canada, there should be a restrictive period on the number of years lived in Canada before people are eligible to be a candidate to run for public office.

We used to have a beautiful harmony here. That was a mix of the better of two worlds. But we are letting it get away!” Denny Boyd, March 18, 1989 People know when things are out of tune (not right). They wince here and there and cringe as they go about their business but the population knows, all the black shoes with over-sized golf ball heads. They know because it’s their song that is being played out of tune, the sound track of their life, from their movie and those doing the playing just carry on because there is no will to stop them upstairs. Eventually the dissonant music will get inside everyone and cause big problems. They’ll just go with the flow and nothing is clear in the flow.

A billion eyes in Canada will one day wake up and wonder what has happened and why the music is so bad while the out of tune musicians will be staring back at Canada laughing.

“That’s what I told Denny Boyd in 1989. Sound familiar? Now look where we are today. We’re being eaten alive. Speculative money has continued to pour in here and housing, food and dry goods are all unaffordable today for the average consumer. Immigrants are running for elected office with no qualifications other than they represent a certain minority group.”

“What you say is absolutely true.”

“Let me finish telling you how the decade ended because it sure went out with a bang! But first I will mention Dean and the Olympic pins.

Back in Vancouver, Faye’s bus of life was off again, headed for another party.

We were having such a good time on the road we didn’t want it ever to stop.

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We stayed close to home for this trip but it was great and fit right in with the rest of our escapades in this decade. The art of living, we were getting it down pretty good. For us it was L.A. and Calgary and all the excitement of two Olympics. Vancouver was changing in every way imaginable and they could have it but we preferred the road life with people shouting and having a good time, Expo forever, we could go anywhere and feel instantly at home.

While I prepared for another trip to China Dean was commissioned to design the pins for the 1988 Calgary Olympics. We travelled to Taiwan to have them manufactured. I eventualy turned control of Pender Realty & Insurance over to my brother Moody on the condition that when he decided to sell, we would share the profits equally. In China, we stayed again at Tan Yu’s Asia World Hotel because they pampered us so much. I and Dean were in Calgary in January Faye in Calgary for the Winter Olympics wearing a stetson hat given to her by then Mayor Ralph Klein who later became the premier. The jacket was a gift from Canyon Cameras President. Faye is wearing Dean’s pins. The pin on Faye’s top left was quite rare. A man came up to her dressed like a bum and wanted to buy it. He turned out to be the president of Canadian Tire. Photo: From Lloyd Robertson’s book, 1988.

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1988 when our first grandson was born. It was just like Expo 86 again. Everyone in Calgary was having the time of their lives. We were looked after very well. We were followed by fourteen nations all taking pictures of us, and we were in the newspapers. We bought Stetson hats. In March, we left for LA for our grandson’s christening.

Back in Vancouver, the establishment was starting to get upset. One might have thought he had wondered into a funeral procession there were so many people gawking at the newspaper with sour looks on their faces. The out of tune songs seemed to be popping up everywhere. Just as someone hears one, they hear another one starting up. They try to find the source of the bad music but it’s too late to stop it, it has been going on for so long because people’s ears have been on another frequency. The bad music is out of reach of most locals to do anything about it by now but they keep trying to figure it out where it came from. It’s like a preview of things to come but no one gets it.

Finally, in the late 1980s, the middle class and upper classes woke up. It might have been Expo 86 that shook them out of their deep sleep. The newspapers began to wake up as well. They reported MONSTER houses appearing in Kitsilano, Surrey, Coquitlam and every other district of Greater Vancouver.

“They’re popping up everywhere,” they declared. For sale signs in English started appearing in the front yards of many homes with Chinese names on them. If people had been paying attention, they would have realized that I, Faye Leung was responsible for the whole damn thing. By this time the white middle and upper classes were no longer going to Birch Bay, Boundary Bay, Chelan or Coeur d ‘A Lene for their summer holidays because the American dollar was too high. Birch Bay and Boundary Bay had turned into ghost towns.

I think about this time, everyone would have preferred to have been on Faye’s bus of life heading out of town on a long, long road trip.

In Faye’s Chinatown Where the neon dust resides They were more together as one To fight the coming tides They never spoke about it 357

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Nov. 11 1989: Crowds gather as East German border guards demolish a section of the Berlin Wall. The Fall of Communism in Europe.

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But the establishment was divided Over the size of their houses Next to where they resided Whether on the road Or at home It was always a joyous ride We knew the way to go For those who were on our side One way or return You were sure to have a great ride And learn a lot about people From over the great divide!

No one in the establishment could figure out what was happening. It didn’t matter though because soon, when people I had built houses for saw me on the street, they thanked me for what I had done for them and they truly, truly meant it because on the west side of Vancouver their houses were now worth 2 to 3 million dollars or more. They could now afford to take summer vacations to Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, and England, except now, with global warming, temperatures in the summer in these places sometimes hits 45 degrees Celsius, isn’t timing everything.

For Faye, the bus would always be on one endless road trip to somewhere.

The thought of her bus of life ever stopping would have sent chills up her and Dean’s spine. She had become very good at avoiding walls even the Berlin Wall and always tried to live in the moment before the next what? She didn’t know.

All she knew was that the bus had to carry on until the momentum of the trip took over and they caught up with it wherever it happened to be.

I was at City Hall when Mayor Gordon Campbell was holding a seminar on housing. There was a massive turnout. It was on May 13, 1989, just before we left Vancouver for another trip to China.

“Even Hong Kong people can’t afford a million dollar home,” I said. There was sure a lot of direct talk going on in that bastion of the establishment.

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They were building these MONSTER houses. I got a standing ovation.

“Cooperate with the unions and the consultants and the finance companies,” I told him “and form a company to build cheaper housing and rentals for the people.” I got another standing ovation. Campbell wasn’t listening, and that wasn’t right or ethical. What he did was to team up with Jack Poole, and start a company to build homes. That’s how he made a lot of money with Jack Poole and that’s why I was always mad at him. The houses were supposed to be AFFORDABLE, but they weren’t. They were not helping the Vancouver housing market only themselves.

Faye was an endless, wide-eyed blast of activity and movement that no one could quite comprehend. One moment her bus would be in Vancouver, the next moment in Calgary, the next in L.A. she was everywhere. Her energy was unstoppable. She had always been self-sufficient but after Dean’s accident he began to rely on her more and more. She had a tremendous inner strength that she was able to call on when needed. More and more she began to only rely on herself to get the job done whatever the job happened to be. She was in excellent health so she was able to do almost everything she wished and do it well.

In 1989 Dean went with me to China. Our son didn’t want to go because he thought it wasn’t safe. This trip was the first time Dean had been back.

“I left as a young boy and returned as an old man,” Dean said.

“Lullabies, look in your eyes Run around the same old town Doesn’t mean that much to me To mean that much to you I’ve been first and last Look at how the time goes past But I’m all alone at last Rolling home to you” 30.

When we flew from Guangzhou to Beijing I looked down, and there was not a single car anywhere. It was completely dead. My husband’s cousin had six kids.

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“Look at them,” he said, “They have no education. They were all sweeping floors during the Cultural Revolution.” I asked one of them what they did back then, and he said, “Nothing, we just stayed home.” A whole generation received no education.

They were not allowed to go to school. They just stayed home.

I was always getting on and off the bus, it made for a more rich experience.

But in China it was different. There was always a little of the paranoia. What do they really think of me? What are they planning? Always the intrepid traveler but also the conscientious businesswoman, I was always alert to the possibilities of the unexpected. Still wearing my trade mark hats and beautiful clothes, I always attracted a lot of attention. My schedule was always busy as well with so many meetings that would have taxed a woman half my age but I handled everything that came along with gusto and always kept up the pace.

I had received a formal invitation.

“You’re invited to attend the Two in One Trade and Economic Symposium Festival outside of Beijing in Shanxi province,” read the letter. Shanxi is the wealthiest province in China and the old capital. From the day of our arrival on May 15, I received contracts for bauxite and other natural resources. While inspecting the bauxite at the port in Tin Jin, our car just flew through every checkpoint. It had a sign on its windshield. An official of the Red Army saw me on TV and came rushing over to our hotel.

“Where’s Faye Leung?” he exclaimed to the startled hotel desk clerk. He Arriving in Taiyuan City 1989.

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Faye with Shanxi Governor-General Zheng Wei Qing and one of the 12 exclusive members of the Politburo. Later, he was head of the China National Conservation and Education Centre for Family Planning, 1989.

had been told to find Faye Leung because the Red Army wanted to do business with me. He had no idea how to contact me in Canada, so when he saw me on the TV screen at a big event and realized I was in China, he came looking for me. The Red Army did a lot of buying and selling as well. At that time demonstrations were starting up all over China, including in Taiyuan City where we were. Whenever things got dangerous we were all ushered up on to the roof top of the hotel. This unrest would soon culminate in the great confrontation known as Tiananmen Square.

There was always a feeling of power in China because the military was always present. They were very visible. What they said goes. Whenever there was a challenge to that power you could feel it everywhere. On this trip the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. That was the feeling in China on that trip. The tension was rising and we knew something was going to happen because it was just inevitable. The military is very clever and while everything seemed calm there was always a plan in place.

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We arrived in Beijing on May 24 and stayed at the new Sheraton Great Wall of China Hotel, where the military was also staying. On May 27 we were driving around Tiananmen Square and suddenly stopped, “That’s, Zhao Ziyang, the Premier of China,” I said to Dean. He was trying to resolve the situation between the government and the students. Then we went for dinner at the famous Maxim’s de Paris Restaurant owned by Pierre Cardin.

The Art Nouveau interior was ravishing and the glittering clientele impressive.

The restaurant was the site of Beijing’s first modern fashion show and a magnet for well-heeled foreigners and Chinese insiders.

Suddenly it was very quiet in our hotel! All eyes were on the military staying at the hotel. They had everyone’s attention. We had arrived at the point of no return and the bus was in full STOP mode. Not even I tried to move the bus forward. Eerily, a feeling of peace pervaded the moment. The paranoia began to creep back into our minds. We all began to realize we were in a bad way. The military tried to shower us with attention but we knew we were in the center of something really bad.

Tensions were really rising!

“Don’t go downtown now. Over a million people are rallying,” an officer said to me on the morning of May 28. Before we arrived in Beijing an official of the Shanxi government and my friend, Bao Gim Sang, called Beijing and told them we should not come. It’s too dangerous.

Faye with Dean and Dean Jr. having dinner at Maxims.

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Taken from the roof of the Peking Hotel by the engineer who was with the Leungs on the train back to Shanghai. The tanks were stopped by a student standing in front of them, 1989.

“Don’t worry, we will protect her,” Beijing said, and they did.

It was difficult to get tickets for airplanes or the train due to the unrest and the uncertainty of what was happening. They weren’t letting anyone out of China unless they were VIPs with the right papers. But we were lucky!

It was time to leave. Later, that day on May 28, we were able to take the train back to Shanghai. On board the train we met an engineer from the States, so we sat with him back to Shanghai, arriving in the evening.

On the train I tried to borrow something for my asthma by walking up and down the aisle knocking on the doors of the compartments. It didn’t work and everyone thought I was nuts and told me to go away. It wasn’t Chinatown that’s for sure. They panicked and shut their doors and rightly so I guess everyone was really paranoid after what they had just experienced. When you live in a military state anything can happen. We realized China was different than Canada and we all longed for our home in good old Vancouver.

In Los Angeles, our first son had been watching the events on CNN and 365

had tried to phone us. Finally, he got through on the morning of June 4.

“Aren’t you out of there yet? You better get out. They’re killing everyone.”

We were really in the dark about what was happening because Chinese radio and T.V. did not broadcast the news. Deng Xiaoping ordered the massacre at Tiananmen Square at midnight on June 4, but it didn’t occur until three a.m. because a student stood in front of a tank and the tank crew would not move against him. News of the massacre quickly spread worldwide. Zhao Ziyang had tried to resolve the situation, but when Deng took over, he had Zhao put under house arrest. We managed to board an airplane for Hong Kong on June 4 and got out of Mainland China. “EXTRA! EXTRA! Bomb goes off on Shanghai train at three a.m.,” read the newspapers the next day.

The next day, things were no better but at least we were safe but scared. Leaving China on that trip had been like coming out of a long dark tunnel into the light of day, leaving the darkness behind. It was claustrophobic and paranoiac both at the same time. There were times we wondered if we would ever emerge from the tunnel and I can remember it all in horrifying detail. To be back in the peace and serenity of Hong Kong was a gift from above; it was so serene in comparison and reminded us so much of Vancouver.

The bomb that blew up was on the train we had been on from Beijing to Shanghai. We were lucky to get out because we were foreigners. No Chinese The day after the massacre there were protest marches in the streets of Hong Kong. Everyone got involved from every level of society. June 5, 1989, Hong Kong.

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or Hong Kong Chinese were allowed to leave China for two weeks. So much was happening in China at the time. The repercussions from Tiananmen Square went on for a long time. Hong Kong was in an uproar and held demonstra-tions during the Tiananmen Square massacre. All the contracts I received on this trip were cancelled as a result of the killings. It wasn’t until 1993 that things started to open up again.

Building circles of friends is a Faye Leung stock in trade. After decades of cultivating them, her network of entrepreneurs and potential investors spanned the Pacific. Ties with China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Korea are particularly strong. As she puts it, “They call me the goddess of good fortune over there because I bring good things.” “She was involved in Far East trade and development long before it became fashionable and volatile and made five trips to China last year. She has her feet planted in two nations and two cultures.”

Denny Boyd, Vancouver Sun columnist, 1989 “WOW, that’s amazing! So you were in Tiananmen Square just days before the massacre.”

“We sure were.”

“You were lucky to have gotten out.”

“You can say that again. It’s funny though, when you are in the middle of such excitement it doesn’t seem as bad as it does if you are listening to the events unfold somewhere else.”

“That’s true. When I was in the Caribbean everyone back home was worried about hurricanes. But down on the islands, hurricanes were the last thing on any one’s mind. What was it like for Dean returning after all those years?”

“He was happy to be back but still fearful. Fears take a long time to die.

He was sad that he never saw his grandmother again. But he was happy to see his family. I was sure glad he was with me, otherwise I would have been worrying about him.”

“You said the Red Army did a lot of buying and selling. What did you mean?”

“In those days they were more independent and those in charge could 367

buy and sell as they wished. They were like a business. That all changed later when the central government clamped down on corruption and many government organizations such as the Red Army became less autonomous.”

“From what you say, the Cultural Revolution did more harm than good to the people of China, especially the young people.”

“No, it wasn’t just the young people that were harmed but all segments of Chinese society. The business class, academics and landowners were all persecuted as I mentioned earlier and either killed or sent to labor camps, where they later died. Young people suffered by being deprived of an education. It wasn’t until after the Cultural Revolution when Deng Xiao Ping opened China up that young people gradually began to receive an education once more. A good thing may have been as a result of the years of deprivation; education has played one of the most important roles in Chinese society ever since.”

“It sounds like you sure told Gordon Campbell a thing or two.”

“I tried to but like all politicians for the most part they don’t listen. The liberals were always in the pocket of the developers. It was sad. There have been so many missed opportunities over the years and that was one of them. That’s when they should have started building affordable housing.”

“It sounds like in between all the wheeling and dealing and promoting there was always time for a little fun, like the Olympic pins.”

“Oh yes! They were great fun. Dean loved designing pins for the ‘88 Olympics. We bought Stetson hats as I said and had a really good time and then we were off to Los Angeles to see my grandson. There was always so much to do and it seemed like there was always so little time.”

“That is the way with successful people.”

“I guess still it would have been nice to stay in some of these places a little longer.”

“Not Tiananmen Square I bet.”

“No, we were glad to get out of there. But it was too bad because we couldn’t return to China until 1993.”

“So, problems with immigration were front page news even back in 1989?”

“Well, I don’t know about front page news but it was in the news. Columnists like Denny Boyd were aware of it.”

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“Why do you think nothing was ever done about it?”

“Money! Everyone was making too much money. Remember these were not poor immigrants from third world countries. These were wealthy immigrants from Hong Kong and elsewhere and they had money to invest and still do.”

“Has anything changed for the better in thirty years?”

“No! Immigrants still get benefits when they arrive and they still run for elected office without qualifications. Would you like me to name a couple?”

“No, that’s okay.”

“Everything is just on a larger scale today, more immigrants, more money, everything is more expensive. If anything, the changes have been for the worse.

We now have money laundering to deal with and casinos and fast cars which are all tied in together. Instead of Hong Kong sending the largest number of immigrants, it is now Mainland China which is worse. There is lots of new wealth there and it’s being transferred over here. The immigrants are different as well. They are mostly Mandarin now and in Chinatown they’re trying to take over the Cantonese run associations and other businesses.”

“Do you think they will succeed?”

“Probably, who’s going to stop them? Caucasians don’t care. The government doesn’t care.”

“So, the sale of the Expo lands was all pre-arranged?”

“Of course, what do you think? You Caucasians are all so naïve. I told you earlier the types of property Li Kai Shing buys. He wouldn’t have gotten involved if it wasn’t a good deal for him. He’s not stupid. That was the first big sale by a B.C. government to overseas interests and it marked a turning point in how business was done in B.C.” “What kind of a message do you think it sent out to other investors if any?”

“B.C. is for sale!”

“Really!”

“Absolutely, it said the Government of B.C. prefers overseas investment rather than home-grown or local investment. The perception was by those in charge that there was big money to be had overseas and they were right but at what a cost. Wait until you hear what I have to tell you next and you will 369

understand things better.”

“It sounds though like Expo 86 was good for Dean.”

“Oh yes, we had a wonderful time walking all over the place. It got his health back and we started dancing again. It was just like the old days but it didn’t last very long.

“So, you mentioned time would tell as to how the new premier would do when Vander Zalm was elected in 1986. Did you find out by the end of the decade?”

“Yes and no. That wouldn’t happen for a few more years but we sure found out. I don’t want to give away the story surrounding that now. I’ll tell you the whole story shortly and it’s a real big one.”

“You met some pretty important businesspeople in that decade. You mentioned Li Kai Shing and then you mentioned Tan Yu.” “Yes, I met Li Kai-Shing first in Hong Kong in 1981. Then I met Tan Yu in Taiwan in 1984 on my trip with Senator Perrault promoting tourism for Expo 86. Tan Yu plays a big part in the story I’m about to tell you next. We became good friends and we went to his son’s wedding in his castle in Manila in 1990.

It’s all part of the story I’m about to tell you next.”

