Remembrance Day

I never understood Remembrance Day fully. I knew there were men and women who had bravely fought for our country--many who had sacrificed their lives on earth, but for those remaining, their personalities due to post-traumatic stress disorders and their healthy, functional bodies. I always held respect for them, but it never touched me deeply. After all, I was only an immigrant, one who had come to Canada because it was already free.

This summer, I did a lot of research on Chinese Canadian history and discovered that the Chinese who fought in World War II, for a country that hardly accepted them and did not allow them to vote or become citizens, opened up the ground for Chinese people to be considered citizens. Within Chinese communities in Canada, the debate of whether to fight or not was hotly contested. On one side, there were those who claimed that since Canada did not accept them as citizens, why should they fight for this country? The other side answered, "If we do not fight, then we will never be accepted as Canadians."

For the Chinese Canadians who entered the war to give future Chinese Canadians a voice and the right to vote, I thank you for your sacrifices. May your memories be honoured and your courage never forgotten in the hearts of today's Chinese Canadians.