Douglas Jung film biography “I AM the Canadian Delegate” airs this Sunday, Feb 18th
Watch
“I Am the Canadian Delegate” this coming Sunday, February 18th, on
Chinese New Year Day, Film maker Wesley Lowe recently completed the
documentary
biography on Douglas Jung, WWII Veteran and Canada's first Chinese
Member of Parliament.
There was a private screening on Sunday, February 5th, for a hundred politicians, funders,
community leaders and veterans group. Lowe wrote to me and said “In addition to applause, there
was a most unexpected response – tears, not only for the man but for a
community.”
In BC, it will air on Channel M at 9:00 pm.
Nationally, it will air on the Biography Channel at 8pm and 11pm
Eastern Standard time.
I
first met Douglas Jung at an mid 1980's Head Tax meeting at Strathcona
Community Centre. Then, he seemed tall, and elegant with his
white hair, wearing a turtle neck. He spoke very well and told
the story about how Chinese-Canadians were pecieved both in Ottawa and
the world. When he led the Canadian delegation to the United
Nations. When he approached the desk marked “Canada” – he was
motioned away, and was told that the Chinese desk was over there – this
is for the Canadian delegate. Jung's reply was “I am the Canadian
delegate.”
Jung led an amazing life. He signed up as a
soldier when Canada didn't want Chinese-Canadian soldiers. He was
part of Operation Oblivion – Chinese-Canadians who were trained as
commando troops to go behind enemy lines in Burma and Southeast Asia.
Returning
to Canada, the Chinese Canadian veterans led the fight to gain the
francise for Canadians born of Chinese ancestry, so we could have full
citizenship rights and voting privileges.
Douglas Jung became
the first Chinese-Canadian Member of Parliament in 1957 for Vancouver
Centre. He ran as a Progressive Conservative because the Mackenzie King
Liberals had passed the Exclusion Act and wrote the secret memorandum
discriminating against Chinese, and keeping them out of the Candian
Armed Forces during WW2, until Great Britain and Churchill asked Canada
for soldiers who spoke Chinese.
Jung recieved many honours during his lifetime, including both the Order of BC, and the Order of Canada.
Here are links for Douglas Jung O.C.
Order of BC Biography – Douglas Jung
Douglas Jung – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Burma Star biography: Jung
A great Canadian. Doug Jung is a man all Canadians can be proud of. The program should be aired widely throughout the country.
Russ Marshall