“So, it sounds like some good things happened to you during this decade.”

“Yes, visiting China turned out to be a good thing and meeting Tan Yu but it was a decade of turmoil back home, what with the changes in Chinatown, the recession of 1982 and losing our properties.”

“I guess the demise of Chinatown as you knew it was very difficult for you.”

“Oh yes, it certainly was and so sad because it didn’t just happen overnight. It was a gradual disintegration over a long period of time which started in the 1980s. It could have been stopped by The City and all three levels of government if there had been the will to do so but they were more interested in making money than worrying about a few old buildings in a former Chinese neighborhood. That’s when Chinatown should have been designated a National Heritage Site.”

“I’m sorry for what happened. I can tell how much it meant to you.”

“We move on. What gets me though, are these groups who say they’re still trying to save Chinatown.”

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“But they’re not?”

“Of course not, they’re just tax write-offs or developers out for their gain.

There is no more Chinatown as it once was. All the people have moved away.

The buildings though should be designated a national heritage site like Victoria’s Chinatown and leased out to new businesses.”

“So, what’s this big story you want to tell me about next?”

“The sale of Fantasy Gardens of course” “Great, I was wondering when I was going to hear about that.”

“And the beat goes on, And the beat goes on”

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Chapter 11

Fantasy Faye

Neither Dean nor I or Dean Jr. talked about the mental anguish we shared after those strange days in Beijing and the trainride to Shanghai. We avoided talking about it. We got on the plane and no one needed to say anything because we knew we could have gotten into big trouble. We were all very ethereal. Back in the rising new metropolis on the western shore of Canada, people would never in a million years be able to understand where we had been in our heads, which is where we were headed after a few days in its Sister City Hong Kong relaxing. Sitting around in the evening in the safety of our living room, we could hardly believe it ourselves. We don’t talk about what had just happened. This goes on for a while. We go for drives out into the country to try to return to some sort of normalcy. The air is fresh and the scenery is breathtaking up the Squamish highway towards Whistler Mountain. The traffic is busy and the cars weave in and out and drive too fast on the curves but it’s something we are used to and can handle unlike Beijing. We run out of gas and have to pull into a service station just before Whistler as nightfall sets, 373 Faye with Premier Vander Zalm. Lillian and Tan Yu at Fantasy Gardens, 1990

nothing to do but stay the night and head back to town in the morning. No soldiers with guns up here just safe and sound in a bed in the mountains on the west coast of Canada.

In Vancouver a few months later, there was a message from out of the blue!

“Hi, Faye, will you give me a call, please, when you get this message. Thanks!”

It was March 1990 that I heard that familiar voice on my answering machine. I called both Dean and my son in to hear it.

“Is that who I think it is?” I asked.

“That’s Premier Vander Zalm,” my son said. “What’s he doing phoning you?”

There were several messages from him.

“And here I sit, hand on the telephone Hearing a voice I’d known A couple of light years ago Heading straight for a fall” 31.

“I want you to come out and meet Lillian at Fantasy Gardens in Richmond and talk to her about selling the property.” Dean and I had passed by Fantasy Gardens on Highway 99 and Steveston Road many times. I always thought that if I was ever given a chance to sell that property, I could do great things for that under marketed little roadside attraction. I thought it ironic that now I was being asked to do just that.

“Why’s he calling you direct?” asked Dean. Both Dean and I puzzled over that a lot.

“Usually people in his position have an assistant who calls regarding such matters.” It seemed very strange to us. Arrangements were made and we wound up on his doorstep.

We were speechless! NOTHING - we just got back from Beijing and then this, where is this going to go? I don’t think anyone else probably ever experienced anything like this before. We’re all under mind control to some degree it starts slowly but then it grows and grows and gets bigger and bigger until you finally realize this guy’s running the show. Nobody ever puts it into words 374

because most never wind up dealing with someone in a top government position directly but when it happens to you it’s hard to put a label on it.

“Hello, won’t you come in,” said Lillian, greeting us at the door of their apartment, but then she disappeared, and the Premier himself sat down with us at the dining room table. Things got even stranger. They both lived in the castle complex on the grounds of Fantasy Gardens. It was tiny, 600 square feet.

“It’s not very fitting accommodation for the Premier of B.C.,” I said to Dean later. As the meeting progressed, The Premier said, “I not only want you to find a buyer for Fantasy Gardens World but I want you to find a buyer for all the commercial properties that I own,” which were quite a few.

“I also want you to help me with my personal and business finances.” Dean and I were both surprised to be meeting face to face with the Premier of B.C. He was the leader. We were always taught to be respectful of the leader. Despite our bewilderment, he was the leader so we thought he must know what he’s doing.

But he wasn’t the leader, he was the non-leader. He was also the non-teacher we would find out. You’re either leading the country or you’re not. Just bePremier Vander Zalm insisted we meet to discuss further the sale of his Fantasy Gardens in his apartment. He insisted we use his signed business cards to sell Fantasy Gardens. He also gave us 5x7 photos of himself to hand out to each prospective buyer, May 27, 1990.

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cause you’re called the leader doesn’t mean you are leading. You’re doing something but it may not have anything to do with leading. Lead the people, nothing will go on forever. Put your efforts where they will do the most good. Do it for the people. Be the eyes and ears of the people. What were you before you became what you are today? If you’re one then you’re not the other. There it was!

Everyone evolves but you still had to fit within the confines of the word and that was about as far as we could figure him out.

We learned that he was short of money.

“I need to have cash flow as soon as possible,” he said to us a couple of times. So I set about preparing my vision for a plan to sell his Fantasy Gardens.

I would have to look into Vander Zalm’s financial situation to put together a realistic plan.

“We need you to sell something quickly,” he said. He was desperate for us to relieve his financial situation which, I soon discovered, was not good at all.

There were many problems.

I said to Dean: “Fantasy Gardens is bankrupt and has no money at all!” I told Dean, he was bankrupt too. Over the next couple of months, I discovered lots of other problems as well. The only reason CIBC hadn’t foreclosed on him was that the B.C. Government did all their banking at CIBC. We would learn that there was no philosophy behind his premiership other than to make money. There was no goal of an improved city or improved social order, nothing about morality and doing things for the right reasons. If there ever was a premier devoted to ones self it was this one. There was something so above everyone else in the air and the atmosphere surrounding him and his band of merry men (cabinet) whom we would find out later on all seemed to share the same psychological state of mind.

“I’m using my premier’s salary to keep Fantasy Gardens afloat,” he told us.

There were also several mortgages on the property as well as loans and none of which were being kept up. Several of his tenants were suing him for various reasons, but it all boiled down to a lack of attendance at Fantasy Gardens and therefore no revenue. Because Vander Zalm was premier, the unions discovered Fantasy Gardens was an excellent place to come and hold rallies to pro376

test against his policies. There were always many trucks cruising around in the parking lot and trying to keep customers away.

They were all in it for the same experience. It was all a brand new experience for them. The experience of the anointed, a sense of the divine of the all-powerful, they didn’t need a philosophy to guide them they were all there for the experience. I never really understood what he and the others were all talking about on any occasion that we met I just took them at their word because they were the leaders. From the beginning of his premiership he never promised his followers anything better no improved social order no reward just the experience of being in power today. He didn’t even promise them a future that they would be in power tomorrow the experience was the thing and it had not limits or boundaries.

Despite the problems, I felt that Fantasy Gardens had a lot of potential for the right buyer. I figured I should emphasize its appeal for international tourists and an international school with accommodation for students who would enjoy its pleasant grounds. It was time-consuming and tedious work and involved many many meetings and telephone conversations with the premier to get everything just right. I finally came up with a business plan that met all his needs. It involved a syndicate of buyers in Taiwan.

“They’re mostly my networking contacts,” I told Dean.

What he did promise his inner circle was a vision of the future. What they did with it was up to them. It would happen very fast as most visions do like the beginning of Islam or Christianity. It would be a vision for the future of Vancouver. Everything was so clear to him who he wanted to be. I’m not sure when this vision of his future came to him but he had it already in place by the time we met him. I would later wonder if the whole of British Columbia was blind and couldn’t see what I could see, everything was so clear to me. He didn’t hide it there were lots of words along the way that told people what he was up to.

What everyone saw was someone who seemed to have found his way out of the immortal problem of being human, trapped, mortal and helpless.

“I want to be Premier so I can promote Fantasy Gardens,” Vander Zalm told the public when he won the Social Credit leadership in 1986. He wasn’t opp377

osed to using his public office to promote his private interests, and he stated it openly at the Socred Convention at Whistler in 1986. I had to be in Taiwan for June 13, and there was still, lots of work to do.

Of course others didn’t get a personal audience with the leader. If they had they probably would have seen what I saw too. Suddenly, we were as one flowing in unison towards a common goal. In the flow there was a power like I had never experienced before. It was a power that no one could see but him and me. It was as if we existed in another world that the average work-a-day guy couldn’t see. The rational world of friends and family would never know the supreme feeling that we felt. That’s about as close as I came to being in the group.

I also managed to get CIBC off Vander Zalm’s back by explaining to them, “You’ll have all your mortgages and loans paid off in full under my plan.”

They were delighted. The Premier was glad too and so was I, even though I hadn’t yet received a penny. As I said, Vander Zalm was broke, and I would have to wait until the property was sold to collect my and the syndicate’s commission.

But it was the experience that was so powerful, the possibilities for the future. It was like a drug or anything that brings changes to your metabolism like fasting or bathing in salt springs. It was all very traditional a charismatic leader enlists disciples who become close followers bound together by the leader’s vision of which he has told them. They might be known as his inner circle or companions, all bound to him by a sense of loyalty, friendship and devotion. Their solidarity grows and binds them all together. Membership requires a complete break with the normal pursuits of life and a radical change where devotion to the leader is concerned.

“Be sure and take as much government promotional material with you as you can because if they know the seller is the premier of B.C., the sale should go through quicker,” he told us. The reason he gave me so many government pins, signed pictures of himself and gifts was because he didn’t have much promotional material that belonged to him personally. He couldn’t afford it. What he did have in promotional material he wanted to sell me in his gift shop. “You can buy two or three VHS tapes for $19.95 in our gift shop if you want to take 378

those,” he told me. He was a real tightwad. He was so strapped for cash that we wound up loaning him $78,125 out of our son’s education fund to cover our costs putting the deal together in S.E. Asia. That’s how sure we felt our marketing plan would work. We tried our best to help them out.

Ties to family, friends and others became secondary behind ties to the leader. Any hardships or suffering that his followers might have to endure were compensated by their hopes for the future that the leader’s vision provided.

As for the leader he has an uncompromising attitude that he is always right even though his manners and language may not always be of the highest but he appears to always have a higher connection with a hidden power. He isn’t someone who comes from the upper class and isn’t learned and refined, he is from the working class and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. He can interpret the past and always has a vision for the future in terms of where he is going to lead everyone and how he is going to do it.

“Take Dean with you to Taiwan,” Vander Zalm told us. He knew Dean had many former influential classmates there and that Dean was a good public speaker who was loved by everyone who knew him. He was also afraid the Orient might discriminate against women.

“You must go, Dean,” he pleaded, even though Dean shouldn’t have traveled for health reasons at that time of year. After Dean’s accident in 1974 and his subsequent bypass surgery in 1980, the doctors advised him to stay away from warm, wet climates which would tire him out. Dean gave in when Vander Zalm laid it on thick, “My kids and my grandkids will always be forever grateful, not to mention Lillian and me.”

I’m sure Vander Zalm was like an ethical prophet to his followers who set out rules and expected them to follow them. He would then judge them on how well they lived up to the rules. I doubt he thought of himself as an exemplary prophet who didn’t set rules but presented his own life as an example for them to follow but it’s hard to tell. Such groups become tighter by developing their own terminology, lifestyles, practices all of which grow out of this new shared experience. A lot of it would seem weird to an outsider like me but there would be a strong urge for them to share their message with others especially ones 379

who could help their future goals.

The syndicate that I put together to buy the property was quite powerful.

One key figure was Brigadier-General K.Y. Chang whom I had met in Taiwan in 1964. He was the head of the syndicate, and he brought in a few other people that I didn’t know. One had been the head of the Korean Olympic Committee.

Another key player was Tan Yu, the Taiwanese billionaire and the richest man in the private business sector in all Southeast Asia who I had known then since 1984. Dean and I stayed at Tan Yu’s Asia World Hotel in Taiwan at our own expense. Tan Yu was originally from the Philippines where he owned a castle outside of Manila.

“My son is getting married,” he told us. “You’re both invited to my son’s wedding on July 17 in Manila,” and we went.

Getting back to Vander Zalm, status around the leader’s inner circle was simple and divided into those who were aware and sharing the same experience and those outside the circle who had no idea and were unaware of the direction the new experience was leading them. The inner circle was not snobbish toward the unaware but they didn’t regard them as being significant in their world. How far the inner circle was allowed to share the new experience they were all having with others who potentially might be interested in joining is hard to say. They may have kept the experience to themselves rather than sharing it with too many others too soon at least until the direction they were laying out for the future was firmly established.

“We have to coordinate the times you can send me a fax at my office in Victoria,” Vander Zalm told me before we left, “So I can be at the fax machine to receive it.” He didn’t want anyone to find out what he was doing. We were away for two months and in daily contact with the premier. We telephoned or faxed each other every weekday at his office and every weekend at his apartment in Fantasy Gardens.

“You have to get the deal signed, sealed and delivered as quickly as you can,” he kept demanding.

We made it to Taiwan and everything went as planned. I set up shop in one of the hotels and no one was turned away. Everyone wanted a signed picture of the premier who they thought was the Premier of Canada, British Columbia 380

Promoting the premier and Fantasy Gardens in her hotel room in Taipei, Taiwan. Faye is holding a signed photograph of the premier.

meant nothing to them. Tan Yu was waiting for us and he decided that he wanted to purchase the property all for himself and his kids. He made an arrangement with the syndicate to pay them something for letting him take it all over.

Everyone was very interested in the sale primarily because it belonged to the Premier of Canada. They each got a government pin to wear which were only supposed to be given out in B.C. to visiting dignitaries. Vander Zalm wanted us to promote him as much as promote Fantasy Gardens because this was his big vision for the future, he wanted to become as rich as an Asian billionaire.

He saw successive B.C. governments all getting rich on Asian investment with lots of spin offs for officials, as well as their friends, cronies and developers. To HECK with the little guy if they couldn’t afford the houses they could move on. If their kids couldn’t get into university because there were too many spots available to international students who were willing to pay the high price, they could move on. There would always be an endless supply of international inves381

tors willing to purchase high priced homes and to reinvest in Vancouver the new land of the rich and famous.

“You’ll have to come to Vancouver to see the property and meet the Premier face to face,” I told Tan Yu. He had never flown overseas and had several requirements that I had to fulfill before they could leave. I also had to get visas and other papers for all of them.

“You have to accompany me and stay with me to complete the deal,” he told me. I booked us both into two suites at the Bayshore Inn in downtown Vancouver.

I had turned Tan Yu on to the prospects of buying Fantasy Gardens. He had wanted to invest in something big in Vancouver as well as elsewhere in North America. I told him Vancouver would be a good place for his Canadian headquarters which he seemed to be thinking about seriously. I sold him on Vancouver just as Grace McCarthy had sold Li Ka Shing on the Expo Lands four years earlier in 1986. It made sense Fantasy Gardens was positioned well for visitors coming from the US and also from Victoria. I told Vander Zalm about my ideas and he developed some grandiose plan where he would leave politics and become the president of Tan Yu’s Canadian holdings.

“I speak English,” Tan Yu said, “but I don’t like to do so in business deals.

I also want to open a bank while I am there and I want you to find out how to do it and arrange a meeting in this regard.” After signing the deal, Tan Yu was planning to head off to Los Angeles to try and buy the L.A. Airport Hilton. He was carrying a briefcase full of cash with him to pay for it.

But Vander Zalm never realized that the reason everyone was interested in Fantasy Gardens was because it came with an open end agreement with the Premier of Canada that he would personally help them buy properties and develop their businesses in Canada. If he wasn’t the premier any longer they didn’t need him. As I said he had a vision for himself but not for the people. He never had a vision for the people it was always about him and becoming like the Asian billionaires he had met at Expo. You don’t have to be smart to be a prophet and sell your idea to a few followers but you sure have to be smart to see your vision become reality with you in the middle of it all and this he didn’t seem to be.

We all arrived in Vancouver on August 1, 1990: Tan Yu, his bodyguard, 382

Robert and Dean, and I. There were a lot of last-minute negotiations because Tan Yu wanted to make payments over ten years with no interest. As a result, Vander Zalm said: “I want to cut the 2 million commission down to 1.5 million,” on the advice of his lawyer whom he had supposedly been on the telephone with all evening in deep conversation. We signed the deal with Vander Zalm in the wee hours of August 3 in Tan Yu’s suite at the Bayshore Inn after he and Lillian spent some time out on the windowledge hiding from the busboy who was bringing us all some food.

Tan Yu was a big hit with everyone but he was also a very smart man. He pretty much did what he wanted to do and he wasn’t impressed by rank or prestige. Vander Zalm on the other hand wasn’t sure what to make of him. He was only interested in his money and wealth so he pretty much went along with all of Tan Yu’s requirements regarding the sale. He wanted him to be as happy as possible so he would invest as much as possible in B.C. and then he would be able to run the show for him or so he thought. Tan Yu had a lot of requireThe Premier, Lillian, Tan Yu and his bodyguard and Dean sitting in Tan Yu’s hotel room at the Bayshore Inn in downtown Vancouver.

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ments and had fun thinking of the premier running around trying to fill them all. Tan Yu like Li Kai Shing didn’t acquire his wealth from being a stupid man and he could see through people very easily especially politicians.

Vander Zalm was also greedy! I told him about the briefcase full of cash (which I probably shouldn’t have done).

“Can you show good faith and give me something up front,” Vander Zalm says to Tan Yu. “Faye, go downstairs, have them open the safe and get that brown envelope out of my briefcase.” Tan Yu told me. He knew what politicians were like and he had anticipated having to put some cash up front, so he had placed $20,000 in 100 dollar bills in an envelope just in case. I wasn’t gone long. When I returned Dean counted the money out into neat stacks on the coffee table.

There was no doubt Tan Yu ran the show. His other family members were just figureheads in his empire so he didn’t have to be front and center. Tan Yu was decisive and caught on to everything right away unlike Vander Zalm.

