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FORUM2014 CPAFFC中国人民对外友好协会
SPEECH - CANADIAN DELEGATION
FEDERATION OF CANADA-CHINA FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATIONS OVERVIEW
FROM FCCFA PRESIDENT SHEILA FOSTER
PRESENTED BY LEADER TRACY (YINING) TIAN





1. Delegation
• Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.
• My name is Tracy Tian, leader of the 4-person delegation from Ottawa, Canada. We are delighted to attend this year’s Friendship Forum.
• Federation of Canada China Friendship Association President Sheila Foster and original delegation leader Tung Chan regret not being able to attend this forum and send their best wishes to the Chinese hosts and friends from other countries.
• Canada has sent a delegation to each Friendship Forum since 2004. We are honoured to continue this tradition after 10 years.
• Prior to Forum, we attended a 3-day visit to Shanghai as guests of the Shanghai People's Friendship Association. • Please visit our website to see some of our past and current activities. (www.fccfa.net)

2. Overview
• Let me give you a bit of background information on our association.
• Federation of Canada-China Friendship Associations is made up of independent local chapters. Volunteers organize various events for members and the general public.
• Federation was founded in 1980, 34 years ago. Preceded by associations across Canada promoting friendship with the People's Republic of China, starting with Victoria in 1965, followed by Calgary in 1974, Ottawa in 1976.
• Now we have 6 local chapters in total. Chapters have direct friendly contact with local Chinese Consulates General (in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver) and Embassy in Ottawa.

3. Recent Events
• May 2014: Federation President Sheila Foster and Toronto President Michael Copeland represented Canada at the CPAFFC 60th Anniversary in Beijing. They presented CPAFFC with a native Eskimo soapstone carving to commemorate this important event.
• In June 2014, Sheila and Michel hosted Mme. Lin Jiang, Secretary General of the Communist Party’s North American Bureau in Toronto and Calgary. They had met with the NAB in Beijing in May.

4. Laurelled Volunteers
• Our association is proud to announce that two of our volunteers have been awarded high honors for their contribution to Canada-China relations.
• June 2012: past president Dr. Lolan Merklinger was awarded Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her scholarly and community activities, notably with Canada-China friendship achievements.
• Also June 2012 Vancouver founder and Past President, Tung Chan was awarded QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal, to join the QEII Golden Jubilee Medal awarded in 2002. Mr. Chan was presented to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2010, recognized for his community activities. In June 2014 he was made a member of the Order of British Columbia, the Province’s highest honour, for his service in multicultural affairs.

5. Map
• The local chapters exist because of the good work of volunteers.
• There are 6 chapters in total, from west to east of Canada in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto and Ottawa.
• Each chapter has unique programs and activities; I’d like to share with you some of the highlights.

6. Victoria
• Victoria chapter hosted regular dinner meetings on the topics of its own history, Chinese arts, early lives of Chinese women in BC and Chinese linguistics.
• There are 20 Chinese students in the Master of Leadership program at Royal Roads University.
• The chapter sponsors three bursaries annually to Chinese students at the University of Victoria.
• In 2012 Victoria had its 150th Anniversary, its Sister Cities were invited, (Napier N.Z., Morioka, Japan & Suzhou, China.)

7. Vancouver
• We welcomed a new chapter re-established in Vancouver, BC in 2011.
• The new chapter participated in an exchange of information in the management of diabetics between Western and Traditional Chinese medicine seminar in Guangzhou广州 earlier this year, organized by the Medical School of University of British Columbia.
• President Tung Chan, made two trips to China in the first year, including visiting CPAFFC friends in Beijing.
• In 2013 the president visited the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign countries.
• In January 2014, they hosted Jiangsu江苏 People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and helped arrange their program to visit care homes in Vancouver.

8. Calgary
• The Calgary chapter holds bi-weekly dinners with guest speakers and other audio visual and musical presentations.
• It continues to recruit families into Shou La Shou手拉手 (Hand in Hand) program for families with adopted Chinese children. The chapter organizes summer return trips to China for adoptive families.

9. Winnipeg
• In Winnipeg, the original University of Manitoba (UM) focus is now growing into the community.
• Members participate in Canada-China university exchanges with Shantou汕头 University, recently on western type property tax systems and medicine in China.
• Dr. Fred Drewe offers a volunteer English class at UM to visiting scientists, students and new immigrants from China for many years.
• UM and Lanzhou兰州 University recently developed a 2+2 program (where students spend 2 years in each university). Lanzhou University sent 40 students to attend IEP program at UM this summer. Plans are in hand for more students and scientists to come to UM from China.

10. Toronto
• Toronto chapter offers a rich variety of sessions and dinners including topics on cultural, artistic and historical growth in China and relations between Canada and China.
• Other events include banquets, 饺子 parties and English classes
• The chapter also hosted the Zhejiang delegation in 2012.

11. Ottawa
• My own chapter, Ottawa chapter organizes regular events open to the general public, topics include:
• Politics and foreign relations
• Development and growth
• Higher Education and learning Chinese
• Modern Art and New National Museum
• Free hearing aid to Chinese children
• Factory workers in China
• Contemporary Chinese Reggae Music
• Himalayan trade route exploration
• We host Chinese New Year Banquets with 200 guests
• Sent two delegations from China (Jiangsu and Beijing)
• Represents the federal and local society at important Canada-China occasions in the capital.
• In the effort to improve the environment, we now publish our newsletters on our new website: www.ccfso.org

Photos of Ottawa Chapter, 2014 Year of Horse Banquet, Chinese Embassy in Canada Reception, tea tasting, Ambassador Zhang & Co-President Gary Levy spoke at the reception

12. Federation’s Mission

To promote friendship between people of Canada and China by fostering mutual understanding and appreciation of each other’s society, their historical development and their functioning social and economic institutions.

To promote cultural, educational, scientific, athletic and other exchanges between the Canadian and Chinese people.

We will continue to do our best to fulfill this mission. Thank you!

By:
Tracy (Yining) Tian, Delegation Leader






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