The story of “No Burns Day at SFU” has begun making the media rounds.

1130 News ran an interview with me on Monday morning in Vancouver.  I did the interview on Sunday morning from Victoria, where we had just finished a wee small Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner in Victoria Chinatown for friends.  I spoke about the importance of Scottish pioneer history in BC.  I spoke about how my participation in the Burns Ceremony at SFU back in 1993, helped me to first explore the Scottish aspects of Canadian multiculturalism. 

My friend Bob Sung sent me this message: Heard you on the radio this morning about Nanaimo….very eloquent…good tone!

But unfortunately, somebody called my haggis maker, Peter Black & Sons, and gave them the mistaken belief that it was the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner that was canceled, instead of saying that the SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy Festival organized by the SFU Recreation and Athletics Department was canceled.
http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/173665–no-robbie-burns-day-at-sfu

The Vancouver Province Newspaper also phoned me today, asking about both the SFU No Burns Day issue, and the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner that will take place on Sunday January 30th.

I did tell the reporter that when the Robbie Burns statue was erected in Stanley Park, thousands of people came to see the unveiling in a parade, marching to the entrance of Stanley Park, as it sits across from the Vancouver Rowing Centre in Stanley Park.  At that time in Vancouver's history, the Scots were the largest ethnic group in Vancouver.

I do hope that SFU will re-instate the Burns Ceremonies at the Burnaby Mountain campus, as well as its' Surrey and Downtown Vancouver campuses.  Not having a Burns haggis ceremony at SFU, is like Vancouver Chinatown not having a Chinese New Year parade.

http://www.theprovince.com/news/vancouver/cancels+Robbie+Burns+festivities/4159637/story.html