In Tan Yu’s world he was the leader, the prophet, the visionary and he had a proven track record unlike this wannabe who was trying to weasel his way into that world. He was not about to let anyone else call the shots although he seemed to really like Fantasy Gardens but it had to be on his terms and part of a package deal which included a whole lot more properties.

The next day Tan Yu was off to L.A. to try and buy the L.A. Airport Hilton Hotel. Tan Yu had given me a list of demands that he wanted Vander Zalm to fulfill before his daughter Emilia Roxas arrived in Vancouver on September 2 for the official signing of the sale on September 7.

It was a good thing I had lots of friends because I had to call on several for special favors to deal with the Vander Zalm experience. It wasn’t much but if I hadn’t known them, I might not have been able to pull the whole thing off.

Everything seemed to be coming together as long as we could keep Tan Yu on track as no money had yet officially exchanged hands. If Tan Yu’s demands were not met and there were many, he might not go through with the deal. After all what was to stop him from just changing his mind which is what Vander Zalm was worrying about the most, He could see his future going down the tube and as he was not that keen on remaining premier, he desperately wanted 384

to be a part of Tan Yu’s world for many reasons foremost being financial but also for also for prestige amongst his inner circle who were loyal but one never knows.

One of Tan Yu’s demands was to have an official luncheon at Government House in Victoria hosted by David Lam, the Lt. Governor of B.C. So the day after Emilia arrived in Vancouver (September 3), our entourage headed for the ferry with the premier in the lead car. In the next car were me, Tan Yu, his other daughter, and his bodyguard. Also present was a friend of Tan Yu’s bodyguard, Robert, who I dubbed The Cat Lady, for her sneaky ways. The Consul-General of the Philippines was next in the entourage, all chased by the media. We were heading to Victoria to have lunch with Lieutenant-Governor David Lam at Vander Zalm’s insistence even though Tan Yu was in town only on personal business.

“I’ll do it as a favor to you, Faye,” David, my old friend, told me.

More and more media were tagging along behind our entourage because they had gotten wind of what was going on and that someone important was in town. The media were always looking for a good story and they smelt a good one. They were well aware of the premier’s efforts to sell Fantasy Gardens because I wasn’t the first realtor he had approached, over the years he had approached many even Bob Lee but none of them could do it. Now here he was with a real live fish on the line and it looked to them as it might go through.

They didn’t know what the premier’s financial situation was of course that was privileged information between me and him but they had a lot of questions they wanted to ask. Questions that went back to when he became premier and who actually owned Fantasy Gardens. They were all legitimate questions but he was not interested in telling them about his affairs which in the end he should have done.

When we arrived at the ferries toll booth Vander Zalm says, “The premier and his entourage, doesn’t have to pay,” he insisted, and he drove right on board. He was the boss. As premier, he thought it was his fleet.

On board, the entourage headed up to the restaurant where Vander Zalm again pulled rank and insisted, “The premier doesn’t have to pay for food on his ship.” He even pushed his 385

Faye with Lillian, Emily Roxas (Tan Yu’s daughter) and Premier Vander Zalm on board the ferry to Victoria. The other faces are people on board who wanted to have their pictures taken with them.

way onto the Captain’s deck with all of us in tow. Back downstairs he commanandeered a stateroom where he spread out his maps of Fantasy Gardens and began to consult with Tan Yu and his daughter. I guess he was trying to impress Tan Yu. The unfortunate part of it was that I had to pay the darn bills as I said to Dean, to keep it out of the papers. The storm still hit the papers, but it wasn’t as bad as it would have been if I hadn’t paid the bills.

“You just spent nearly US 100, 000 of our money in Southeast Asia putting this deal together,” Dean reminded me. I was sure looking forward to getting my commission at the end of this sale.

There were lots of people showing up when we arrived in Victoria. I am not sure where they came from or how they found out about it all. At least the newspaper guys all talked in groups of words so they stood out from the others, “What’s your reason for coming to Victoria – selling the Gardens this time – big money from the Orient – investigative reporting at its best you under386

stand-we all tried to find a door into Government House. The ones that chased after us were the worst, they couldn’t stop asking questions until one of us broke his train of thought when we ask him haven’t you got anything better to be doing and he paused for a moment trying to think of an answer to a question I’m sure he had been asked a million times and then the reply, “I’ve got something better to do tomorrow, good thing you came today,” and so on it went.

When I saw David Lam, I yelled across the room, “Hey David, what should I call you?” “Oh, Faye, you can call me ‘Hey you’ if you want.” In Victoria Tan Yu never spoke to David. He was too busy sitting in the corner writing a fax home to his shareholders about Fantasy Gardens and how it would add to his holdings.

A piper began piping us into the dining room. I grabbed Tan Yu and pulled him into the line behind David. Tan Yu was oblivious. He was so busy with the thoughts of his business. I knew what to do. We were the honored guests, and he had to be there behind David. He was new to this kind of protocol and I think he thought it was a nuisance.

Of course everyone wanted to know what was going on but they would At Government House in Victoria meeting with the Lieutenant Governor David L. Lam. Emily Roxas (Tan Yu’s daughter) can be seen on the far left in white.

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find out later. Again, I’m not so sure the reporters were that interested in what was going on but more interested in discovering a fox in the hen house. What they must have thought was happening I don’t know but to them it must have seemed all very mysterious I guess. A trip to Government House for lunch was normal for visiting guests from other countries who might want to invest in B.C. So what was so different about this trip? Well, it was the people involved I guess. You had the premier of B.C., an Asian billionaire and a Chinese realtor, all larger than life and daily fodder for the newspapers. What were they doing together? The newspapers had a grand time with it all and called us The Three Stooges. The problem was one of us who was promoting himself, shouldn’t have been.

After lunch, there was a brief meeting in the Premier’s office.

“I’m only here to serve tea,” announced Lillian. Everyone seemed to be in damage control, including Lillian. In my opinion, she shouldn’t have been in the premier’s office at all. After lunch, we were supposed to go and see a banker about opening a bank for Tan Yu, but we spent the rest of the afternoon driving around Victoria being chased by the media who were in hot pursuit of what they deemed a possibly scandalous story. We tried to lose them but were unsuccessful and ended up driving back to the ferry for the short trip home.

Real estate was becoming to our generation what drugs had become to the hippies in the 1960s, a whole generation of kids living under the radar out of the eye of the establishment and loving every minute of it. These were normal middle class kids who had found a way to live together and survive in the real world and the straight world was baffled at how they could do it. They didn’t have much money they all lived together in communal houses. The straight world never had the feelings that the hippies did so they couldn’t figure it out just as people who weren’t into buying real estate couldn’t figure out what it was all about for a long time. Those of us buying real estate for a living or for an investment were not on their radar so we could fly around to wherever almost unnoticed by the average guy. We didn’t talk about it to anyone except those who were in our sphere of influence but we always had to have our fix, just one more property, just one more house, just one more condo everyday this went on just like the life of a junkie and Vander Zalm was hooked but he wasn’t a 388

licensed realtor.

The next day we were off again with Vander Zalm as the chauffeur.

“I don’t want to risk anyone overhearing what we’re doing,” he told me. “I want to show Tan Yu some property that is for sale called Colony Farm. It’s out

by Riverview in Coquitlam,” he said. He had several properties in mind that he wanted to get Tan Yu to buy and then Vander Zalm would develop them all as part of Asia World Canada. Fantasy Gardens would be the showpiece, and Vander Zalm would be the president. “The properties are all governmentowned but as premier, I can get them all at a low price,” he said.

You can’t buy large tracts of land today. The government has been pumping houses out on to the market like LSD all over the east and the west side of Vancouver. Their conviction is messianic; condos, towers, commercial property, houses on the street are all unaffordable but what about on a lane? Laneway houses have become its secret new way to make money. The people who are buying them can’t afford a house but they want to feel like they own their own house so they are perfect, computer apartments I call them. Everything is miniature the seats, the table, the bed but there is always a place for a computer.

Everyone should be able to have their own house so there you go but in miniature and it seems to be working at least for the time being, the city is making more in taxes, the homeowners are making more off the value of their property and the renters of the laneway houses are being screwed with big rents but who cares they were being screwed with the big rents of houses before laneway houses but at least now it feels more personal.

Tan Yu wanted to buy the Petro Canada Station lot on the corner of Steveston and Number 4 Road.

“I want to talk to the owners myself, and buy them all at a low price and then FLIP them to Tan Yu,” Vander Zalm told me. There were also two tracts of land adjacent to Fantasy Gardens at the back that Vander Zalm wanted. It didn’t occur to him that he was circumventing me (cutting me out of the deal.

He wanted to do my job). He was starting to get too greedy, and he wasn’t offering the owners fair market value for their land. “I’m the premier,” he said. “I’m entitled to buy the land at a lower price.”

What is fair market value these days? Houses around Metro Vancouver 389

and especially on the Vancouver east and west side have been flipped so many times, that the government has set tax assessments at what each house will potentially sell for in ten years, speculative marketing which makes it difficult for homeowners to afford the taxes therefore keeping a steady supply of houses entering the market each year. That’s another reason why laneway houses seem to work on a completely different level for both the government and the homeowner. As well, they make those renting a laneway house feel like they can actually afford a house and therefore feel that they are doing alright in this crazy, over-the-top real estate market called Vancouver. Dear mom, we found a house, finally. It is small but that’s okay and there isn’t a very big yard but we don’t have far to walk to get to where our car is parked. It has two levels and that is nice and while there isn’t a lot of room, we’re finally on our own. It’s better than our college days living in a house with several different people. We’re finally on our own and self-sufficient, living the good life in Vancouver.

The following day we all boarded a yacht behind the Bayshore and headed for Sechelt.

“There’s one more property I want to show Tan Yu,” Vander Zalm said. “It’s up in Sechelt.” When we returned, Vander Zalm said to me, “Wasn’t that nice of the owners to let us have this yacht for the day.”

“What do you mean?” I said, “I had to pay for it because you don’t have any money.” He shrugged it off and left for a wedding he said he needed to attend.

My day always began very early. I was always organized because there was always so much to do. The sun would come pouring in through the kitchen window and I would be off to the office while Dean was still having his morning tea. I pretty much had to do everything because Dean was still not very well. There were always people to meet and things to organize and now with this big sale pending I needed to be sure Vander Zalm was on top of everything that Tan Yu wanted. There were flowers to be sent to the airport for when Tan Yu’s daughter Emilia arrived, Tan Yu wanted newspaper coverage of the official signing of the sale papers and he wanted it all to be a big deal so he could impress the shareholders of his companies back home. After all, he was meeting with the premier of Canada and he had just bought the premier’s big property, all front page news in Manila so everything had to be just right and it was up to me to hold it all together so I had to be on the ball.

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Official signing ceremony of the completion of the sale of Fantasy Gardens by owner Premier Vander Zalm to Taiwanese billionaire Tan Yu.Vander Zalm’s three high priced lawyers are standing in the back at the left behind Lillian, September 7, 1990.

But things went side ways, after the official signing ceremony on September 7, 1990, the lawyers for Vander Zalm returned to the Bayshore and said, “We can’t register Fantasy Gardens because it’s over 5 million” (30). I couldn’t believe it! “The deal’s off,” they said. There they were all three of them, very high priced senior lawyers, all wearing fancy suits and they didn’t know how to put the deal through? Something was wrong! Then, they walked out the door and headed off down the hall to leave the Bayshore. I ran out after them and shouted, “Come back. I’ll show you how to do it.” Vander Zalm and Lillian were both there, so they had to comply. I could see they weren’t happy. It was in their eyes.

I never could figure that one out. I explained to them to put the money in escrow and then reapply at the registry office. How could these high-priced senior lawyers not know how to do something so simple? It took me a long time to figure it out, but I finally did. They were trying to scuttle the deal because they were anticipating problems. No sale, no problems!

I had spent a lot of time and money putting this deal together and I wasn’t going to let it fall apart now. There seemed to be a monster lurking in the background, one that didn’t want this deal to go through. It didn’t care about what 391

we had put into getting the deal signed, the travelling, the hoops I had to jump through to get his entourage over to Vancouver, the costs we had incurred no all it cared about was itself, self-preservation. It saw danger ahead as a result of the past month and where the media and the opposition party was going and the easiest way it could figure out to make the danger go away and not have to deal with it on any level was to stop the sale. The lawyers were all hired by the Social Credit Party so it was easy to figure out who the monster was lurking in the background. The monster didn’t seem to really care about its golden boy either or at least it certainly didn’t put him before itself. He was dispensable but the party that was another thing.

Vander Zalm should have told the media the truth: the money was in escrow.

Instead, he said, “It’s none of your business, go away,” is what he told the media when they asked him why the sale was not registered. He was his own worst enemy, and he shot himself in the foot. The media did some further digging and discovered that Vander Zalm still owned eighty-three percent of the shares of Fantasy Gardens (after he had insisted they had been transferred to his wife Lillian when he became premier). It wasn’t long, before the opposition started giving him a bad time as well and calling for a public inquiry. Finally, Vander Zalm gave in and appointed, Ted Hughes, to conduct a public inquiry. Mr. Hughes had been a judge and was an honorable man and took the appointment seriously.

Vander Zalm felt sure that he would be exonerated because he had appointed Mr. Hughes and he had called for the inquiry himself but it didn’t go that way.

After six months and twenty-nine interviews, Mr. Hughes declared (referring to Vander Zalm), “You’re guilty of Breach of Trust and Public Office,” and Vander Zalm was forced to resign on April 4, 1991.

So the sale went through amyway but the premier lost his job. Where did that leave his vision for the future and his role in it? His vision was still firmly in place within his inner circle and the thing for them to do should have been to sever ties with him as he had become political dynamite but remember when you are talking prophet and an ethical prophet at that, the ties that bind the prophet to his disciples is a strong one and don’t follow the conventional rules of the masses. Everything seemed out of focus and the movie of our lives had taken a sudden dramatic turn. We had gotten this far and done the impossible 392

we sold Fantasy Gardens when no one else had been able to so we would have to wait and see how this whole thing played out. We didn’t have very long to wait.

WHAT HAPPENED WAS A BIG DEAL “Yes, sir, I remember that day like it was yesterday,” said the little guys on the street. “We couldn’t believe our ears when we heard that our very own Faye Leung brought down the government and single-handedly changed B.C. politics forever, or at least that’s what the newspapers said. We didn’t like him and Lillian anyway. They were too polished, like the plastic figures at the top of a wedding cake. If you didn’t believe what he told you out of one side of his mouth, he would say to you something different out of the other side.” If the truth be known he brought himself down but what did the papers know? They didn’t even know about MONSTER houses until a couple of years ago. If they’d asked us we would have told them. But newspapers are only interested in the middle class. Faye could have told them about monster houses. She built the first one, 6,000 square feet, for herself back in 1965 in Oakridge. Anyway, it doesn’t matter because newspapers are on the way out. Us little guys on the street have our own paper now. It’s called the internet.

The sale had already cost us a staggering $100,000 US so we needed to get my commission and the syndicate’s commission as soon as possible. We had invested a lot into the sale not only in money but also in our time and enNewspaper cartoon after the trial.

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ergy. Dean was worn out from being in the warm weather in S.E. Asia which he shouldn’t have been according to his doctor. I had also found the Vander Zalm’s acreage in Ladner so they could move out of their tiny loft in Fantasy Gardens, it would be much more fitting for them given who they were dealing with in the sale. It wasn’t cheap around 12 million so I was still doing everything I could to make things work out for everyone.

I was in Taiwan when the Hughes Enquiry came out. I had to fly back to Taiwan to answer to the syndicate. Vander Zalm held the mortgage for Tan Yu and as premier that too was illegal but life goes on. While I was in Southeast Asia, I signed a contract for China to send fish to a processing plant in eastern Canada on Mi’kmaq land. Dean and I also always tried to stop in Hawaii either going or coming from Asia. There was forty-five acres of oysters in Pender Harbour and Seth Lau in Hawaii was interested in them. They wanted fresh salmon and oysters, so I sent them the salmon. That’s how we managed to set up some trade with Hawaii as well. I could have bought a condo on Maui for $17,000 back then. I sure wish we had.

Nothing was totally out front regarding what was about to happen. Lots of secrets, lots of guilt, lots of jealousies, everyone putting others down for any Faye arriving at the court house in downtown Vancouver in a chauffeur driven limousine for the first day of the trial. The limousine was supplied to her by a well wishing supporter.

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reason- total chaos – What was about to take place and had took place was about to become as public as it could. We would find out we were all mortals and some would not survive, everyone was offended, accusations, conspiracies, corruption – everything.

Vander Zalm’s issues weren’t over yet, and mine were just beginning. After he resigned, the RCMP brought a criminal Breach of Public Trust case against him and I was summoned to be their star witness.

“You’re front and centre,” Vander Zalm’s lawyers said to me at the trial.

Vander Zalm was eventually exonerated but I was beaten up beyond recognition. It’s only now after writing this book and one all on the sale of Fantasy Gardens that I see more clearly what happened.

Everything may have been bugged, I don’t know but there was a lot of suspicious behavior going on surrounding his lawyers, lots of back room meetings and talking between Social Credit Party members who were trying to find out as much about me as possible. It was like a war zone and I was in the middle of it. What had I done? I only tried to help the poor guy out but the tables had turned and now all the fingers were pointing directly at me. I learned later that many people, family and friends were contacted by his lawyers or loyal party members all trying to dig up dirt on me and seeing if they wanted to be part of a lawsuit against me.

Vander Zalm’s lawyers came to see me and asked me questions before the trial.

“I don’t know much about Faye Leung,” Vander Zalm told the media, “I’d like to know more.” WRONG! We had known each other for years and had been seen together in public many times. His lawyers all coached me on what to say in court and I was a witness for the prosecution. Why was I being coached

by Vander Zalm’s lawyers?

“I think I’m being set up,” I said to my good friend Gordon Dowding one day. He was there as a lawyer representing the syndicate in Taiwan. “They’re only asking me what they want to hear. It’s all aimed at discrediting me,” I told Gordon, “to get the premier off.” Vander Zalm was on trial for using his public office for his private business. The syndicate had still not been paid their commission by Vander Zalm’s lawyers for their part in the Fantasy Gardens sale nor had I. Everyone seemed to have freaked out even my loyalist of friends. When you start to feel the whole world is against you and you aren’t safe anywhere 395

anymore you become as paranoid as HELL, except it wasn’t paranoia it was really happening and the GLOW GIRL was being attacked from all sides. This is control tower clear the runway the law society meanies are coming out of the woodwork and infiltrating every part of my being. It was far worse than CHINATOWN NEON DUST this was CHINATOWN NEON DUST on steroids and it was affecting the guardians of the establishment, the ones that pulled the strings and said whether you go straight to jail or you don’t go straight to jail, this was serious tampering with the justice system so you couldn’t tell the good guys from the bad guys.

