CHAPTER 6: FAMILY HISTORIES
a. Our Lee Ancestor Lao Tzu, Father of Taoism
Lao Tzu meets Yin Xi, the Guardian of the Gate of Tibet.( Wikipedia, 2010)
Although ascetics and hermits such as Shen Tao (who advocated that one 'abandon knowledge and discard self') first wrote of the 'Tao' it is with the sixth century B.C. philosopher Lao Tzu (or 'Old Sage' -- born Li Erh) that the philosophy of Taoism really began. Some scholars believe was a slightly older contemporary of Confucius (Kung-Fu Tzu, born Chiu Chung-Ni). Other scholars feel that the Tao Te Ching, is really a compilation of paradoxical poems written by several Taoists using the pen-name, Lao Tzu. There is also a close association between Lao Tzu and the legendary Yellow Emperor, Huang-ti.
According to legend Lao Tzu was keeper of the archives at the imperial court. When he was eighty years old he set out for the western border of China, toward what is now Tibet, saddened and disillusioned that men were unwilling to follow the path to natural goodness. At the border (Hank Pass), a guard, Yin Xi (Yin Hsi), asked Lao Tsu to record his teachings before he left. He then composed in 5,000 characters the Tao Te Ching (The Way and Its Power).
Confucius
Whatever the truth, Taoism and Confucianism have to be seen side-by-side as two distinct responses to the social, political and philosophical conditions of life two and a half millennia ago in China. Whereas Confucianism is greatly concerned with social relations, conduct and human society, Taoism has a much more individualistic and mystical character, greatly influenced by nature.
In Lao Tzu's view things were said to create "unnatural" action (wei) by shaping desires(yu). The process of learning the names (ming) used in the doctrines helped one to make distinctions between good and evil, beautiful and ugly, high and low, and "being" (yu) and "non- being" (wu), thereby shaping desires. To abandon knowledge was to abandon names, distinctions, tastes and desires. Thus spontaneous behavior (wu-wei) resulted.
The Taoist philosophy can perhaps best be summed up in a quote from Chuang Tzu:
"To regard the fundamental as the essence, to regard things as coarse, to regard accumulation as deficiency, and to dwell quietly alone with the spiritual and the intelligent -- herein lie the techniques of Tao of the ancients."
One element of Taoism is a kind of existential skepticism, something which can already be seen in the philosophy of Yang Chu (4th century B.C.) who wrote:
"What is man's life for? What pleasure is there in it? Is it for beauty and riches? Is it for sound and colour? But there comes a time when beauty and riches no longer answer the needs of the heart, and when a surfeit of sound and colour becomes a weariness to the eyes and a ringing in the ears.
"The men of old knew that life comes without warning, and as suddenly goes. They denied none of their natural inclinations, and repressed none of their bodily desires. They never felt the spur of fame. They sauntered through life gathering its pleasures as the impulse moved them. Since they cared nothing for fame after death, they were beyond the law. For name and praise, sooner or later, a long life or short one, they cared not at all."
Contemplating the remarkable natural world Lao Tzu felt that it was man and his activities which constituted a blight on the otherwise perfect order of things. Thus he counseled people to turn away from the folly of human pursuits and to return to one's natural wellspring.
The five colours blind the eye.
The five tones deafen the ear.
The five flavours dull the taste.
Racing and hunting madden the mind.
Precious things lead one astray.
Therefore the sage is guided by what he feels and not by what he sees.
He lets go of that and chooses this.
The central vehicle of achieving tranquillity was the Tao, a term which has been translated as 'the way' or 'the path.' Te in this context refers to virtue and Ching refers to laws. Thus the Tao Te Ching could be translated as The Law (or Canon) of Virtue and it's Way. The Tao was the central mystical term of the Lao Tzu and the Taoists, a formless, unfathomable source of all things.
Look, it cannot be seen - it is beyond form.
Listen, it cannot be heard - it is beyond sound.
Grasp, it cannot be held - it is intangible.
These three are indefinable, they are one.
From above it is not bright;
From below it is not dark:
Unbroken thread beyond description.
It returns to nothingness.
Form of the formless,
Image of the imageless,
It is called indefinable and beyond imagination.
