Latest news with #Chinese-Canadian
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Influencer culture pilloried in prose
Part mystery, part satire and even part horror, second-generation Chinese-Canadian writer Liann Zhang's debut novel is a bizarre but entertaining look at the world of social media influencer culture. Julie Chan is a supermarket cashier with no friends who steals food from work to keep herself fed. One day, she receives a disturbing phone call from her estranged twin sister, Chloe, a rich influencer with followers in the millions. Sensing something is wrong, Julie travels to Chloe's New York City penthouse and finds her sister dead on the floor. As she's about to report the death to the police, Julie quickly makes the rash decision to switch places, ditching her sad, anonymous life for her twin's more comfortable and glamorous one. Julie Chan is Dead With unwitting help from Chloe's manager, Julie seamlessly continues her sister's social media life, interacting with fans, receiving lavish gifts and going to trendy parties. At first, no one in Chloe's world suspects the truth, and everyone writes off any strange behaviour as her just being '#sad' and '#grieving.' But it doesn't take long for her aunt and cousin to figure out what's going on, and Julie soon finds herself being blackmailed. In order to pay off her scheming family members, she becomes a lot more obvious with paid endorsements on her channels, while watching her numbers drop on each platform. Thankfully, Julie has her new influencer friends to cheer her up. A group of mostly indistinguishable twentysomething white women, the Belladonnas are led by Bella Marie, whose level of fame and wealth seems almost unattainable for a social media personality. But, of course, Julie soon learns her new friends may be hiding some sinister secrets. Toronto- and Vancouver-based Zhang was only 16 when she had her own brush with internet fame, gaining over 20,000 followers on a skincare-themed Instagram account. The author, who now has a degree in psychology and criminology, says this book was inspired by the fellow influencers she met through group chats. Clearly she has some strong, negative feelings from this experience, as most characters are quite unlikable — even Julie, who quickly embraces her new personality. Zhang takes some fun shots at influencer culture, and that cynical humour drives the first half of the novel. But it does get dragged down by some very predictable turns. Then a huge twist comes that makes the second half seem like a different book altogether. It quickly delves into cult-horror territory — think Rosemary's Baby or The Wicker Man but with trite self-help affirmations and beauty tips. The shift may be a bit jarring for some readers, but Zhang's cutting humour is amped up, along with the overall pace, which all leads to a ridiculous, over-the-top finale. While it has some flaws, Julie Chan is Dead is a fun, memorable debut. Hardly an influencer, Alan MacKenzie is struggling to find 600 subscribers for his YouTube channel.
Japan Forward
7 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Forward
Anti-Japanese Museum in Canada Draws Criticism from Lawmakers
On May 27, 2025, Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Masahisa Sato raised concerns in the House of Councillors Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee over a museum in Canada run by a Chinese-Canadian organization. It was not the first time he had done so. The museum, he said, conspicuously promotes anti-Japanese narratives through exhibits shown to large numbers of local high school students. He first raised the issue at an April 17 committee session. According to those familiar with the matter, the museum in question opened in June 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. Called the Asia Pacific Peace Museum, it was reportedly spearheaded by a local Chinese-Canadian organization called Alpha Education. Its exhibits include references prominently reflecting China's viewpoint on the Nanjing Incident and comfort women. Sato urged Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya to formally protest to Canada's Foreign Minister, Anita Anand. Iwaya, however, waffled that Japan would respond at "the most appropriate level and timing." Such a weak response could erode Japan's credibility and national dignity, Sato warned. "We speak up to South Korea, but we go silent when it comes to [propaganda from] China," Sato pointed out. "That double standard undermines our standing." Iwaya responded that Japan had conveyed its position and would act "at the most appropriate level and timing," adding, "I ask that you trust our judgment." Sato pushed back: "If the foreign minister can't speak up to defend Japan's reputation, who will?" These concerns about anti-Japanese narratives abroad emerged amid growing scrutiny over the Justin Trudeau administration's historically cozy ties with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada was often criticized for its tepid response to Beijing's assertive influence campaigns. This criticism stemmed not only from diplomatic caution but also from a complex web of political and economic relationships that had been cultivated over decades. One telling example involved a C$50,000 ($36,000 USD) donation