I had money in an account in Granville Savings to pay the mortgage on our house, but this money mysteriously disappeared. When I couldn’t make my mortgage payment, the bank ordered the sale of our home, our beautiful oasis that we had worked so hard to create. I feel the lawyers stole our house and another lawyer misappropriated my funds from Granville Savings. I feel I know who did it but I won’t name names. One reason was they all had lost their perks but there was a lot more to it than just that.

The law society meanies were on the march like Sherman through Georgia with their court orders, nothing was safe. It was like a bad dream and I kept waiting for someone to wake me up or at least tell me what to do. By nightfall we were in our home but we weren’t safe. We couldn’t even think about the sale by this time the drug that usually kept us all going, because our personal space was being invaded. It was like we were wired at 33 rpm and the rest of the world was wired at 78 rpm and we couldn’t understand a thing anyone was saying. WE tried to look for connections between our old realty which was what we saw around us and the soundtrack we were hearing from the lawyers.

It forced our minds to reach further out into never never land to find some meaning between the two vastly different experiences. All around us we could see our possessions that we had painstakingly worked so hard for and gathered up on our many trips around the world and then this guy comes to our door with no papers and says, we’re taking everything.

A young man appeared at our door one evening and sat on a chair in our living room overnight guarding everything in our house until a truck rolled up the next morning and hauled it all away. All the belongings in our house and garage were seized and sold at auction - all our priceless antiques along with all our household items.

“They took everything. Not just our things but our son’s things as well,” I 396

said to Dean. “This is awful. Our sons didn’t do anything. It isn’t fair.” I went and pleaded with one of the lawyers who had announced our merchandise was going to be auctioned off at United Auction in Richmond and he said, “I’ll hold off until you come up with some cash to repurchase it,” but he didn’t. My doctor went to the auction and spent her own money buying back some of my furniture and paintings which I later gave to her. There are questions in my mind whether it was even a court-ordered seizure.

It was a nightmare. They didn’t show us any papers when they came to our home. It appeared as though it was all illegal. I realize now I should have called the police, but I wasn’t thinking clearly and I was in shock.

The true message! Everything derived from the sale of Fantasy Gardens.

When the lawyers couldn’t make the sale go away, they knew I was going to be a problem so they set out to ruin me and my family financially, morally and in any other way they could. I am sure they would have been happy if I had had had had a stroke or something. To believe any of this really happened to me and my family you have to understand what the sale going through meant. It meant that the newspapers and the opposition party would continue to go after the premier which they did ending in his resignation. But now there was something else to deal with a Social Credit premier was now charged with a criminal offence. Lots of things that happened around this time which seemed separate were starting to merge until they painted a picture of a party in free fall. A party who had put the word out to all its members that they were needed in a call to arms so they all began to breathe in unison, get Faye, get Faye until they became just one big breath, a huge rippling harmonic wave working in unison. Each member had a role to play from the most important to the smallest and even the most personal until they all flowed together.

THE GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL BEGINS. On the first day of the Vander Zalm trial, the judge called all the lawyers into his chamber.

“I can’t believe what I just heard,” Gordon Dowding said to me afterward.

The judge said, “I’m not going to help Faye Leung, and I don’t want any of you to help her either.” the problems we were facing were all illegally done and politically motivated,” and he was right. They destroyed us financially. Gordon said to me, “Remember, a politician is a politician first and a friend second.” Gordon was so right in summing up politicians. When the government fell many lawyers who were on its payroll lost their perks and blamed me.

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This side of the Vander Zalm experience I didn’t like. Most experiences in life can be explained by cause and effect but some cannot. The unconscious mind can perceive things that the conscious mind can miss. There were a lot of things happening that my conscious mind couldn’t make any sense out of such as lawsuits coming at me from everywhere out of the blue. I was not only involved in the Vander Zalm trial but several others that seemed to pop up coincidentally all at this time. I’ll never forget one that really hurt me called Highpoint because it was brought against me by Dean’s brother. Family is supposed to all be a part of a larger pattern in the universe and be as one but he was always jealouswas always jealous of Dean and me even after I had paid his way over from China and got him a job. It seems the lawyers had gotten to him and convinced him to start a lawsuit gainst me which if he won would bring him great rewards. None of the lawsuits filed against me at that time had any merit and were all phony designed to make me look like a corrupt business woman in the eyes of the court. If you have several lawsuits pending it doesn’t look good when you are trying to establish character in the eyes of a judge.

They tried to turn family and friends against me and were successful in a few cases.

Then more. The lawyer I had hired said he had to quit. He told me, Photographers waiting outside Faye’s house each morning during the trial.

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“Someone from the government called and said I would lose my ICBC registry number if I continued to represent you.” The story he told the newspapers was somewhat different. “Faye won’t give me the proper papers, so I have to quit.” I now know it’s illegal for a lawyer to walk away from his client and leave them without representation, but I didn’t know that back then. I was very naive. I hired another lawyer and then another and another. The papers said she’s sure going through a lot of lawyers. But they were all trying to discredit me. Someone in the government called them all. Eventually, a lawyer said he would represent me, but he just took my money and didn’t help me at all. They all seemed to me to be in it together, the lawyers. They ruined me and my family financially, socially and personally. People whom I had known in business and personal acquaintances all shunned me as well. Nobody would help except Joe Segal and Joe Cohen. Joe Segal gave me 2000 dollars to help me get by, and Joe Cohen gave me 500 dollars. That was a lot of money in those days. Bless them both.

Luckily, the doors of perception finally opened to me for an instant and I was able to see what was going on. There was a whole other pattern working against me and I was stuck in it for the moment. In such situations there is no such thing as free will. You can indulge in a competition to change the pattern but sometimes it is better to just ride it out. I was trapped for the moment. But I was beginning to see the larger pattern and move towards it. Go with the flow and accept what comes, rise above the immediate danger and try to deal with it by accepting the larger pattern and try to change things by putting your efforts efforts into where it will do the most good, not bang your head against the wall.

The media can work for us, or it can work against us. The little guy on the street seeing me beaten up daily on the news on TV by all these high priced lawyers rallied behind me.

“You can’t do this to our Faye,” they said. “She’s a legend. She has a legacy.

You’ll never break her,” and they didn’t. “Vander Zalm was completely outclassed by our Faye. Even with all the lawyers and all the newspapers on his side, he’s still no match.” Soon I became a media star which the lawyers didn’t like.

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Everyone who knew me, including my friends in the establishment, seemed to forget about all the positive things I had done for them. Because of the beautiful hats I wore to court each day I became known across Canada as THE HAT LADY in the media, loved by my faithful followers but shunned by the establishment. To this day neither I nor the syndicate in Taiwan has ever received a penny of the commission due to us from the sale of Fantasy Gardens which eventually went through for US14.5 million dollars.

Eventually, I began to experience a higher level of reality, a perception of the timelessness of it all. Everything that happened to me and my family could be better understood in the moment. The notion that everything is separate in time is false and things need to play themselves out for us to really understand them. Everything is part of a pattern and don’t just have naïve faith in events.

The moment of realization is what is important the book of NOW, the I CHING in Chinese. It is also called the BOOK OF CHANGES. It consists of 64 readings that will answer all your questions about life. It involves throwing three coins and how they fall is highly significant to the moment. If my problems could only have been answered in a book, how simple life would be.

THE GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL continued until ------ when the judge brought down his verdict as to whether Vander Zalm had used his public office for his private business. By this time, I had no fixed address (my house had been sold), no place of employment (I had previously signed my businesses over to my brother Moody), no savings (my accounts were raided), no valuables (they were sold at auction) and there were several active lawsuits on the books that had not yet been proven to be without merit. Vander Zalm’s defense was that he had been coerced by an unscrupulous, down on her luck, Asian realtor into using his public office to sell Fantasy Gardens when he really didn’t want to, to her Asian friends overseas in order to make herself a bunch of money and get out of the financial situation she was in. His lawyers and others did a really good job of making me look bad. MLA David Emerson a Vander Zalm insider said I didn’t even have a current real estate license. This I know for a fact because I overheard him telling this to someone in the premier’s office in Government House when we had lunch with David Lam. I had been a realtor since 1956. If my license had expired it was because someone in the 400

government cancelled it to make me look bad. Emerson had been gathering dirt on me since way back in April 1990 and said so in his interview with Ted Hughes which is now all on the public record which Vander Zalm confirmed in his Hughes interview. Remember, no one knew anything about the things Dean and I had done as I have told you about for this book because it had not yet been written down. I wasn’t allowed to defend myself in court and could only answer his lawyer’s questions which were all one word answers. If I tried to say anything more, the judge would find me in contempt of court. It was a sad situation and a travisty of justice.

What happened to me, I know now, was all about discrediting the prosecution’s star witness, so the premier would not be found guilty. It would be bad for the party if their premier were convicted, so they made sure I took the rap.

I became the scapegoat but it was also about the changing times and a party that was on its way out trying desperately to survive. I represented the changing times. I was Chinese, a woman, and a businesswoman and they were punishing me for that. They couldn’t change what I had done and all the publicity I had received. My predicament just made the legend of Dean and Faye, for the little guy on the street at least, even stronger. To this day, I can’t go out in public without someone recognizing me and asking me, “Aren’t you Faye?” They remember, and that was thirty years ago. It’s quite amazing! All the hatred and discrimination that had built up in many people in the establishment over many decades as their world changed just spilled over. Bigotry and racism doesn’t disappear overnight. It waits silently within people waiting for a chance to manifest itself once again. I was in the WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME. “Crazy, for thinking that you could be trusted I was crazy for trying and crazy for crying And crazy for believing in you” 32.

But we were in the RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME when it became our destiny to be a part of a great awakening in the Far East. It had been a unique journey around the world before arriving at our final destination.

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What began as a single journey grew into a profound quest to unite two countries both economically and culturally. My happiness came from the realization of dreams, dreams that would over time become reality until both countries would become major players on the world stage. The day would soon come when we both would exchange everything outwardly and inwardly simultaneously and I would be recognized for my role as a major player in both countries. Just like I had done in my youth I was still playing the leading role in another play, in another act, in another scene, on another stage in the movie of my life but this time it would be for the biggest audience I could have ever imagined and they all loved me.

In 1992, Dean and I received an invitation from the Asia Pacific Foundation to go to Kelowna as guests of the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission. Ken Danchuk the Director introduced us at the meeting: “Today we are focusing on learning how to do better business with Hong Kong. It’s strange that in 1992 we in Kelowna should be at the forefront of those few who recognize the significance of achieving more productive relationships with this world-leading economy and its people. I refer of course to communist China. There are others who started long ago to lead Canadians in this task. Their foresight and hard work have paid high dividends for us in British Columbia. In the last three years, 16,113 Hong Kong residents have obtained immigration to B.C. Many of these immigrants have been business people. In 1991 they brought in a great deal of money, each averaging approximately 2 million as investors and approximately 1 million as entrepreneurs.

For anyone to accomplish bringing this kind of investment to Canada requires understanding everything from banking needs to cultural needs. There are few better qualified to do this than our special luncheon guests. It gives me great pleasure to introduce true leaders of this program for Canada and B.C., Faye and Dean Leung.”

I should have held a briefing with the newspapers to bring them up to date on everything I had accomplished in my life before Vander Zalm. We could have met somewhere for dinner, I didn’t have a house anymore or I would have invited them over but anywhere would do. We could have gone out onto the back lawn and sat around a fire very casually and I could have told them 402

about my life. They could have asked me questions about this and that subject for discussion. On one level it could have been like summer camp when boogey men only lurked in the imagination of youth, everything smelling outdoorsy and wholesome with bugs and all. Yet the topics open for discussion would have been anything but at the summer camp level. The topics would all be about mine and Dean’s accomplishments going back to the 1950s starting with maybe the freeway through Chinatown. This could lead into heavier topics like what we did in the 1960s in housing, banking and immigration and how what we did affects the people of today, cause and effect. It would be the movie of our lives played out for all to hear. But I guess my summer camp days are over because I discovered there really are big bad boogey men lurking in the dark after all!

I received a call from Peter C. Newman also in 1992, the editor of McLean’s Magazine and the author of several essential books on Canadian history and the Canadian business establishment. He was living in Deep Cove and wanted me to sell his house. He asked me to come out and see him and to bring along some of my diaries and scrapbooks, so I did. After he had a look through them, he said, “This Vander Zalm spectacle has completely overshadowed all the good work you did previously.” Mr. Newman was right in his assessment. He also offered to write the Foreword to my book, if I ever got it printed. I am happy I was finally able to take him up on his offer, years later.

But no one wants to keep watching the movie of their life play over and over.

You can’t be creative if you are always thinking in the past. I needed to get back into the present after all the problems. My problem wasn’t so much to escape the movie of my life which was really just reruns by now, my problems were more psychological. Those are the worst. Your emotions get left behind and your mind races on. My emotions were stuck in my problems. Everything was bottled up inside me. I was still alive inside but I needed to get my emotions out in front again so everything worked in unison once more.

On Tuesday, August 11, 1992, I was asked to be the keynote speaker at the Rotary meeting at the Coast Westerly Hotel. It was an opportunity for me to present my ideas about developing Canada’s economy at the international 403

level.

“We must make our industries beneficial not only in the far east but both ways,” I said. About this time a Faye Leung Fan Club was established with the motto being, “to promote friendship, goodwill, economic development and have some fun.” The citizens of B.C. encouraged me to get back on my horse and ride back into my lifelong work of promoting B.C. and aiding local businesses in international markets.

Somebody starts talking about Tiananmen Square and how someone stood in front of a tank and wouldn’t move and how they were shooting the kids when they weren’t doing anything but protesting peacefully. Everyone jumps on board on the side of the students and starts saying how poorly the army responded shooting everyone and I speak up, “Yeah, yeah, yeah that’s all part of the movie of my life. I was there and I know what happened and then it became clear to me without anyone telling me – I had to go back! It was a part of the movie of my life, not theirs they all have their own movie that they are trapped in but they don’t know they’re trapped they just keep running reruns over and over and stop writing the script. I had a script to finish; I knew what I had to do!

China reopened its doors again in October 1993. No foreign business travelers received invitations to visit China during the years following Tiananmen Square. Dean and I and son number one jumped at the chance to go back after all the problems we were having here at home. We were both worn out. We took my friend and businessman Dan Roy from Kelowna. It turned out to be a significant trip and a wise decision. The Chinese government appointed us Commissioner-General and Ambassador-General from Canada, responsible for economic development worldwide and in China.

Dean’s movie and mine was the same most of the time but he grew up a powerful figure in his village. He was educated, a scholar, a playwright and an orator of plays who had to break out from where he had come from and he became very successful in his early movie but discovered he still needed to search for greener pastures. To see him now all huddled up in our home was getting on my nerves – why? – I needed to get him back out doing what he loved and get him out of the bad trip movie he had fallen into.

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I insisted Dean go with me to China, but boy this Vander Zalm fiasco was harder on him than I realized. I thought this trip to China would pick him right back up, but he seemed to be getting more tired than ever. I was doing well. I always did well, but Dean still worried about me. You’d think he would have stopped worrying, but I always wanted to go off somewhere. I received the rights to promote the internet for Shanxi Province. They wanted me to be their representative. If I could sell it, I could make a lot of money. I received a lot of offers. I wished the Canadian government was more interested in doing business with mainland China. I didn’t want to go too far away from Dean because I was worried about him. I was concerned about his health. He had fun making speeches, though, on this trip. It was just like the old days when our home in Vancouver was like Grand Central Station.

Our son Dana’s movie was always called SUCCESS! Everyone has a dream and the lucky ones are able to see that dream become a reality. A young man does well in his home town only to suffer hardship when world conditions change for the worse. He travels to California, meets the beautiful blond girl Faye with China, Shanxi Province Governor Zheng Wei Qing at the Shanxi “2 Festival in 1,” Economic Trade Symponium. Honored guests: Faye and Dean Leung and son Dana, tycoon Dan Roy. Faye signed “letters of memorandum agreements” with Shanxi Province Electricity and many industries. Government directors (L) Tian (R) Ma. Happy business times! October 1, 1993.

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of his dreams, they marry and have a son and he becomes quite successful. He is living the good life doing whatever it is he does, travelling the world but we seldom get to see him. What were we thinking of? We should see him more.

Well, it wasn’t our fault exactly it’s just the way life is sometimes.

On this trip, our hotel room in Shanxi was like Grand Central Station.

“The hallway and both rooms are full. Where should I seat them? They’re waiting in lines to see you mom,” our son rushed in and said to me while I was signing some contracts. We insisted Dana come along with us so we could all spend some time together. Our hotel room was always full of high government ment officials and directors of industry. The overflow went out into the hallway to await a meeting with me as soon as possible. There were many two-way opportunities for economic development and lots of meetings and banquets. We were given the VIP treatment as usual.

I was always coaxing everyone along to try and make the experience as big as it could be and bigger than before, a bigger movie, a bigger starring role, more action always changing the location from one county to the next and from one city to another. As usual there was a big scene unfolding and to think I might have missed it had I not gone to just one place. I was back in the moment and loving every minute of it. I was back in my world and I was in control again or at least so I thought.

In Shanxi, I was on TV. We were being interviewed live at various official signing ceremonies. People were lined up behind me from several parts of the province and multiple cities. I signed agreements for everything from heavy industry and natural resources and made deals concerning equipment, small Faye with Ban On Min, PLArmy (in uniform) Director of Shanxi business division #3 Unit.(Far right) Wang Gee Kuo, GM of the Shanxi #3 Unit business division. PLArmy was asked to search for Faye when Ban On Min saw her on TV in China, 1993.

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appliances, wine, coal, sulphur, iron ore, and even toilets. We were on national television a lot. Wang Zee Guo, GM of the Shanxi #3 Unit business division, PL Army was told to look for me at my hotel. His superior saw me on TV and knew I was in China, so they wanted to do some business deals with me.

Once I had made the breakthrough my emotions and my mind were as one and I was now again in control of the movie of my life. It’s like playing the piano and everything is going a mile a minute and it sounds wonderful yet you have never even heard of the song before but your fingers know exactly where to go. When you reach that point in anything then you are back in control and everyone knows it.

We visited a mountain whose name I forget. They wanted to build a chairlift on it. I didn’t know where they were going. Before climbing the hill they took us to a unique restaurant for lunch.