Stand before it - there is no beginning.
Follow it and there is no end.
Stay with the Tao, Move with the present.
Knowing the ancient beginning is the essence of Tao.
Lao Tzu has Yin Xi appear to the Barbarian as the Buddha.
Lao Tsu taught that all straining, all striving are not only vain but counterproductive. One should endeavor to do nothing (wu-wei). But what does this mean? It means not to literally do nothing, but to discern and follow the natural forces -- to follow and shape the flow of events and not to pit oneself against the natural order of things. First and foremost to be spontaneous in ones actions.
In this sense the Taoist doctrine of wu-wei can be understood as a way of mastering circumstances by understanding their nature or principal, and then shaping ones actions in accordance with these. This understanding has also infused the approach to movement as it is developed in Tai Chi Chuan.
Understanding this, Taoist philosophy followed a very interesting circle. On the one hand the Taoists, rejected the Confucian attempts to regulate life and society and counseled instead to turn away from it to a solitary contemplation of nature. On the other hand they believed that by doing so one could ultimately harness the powers of the universe. By 'doing nothing' one could 'accomplish everything.' Lao Tzu writes:
The Tao abides in non-action,
Yet nothing is left undone.
If kings and lords observed this,
The ten thousand things would develop naturally.
If they still desired to act,
They would return to the simplicity of formless substance.
Without form there is no desire.
Without desire there is tranquility.
In this way all things would be at peace.
In this way Taoist philosophy reached out to council rulers and advise them of how to govern their domains. Thus Taoism, in a peculiar and roundabout way, became a political philosophy. The formulation follows these lines:
The Taoist sage has no ambitions, therefore he can never fail. He who never fails always succeeds. And he who always succeeds is all- powerful.
From a solitary contemplation of nature, far removed from the affairs of men, can emerge a philosophy that has, both in a critical as well a constructive sense -- a direct and practical political message. Lao Tzu writes:
Why are people starving?
Because the rulers eat up the money in taxes.
Therefore the people are starving.
Why are the people rebellious?
Because the rulers interfere too much.
Therefore they are rebellious.
Why do people think so little of death?
Because the rulers demand too much of life.
Therefore the people take life lightly.
Having to live on, one knows better than to value life too much.
.
a. Our Lee Ancestor Lao Tzu, Father of Taoism
Lao Tzu meets Yin Xi, the Guardian of the Gate of Tibet.( Wikipedia, 2010)
Although ascetics and hermits such as Shen Tao (who advocated that one 'abandon knowledge and discard self') first wrote of the 'Tao' it is with the sixth century B.C. philosopher Lao Tzu (or 'Old Sage' -- born Li Erh) that the philosophy of Taoism really began. Some scholars believe was a slightly older contemporary of Confucius (Kung-Fu Tzu, born Chiu Chung-Ni). Other scholars feel that the Tao Te Ching, is really a compilation of paradoxical poems written by several Taoists using the pen-name, Lao Tzu. There is also a close association between Lao Tzu and the legendary Yellow Emperor, Huang-ti.
According to legend Lao Tzu was keeper of the archives at the imperial court. When he was eighty years old he set out for the western border of China, toward what is now Tibet, saddened and disillusioned that men were unwilling to follow the path to natural goodness. At the border (Hank Pass), a guard, Yin Xi (Yin Hsi), asked Lao Tsu to record his teachings before he left. He then composed in 5,000 characters the Tao Te Ching (The Way and Its Power).
Confucius
Whatever the truth, Taoism and Confucianism have to be seen side-by-side as two distinct responses to the social, political and philosophical conditions of life two and a half millennia ago in China. Whereas Confucianism is greatly concerned with social relations, conduct and human society, Taoism has a much more individualistic and mystical character, greatly influenced by nature.
In Lao Tzu's view things were said to create "unnatural" action (wei) by shaping desires(yu). The process of learning the names (ming) used in the doctrines helped one to make distinctions between good and evil, beautiful and ugly, high and low, and "being" (yu) and "non- being" (wu), thereby shaping desires. To abandon knowledge was to abandon names, distinctions, tastes and desires. Thus spontaneous behavior (wu-wei) resulted.