made by Zhang Bin, a billionaire Chinese businessman and senior CCP official. Zhang's donation to the University of Montreal was specifically to fund a statue of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Justin Trudeau's father. Pierre Trudeau was among the first Western leaders to establish formal relations with Communist China, a move Beijing continues to celebrate. In 2016, Justin Trudeau also visited the homes of Chinese-Canadians who publicly supported Beijing's claims over disputed islands in the South China Sea. A month earlier, at an April session of the House of Councillors Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Sato had reproached Iwaya for what he perceived as a lack of urgency. LDP Upper House member Masahisa Sato questions officials at the House of Councillors Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense, at the National Diet. April 17. "If historical issues aren't addressed seriously, it will be extremely difficult to change perceptions," said Sato. "The Japanese population in Canada is overwhelmingly smaller than the Chinese population. If we don't take history issues seriously, Japanese people will lose their standing." Sato also pointed out that Iwaya had met former Foreign Minister Joly several times since taking office in October 2024. He stated, "It's a serious problem that despite meeting her multiple times, you haven't spoken out. It damages our national interest." Iwaya acknowledged that the museum received funding from a local government agency in Ontario. In closing, he still argued that the museum is "a private institution operated by a Chinese-Canadian organization, not a public museum." However, he also declared, "We will continue to clearly communicate Japan's position to Canada based on the facts." China's economic influence in Canada has long been facilitated by institutions like Power Corporation, the Desmarais family-owned conglomerate with extensive investments in China. This longstanding relationship has, according to scholars like Clive Hamilton, created a reluctance within Canada's political class to confront the CCP. The effect was evident during the 2018 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, when Trudeau's government appeared politically paralyzed. The situation was compounded by then-Canadian Ambassador to China John McCallum, who effectively became Beijing's voice in Ottawa. McCallum publicly suggested that Meng had strong legal grounds to fight extradition and later encouraged China to "make a trade deal" that would benefit Canada. His repeated deviations from Canada's official stance ultimately led to his dismissal — but not before significantly undermining Ottawa's credibility. With China's influence deeply embedded in Canadian institutions and politics, Japan's silence only amplifies Beijing's narrative. (Read the related article in Japanese .) Author: Shimpei Okuhara, The Sankei Shimbun
The Province
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Province
Second World War novel highlights 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion and Vancouver shipyards
The Riveter offers up cross-cultural love story and a reminder that human rights are not to be taken for granted Author Jack Wang's debut novel The Riveter is a cross-cultural love story that begins in the shipbuilding yards of early 1940s Vancouver and then travels to the European Theatre of the Second World War. Photo: Holman Wang. Photo by Holman Wang / Holman Wang Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Jack Wang's debut novel The Riveter may be set during the Second World War, but several of its themes ring true today. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors A cross-cultural love story set in Vancouver and on European battlefields in the early 1940s, the story focuses on Chinese-Canadian Josiah Chang, a riveter working on Victory ships in a Vancouver shipyard, and office worker Poppy Miller, a jitney-driving singer with an independent streak as wide as the Burrard Inlet. They meet at the shipyard and fall in love. But the story is complicated by her father's disapproval and a law that says if Poppy marries Josiah, she has to give up her citizenship. The couple is separated after an incident at the shipyard sends Josiah into a life-changing rage. Having to flee, he heads east and manages to enlist and make his way into the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. Formed in 1942, the unit engaged in key operations in the European theatre, playing a crucial role in the Allied invasion of Normandy during D-Day on June 6, 1944, and took part in the Battle of the Bulge. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I would love to think this is a novel for a time. On the one hand, it does dramatize the ways in which Canada has been an imperfect nation, like any nation. But at the same time, it also dramatizes, I think, our courageous spirit, our fighting spirit, the ways we sacrificed in the fight against fascism,' said Vancouver native Wang recently from Ithaca, N.Y., where he is a professor in the writing department at Ithaca College. 'It reminds us of how we forged our identity as a nation, which was largely through two world wars.' The Riveter by Jack Wang. Photo by Courtesy of House of Anansi / Courtesy of House of Anansi Wang's historically accurate story takes readers through paratrooper training in the U.S. and Britain, then right into the thick of the European war. 