“How was lunch?” I asked my business associate Dan Roy. “Loved it,” he said. “Well, I guess he liked dog meat.”

Dean and I were feeling our old selves again and along with that comes the feeling of immunity that we will go on forever. There was still so much to do and so many people to meet. A lot of this feeling of immunity often came from the people we were dealing with in China. While they were not on the right side in Tiananmen Square, we still did business with everyone so we felt no threats politically speaking. The army game was something I was always involved in ever since my first trip in 1980.

In Beijing, I met up again with General Wang from the People’s Liberation Army. He was happy I had called him and sighed with relief. He had been ordered by higher-ups to locate Faye Leung, “She’s the only one who can coordinate between industry, business and economic development for our PLA projects,” he said. He was in a panic because he had not seen me since our sudden departure before the Tiananmen Square massacre on June 4, 1989. Dan Roy couldn’t stop talking about this incident.

I enjoyed working with the army. They were always very cordial and very appreciative of my abilities and my intellect. Things would eventually change though as the present President Xi would clamp down on corruption and many of the organizations in China which had been more autonomous came 407

increasingly under the control of Beijing as it tried to stamp out corruption in its ranks. But for now, I enjoyed working with them until it was finally time for us to leave.

We stopped in Taiwan on our return trip home. I took Dan to visit the Grand Hotel where we had stayed on previous trips in 1964 and 1981. As we reached the grand lobby area with its marvelous counter, I started telling Dan all about the hotel. Someone overheard my voice, and the high executive and staff all came running out to greet me. We couldn’t believe it. Dan couldn’t stop talking about this one either. I managed to take a walk out to the balcony at the back of the hotel. It was evening so I looked up and saw all the stars once again in the deep blue sky. I looked over to where the stars had met the end of the pier in 1981 and sure enough they met again forming what still looked like a pathway to heaven. But this time something was different. The pathway was much brighter and it now looked like a STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN. “And as we wind on down the road Our shadows taller than our soul There walks a lady we all know Who shines white light and wants to show How everything still turns to gold And if you listen very hard The tune will come to you at last When all are one and one is all To be a rock and not to roll” 33.

Time to go! It was a two-month trip, and we arrived back in Vancouver at the end of October.”

“So, they remembered you from 1981.”

“Yessssssssss, isn’t that amazing?”

We had a great time in China. After all the excitement of meeting General Wang again, the trip to the mountain, visiting Shanxi province, continual meetings from dawn to dusk, contracts for sulphur, iron ore, even toilets, being on TV – the whole freaking economic development scene and I played it just the 408

way it was scripted as I saw it as the greatest adventure in the world. Dan Roy claimed I was a superstar. Even our son Dana was impressed by his good old mom. I claimed it was all in a day’s work for me. Being in China was always a madhouse with photo ops, TV appearances, meetings, meetings, meetings you had to be ready for every weird thing in the world that might come your way, it was like a Chinese version of my life back home in the sixties when we were always on the go and I loved every freaking minute of it.

We’re now back in Vancouver, let’s fast forward to the last Saturday before Christmas 1993. We hadn’t gone dancing for a while.

“Do you want to go down to the Hotel Vancouver and go dancing,” I asked Dean.

“Why do you think I’m dressed up,” he replied. We’d been away a long time and it was getting close to Christmas. I rushed downtown and bought Dean a cashmere vest at Holt Renfrew. I was paying for the item when somehow my mouth replied wrongly to the cashier, “This is the last day.” Of course, I meant the last Saturday before Christmas. I felt bad saying an omen before Christmas. That evening we went to “the Roof,” at the top of the Hotel Vancouver.

Even though we had just been around lots and lots of people in China, we always craved company. We were at our happiest when we were with other people. So when we got back we longed to return to our favorite past time the old dance game that offered no more excitement than waltzing around a dance floor in each other’s loving embrace. We never knew who might show up or appear and this time we had a surprise waiting for us.

Dean and I enjoyed the music. We danced happily and joyfully. The staff was all excited to see us because we had been away in China. They gave us a bottle of wine. Dean took some photos out of his pocket for me to sign.

“Emilio got the Blue Danube Waltz and rewrote it especially for dear Dean,” Jamie told me (Jamie and Emilio played at the top of the Hotel Vancouver for years). “Yours is truly a love story,” Jamie said. “I enjoy watching you both dance every dance cheek to cheek. You are very special.”

“Be sure and tell Emilio thanks for the Blue Danube,” I told Jamie.

They played our favorites: our favorite tango, La Paloma and then the Blue 409

The Last Waltz at the Roof in the Hotel Vancouver.

Danube at 12:35, just as we were preparing to leave. Dean got up smiled and held out his hand to me as we made our way on to the crowded dance floor.

But the whole thing was just too much. We weren’t kids anymore. The Commissioner-General and Ambassador-General from Canada, responsible for economic development worldwide and in China, back home were still just Faye and Dean to the locals. The newspapers back home never came to interview us because we never told them how we were treated in China. Our work in China was never really made public and for now that was just the way we wanted it.

We wanted to fly around under the radar after all the notoriety of the past few years and to be left alone so at home we could continue to just be Faye and Dean.

Dean always the gentleman, so thoughtfully and carefully maneuvered around the dance floor as he led me through our favorite tango. Because he 410

was so thoughtful, we never bumped into people. He was always a gentleman dancer.

“This is your favorite tango,” I said as we tangoed. Dean sang along to the tune of La Paloma. It was very crowded.

“We should move to the corner of the dance floor to get some exercise,” Dean said. Then they played the beautiful Blue Danube our favorite that Emilio had just arranged especially for us.

The evening couldn’t have been better at least in terms of being together.

Accusing someone of being someone they aren’t, is like saying “Didn’t I see you in China? I might have gotten accused of corrupting the army for my own personal gain, a modern Mata Hari or a spy. Once it’s in the press, people will believe anything, as we found out. I would never stop trying to bring our two countries closer together on an economical and cultural level and hopefully Dean would still be my side for a long time to come.

Dean gave me one of his great big smiles and led us into a Viennese waltz.

Dean had his unique style and let me dance like a butterfly around him gracefully while he stayed in one place and conserved his energy. Many people copied but never equaled our movements. As I waltzed around, I saw his shoes and feet were not moving very much. I couldn’t look up to see his face because I was going too fast. Then Dean escorted me off the dance floor as the music played on. As soon as we left the dance floor, I asked him if he wanted his medicine.

He patted his chest.

“It’s in my coat pocket,” were his exact words.

He sat down at the first vacant table. I administered the medication and waited for it to take effect. They kept playing the Blue Danube. A couple came over to our table and asked, “How long have you been married?” I replied, “Over forty years.

“A long time!” added Dean.

“How do you do it?” the couple asked.

“You work at it with love, deep love,” I said. Dean raised his right arm to allow his hand to touch his forehead and closed his eyes. The Blue Danube was still playing, our favorite waltz.

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But our days of travelling the world together in a golden rice bowl were at an end so it wasn’t meant to be. After all we had accomplished together, after all the good times we had as husband and wife, after all our struggles to help others live a better life, after the bad times we shared with the changing times, world monetary collapses and Dean’s health problems it was now all at an end.

We can all write the script to our lives but we can’t write how it begins or when it will end. Fate is what it is and I should have realized that back at the Grand Hotelin Taipei or maybe I did and didn’t want to acknowledge it. The handsome, intrepid traveler who stole my heart and shared my life for forty years was home to stay.

The end came peacefully. Dean didn’t yell; he didn’t scream, didn’t fall, he just closed his eyes and bit into my right-hand fingers as I tried to open his mouth to administer more medication. I yelled to the couple, “Please, please, pound his chest! Pound his chest!” It was all to no avail. The Blue Danube continued playing until one a.m. It accompanied Dean and I like an old friend, one who seemed to remember the great love we had for each other and the happiness we shared. Whether in good or bad times we always had our respect. Together, we had overcome so many obstacles, achieved so many things and known so much joy. God truly made only one Dean and one Faye Leung.

“I hope life, treats you kind And I hope that you have all That you ever dreamed of And I wish you joy And happiness But above all of this I wish you love And I will always love you I will always love you I will always love you” 34.

We are all trapped in this world by artificial rules. We are ruled by imagi412

nary teachers who brand us with marks for the good things and bad things we do. Everything in life is a commercial. Some will be branded as visionary who gave up the peaceful life to chart new territory for the future. They will graduate from the local stage to the world stage. If the purpose of the Vander Zalm experience was to stamp out government for the people it couldn’t have backfired more completely. There will always be a bright young star glowing on the horizon and we need to always remember those around them and that they didn’t get their on their own. Dean is now free and will always be free of all earthly trappings but it is important to remember that I couldn’t have done what I did without Dean by my side, he was one in a million, my forever lover.

“You had the best of everything in this world. Now you have gone to another world,” Dean’s sister said, during the service at his gravesite. She spoke the truth. Dean was a happy, caring, protective, thoughtful and loving husband. He was also a fantastic dad, grandpa, and uncle to several generations of youngsters. When called upon, Dean always advised many people on how to enrich their lives socially, economically and in terms of family ties. He was a scholar, educator, calligrapher, sportsman, artistic director, and accomplished ballroom dancer. I commissioned a special memorial plaque for Dean, similar to the one made for Elvis Presley. Jack Gordon helped me with it and for this

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Dean’s memorial plaque at Oceanview Cemetary

I thank him from the bottom of my heart.

I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life having dream wars with someone so I knew where my future would be and what would be my future life’s work, although, from time to time our paths crossed as you have read in the Prologue of this book. I would spend the next thirty years carrying on the work I started in China way back in 1980. On all my many trips to China there after, I always took an imaginary lover with me, a very handsome man who looked a little like Robert Taylor. He would keep me company whenever I got lonely and console me when I needed a shoulder to cry on. You see, I knew him once very well and just like Yick Fung from my childhood, I never wanted to let him go. He has never grown older and looks just like I remember him although I have grown much older but that’s what happens when you live as long as I have lived.

Our family announced the establishment of the Dean and Faye Leung Health and Education Foundation. The director was to be Dr. David Li-Lem. “This non-profit entity would cooperate with the Chinese Government to promote medicine and health care. It will focus its efforts on preventive medicine, health care, research and education in Canada.” We were called “the host and hostess with the mostest” for our four decades and more of business and community involvement and many other contributions to the economic and social life of Vancouver.

Countless newcomers to Canada remember Dean as “the man with the big heart” who helped them, get settled. Dean subscribed to a strong moralistic ap approach to family, business and the politics of the land. As he put it, “Strong morals at home extend into the workplace and the political arenas of the country.”

“That’s an amazing story! Sounds like Dean went the way he might have chosen to go.”

“Yes, I think you may be right. We were always happy when we were together dancing.”

“It’s maybe a good thing it didn’t happen while you were still in China.”

“That would have been difficult for sure, although, he might have received a state funeral, who knows.”

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“Who knows, you’re right.”

“How much do you think the Vander Zalm difficulties played in his passing?”

“Oh, I think all the stress from those days weakened his heart substantially.

He wasn’t good before then so that just added to it.”

“It’s ironic how one door closes and another one opens because your focus, correct me if I am wrong, had moved away from your real estate and insurance business to establishing economic ties between Canada and other countries, most importantly China.”

“That’s true, but after Tiananmen Square happened and China closed its doors to foreigners; that stopped. I couldn’t travel there again until 1993, when the doors reopened so I now had a window of opportunity to sell Fantasy Gardens for Premier Vander Zalm.”

“That first meeting with him in his apartment must have been interesting.”

“Oh, it was. We weren’t sure what to make of it. It all happened so out of the blue. I could see right away he was in trouble so I guess my maternal instincts took over and I wanted to help him.”

“So, Dean wasn’t involved in the sale at all.”

“No, he just accompanied me as I put it all together. He was my moral support and my advisor. Two heads are better than one as they say.”

“How long did it take you to come up with your special business plan to sell the Gardens?”

“It took a while. It was a difficult sale. All the elements had to be there and it had to be sold to the right buyer. But without the proper business plan it was just a piece of land with some buildings on it. The plan had to show its potential. There was an educational aspect incorporated into it as well as a commercial side. I envisioned a world theme park with vendors from different countries. It was positioned very well to take advantage of American travelers as well as those from overseas.”

“Why do you think he asked you to sell the property?”

“Well, he knew I had the contacts overseas. To get the money he wanted for it, he knew he needed to sell it to an overseas buyer. Ever since the sale of the Expo lands to Li Kai-Shing, the focus in the province for investments turned 415

to overseas buyers. That was where the money was and they could pay cash but whether they would or not was the million dollar question. Vander Zalm was hoping they would, and pay top dollar.”

“Were you the first realtor he asked to sell the property?”

“Oh heavens no, there had been a few others including Robert Lee as I said, but they couldn’t put the deal together.”

“Why do you think you were successful and they weren’t?”

“I would say a few things. Foremost, my business plan was unique. I spent a lot of time thinking about it and planning how to implement it. Secondly, my contacts, I had a group in Asia that I could easily pull together to buy the property. It depended mostly on whether I could successfully promote it to them.

And thirdly, I would say my tenacity and my penchant for detail.”

“What do you mean you had a group in Asia?”

“They were my long established contacts. They all networked with others across S.E. Asia. I had known many of them for a while. I had known Tan Yu since 1984 and K.Y. Chaing even longer than that.”

“So promoting the property correctly to your contacts was equally important.”

“Oh yes, we had to sell the potential to them. The Premier made it easy though because he wanted us to promote him as well. He gave us lots of promotional material, government pins, cards with his signature on them, books to hand out to our clients. “Tell them they are not only buying Fantasy Gardens,” he said, ‘Tell them they have an open invitation to work with the top guy in Canada.”

“The top guy in Canada?”

“Yes, well you see in S.E. Asia they didn’t even know what B.C. was. All they knew was it was Faye Leung coming from Canada and she was selling the property for the Premier of Canada.”

“So he wanted you to sell him as well.”

“Exactly, he wanted to be as rich as they were one day. He was greedy. He planned on going into business selling properties to rich Asians using his position to gain access to cheap government land.”

“Really, that doesn’t sound above board.”

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“And a conflict of interest I might add.”

“What did you think of that?”

“We didn’t like it but it wasn’t until later on that we found out this is what he was planning. In the beginning, we felt he was the top guy, the Premier of B.C. so he should know what he is doing. We were taught to respect the leader, so we did!”

“That’s fascinating. Here you have the top guy in the government making plans to feather his nest, so to speak, using his position.”

“I don’t know why that should surprise you. It goes on all the time. I already mentioned the liberals were always in the pocket of the developers. Well, the Socreds under Vander Zalm is when it all began in a big way. They were the predecessors to the Liberals.”

“Tan Yu sounds like an interesting character.”

“Oh he was and very smart. He saw through Vander Zalm immediately.”

“Then the big guns stepped in and decided to try to kill the sale.”

“That’s right! There’s no other explanation. They could see trouble ahead which wasn’t good for the party any which way they looked at it.

“But they didn’t count on you being as smart as you were.”

“No, I guess not. They just thought I was a dumb Chinese realtor I guess but they found out different.”

“So what do you think finally did him in?

“He should have told the media the truth that the money was in escrowwhen they asked why the sale had not yet been registered. He shot himself in the foot.

Then all HECK broke loose. The opposition kicked up such a stink that he had to call an enquiry.

“That certainly didn’t go in his favor.”

“You can say that again.”

“I’m sorry about what happened to you next and to your family.

“Thank you, it was very difficult. Nobody should ever have to go through what we went through. We lost everything and even worse so many of my family and friends shunned us from that moment on.”

“Do you think his lawyers got to them?

“Of course they did, it was really bad. Everyone seemed to be against us.

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The lawyers told the media what they wanted everyone to believe and everyone believed it or many did.

“I know for a fact that members of the Social Credit Party were gathering dirt on you.”

“How do you know that?”

“Something you don’t know, Dana emailed me a few months ago and said he had something he wanted to tell me so I arranged a skype meeting with him.”

“He did? He didn’t tell me.”

“No, he didn’t want you to know so it was our secret. This is what he told me. Somebody contacted him from Vancouver around the time of the trial and wanted to know if he had any information regarding you and Vander Zalm that he might want to make known. He offered to put Dana up at the MGM in Vegas the following weekend and he would meet him there over dinner. Dana agreed to meet him because he thought he might be able to find out who was ganging up on the family. They met and the guy didn’t know anything but he did find out he was a low level Social Credit backbencher so the party was definitely gathering dirt on you and trying to turn family members against you. Dana also recalled something his father said to him and gave a reply.

“Son, I have introduced you to everyone I know. You have the guts to get out there and make a life for yourself, so go do it.”

I like to think that is precisely what I have done. Thanks, dad!

“Old man, look at my life, I’m a lot like you were Thirty-eight and there’s so much more Living here in paradise That makes me think of you” 35.

“Ohhhhhh isn’t that nice of him. They were pretty close.

“You say your family and friends turned against you?”

“Some did not all.”

“You mentioned Dean’s brother.”

“A big dose of Chinatown neon dust for him.”

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“What about Dean’s sisters?

“Chinatown neon dust and after all I had done for them. I paid their way over here from China and they stayed at my house. His brother had the nerve at the trial to say he had never even been in our house. He was the worst. Just to show how bad they were, not too long ago Dean’s cousin in Guangzhou sent me an email saying that Dean’s brother and sisters were trying to have the family homestead signed over to them. It’s customary that the homestead in China is passed down to the eldest son of the eldest son which in this case would be to Dean to Dana. They wrote the land registry office in China and told them I had passed on and no one knew the whereabouts of our children if they were even alive so they were now the legal heirs to the homestead, that’s how mean they are and they sure haven’t changed.

What did you do?

I wrote the registry office and told them I was alive and gave them both my son’s addresses. I’m still waiting to hear the results.”

“What about your brothers Wally and Ken? They must have supported you through all this.”

“Oh yes, they were always great guys and so are their families.”

“Moody?”

“Chinatown neon dust, there were always problems when Moody was in charge of the business that I won’t go into detail about but I will tell you, remember I said I gave the business to Moody on the condition that when it came time for him to sell, we would split the profits fifty-fifty, well he went ahead and sold the business and didn’t say a word to me. I found out from someone a long time afterwards that he had taken a bunch of family and friends I think to Hawaii to celebrate and he didn’t even ask me to go let alone tell me about the sale. He also wouldn’t even renew my car insurance which came due during all my financial hardships and insisted I pay cash.