The Taoist philosophy can perhaps best be summed up in a quote from Chuang Tzu:
"To regard the fundamental as the essence, to regard things as coarse, to regard accumulation as deficiency, and to dwell quietly alone with the spiritual and the intelligent -- herein lie the techniques of Tao of the ancients."
One element of Taoism is a kind of existential skepticism, something which can already be seen in the philosophy of Yang Chu (4th century B.C.) who wrote:
"What is man's life for? What pleasure is there in it? Is it for beauty and riches? Is it for sound and colour? But there comes a time when beauty and riches no longer answer the needs of the heart, and when a surfeit of sound and colour becomes a weariness to the eyes and a ringing in the ears.
"The men of old knew that life comes without warning, and as suddenly goes. They denied none of their natural inclinations, and repressed none of their bodily desires. They never felt the spur of fame. They sauntered through life gathering its pleasures as the impulse moved them. Since they cared nothing for fame after death, they were beyond the law. For name and praise, sooner or later, a long life or short one, they cared not at all."
Contemplating the remarkable natural world Lao Tzu felt that it was man and his activities which constituted a blight on the otherwise perfect order of things. Thus he counseled people to turn away from the folly of human pursuits and to return to one's natural wellspring.
The five colours blind the eye.
The five tones deafen the ear.
The five flavours dull the taste.
Racing and hunting madden the mind.
Precious things lead one astray.
Therefore the sage is guided by what he feels and not by what he sees.
He lets go of that and chooses this.
The central vehicle of achieving tranquillity was the Tao, a term which has been translated as 'the way' or 'the path.' Te in this context refers to virtue and Ching refers to laws. Thus the Tao Te Ching could be translated as The Law (or Canon) of Virtue and it's Way. The Tao was the central mystical term of the Lao Tzu and the Taoists, a formless, unfathomable source of all things.
Look, it cannot be seen - it is beyond form.
Listen, it cannot be heard - it is beyond sound.
Grasp, it cannot be held - it is intangible.
These three are indefinable, they are one.
From above it is not bright;
From below it is not dark:
Unbroken thread beyond description.
It returns to nothingness.
Form of the formless,
Image of the imageless,
It is called indefinable and beyond imagination.
Stand before it - there is no beginning.
Follow it and there is no end.
Stay with the Tao, Move with the present.
Knowing the ancient beginning is the essence of Tao.
Lao Tzu has Yin Xi appear to the Barbarian as the Buddha.
Lao Tsu taught that all straining, all striving are not only vain but counterproductive. One should endeavor to do nothing (wu-wei). But what does this mean? It means not to literally do nothing, but to discern and follow the natural forces -- to follow and shape the flow of events and not to pit oneself against the natural order of things. First and foremost to be spontaneous in ones actions.
In this sense the Taoist doctrine of wu-wei can be understood as a way of mastering circumstances by understanding their nature or principal, and then shaping ones actions in accordance with these. This understanding has also infused the approach to movement as it is developed in Tai Chi Chuan.
Understanding this, Taoist philosophy followed a very interesting circle. On the one hand the Taoists, rejected the Confucian attempts to regulate life and society and counseled instead to turn away from it to a solitary contemplation of nature. On the other hand they believed that by doing so one could ultimately harness the powers of the universe. By 'doing nothing' one could 'accomplish everything.' Lao Tzu writes:
The Tao abides in non-action,
Yet nothing is left undone.
If kings and lords observed this,
The ten thousand things would develop naturally.
If they still desired to act,
They would return to the simplicity of formless substance.
Without form there is no desire.
Without desire there is tranquility.
In this way all things would be at peace.
In this way Taoist philosophy reached out to council rulers and advise them of how to govern their domains. Thus Taoism, in a peculiar and roundabout way, became a political philosophy. The formulation follows these lines:
The Taoist sage has no ambitions, therefore he can never fail. He who never fails always succeeds. And he who always succeeds is all- powerful.
From a solitary contemplation of nature, far removed from the affairs of men, can emerge a philosophy that has, both in a critical as well a constructive sense -- a direct and practical political message. Lao Tzu writes:
Why are people starving?
Because the rulers eat up the money in taxes.
Therefore the people are starving.
Why are the people rebellious?