'A lot of Canadians aren't familiar with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. For example, many Americans know about Easy Company from Band of Brothers, but I don't know that all Canadians know that we had a famed parachute battalion of our own,' said Wang. 'I would love to think that this is a novel that can remind people of the sacrifices our country has made and remind us of who we are as a nation.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. One member of that famed unit, Richard Mar, a Chinese-Canadian private from Vancouver, was a key figure in propelling Wang forward with this story. 'There was a brief write-up about Richard Mar in a book called The Dragon And The Maple Leaf by Marjorie Wong,' said Wang adding that Josiah, who was a tree faller before becoming a riveter and a paratrooper, was inspired by the cartoon character Johnny Canuck. 'It's just a few brief paragraphs, but it describes how he served in the Ardennes and how he jumped into Germany. That really sort of was the first germ for the story. The idea of a Chinese-Canadian as a paratrooper.' While Josiah's struggles are real, and racism is around every corner, Poppy is also in a battle for independence and a life free from the expected norms of woman in the early part of the 20th century. 'Poppy is very much ahead of her time. Her desire for sexual freedom is a little ahead of her time, and they're both outsiders in society for different reasons,' said Wang. 'I think that's part of what allows them to connect and to understand each other better than they would have otherwise.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. While the story lives in the past, Wang's view is very much a reminder that personal freedoms are always in the line of fire and should never be taken for granted. 'I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that, you know, a lot of what I was writing into ultimately was affected by events here in the U.S., including the Dobbs decision,' said Wang referencing the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that ended the federal protection for abortion access that had been in place since Roe v. Wade in 1973. 'For me, the novel is very much a response to the taking away of freedoms that feels like it is happening all around me at the moment. So, I'm running very much against the current tide of what's going on in the world.' The historical part of this work of fiction is meticulous and fascinating. Whether Josiah is riveting a metal plate to 450-foot cargo ships, dancing at the Commodore Ballroom with Poppy, or digging trenches in European dirt, the reader is offered precise pictures of the past. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I read a lot of books,' said Wang whose previously published works include the award-winning short story collection We Two Alone, and the popular children's board book series Cozy Classics, which he created with his brother Holman Wang. One of those books was Boys Of The Clouds by Gary C. Boegel, which offered first-hand oral history from the actual 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. 'It really gives you a sense of the texture of the day-to-day experience,' said Wang, citing the unit's official war diary as a great resource. Wang also put his boots on the ground, travelling to Fort Benning, Georgia, where the unit trained prior to being shipped off to England. There, he saw the jump towers and the barracks that Canada's first airborne unit utilized. The shipyard part of the story is pulled from the history of the Burrard Dry Dock company, the busiest Canadian shipyard during the Second World War, producing well over 100 ships and employing 14,000 people, 1,000 of them women. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'They had a north yard in North Vancouver. But during the Second World War, they built the south yard on the south shore, False Creek,' said Wang. 'There were books written about the company, including one called Waterfront To Warfront by George Edwards.' A real gem discovered in his research journey was the house organ (a.k.a. the company newsletter called the Wallace Shipbuilder, named after the company's founding family). 'It was a monthly newsletter on all things related to the shipyard, from explaining how Victory ships were built here, to the bowling league results. And it just gave you a really fascinating time capsule of what it was like to be in the shipyard,' said Wang about the newsletters unearthed in the Vancouver Archive. 'They profiled workers, including Chinese-Canadians who worked in the shipyard as welders and so on. So that was just an amazing resource.' dgee@ Vancouver Canucks National Vancouver Canucks News Vancouver Canucks
The Star
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
'Shang-Chi' star Simu Liu engaged to girlfriend Allison Hsu