“I’m sorry to hear all that. Do you think the lawyers got to him?”

“Possibly or someone, I don’t know or it could just be sibling rivalry and jealousy.”

“So you became a media star!”

“That’s right that was fun. The lawyers sure didn’t like that. They were do419

ing everything in their power to discredit me and then their press releases back fired and I became the victim in the eyes of the public. I couldn’t go anywhere without people coming up to me wishing me well. It was very uplifting and helped me get through it all to know I wasn’t alone anymore. It was like I exchanged one group of friends for another, whom I didn’t know of course.”

“Then China opened up and you realized what you had to do.”

“That’s right. I was so caught up in what was happening in the courtroom that I almost missed seeing my way forward to the future.”

“THE GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL you mean.”

“Oh yes, I forgot. I like that.”

“Well it seems appropriate that legend has lasted two hundred years. I am sure the legend of Faye and Dean will last for two hundred years as well.”

“Well I won’t be around I assure you.”

“So what happened next in your marvelous life, you went back to China.”

“Yes, I certainly did many, many times over the next thirty years. Let me tell you some of the highlites and also how we can fix some of the problems here at home!

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Part Five EPILOGUE 1993-2020

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Chapter 12

You Haven’t Changed A Bit!

That China had taken to me was no surprise, I was one of them. I wasn’t afraid to get out there and meet people whether they were government officials, the people in the streets or army officials. I had come to them and they had welcomed me with open arms unlike the government of Canada’s failure to embrace communist China in those days. The government of Canada today is trying to get in but finding it very difficult. Officials in China knew I had nothing but good intentions. Before 1976, China’s reputation in the world was at an all-time low because of the Cultural Revolution but after Nixon’s visit in 1972, things began to point in a new direction. And now here I was, still going in and out of China like I had been doing since 1980, what the HECK? Things had to change soon with Canada’s relationship with China or I would lose all my contracts, they would mean ZILTCH. I felt a little like Hunter Thompson taking people to meet the Hells Angels for the first time or Leonard Bernstein inviting the Black Panthers to dinner in his New York apartment. Everyone wanted to go with me but I only took a few. If the Canadian government’s policies would only change towards China, I would have them all on my bus coming to Canada in no time.

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Faye continued to travel back and forth to China and other places over the next twenty-five years, usually by herself but sometimes she took along others: *In 1994, she travelled with Dan Roy to Nassau, Bahamas and then to Fiji as guests of the Premier of Fiji and then they went on to the Cook Islands as guests of their Premier. For a while she was the Honorary Consul-General for the Republic of Guyana and also for the Federal Republic of Nigeria who approached her for their BHCO. She had an office in Hong Kong that represented them and others. *In 1995, she met with Rockie K.L. Chung and KC Cheung in her office in Hong Kong. Their company Bright Team Ltd. was her representative in Hong Kong. The Seal of Guyana hung on the wall of her office for a long time when she was the Honorary Consul-General for Guyana in those days. On this trip to China, she travelled to Shanxi, Beijing, Ping Gu, Hangzhou, Tai Yuan, Quino, Zhi, Zhou Mei, Wenzhou, Zhou Hou and Jin Jiang. She met with government official Zhang Jian and Zhang Wei Qing (Governor of Shanxi province) who became the Director of Family Planning for all of China and his wife who was a director of the Bank of China. *In 1997, she remembers being in Old Towne, Shanxi Province in front of a row of artisans shops where she unknowingly was taken by Zhang Liang, Executive Assistant to the President of Meng Generation Electricity Co. to buy her a gift. Gary Vandergrift accompanied her on this trip. They signed a contract to export Canadian cars to the economic zone in Tianjin, China. They also signed a winery contract on that trip. She says she signed so many contracts it was truly amazing, for everything, they just kept offering them to her. It was so sad that the Canadian government was so out of touch with the opportunities that she was receiving. *In 1999, she was back again. Mr. Wang Min Jian the Executive Director to the Governor of Shanxi and the head of a coal industry conglomerate in Beijing hired her a limo to take her around the block, he was just being funny. He was married in Vancouver and Faye handled the wedding function. She also travelled to Suzhou, China - West Lake also called Sai Woo which is a famous picturesque lake in Wenzhou where I had meetings. It was at that time known as the button capital of the world. Today it’s known as the underground bank426

ing capital of the world (shadow banking - unregulated activities). *In 2001, she had many projects on the go with Chairman and President Yao Jun, coal, industries, wine, tiles. She got to see again Bao Gim Sang a high government army comrade and friend. She met with Mrs. Lin who was in the environment industry in Wengzhou. She was involved in cleaning up the chimneys of buildings. She took her friends Danny Markovitz and Lee Rente to Beijing with her on that trip and also met with Fi Yi Chairman and President of the Empire Group and his assistant Mr. Zhang in Beijing. *In 2006, she had several deals pending with China’s CNOOC and John Brown, Jack Adler and Gary Van der Griff in Calgary, Alberta. One of the deals was between Nexxen and CNOOC. She signed the deal with Nexxen on the eve of Chinese New Year’s in the Great Wall of China Hotel, China so that everyone could go home for Christmas. The deal didn’t go through though for two years. She was circumvented through double dealings and didn’t make a penny.

The deals were so difficult to put together but she had the connections. Earlier that year on July 4, she met with Jiao Hong and Shew Hai again at the Great Wall Beijing Sheraton Hotel. Contracts were coordinated for gas, oil, water and natural resources on that trip as well and continue to this day in 2019. *On February 8, 2008, she returned to Taiyuan, Shanxi, China again and signed contracts in natural resources. It was the largest buy/sell agreement ever in China with different groups of companies and still continues on to this present day. One contract she signed was with Zhang Liang, Chief Shanxi CBM Resources, Evaluation and Development Utilization Group on Feb 9th. Another was with Gary Vandergrift (Dynamo Energy Corporation), Wang Min Jian, Guo Ming (Shanxi Province Electrical Corporation), and Zhang Liang.

She also met with the chairman, executive managers, lab technicians, and a group to view China’s Tongshan Cement Plant regarding a buy/sell agreement to Canada and other countries. That was on January 30, 2008. *Her next trip back to China was in 2010. As the Honorary President of the Hainan China Business Association of Canada, she attended a Symposium in Haikou, Hainan Province, China from May-June 2, 2010. *On June 18, 2011, she was back meeting with the Consul General of Canada Francois Rivest in Guangzhou and Ken Lam and businessmen in, 427

Guangzhou, China at the Italian Restaurant atop the Westin Hotel. Her flight to Guangzhou was the inaugural flight of South China Airlines on May 15, 2011, can you believe that. It seems like only yesterday when Dean and Faye flew back from Hawaii on the first inaugural jet flight to Hawaii for Quantas Airlines. *In 2013, the People’s Republic of China bestowed upon Faye the title of Economic Development Commissioner, Investment Ambassador at-large. It was in recognition of her contributions to Canada and China’s economic, cultural, political development and achievements, through her leadership, outstanding contributions to her community and society, her influence, strength and inspiration. It was a government appointment on August 18. She was in China for another very important reason as well, the World 3200 CEOs Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention/WCEC at Chengdu, Sichuan China was being held from September 24-27, 2013 and she was invited.

In Vancouver, she was just as busy: *In 1995, she was up at Convocation ceremonies on the hill at SFU, this time honoring businessman Joe Segal who was receiving an honorary degree. “Faye is a wonderfully motivated individual. She was the lady of the ball in terms of the Chinese community. She cared about her community. She accomplished a lot. She built a lot. She was exposed to the community. The Chinese community was isolated in the old days. She was representative of a big step forward in integrating the Chinese community. She had a presence in the community at large. She never let go.” From my interview with Joe Segal in 2018 *In 1996, she was again up on the hill. This time Alan Emmott the former Mayor of Burnaby was receiving an honorary degree. She also travelled down to LA for her grandson Brian’s graduation from Harvard Westlake High School in Los Angeles. *In 2000, she met with Danny Sgum and Ken Cai head of Aquasal Recycle Company.at the Bowater Canadian Pulp Mill Company in Gold River B.C. They had found a new way to purify waste water so Faye wanted to give them a higher profile. It used a revolutionary new technology using bacteria to treat 428

waste water. Any number of businesses would be able to use it. Municipalities could also use it. She was involved in everything. *On June 14, 2003 at Vancouver’s Dragon Boat Festival, officials held a special function which became known as the “Chinese Aluminum Chefs Competition” because it was sponsored by Alcan Aluminum. Faye could be seen with 85 year old Dal Richards (the bandleader) singing along with Co-Host James Edwards, he was (co-founder) for the popular Chinese Restaurant Chefs Competition. That was lots of fun she says! *On September 17, 2005, she met up with my her friend Canadian billionaire Jimmy Pattison at a Canada State Luncheon given by The Right Honourable Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada and Mrs. Sheila Martin in honour of His Excellency Hu Jintao President of the People’s Republic of China and Mrs. Liu Yong Qing at The Westin Bayshore . She was always running into interesting people at all the functions she attended like she did in June 2006 when she met with Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism the Honorable Jason Kenney. *In 2007, Faye was with the Consul General of China Liang Shugen on October 1 in Vancouver, for the 62nd Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China. Leung~Liang has the same surname as she does which is why Consul General Liang addressed her as “Goo Jar”~ which means Aunt.

That same year on December 23, she took a group of investors to view gas wells in Medicine Hat, Alberta at 40 below. They were horizontally drilled gas wells with John F. Brown and George from Calgary, Alta. She had been working with oil and gas since 1999. As you can see Faye was all over the place working with gas and oil wells both here and in China. *In Vancouver in 2013, she met with War Veteran, Rudy Carlson on his 89th birthday. He was the ex-President of the Canadian Authors Association, Vancouver Branch; they met at Larry Wong’s Dim Sum Book Launch. She also met earlier that year with Jim Wong-Chu and “James Douglas” the first Governor of the Colony of B.C. (in costume of course) at the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner January 27, 2013. *On January 19, 2014, she spoke at the B.C. Government Apology for Wrongdoings to Chinese British Columbians Consultation Forum to an audience of 429

five hundred who loudly applauded her speech emphasizing truth in government. *She was in in Victoria for the official B.C. apology for discrimination of the Chinese as well on May 15, 2014. The reception was held in the Parliament Building. Dean Sekyer (Ministry of International Trade and responsible for Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism) led and wrote the apologies with his colleagues and staff of the B.C. Government’s Historical Wrongdoings to the Chinese from 1880-1947 (which sadly continued). It was a very important British Columbia Chinese historic event in the legislature. Afterwards, they all had their picture taken on the stairs of the legislature building. People included David Choy, Faye Leung, Richard Wong, Grace Wong, Kelly Kwong (Chinese Vet), Maisy Ip (Success), Jun Wu, Alan Guo (Chinese Alliance of Canada), Hon. Teresa Watt (Minister of Multi-Culturalism), Premier Christy Clark, Richard T. Lee (MLA, Deputy Speaker), President Liang (Kong Chow Benevolent Ass.), Zhu (President of the CBA), Mr. Wang (Peninsula Restaurant). *On November 11, 2014, Faye took her place seated beside many Chinese WWII veterans. Dean and Faye over the years supported all Chinese veterans including Andrew and John Ko Bong, Gim Wong, Lt. Col. Herbie Lim, Richard Mar, Roy Mah, Chong Joe, Frank and Bing Wong, Dr. Won Leung, On Lim, Clarence Jang, Charlie Lee, Henry Lew, Henry Fung, Willie Chong, Quan Louie, Art and Douglas Jung, Bob Kent, Neil Chan, Mah, Roger Cheng, Dan Lee, Charlie Chung, Alex and Victor Louie, Louie King, Howard Chan amongst many others. *Faye attended Simon Fraser Universities 50th Anniversary Outstanding Alumni Awards on March 3, 2016 and met Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s mother Margaret Sinclair Trudeau. That was a thrill! Also in 2016, she met Pui Jing Hong Kong and China Secondary School, Vancouver Chapter Ex-President Addy Cheong with his wife Anna. Dean in 1948 was a charter member. *As President of the Hainan Canada Association she was always in the Chinese New Year Parade in Chinatown every February. There’s a great photo of her in a convertible in the 2015 parade, photo by Charlie Smith ,Georgia Straight *As a convocation founder at SFU, Faye has met all the SFU President’s 430

over the years including Jack Barney in 2016. More recently, she would like to thank Anne Giardini, Chancellor of SFU who always has a kind word for her and welcomes her graciously when they meet, Andrew Petter now the former President of SFU but always a supporter of her book and papers of which many are going or have already been donated to SFU., Gwen Bird, Dean of Libraries at SFU and always so pleasant whenever they meet, as well as the girls who have helped her with her papers and memorabilia Anne and Melanie. *On October 6, 2017, she met Simon Kung famed Chinese photographer and C.Y. Yeung his father-in-law with President Andrew Petter at SFU. She has known so many people over the years like Richard Lee, Ex-MLA and first Chinese House Speaker and Richard Wong a prominent Chinatown leader.

Richard organized a Happy 150th Canada Day Birthday precision drumming event across Canada. It happened precisely at 11:00 am in each Chinese community across Canada coast to coast and went in the Guinness Book record as hundreds of drummers honoring Happy Canada’s 150th Birthday!

Others she always sees at events are her good friend Dame Kitty Ng who has remained a trusted and dear friend since her and her husband arrived from Hong Kong, Bill Barazzuol the Italian Man of the Year for 2017. Andrew Fong and John Barbieri who have always been good friends, she still sees them often at functions such as the Chinese New Year of the Dog celebration for 1000 People Banquet on February 2, 2018 and they still often get together for dinner at some restaurant. Ken Chan, MBA, academic, educator, he was a colleague and executive director of the Kong Chow Benevolent Association of Canada and always a big help to Faye and of course her old and dear friend and lawyer Danny Markovitz.

Faye’s voice could always be heard, “I always despised the kind of speculation which leads to pricing housing and services out of the reach of the average person. I fight for moderation at all levels of government. My classical Chinese background teaches that the “three principles in life” FOOD, HOUSING and CLOTHING should never become speculative commodities. If more attention were paid to these principles especially in housing, Canadians would find themselves in a much better financial 431

situation and we could resolve the problem of having so many homeless people.

We must never allow housing to become out of the reach of our children.

This is one of my most ardent messages for our business and political leaders. I have much to say about our modern, seemingly heartless, business world. My voice is raised for all to hear the message: “consider the needs of your fellow citizens and your projects will always be successful.”

Since 1993, Faye has received requests for consultation on over 100 million dollars in developments and business ventures worldwide. There is a great need for someone like her. Someone who can get the ear of powerful people and then get them involved in projects of mutual benefit. She has a wealth of personal connections. Deals between countries usually benefit all concerned and she has always lived by the maxim that no project should have a detrimental effect on the economy or lives of local citizens. Development should never be detrimental to harmony. Her ability to act as a liaison in business deals has enriched B.C. and Canada in general.

So what to do, the government needs to REGULATE immigration, REGULATE foreign ownership, REGULATE house prices and stop looking at housing as a business they’re in to make money for themselves. They also need to do away with the general fund and stop filtering money off of crown corporations into this fund. As well, they also need to encourage the sounds of good music again everywhere which they can do first by doing this DEFUND ERIN OTOOLE NOT CBC. They need to put more funds into public school music programs across the country and to teach the next generation what good music really is and not let kid’s tastes be hijacked by those interested in profiting on the naivety of youth using sensationalism. Good music brings harmony into our lives bad music brings discord. The infrastructure is there in our schools and has been for decades but it requires more funding at all levels. And please go out and buy a box of Purdy’s chocolates, Purdy’s needs everyone’s help and listen to Faye Leung.

She certainly feels ageless. Today she can still be found on the telephone, maybe dealing with China’s billionaires or buying and selling Russia’s vast oil products: jet fuel, crude oil, gasoline, LNG, heating oil etc. She operates what 432

she calls a ”prominent worldwide business network” encompassing finance, real estate and development ventures between Canada, the United States, and Pacific Rim Countries. She brings a wealth of experience in international liaison and negotiation to her Asian clients and her beloved Canada. “They’re hard deals to put through,” she always says, “but if just one of them connects, she’ll be back!”

Everything she did was a show meant to inspire someone somewhere. The show was all about her impersonating everyone in life, the businessmen, the developers, the matriarchs, the officials, the little guys on the street, the bankers. She was good in all the roles because she was being herself as she had worn all the hats; she was setting an example for others of how she felt people in these positions should act towards others.

For the past twenty-five years Faye has been playing the role of the unofficial Queen of Chinatown while slowly watching her kingdom erode away under her feet (Chinatown should be made a national heritage site). She has conducted herself with dignity and regal bearing befitting a queen while others have treated her like the emperor with no clothes but she remembers what her and Dean had done and can recite every detail of every success and accomplishment they achieved over their some forty years together as husband and wife. She is a queen waiting to be crowned and now that her story has been told, there is nothing left to do but make it official and give her the crown she so well deserves for a life well lived in service to hers and the Canadian people by nominating her for the Order of Canada.

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AUTHOR’S NOTE

A note about writing this book - besides all the facts, I have tried to create an atmosphere reminiscent of the crazy sixties and give some insight into the mindset of the main character and her motivations.. I don’t feel this story can be told in any other way. The book is made up of hundreds of different stories each telling of the main charcters life as it progresses. Each story consists of an introductory paragraph and then what I call a history lesson. The introductory paragrah sets the mood for the coming history lesson and drives the narrative forward.

The main character is able to convey her feelings to the reader as she tells her story to the writer in first person paranthesis using a frame narrative. The book is in third person so all this gives me lots of flexibilty to interact with the main character and have an omnipresent voice as well whenever the need arises. It also allows me to be a character in the book which is kind of fun but the main reason for me being there is to be able to break up the narrative whenever needed and to have a discussion with the main character at the end of each chapter, pointing out to the reader the important points they have just been told.

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To further create an atmosphere of the sixties, I added the lyrics of some well known pop songs of the day in appropriate places that support the narrative, added a few double page photo spreads of well-known historical events that took place during the timeline of this story just to remind the reader and added black and white photos that depict the narrative throughout.

Writing this book with Faye was anything but straight forward as it brought back a lot of good memories for Faye but it brought back a lot of bad memories as well. My interviews with Faye over two years often felt like therapy sessions with me as the psychiatrist and her as the patient. When she was telling me one of her stories she would be as sane as a cucumber and then all of a sudden she would head off on a tangent on a completely different subject and then without notice break into a psychotic rage about someone which would end in a session of self-pity and lots of tears with her saying something like, “How could they do this to me, how could they do this to my family,” and then just as suddenly she would break into a big smile and say “Let’s go have tea.”