Because the rulers interfere too much.
Therefore they are rebellious.
Why do people think so little of death?
Because the rulers demand too much of life.
Therefore the people take life lightly.
Having to live on, one knows better than to value life too much.
.
b. Individual Family Histories (Lee Association of Calgary)
1. Norman Lee
Norman Lee (Calgary Lees Association Director) Norman’s father is Roy Lee. Grandchildren are Lily, Wilson and Diane.
2. Laurie Lee
Laurie Lee ( Former Calgary Lees Association President) provides a detailed family history of his father’s family and a description of his own family. Laurie’s children would be second generation Canadian Chinese.
Laurie Lee ( Former Calgary Lees Association President) provides a detailed family history of his father’s family and a description of his own family. Laurie’s children would be second generation Canadian Chinese.
Laurie Lee ( Interview, Feb. 2010)
Chinese name: Lee Fung Yin
His family immigrated from a small village called Chung Lao in the county of Toisan in Guangdong Province to Canada. There were only 300 people in the village.
Laurie is a 3rd generation Chinese Canadian. His grandfather had five children and decided they needed a better life. He borrowed the five hundred dollar Chinese Head Tax from a friend and arrived just after the completion of the railroad. His first job was working as a coal miner in Canmore, Alberta.
He saved enough money to open a laundry in Canmore. He saved enough money to pay the head tax to sponsor more relatives: number one uncle, Laurie’s father, one younger uncle.
They pooled their money together and opened a restaurant together in Fort Macleod called the Silver Grill that they ran for 19 years. The three brothers run the restaurant and share the dividends which became their savings.
With their dividends, the brothers would take turns going back to China to visit their wives. Upon their return, they would resume their job in the restaurant.
When the grandfather left China , he was twenty years old and had one wife and one child that remained in China. Laurie’s father would return to China periodically to father his children and then return to Canada to work. Eventually, Laurie’s father brought over his children to Canada (three sons, two daughters). Laurie did not come to Canada until 1949 when the immigration allowed a Chinese child under 18 to join his family.
Laurie was 15 years old when he came to live with his father who seemed like a stranger. He had to rebuild a relationship with his father.
Because he had two cousins the same age , they kept each other company. He remembers children at elementary school teasing them with racial slurs but in high school and university, there was less discrimination.
Laurie attended the James Short School that had English lessons for Chinese immigrant children. Laurie went to Langevin Junior High and then attended Western Canada High and was able to enter the University of Edmonton and obtained a degree in engineering.
When he came home after school, he worked at his father’s confectionary store called Henry Lee’s Confectionary Store that remained in business until 1962. A confectionary store sold fresh vegetables, canned goods and sometimes flower.
When Laurie returned to Calgary in 1970, he became involved in The Calgary Lee Association. He was one of the six trustees that looked after the development of The Bowside Manor. He has been a former President (1998) and Director of the Calgary Lees Association.
He worked for 15 years as a civil engineer and then changed careers by becoming a businessman by opening food courts in shopping malls.
Laurie remembers that the Lee Headquarters was used as a permanent address for Lee Members to receive mail from China and keep in contact with their families while they were working in different parts of the province. Laurie lived in the bachelor apartments at the Calgary Lees association headquarters in 1966.
Laurie sees the need for new younger members to join.
3. Dan Lee (Interview Feb.2010)
Current (2010) President of Calgary Lees Association.
Dan was born in 1932. At age 16, Dan immigrated from China, and arrived in Canada on August 4, 1949 at 9:30 pm in the evening in Vancouver and went to Trail BC. where he lived for five years. He was sponsored by his three uncles who were allowed to bring in relatives under 18 years of age.
In 1954, he remembers coming to Calgary from Trail in a two ton truck that broke down twice because of flat tires. His first job in Calgary was working for two months as a waiter at the Four Winds Café. He opened up the Sunrise Grocery Store on 14th St. and 13th Ave. S.W. and sold the business in 1956 and then opened another one on 26th St. and 29th Ave. S.W. called Lee’s Grocery that he sold in 1961.
He went into the life insurance for two years travelling throughout Alberta and BC.
In 1963 he returned to open another grocery store on 35 St. SW. across from Ernest Manning High School.
