maybe edmonton

An attempt to fall in love with Edmonton, Alberta (plus added diversions)

Posts tagged chinese canadians

May20

The K and P Cafe in Lethbridge, Alberta (no date, from the April “Chop Suey in the Prairies” exhibit at the Royal Alberta Museum). “Dotted across the Alberta landscape, Chinese restaurants were the go-to place for an inexpensive, quick meal whether it was a simple plate of fried onion rings or the more exotic ginger beef and mu shu pork. In looking back, the growth of Chinese cafés gradually laid a foundation as important cultural icons. But they never started out as cultural entities. They were born out of necessity, a desperate need for a minority to find financial security in an era oozing racism. The original Chinese coffee shops were started as efficiently run businesses that provided a living and financial security to an otherwise marginalized ethnic population.”

The K and P Cafe in Lethbridge, Alberta (no date, from the April “Chop Suey in the Prairies” exhibit at the Royal Alberta Museum).

“Dotted across the Alberta landscape, Chinese restaurants were the go-to place for an inexpensive, quick meal whether it was a simple plate of fried onion rings or the more exotic ginger beef and mu shu pork. In looking back, the growth of Chinese cafés gradually laid a foundation as important cultural icons. But they never started out as cultural entities.

They were born out of necessity, a desperate need for a minority to find financial security in an era oozing racism. The original Chinese coffee shops were started as efficiently run businesses that provided a living and financial security to an otherwise marginalized ethnic population.”

(Source: m.bonnyvillenouvelle.ca)

11 notes #alberta #canada #chinese canadians #chinese restaurants #racism

Mar5

The Edmonton protest march against  W5, January 26,1980. “On September 30, 1979, the CTV television network’s W5 public affairs program aired a segment called “Campus Giveaway” which was to become the focus of political activity that would shake the Chinese community for the next two years…“Campus Giveaway” portrayed the Chinese as alien, inassimilable, insular, and competitive. As the camera panned across the faces of students of Chinese ancestry, the show charged that 100,000 foreign students had descended on Canada’s campuses, squeezing white Canadian students out of places in the professional schools. CTV’s message was plain – the Chinese were foreigners regardless of their birthplace. Reminiscent of the chargers against early Chinese labourers, the students were accused of coming to Canada to milk the country of its wealth and resources. After using Canada’s educational facilities, these “foreigners” would flee to China and Hong Kong with professional degrees financed by the Canadian taxpayer. The Chinese were yet again pictured as transient, as exploiter, as sojourner.”

The Edmonton protest march against  W5, January 26,1980.

“On September 30, 1979, the CTV television network’s W5 public affairs program aired a segment called “Campus Giveaway” which was to become the focus of political activity that would shake the Chinese community for the next two years…“Campus Giveaway” portrayed the Chinese as alien, inassimilable, insular, and competitive. As the camera panned across the faces of students of Chinese ancestry, the show charged that 100,000 foreign students had descended on Canada’s campuses, squeezing white Canadian students out of places in the professional schools.

CTV’s message was plain – the Chinese were foreigners regardless of their birthplace. Reminiscent of the chargers against early Chinese labourers, the students were accused of coming to Canada to milk the country of its wealth and resources. After using Canada’s educational facilities, these “foreigners” would flee to China and Hong Kong with professional degrees financed by the Canadian taxpayer. The Chinese were yet again pictured as transient, as exploiter, as sojourner.”

(Source: gingerpost.com)

14 notes #edmonton #alberta #racism #Canada #chinese canadians #CTV #W5