Simu Liu and Allison Hsu went public with their romance in December 2022 and have been going strong ever since. Photos: Simu Liu/Instagram Simu Liu is excited to take his relationship with his non-showbiz girlfriend Allison Hsu to the next level, as they are set to tie the knot. Liu and Hsu announced their engagement in joint Instagram posts on Sunday, May 11. The Marvel star shared a snap of himself carrying and kissing his partner in Paris, France, where the marriage proposal took place. 'From weekends in Paris, day trips to Palm Springs, long nights on set, afternoons vegging on the couch and everything in between, I choose you forever and always,' he wrote. Hsu shared more glimpses of their post-engagement moments, including photos of the couple posing by the Eiffel Tower and a closer look at her massive oval-cut diamond ring. 'Us forever,' she captioned her post along with ring emojis. Their engagement was met with congratulatory messages from friends in the comments, including celebrities such as Florence Pugh, John Legend, Rachel Zegler, Anna Cathcart, Gracie Abrams, Olivia Munn, AJ Rafael and Laufey. Liu and Hsu went public with their romance in December 2022 and have been going strong ever since. While the couple didn't disclose when their relationship began, they expressed how 'tremendously happy' they are together on multiple occasions. The Chinese-Canadian actor is best known for his lead roles in the films Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, Atlas, and Barbie , as well as the series Kim's Convenience . Meanwhile, Hsu is a digital marketing director in the US-based record label Interscope Records and was included in Forbes' '30 Under 30 in Music' list in 2022. – Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network
Global News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Permanent new Vancouver exhibit honours contributions of Chinese-Canadian soldiers
The contributions of Chinese-Canadian soldiers during the Second World War are being highlighted in an immersive new Vancouver exhibit timed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the conflict's end. Titled 'A Soldier for All Seasons,' the exhibit is a collaboration between the Chinese Canadian Military Museum and Vancouver's Chinese Canadian Museum, where it will be on permanent display. 2:15 This is BC: Second World War veteran Charlie Lee celebrates 100th birthday Randall 'Bud' Wong, president of the Chinese Canadian Mulitary Museum and a retired B.C. Supreme Court judge, said the war was a transformational moment for Chinese-Canadians' acceptance in Canada, anchoring their successful fight for civil rights. Story continues below advertisement 'It's important for young Chinese-Canadians to learn their history, and also for the public to understand why multiculturalism is so important in Canada today,' he said. 'Over 600 volunteered to join and serve in the army, navy, air force and also in the commando unit behind Japanese lines … when they came back, they said we fought in one war and we achieved two victories: one was to defeat canada's enemies, and the second was to obtain the right to vote … and also, to repeal the Chinese Exclusion Act, which separated Chinese-Canadian families for 24 years.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The Chinese Exclusion Act, which replaced the racist Chinese head tax by banning immigration from China, was repealed in 2947, and all Asian Canadians won the right to vote the following year. 2:13 This is BC: Filmmaker's quest to tell story of WWI soldier The exhibit, which opens to the public on Wednesday, shares heartfelt and untold stories of soldiers who risked their lives to serve a country that, at the time, considered them second-class citizens. Story continues below advertisement One of its more innovative elements is a 'holobox' that contains life-sized 3D representations of Chinese-Canadian soldiers retelling the experiences of real wartime servicemembers. 'We hired Chinese-Canadian actors in order to tell the stories of these soldiers that have never been told before in a museum setting,' said Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee, the museum's CEO. That's a feature Rick Wong, whose father was a part of Operation Oblivion, an elite guerrilla unit that operated behind Japanese lines, said will help get the museum's stories through to younger audiences, like his daughter. 'She has told me she doesn't mind looking at artifacts, doesn't mind looking at pictures, but doesn't want to read a lot of text, so having the 3D hologram thing, I think, is a great step forward — it really brings things to life,' he said. 1:57 Chinese-Canadian soldier's contributions are finally being remembered He said the contribution of Chinese-Canadian troops has long been underrepresented in Canadian retellings of the war, something he hopes having a permanent exhibit in the museum will help address. Story continues below advertisement He also hopes the exhibit can steer visitors across the street to the Chinese Canadian Military Museum, which includes a more fulsome collection, but is a little more off the beaten path. 'It is kind of an intro into some of the greater stories that are across the road,' he said. Organizers also believe the new exhibit can help draw more tourists to the area, helping to kickstart the ongoing revitalization of Vancouver's historic Chinatown. 'Chinatown in many ways is improving,' Lee said. 'We see more people on the streets, we see more restaurants and shops opening, different generations of people coming.'