So now that you have experienced the many hats of the hat lady, which do you think is the real Faye Leung? I think it is the one I introduced to you in chapter 2 The Chinatown Kid who learned to harness the force of nature that was her personality and ride it to the Milky Way and back on Gossamer Wings taking all those she met on the way along for the ride. Who else could have showed Chinese Canadians the way into Caucasian society? Who else could have made Canada multi-cultural? Who else could have opened China up to the west? Who else could have gone into that three-ring circus that was the Vander Zalm trial the underdog and come out a superstar?

My hat goes off to the hat lady for making this the most interesting and challenging book I have written to date and there was some competition mostly from a crusty, white-haired, old maestro who pounded into the skulls of all his boys including me that no one ever remembers the also ran and 95% of it is the

eye!

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“I went to a garden party All my old friends were there Faye brought a walrus (a lot of baggage) There was music in the air But it’s all right now I’ve learned my lesson well You can’t please everyone So you’ve got to please yourself ” 36.

437

LYRICS AND THE SONGS! 1. White Rabbit-Jefferson Airplane 2. If I Had A Hammer-Pete Seeger 3. My Back Pages-Bob Dylan 4. Only Sixteen-Dr. Hook 5. Diana-Paul Anka 6. We Gotta Get Outta This Place-The Animals 7. Hotel California-Eagles 8. Cover of the Rolling Stone-Dr. Hook 9. If I Had A Hammer-Pete Seeger 10. Little Boxes-Pete Seeger 11. Big Yellow Taxi-Joanni Mitchell 12. Little Surfer-The Beach Boys 13. Big Yellow Taxi-Joanni Mitchell 14. Satidfaction-The Rolling Stones 15. Respect-Aretha Franklin 16. Sukiyaki 17. Magical Mystery Tour-The Beatles 18. What Are We Fighting For-Country Joe & The Fish 19. Sergeant Pepper-The Beatles 20. Revolution-The Beatles 21. Little Boxes-Pete Seeger 22. Both Sides Now-Joanni Mitchell 23. Big Yellow Taxi-Joanni Mitchell’ 24. Ohio-Crosby, Stills Nash & Young 25. Gangsters Paradise-Coolio 26. Runaround Sue - The Four Seasons 27. California Dreamin-The Mamas & The Papas 28. Woman-John Lennon 29. The Eve of Destruction-Bob Dylan 30. Old Man-Neil Young 31. Diamonds & Rust-Joan Baez 438

LYRICS AND THE SONGS! (cont.)

32. Crazy-Willie Nelson 33. Stairway To Heaven-Led Zepplin 34. I Will Always Love You-Dolly Parton 35. Old Man-Neil Young 36. Garden Party-Rick Nelson

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440

Index Symbols ^Overseas Voice^ 42 1898 Immigration Act 65 1923 Exclusion Act 65 1988 Calgary Olympics 354 20th Century Fox Studios 209 4672 Year of the Tiger, Mandarin Ball 295 84 Olympics 342

A Aberdeen Shopping Mall 243 Adams, Earle, Ald 178 Adler, Jack 425 Alsbury, Tom, Mayor 170 American Hospital 340 Appreciation Presentation Award 275 Aquasal Recycle Company. 426 Armstrong Funeral Parlour. 92 Asia Pacific Foundation 200, 400 Asia World Hotel 343, 354 Atlantic City 162 Aunt Gladys 42, 55, 84, 117, 139, 140 Aunt Lil Nipp 60 Aunt Mable 41, 42, 52, 55, 56, 70 Aunt Susie 37, 40, 41, 47, 51, 54, 56, 84, 137, 140 Aunt Vi Nipp 193 AVCO Community Developers Inc. 278 Avon Financial Corporation 274 Axworthy, Lloyd Hon 15, 314

B B.C. Bakery 69 B.C. Government Apology for Wrongdoings 427 B.C. Lion’s Football Club 228 B.C. Telephone 260 Bak, Lowe 104 Baker, Frank 160, 308 Bak Pew 46 Bamboo Terrace 70, 135, 261 441

Bamboo Terrace Chinese Restaurant 60, 136, 154 Bank of Commerce 111 Bank of Montreal 154, 195, 256, 293 Bank of Nova Scotia 111, 196 Barazzuol, Bill 429 Barbieri, John 429 Barnes, Emery MP 15, 311 Barney, Jack 429 Barrett, Dave 283 Barrett, Premier 15 Bayshore Inn 155, 380, 381, 388, 389 Beacon Hill Park 43 Beijing 327, 328, 332, 335, 359, 360, 362, 363, 371, 405, 406, 424, 425 Bell-Irving, Henry P. LG 313, 351 Bennett, Bill Premier 326, 346 Bennett, W.A.C. Premier 206, 209, 221, 279 Bentall, Charlie 215, 216 Bentall, Clark and Robert 215 Bernard, Frank 250 Bernstein, Leonard 423 Bird, Gwen 429 Birks Jewelry 138 Black Panthers 423 Black Rose 105 Block 68 177, 213, 215 Bong, John Ko, Mrs. 115 Bowell McLean 339 Bowmac on Broadway 159 Boyd, Denny 352, 353, 365 Bradell, Chuck 158, 169, 234, 289 Bradley, Gerry 197 Branca, Angelo, Judge 215 Brent, Colonel 303 Bright Team Ltd. 424 British Columbia Automobile Ass 159 Brooklyn 162 Broome, Ernie, Ald 178 Brown, Ernie, H. G.M. 151, 152 Brown, Gerald Sutton 177, 213 Brown, Gerry Governor 303

Brown, John 425, 427 Bund 333 Burnaby Mountain 207, 238 Butchart Gardens 55

C Cai, Ken 426 Calgary 354, 425 Campbell, Gordon 15, 166 Campbell, Gordon Mayor 358 Campbell, Tom 263 Canada Trust 191, 192, 197, 223, 292 Canadian Pacific Railway 190 Canadian Pacific Steamships 45 Canadian Real Estate Convention 160 Canton City 54, 87, 102, 323, 324 Capozzi, Cap 207 Capozzi, Herb 233 Captain Lewis 81 Carlson, Rudy 427 Cave Night Club 115 Century Plaza Hotel 234 Chan, Ernie 171, 184 Chan, Gwen Leong, Mrs. 86 Chan, Howard 428 Chan, Ken 429 Chan, Lee Soon 259 Chan, Neil 428 Chan, Patrick 250 Chan, Shee Jung 236 Chan, Walter Wah Gor 112 Chang, Albert 171 Chang, Bob 179 Chang, Bo Wah 237 Chang, Frank 171 Chang, K.Y. 224 Chang, K.Y. Brigadier-General 378 Chang, Sharon 295 Chang, Ted, Dr. 179 Chang, Winnie 60 Chen, Lilac 282 Cheng, Roger 428 Chengdu 426 Cheong, Addie and Anna 428 Cheung, KC 424

Cheung, Sam Shew 284 Chiang Kai-Shek, Madame 335 Chicago 161 Chin, Nellie 114, 120, 121 China 346, 358, 365, 402, 403, 406 Chinatown Charlie 92 Chinatown Lions 179 Chinatown News 43, 168, 262, 275, 278 Chinatown YWCA 62, 114 China Trade Delegation 351 Chinese Aluminum Chefs Competition 427 Chinese Benevolent Association 262 Chinese Cantonese Opera 63 Chinese Consul-General Wei and Mrs. Wei 130 Chinese Cultural Centre 283 Chinese Ladies Auxiliary 51 Chinese National Benevolent Ass. 177 Chinese National Benevolent Ass. of Canada 265, 283 Chinese National Day 343 Chinese New Republic Daily Newspaper 52 Chinese Pioneers’ Housing 65 Chinese Times Daily Newspaper 41 Chinese Veterans Christmas Ball 116 Chinese Veteran Unit 280 71 Chinese Vets Ladies Auxiliary 115 Chinese Voice 168 Ching, Winnie, Lowe 136 Chinn, Nellie 115 Chong, David 216 Chong, Donella 296 Chong, Willie 428 Chong Brothers 297 Chow, David and Albert 108 Chow, Kay 106 Chow, Lillian 108 Chow, Mary and Margaret 108 Choy, Chow Bing 38 Choy, David 428 Choy, Wong Kuo 126 Chu, Florence 114 Chu, Fred, Dr. 203 Chu, Julie 296 Chun, Kam Fong 182 442

Chung, Charlie 428 Chung, Madeline 246 Chung, Wally Dr. 285 Chung K.L. 424 Chungking Chinese Restaurant 71, 193 CIBC 229 CITIC Group 213 City Hall 174, 178, 179, 190, 216, 339, 358 Clancy’s Doughnuts 237 Clark, Christy Premier 428 Clark, Glen 15 Clarke, Don 287 CNOOC 425 Coast Westerly Hotel 401 Cohen, Joe 295, 296, 397 Cole, Nellis 245 Colony Farm 387 Commodore Ballroom 295 Commonwealth Trust 198 Con, Harry 215 Concorde 351 Consul-General Wei 142 Consul General Peng 261 Consul Jeffrey and his wife Eva 160 Consul Yi Fe Wang 262 Continental Dine and Dance Supper Club 311, 312 Cook Islands 424 Coronado 340, 341 Cowan, McTaggart, Patrick 206 CPR 33 CP Railway 59 CPR Princess Lines 172 CP Steamships 36 Cultural Revolution 235, 312, 329, 330, 333, 360 Cumyow, Harry 154 Cunningham Drugs 177 Curtis, Tony 340

D Daily Fruit Market 102 Danchuk, Ken 400 Dean and Faye Leung Health and Education Foundation 412

Deep Cove 401 Del Hotel 340, 341 Democratic National Convention 89 Derr, Hornby 106, 129 Diamond Head 243 Diefenbaker, PM 164, 174, 210, 211 Ding, Chow Mee 110 Ding Ho Restaurant 282 Dobb, Victor 287 Dominican School of Taipei 344 Dominion Construction 215, 216 Dong, Sherman 119, 260 double ten 343 Dowding, Gordon 15, 321, 347, 393, 395 Dowding, Gordon MLA 321 Dr. Chu 95 Dr. Sun Yat Sen 88 Dr. Tazzi 327, 332 Dragon Boat Festival 427 Duker, Harry 215 Dynamo Energy Corporation 425

E Eaton, Howard 287 Edwards, James 427 Egypt 319, 321 Eisenhower, Dwight, D. 90 Elliott, Ric 347 Ellis, John 256 Emerson, David MLA 398 Emery, Bert, Ald 178 Emmott, Alan 207, 263, 426 Emmott, Alan, Reeve 170, 291 Empire Group 425 Empress Hotel 36, 42 Enfranchisement 85 Eng, Gilbert 108 Eng, Harry 108 Eng, Jack 119 English Bay Cafe 115 Eng Shee, Nipp 38 Erickson, Arthur 206 Esquimalt 53 Esquimalt Fruit Market 53 Exclusion Act of 1923 39 443

EXPO 86 344, 346

F Fairchild Group 243 Fairchild Television 243 Fairclough, Ellen 174 Fan, Harry 259 Fantasy Gardens 254, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 379, 380, 384, 387, 389, 391, 393 Farrell, Gordon 193, 199, 273 Farrell, Gordon, Mr. and Mrs. 196 Faye Leung Fan Club 402 Federal Republic of Nigeria 424 Feng, Thomas 243 Fiji 424 Fisgard Street 33, 35, 40, 53 Fong, Andrew 429 Fong, Dexter 183 Fong, Lam 262 Fong, Ruby Lee 129 Ford, Glenn 209 Forrester, Margaret 125 Forsythe, Bill 255, 256 Fountain, George, D. 177, 178 213, 214, 216 Fung, Esther 114 Fung, Henry 66, 428 Fung, Sing 254, 255, 256 Fyfe, Al 159

G GANG OF FOUR 313 Gar Lun Chinese Restaurant 348 Gee, Chun 76 Gee, Fung Chang 66 Gee, Leong Chun 87, 238 Gee, Margaret 279 Generalissimo Chang Kai-shek 66, 87, 135 Georgia Auditorium 179 Georgia Viaduct 63, 213 Germaine’s 139 Giardini, Anne 429 Gibson, Gordon 295 Gim, Wong Kwong 136

Gim Lee Yuen Herbal Store 178 Gin Wah Cantonese Opera House 64 Gin Wah Shing Opera Association 64 Golden Coin Cafe 71 Golden Dragon Banquet Hall 140 Golden Dragon Restaurant 139 Golden Phoenix Club Girls 114, 125 Gold River 426 Gordon, Jack 92, 411 Gow, Quan 196 Grand Hotel 224, 334, 335 Greater Vancouver Visitors and Convention Bureau 262 Great Wall of China 327, 328 Great Wall of China Hotel 425 Grey Cup ‘64 228 Guangdong 87 Guangzhou 54, 237, 324, 325, 327, 359, 425, 426 Guaranteed Trust 198 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner 427 Gunn, Louie 193 Guo, Alan 428 Guo, Wang Zee 405 Guyana 424

H H.R. MacMillan 163 Hai, Shew 425 Haikou 425 Hainan China Business Association of Canada 425 Hall, Albert 287 Hang Seng Bank 225, 226 Hangzhou 424 Harcourt, Mike 259 Harcourt, Mike Mayor 312 Hardwick, Walter 295 Harvard Westlake High School 426 Hawaii 179, 182, 308, 392 Hawaiian Mandarin Drama Association 182 Hawaii Five O 182 Hawaii Trust 183 Hells Angels 423 Hem, Peter 55, 63, 137, 142 444

Hey, Fung King 243 Ho, C.C. 117, 118 Ho, Chapman 243 Ho, David 225 Ho, Robert 246 Ho Ho Restaurant 261, 283 Holden Building 111 Holt, Bill 158 Holt, Simma 201, 217, 262 Honey Dew Café 113 Hong, Jiao 425 Hong Fook Tong 62 Hong Kong 174, 194, 223, 225, 229, 322, 323, 326, 332, 346, 349, 364, 365, 400, 424 Hong Kong Cafe 71 Hong Kong Hyatt Hotel 327 Hong Kong Shanghai Bank 224, 226 Hong Kong Trade Council 229 Honolulu 182 Hot Delivery 136 Hotel Morrison 161 Hotel Vancouver 348, 407 Hoy, Benson 166 Hoy, Jeffrey 105, 129 Hoy, Mary 121, 140 Hua, Mrs. 252 Huangpu River 334 Hudson’s Bay Company 32, 35, 40, 150 Hudson’s Bay Department Store 152 Hughes, Ted 390 Hughes Enquiry 392 Hui Mr. 350

I Ideal Fruit Market 52 Immigrant Investors Program 314 Imperial Life Insurance 171 Imperial Palace 335 Ingledew’s Shoes 140, 177 Insurance Agents Association of Canada 275 International Brides Festival 120 Investment Ambassador at-large 426 Ip, Maisy 428 Iran 322

J Jacobsen, Art 158 Jacobsen Realty 166, 338 Jang, Clarence 428 Jang, Tung 173, 174 Japan 223, 344 Jewitt, Pauline Dr. 263 Jian, Wang Min Mr. 424, 425 Jian, Zhang 424 Jin, Shaw Wai 244, 250 Jing, Nipp Gee 46 Jin Jiang 424 Jintao, Hu President 427 Joe, Andy 142, 259, 285, 336 Joe, Chong 428 Jong Wah Confectionary Store 76 Jun, Yao 425 Jung, Art and Douglas 428 Jung, Doug 37, 164, 210, 211 Jung, Douglas 45 Jung, Jon Wing 55 Jung, Kay 92

K Kla-How-Yah’ Award 275 K., Phillip, Ald 178 Kaiser Pink Subdivision 183 Kang, Mah Fat 166 Kansas 163 Karachi 322 Kavanaugh-Gray, Doris Dr. 316, 321 Kelly, Chinn Ho 182, 310, 312 Kenney, Jason 15, 427 Kenney, Jason, Hon 165 Kent, Bessie 108 Kent, Bob 428 Kent, Ernie 108 Kent, Helen, Mrs. 229 King, Bob 255 King, Lori 66 King, Louie 428 King, Yeung, Shew 247 King, Yeung Shew 243 King Edward High School, 84 445

Kirk Douglas Orchestra 295 Kiu Shing Cantonese Opera House 64 Klein, Ralph Mayor 354 Ko Bong, Andrew and John 428 Kong, Nam 243, 247, 248, 249 Kong Chow Benevolent Association 60, 172, 175, 214, 429 Kong Chow Investment Group 175, 176 Koo, Norma 114 Korea 344, 365 Korean Olympic Committee 378 Kung Yee Chinese Public School 88 Kuo, Seto, Mr. 111, 125 Kuo, Wang Gee GM 404 Kuomintang KMT 65, 88 Kuo Seun Emporium 93, 111, 259 Kuo Wah Chinese Restaurant 89 Kwan, Ah Nee 53 Kwan, Albert 54, 136 Kwan, Albert and Diana 158 Kwong, Kelly 428 Kwong, Leong Chap 61, 63 Kwong, Normie 151 Kwong. Leong Chap 41 Kwong Gee Chinese Public School 61, 62 Kwong Wo Yuen Chinese Merchandisers 62

L ‘Lai Shee’ 84 ‘Life Mirror’ 118 L.A 308, 354, 355 L.A. Airport Hilton Hotel 382 La Jolla 340, 341 Lake Stevens 164 Lam, Alan 258 Lam, David 243, 244, 306, 383, 385, 398, 412 Lam, Dorothy 245 Lam, Ken 425 Las Vegas 340 Lau, Seth 183, 193, 392 Lawford, Peter 307 Lee, Bill 106 Lee, Charlie 199, 428 Lee, Dan 428

