[IPSM] [Fwd: invitation from Bill Chu]

Tue Oct 5 23:49:38 PDT 2004

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: invitation from Bill Chu
Date: Tue, 05 Oct 2004 22:49:15 -0700
From: CCIA <ccia at shaw.ca>
To: jrbilly at mail.ocis.net

C A N A D I A N S   F O R   R E C O N C I L I A T I O N 

            ccia at shaw.ca               604-261-6526 
(evening)                                                               

Dear friends:

A historic 600 person banquet is set to take place between First People, 
Chinese Canadians, and many others on October 23 in Vancouver's 
Chinatown. It is historic in the sense that a similar one at this scale 
had not been known for last ¾ century. With endorsements coming in 
steady, a kick-off press conference attended by major media, and many 
positive responses from the First Nation and Chinese communities, the 
banquet promises to be a significant event for BC.

The banquet evolved out of the knowledge of the devastations caused by 
last year's forest fires and flood to some aboriginal communities. In 
the case of the Mount Currie Reserve, the flood resulted in widespread 
damage to buildings, crops and life stocks. Although much of the 
replacement costs of drywall and insulation were paid for from relief, 
the losses to crops, chickens and cows were not. For the Lake Secwepemc 
community near Kamloops, last year's fire destroyed their irrigation 
pipes and pump system used for growing vegetables for their community. 
Their members now have to water the plants by hand in the sweltering 
heat, limiting their capacity to produce food. Together with one burned 
down house, that community has a need of $30,213 for reconstruction 
materials alone.

To meet some of the needs, CFR is organizing this awareness raising and 
fund raising banquet at 6pm on October 23 at Floata Seafood Restaurant 
(180 Keefer, Vancouver). This unprecedented banquet will also mark the 
historic reunion of the two cultures, as well as a celebration of years 
of journey for some with the First People. Through the sharing of food, 
songs, stories and visions, the evening will help participants to 
rediscover a common past and to forge a new future. It is also hope that 
through this communal act to restore a discontinued relationship, a 
symbol of hope will be seen by the rest of Canada. So far the banquet 
has gained the endorsement and support of nineteen organizations. It is 
envisaged that a longer list will be made public as we approach the banquet:

Aboriginal Mothers Center Society

BC Elders Communication Center Society 

Canadian Chinese Business Development Association

Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver

Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society

Chinese Christians In Action

Chinese Free Mason of Vancouver

City In Focus

First Nations Summit

Grandview Calvary Baptist Church

Greater Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens Association

Lower Mainland Aboriginal Veteran Association

Council of the Muslim Community of Canada

National Aboriginal Veteran Association

St. Chiara Community

Social Concern Committee of Vancouver Chinese Evangelical Ministerial 
Fellowship

Union of BC Indian Chiefs

United Native Nations

Vancouver Hong Kong Forum Society

Although our immediate goal is to assist First People impacted by last 
year's fire and flood, we hope our past journey and longer term goal of 
reconciliation with the indigenous people will pave the way for a new 
relationship of peace and justice for this land. In the hopes that you 
can share and thus quicken the arrival of that day, I would like you to 
consider some or all of the following:

1. To reserve a block of tickets for sale to friends/members (each table 
seats 10, with tickets at $35 each by calling 604-539-8444). 

2. To let others know about the event

3. To seek elders who can tell stories re past relationship between 
indigenous people and Chinese in BC's earlier days (email me please)

4. To make a free-will contribution to help the victims (no tax 
deductible receipt is possible under current government policies) and/or

            5. Donating art/craft/service towards a silent auction that 
evening

Please note any cheques should be made payable to CCIA or Chinese 
Christians In Action. Also note all net proceeds from the banquet (after 
accounted for by Bing C Wong & Associates) will go towards the above 
victims. On behalf of those affected by fire and flood and for those 
looking for reconciliation, please accept our sincere thanks for your 
generous assistance in this historical development.

Yours truly,

Bill Chu, founder

Canadians For Reconciliation

CANADIANS FOR RECONCILIATION is a peaceful non-partisan grassroots 
movement committed to developing a new relationship with aboriginal 
people, one that signifies a deep apology for past injustice, a 
willingness to honor truth now and a resolve to embrace each other in 
the new millennium.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.resist.ca/pipermail/ipsm-l/attachments/20041005/b54a143c/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Banquet Poster2.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 2292220 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.resist.ca/pipermail/ipsm-l/attachments/20041005/b54a143c/attachment.pdf>