Lee, Gary and Alvin 92 Lee, George 121 Lee, George and Nellie 138 Lee, Gordon 92 Lee, Helen 119 Lee, Henry 92 Lee, Jack 279 Lee, Katie 108 Lee, Mary 140, 150 Lee, Pat MP 311 Lee, Raymond 111 Lee, Richard 429 Lee, Richard T. MLA 428 Lee, Tommy 119 Lee, Wally 105, 106, 336 Lee, Yew 108 Lee Association 62 Legislative Congress Yuan 84 Lemmon, Jack 340 Leong, Bernie/Honkie 76, 172 Leong, Chap Kwong 55 Leong, Gwedolyn, Dr. 152 Leong, Gwen 82, 84 Leong, Gwendolyn, Dr. 152 Leong, Joan 76 Leong, Kate Nipp 40 Leong, Kengie (Ken) 81, 171, 191 Leong, Moody/Wilfred 76, 171, 172, 307, 354 Leong, Nipp, Kate 35 Leong, Wally (Singie) 81, 168, 338 Leung, Chun Kwong 101, 102, 108 Leung, Chun Kwong Chairman 175 Leung, Dana 153, 160, 164, 172, 342, 347, 404, 407 Leung, Dean 103 Leung, Dean W. Dr. 285 Leung, Dorothy 115 Leung, Mei 237 Leung, Moody 398 Leung, Wah Suey/Hing Yee 102 Leung, Won Dr. 428 Leung, Won Leung, Dr., Captain 115 Lew, Henry 428 Lew, Peter Dr. 238 Lew, Wing 106 446

Lew, Yukon 105 Liang, Jeffery and Eva, Consul 130 Liang, Zhang 424, 425 Liang President 428 Lim, Alfie, Mrs. 68 Lim, Harold and Wilbert 70 Lim, Herbie Lt. Col. 428 Lim, Ho, Alderman 129, 228 Lim, Leung Yen 65 Lim, Lil Chan 111 Lim, Mr. 178 Lim, On 428 Lin Mrs. 425 Lip, Wong Chew 70 Lisogar, Roy 234 Liu, C.C. 117, 118 Liu Mrs. 244 Livingston, Andy 217, 248, 282 Lock, Lui 243 Lok, Lui 247 Long, Anna 227, 311 Loo, Linda 121 Los Angeles 347, 363, 380, 426 Lotus Garden Restaurant 282 Louie, Alex and Victor 428 Louie, Alice 119 Louie, Pearl 245 Louie, Quan 428 Louie, Steve 193 Louie, Tim 44, 198 Louie, Tong 44, 245, 306, 351 Louie, Victor 262 Lowe, Harvey 37, 43, 54, 109, 135, 136, 154, 171, 179, 198, 217, 289 Lowe, Herman 129 Lowe, Wesley 165 Lowe, Wing 105 Lui Mrs. 252 Lun Kui Company 54

Mah, Roy 43, 169, 262, 275, 278, 428 Mah, Stephen Bing, Foon, Uncle 52 Mah, Tommy 155, 293, 294 Mahjong 92 Malacañang Palace 224 Mandarin International Hotel 274 Mandarin Shopping Centre 274 Mandarin Trade Centre 287, 291, 307, 321, 337, 338 Manila 388 Manila, 378 Manila Hotel 224 MAN OF THE MONTH award 263 Man of the Month Award 275 Mao Tse Tung 87, 235, 312 Mar, Gilbert 108 Mar, Richard 43, 154, 198, 217, 428 Marco Polo Restaurant 261, 282 Marco Polo Supper Club 212 Markovitz, Danny 425, 429 Martin, Paul, PM 160, 427 Massey, Geoffrey 206 Maxim’s de Paris Restaurant 362 McCarthy, Grace 233, 234, 263, 282, 286, 292, 346, 349, 380 McCarthy, Grace MLA 348 McDonald, Alex 328 McGavin’s Bakery 221 McGavin, Allan 206, 221 McGeer, Pat 184 McKenzie Driving School 159 McLean’s Magazine 401 McLean, Cyrus 206, 260, 261, 262 McLean, Cyrus, Mrs. 184 McLean, Monty, Chairman 184 McLean Park 177 McLean Public Housing 215, 216 McLean Social Housing 177 McPherson, Mr. 37 McPherson Square 37 Medicine Hat 427 Mei Wun Choristers 125, 126 Meng Generation Electricity Co 424 Merritt, Ron 139 Merry Mont Hotel 225, 226

M Macau 323 MacDonald, Alex 184, 283 Mah, Florence Ding 119 Mah, Rose 194 447

MGM Grand Hotel 340 Mi’kmaq 392 Millbrook, Ca. 90 Miller, Ron 321 Min, Ban On 404 Min, Chen Kong 91 Ming, Guo 425 Mings 71, 133, 261 Ming Wo 70 Moffitt, John, Ald 178 Mohammed, Safrik 321 Mok, Thomas and Maria 243, 246 Molnar, Andre 321 Montreal Trust 198 Mr. Magne 327 Mr. Robert 289 Mrs. Woo Lin 38 Mundy, Art 216

N Nagi, Stan 113 Nam Ping Bit Suey Society 62 Nanking 91 Nassau, Bahamas 424 New Democratic Party 283 Newman, Peter, C. 13, 21, 31, 401 New York 160, 161, 164 Nexxen 425 Ng, Kitty Dame 348, 429 Ng, Nipp 38, 40, 56 Nicholson, Jack 197, 227 Nicholson, Jack LG 265, 278 Nin, Quan, Grandma 49 Nipp, Frank, Uncle 41 Nipp, Phillip 296 Nipp, Susie, Aunt 35 Nipp, Willy, Uncle 50 Nipp Leong, Suey, Kate 55 Noble, Ken 338

O ‘One Bowl of Rice’ 52 O’Hara, Charlie 195, 196, 198, 222 Oakridge 190

Oceanview Cemetary 411 Order of Canada 431 Oriental Lines 251 Ovaltine Café 237 Overseas Chinese 66, 133, 237 Overseas Chinese Voice 89

P Pak Wan Hotel 325 Pak Wan Mountain 324, 325 Palm Desert 306, 308 Palm Desert Green Golf & Country Club Estate 275 Palm Desert Greens 279 Palm Springs 303, 307 Pang, Walter 102, 105 Pang, Walter and Zoe 207 Pang, Wong Chew, Mrs. 68 Pantages Theatre 118, 176 Paramount Gas Station 61, 82 Patinsky, Benny 154, 217 Pattison, Jimmy 159, 160, 192, 200, 427 Peace Hotel 333, 334 Pearkes, George Mr. and Mrs. 272 Pearson, Lester, B. PM 228 Peggy Lee Beauty Salon 111 Peking 323, 327, 332 Peking Chop Suey Restaurant 88 Peking Hotel 329, 363 Pender Realty & Insurance 167, 168, 173, 199, 274 Pender Street 60, 106, 169, 177 Penthouse Club Restaurant 225 People’s Liberation Army Band 256 People’s Republic of China 320 Perrault, Ray Senator 15, 314, 351 Peterson, Les 290, 307 Peterson, Les Hon 234, 282, 288 Petro Canada Station 387 Petter, Andrew 11, 429 Philadelphia 161 Philip, Uncle 42 Philippines 223, 224, 378 Philips, Art Mayor 15, 295 Pi Cow 92 448

Ping Gu 424 Poole, Jack 166, 359 Poon, C.H., Mr. and Mrs. 129 Poon, K.C. 224 Portland 182 Poy Ying Secondary School 245 President’s Award 162 President Kennedy 216 Pudong 334

Q Qantas Airline 182 Qing, Jiang 236 Qing, Liu Yong 427 Qing, Zhang Wei 424 Qing, Zheng Wei, GG 361, 403 Qing Dynasty 88 Quan, Corrine 49 Quan, Reta 49 Quantas Airlines 426 Queen Elizabeth Park 233 Quino 424 Quon, Corinne 36 Quon, Louise 36, 49 Quon, Reta 36 Quon, Wayson 48 Quon Yen 36

R Rathie, Bill, Mayor 178, 214, 215, 217 Raymuir Public Housing 215 Real Estate Board of Vancouver 275 Red Army 361 Redding, Ca. 209 Rennie, Bob 166, 217, 258 Rente, Lee 425 Republic of Guyana 424 Richards, Dal 427 Richmond, Claude Hon 344 Richmond Dairy 69 Rivest, Francois CG 425 Robison, Jim 245 Roosevelt, Franklin D., President 90 Roosevelt, James 90

Roxas, Emilia 382, 384, 385 Roy, Dan 402, 403, 405, 406, 424 Royal Cafe 71 Royal Trust 198 Run Run Shaw 244

S ‘Some Like It Hot’ 340 Sai Woo 424 Sai Woo Chop Suey Restaurant 71, 173 Salt Lake City 163, 164 Sam Joe’s Western Produce 67 San Diego 340, 342 San Francisco 42, 63, 89, 101, 121, 207 Sang, Bao Gim 425 Save the Orpheum Fund 295, 296 Sawchuk, Emily 215 Sawyer, Diane 342 Say, Shaw, Wai 249 Scripps Clinic 341 Seawise University 252 Sechelt 388 Segal’s Furniture 154 Segal, Al 154, 217 Segal, Joe 295, 397, 426 Sein, Fuen 262 Seto, Colin 106 SF Chinatown Lions 208 SFU 426 Sgum, Danny 426 Shanghai 53, 54, 323, 331, 332, 333, 363, 371 Shanghai Alley 64 Shanxi 404, 424, 425 Shanxi Province 360, 403 Shaw, Marie 244, 250 Shaw, Robert 244, 248, 249 Sheng, Lillian Chow 140 Shepherd, David 190 Sheraton Great Wall of China Hotel 362 Sherlock Real Estate 157 Shew, Ng 64, 120 Shing, Li-Ka 326, 327 Shing, Li Ka 343, 349, 350, 380 Shrum, Gordon 206 449

hugen, Liang CG 427 Simon Fraser Gardens 239 Simon Fraser University 206 Sing, Mah, Mrs. 155 Singapore 322, 323 Skeena Public Housing 215 Smilin Buddha Cabaret 43, 132, 142 Smith, Bernie 310, 337, 338 Smith, Smokey 127 Social Credit Party 206, 286, 287, 346, 393 Soo Wuen Tong Association. 166 South China Airlines 426 Spencer’s Department Store 32, 35, 39, 40, 150, 184 Spencer, David 184, 340 Spotless Cleaners 109 Squire, Earl T. 261 St. Louis 163 St. Paul’s School 66 Strata Title Act 217, 263 Strathcona 60 Strathcona Property Owners & Tenants Association (SPOTA) 259 Strathcona School 59 Street, Bill, Ald 178, 217 Sundquist, Walter 347 Sung, Phyllis 124 Sunset Beach 113 Suzhou 424

T ‘The Call of China’ 136 T.P.Y. Travel Agency 179 Tag Day 92 Taipei 334, 343, 346, 379 Taiwan 65, 87, 133, 223, 334, 344, 346, 365, 377, 378, 379, 392, 406 Tai Yuan 424 Taiyuan City 360, 361, 425 Tan, T.K. 243, 246, 257 Taylor, Allyn 192, 198, 199 Thailand 322, 323 The Black Rose 224 The Chinese Times 168 The Douglas Jung Tower 165

The Kong Chow Association 176 The Top of the Mandarin 291 The Westin Bayshore 427 The Yen Ping Association 178 The Yick Fung Tea Room 261 Third Beach 113 Thompson, Hunter 423 Tiananmen Square 362, 365 Tianjin 424 Tijuana 340 Tim, Ho 225 Tin Jin 360 Tit Mah Tune 87 Toigle, Peter 348 Tongshan Cement Plant 425 Top of the Mandarin Restaurant 289, 295, 309 Toronto Dominion Bank Building 113 Trader Vics Restaurant 155 Trudeau, Justin PM 428 Trudeau, Margaret Sinclair 428 Trudeau, Pierre, Elliott PM 315 Trudeaumania 315 Tung, C.Y. 251 Tung, Leong, Shiek 113 Two in One Trade and Economic Symposium Festival 360

U Uncle Bill 42, 71 Uncle Frank 90, 183, 193, 247 Uncle Frank Lung Foon Nipp 89 Uncle Fred 290 Uncle Jun 43, 50 Uncle Leong Shek Tung 87 Uncle Nip Wong 237 Uncle Philip 42, 67, 134, 137, 141 Uncle Poy 43, 50 Uncle Stephen 236 Uncle Willie 69 Union Square 207 United Nations 164 University of California at Berkeley 42 University of Washington 41

450

V V-J Day celebrations 74 Vancouver Board of Trade 275 Vancouver Golden Jubilee 55 Vancouver Island Produce 52 Vancouver Lion’s Club 154 Vancouver Opera Association 184, 340 Vancouver Opera Guild 275 Vancouver Symphony 275 Van der Griff, Gary 425 Vandergrift, Gary 424, 425 Vander Zalm, Bill 254, 346 Vander Zalm, Lillian 373, 384, 386, 390 Vander Zalm, Premier 15, 348, 371, 372, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 387, 388, 389, 390, 392, 393, 395, 396, 400, 401 Vanson Street 239 Vernon 126 Vernon’s 60th Diamond Jubilee 126 Vice President Barkley 90 Victoria 32, 42 VJ Day Parade 59 Volrich, Jack 295

W W.K. Gardens 53, 70, 153, 200, 261 Wah Kiu Chinese Public School 40, 106 Wai, Dong Yuu, Mr. 117 Wai, Joe 228 Wai, Wong Kung 177, 282 Waikiki 183 Waikiki Sheraton 308 Wan, Winston 92 Wang, Mr. Peninsula Restaurant 428 Wang General PLA 405 War Savings Bonds 52 War Savings Stamps 52 Washington, D.C 42, 163 Wasserman, Jack 160, 293 Watt, Doug C. 261 Watt, Teresa Hon 428 Wayen Diner 261 Wei, Min Min 309

Wengzhou 424, 425 West Lake 424 Weston, Marilyn 159 Wilder, Billy 340 Wilson, Halford 207 Wilson, Halford, Ald 170, 178, 179, 217 Wilson, J.D. 191, 192, 196, 197, 198, 217, 218, 222 Winch, Harold, Ald 170, 178 Wing Lung Bank 225, 226 Wing Sang Building. 119 Wing Wing Chinese Sausage Factory 183 Wo Fat Chinese Bakery 71 Wolfe, Evan 233 Won, Ping Wah 238 Wong, Andy 113 Wong, Betty 67, 114 Wong, Ding 106 Wong, Dookie 111 Wong, Frank and Bing 68, 428 Wong, Gene 198 Wong, George, D. 196, 198, 215 Wong, George, W. 136 Wong, Gim 125 Wong, Gim Lt. Col. 428 Wong, Grace 428 Wong, Henry 282 Wong, Ken 237 Wong, Ken and Lana 162 Wong, Larry 427 Wong, Mamie Yee 111 Wong, Mary 295 Wong, Nelson 136 Wong, Quon 261 Wong, Quon, H. 262 Wong, Randall 237 Wong, Richard 105, 106, 139, 428, 429 Wong, Richard, D. 154 Wong, Tommy 106 Wong, W., George 60 Wong-Chu, Jim 427 Wong Sung, Carol Ann 60 Wood, Mary Beth 207 Woodward’s Department Store 139 Woodward, Ken and Millie 344 451

World 3200 CEOs Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention/WCEC 426 Worley, Ron 288 Wosk, Yosef 21 Wu, Jieh Yee 226 Wu, Jun 428 Wu, Patrick 225, 226 Wun, Ho Sen 225 Wun Fung, Chang 59, 60

Yipp, Ron 285 Yiren, Rong 212 Yorkshire Trust 198 York Theatre 37 Yu, Dong Way 119 Yu, Tan 343, 354, 371, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 385, 387, 388 Yue, K.T. Dr. 285 Yue, Ka, Ping Dr. 246 Yue, Kuo Ting, Dr. and Mrs. 2243, 46 Yue, Kuo Ting Dr. 236 Yue, Kwok, Ting, Dr. 247, 248 Yue, Kwok, Wai Dr. 243, 245 Yuen, Henry 106, 115, 118, 119, 142 Yuen, Ken 108 Yung, R.Z. 211, 212, 288, 289

X Xi, President 405 Xiaoping, Deng 213, 313, 320, 330, 364 Xie, Elwin 54 Xinhai Revolution 88

Y

Z

Yee, Annie 106 Yee, Eleanor 106 Yee, Hazel 48 Yee, Irene 106, 111 Yee, Kate 106 Yee, Katie 111 Yee, Leung Hing 101 Yee, Wu Kit 225 Yee, Yu, Louie 163 Yee Lun Chinese Merchandise and Grocery Store 53 Yee Sisters, The 108 Yen, Leung Sheung 103 Yen Lock 71, 261 Yen Lock Chinese Restaurant 111 Yen Lock Chop Suey Restaurant 117 Yen Lok Restaurant 119, 260 Yen Ping Region 87 Yen Ping Society of Canada 62 Yen Ping Village 101, 104, 173 Yeung C.Y. 429 Yew, Wong Bak 177 Yick Fung 37, 38, 43, 44, 46, 56, 217 Yick Fung Company 33, 35 Ying, Shaw Wai 244, 249, 250 Yip, Stan 155 Yipp, Betty 129

Zack Brothers 109 Zajac, Mel 344 Zhang Mr. 425 Zhi 424 Zhou Hou 424 Zhou Mei 424 Zhu, President CBA 428 Ziyang, Zhao Premier 362, 364

452

WHY CONSIDER All the elements for a work with the potential to attract a large audience are there. We have a strong, powerful, empowered, fearless main character with a feminist mindset at a time when women had no voice. We also have Faye’s husband, who also represents the strength of the Chinese immigrant. They had a massive power of transformation because they were visionary and mentally open to the new. The book has a significant theme, which is that of racism against Asians, which is a subject still little explored by the media. Many films portray racism against Black people, such as Green Book and Hidden Figures, but still little is reported on the discrimination and prejudice suffered by Asian immigrants, here represented by the Chinese community.

So portraying critical themes, the book has as its primary topics Canada’s prejudice against Chinese immigrants and the issue of women who were still deprived of many things at that time. But Faye has never been intimidated by this “social demand” of keeping Chinese immigrants or women in their designated places, and she has managed not only to become a successful Business Woman, but also helped Canada tight international relations with Asia, helping highly in politics and business, and assisted the Chinese community to thrive and have their rights as well.

It is a story of inspiration and overcoming, which has a controversial part of how Faye brought down Premier Vander Zalm because of a deal with a Taiwan billionaire. Still, even being controversial, this part brings more conflict to the plot, making the narrative most attractive.

SPECIAL EFFECTS THE STORY DOES NOT RELY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS AWARDS Because of the narrative’s importance, the story’s dramatic weight, and a large amount of content this book contains, it has excellent potential to earn awards.

FAN BASE Yes, because the narrative is a tribute to a powerful woman who was a feminist ahead of her time, and it could also attract a large audience of Asian people who might see Faye as an inspiration.

453 TALEFLICK REVIEW, L.A., 2023

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