By 1966, Dan noticed the opening of Mac’s Convenience Stores and Seven Elevens, so he decided to join the Calgary Real Estate Board at the age of 33. The average cost of a house was selling for $14,500. In 2007, the average cost of a house is $470,000.
He joined the Lee Association in 1954. Harry Lee, the Calgary Lees Association Chairman encouraged Dan to run for Lees association chairman Association in the 1960’s because Dan had the flexibility in his sales job to devote time to running the association.
Dan has been the chairman for over 33 years. He was first elected in 1963. Sui Hong Lee was recommended to become the treasurer.
Dan was chairman when they built the 88 unit Bowside Manor low cost housing apartments.
Married his wife May in 1957. He has two sons Donald and Tommy. His son Tommy Lee is a professional golf pro in Airdrie. He has one grand daughter named Jenny.
4. Wai Hop Lee (Interview , Feb. 2010)
Born in Hoiping, Guangdong China in 1938. Lived in Hong Kong for 18 years.
In 1972, his sister sponsored his immigration to Canada at the age of 34.
He brought his wife and two sons, Peter and Tony to Canada two years later from Hong Kong and had two more daughters born in Canada.
His profession in Canada was working for a Canadian optical company in making lenses. In 1977, he was able to become a Canadian citizen. He joined the Lees Association in 1978. His wife Linda is a member of the Lees Association. He retired in 2001.
5. Byron Lee (Interview, Feb.2010)
Came to Canada in 1950 at the age of 16 after being sponsored by his cousin.
Attended James Short and Western Canada in Calgary and then began working.
He ran his own restaurant for 20 years. His first restaurant was the Golden Bell Restaurant on 1st St. and 12th Ave. S.W. After 20 years, he incorporated the restaurant into B and LEE enterprises. He sold the restaurant but for eight more years continued to run the grocery store.
Returned to Hong Kong in 1958 where he met and married his wife at the age of 24. He has four children—three sons (Raymond, Gordon, Lawrence) and one daughter (Mary).
Since retiring in 2001, Byron is the treasurer for the Calgary Lees Association as well as the treasurer for the UCCA ( United Chinese Calgary Association). With UCCA , he has helped to raise $400,000 for the Chinese relief fund for the earthquake victims in Sichuan , China.
Chinese name: Lee Fung Yin
His family immigrated from a small village called Chung Lao in the county of Toisan in Guangdong Province to Canada. There were only 300 people in the village.
Laurie is a 3rd generation Chinese Canadian. His grandfather had five children and decided they needed a better life. He borrowed the five hundred dollar Chinese Head Tax from a friend and arrived just after the completion of the railroad. His first job was working as a coal miner in Canmore, Alberta.
He saved enough money to open a laundry in Canmore. He saved enough money to pay the head tax to sponsor more relatives: number one uncle, Laurie’s father, one younger uncle.
They pooled their money together and opened a restaurant together in Fort Macleod called the Silver Grill that they ran for 19 years. The three brothers run the restaurant and share the dividends which became their savings.
With their dividends, the brothers would take turns going back to China to visit their wives. Upon their return, they would resume their job in the restaurant.
When the grandfather left China , he was twenty years old and had one wife and one child that remained in China. Laurie’s father would return to China periodically to father his children and then return to Canada to work. Eventually, Laurie’s father brought over his children to Canada (three sons, two daughters). Laurie did not come to Canada until 1949 when the immigration allowed a Chinese child under 18 to join his family.
Laurie was 15 years old when he came to live with his father who seemed like a stranger. He had to rebuild a relationship with his father.
Because he had two cousins the same age , they kept each other company. He remembers children at elementary school teasing them with racial slurs but in high school and university, there was less discrimination.
Laurie attended the James Short School that had English lessons for Chinese immigrant children. Laurie went to Langevin Junior High and then attended Western Canada High and was able to enter the University of Edmonton and obtained a degree in engineering.
When he came home after school, he worked at his father’s confectionary store called Henry Lee’s Confectionary Store that remained in business until 1962. A confectionary store sold fresh vegetables, canned goods and sometimes flower.
When Laurie returned to Calgary in 1970, he became involved in The Calgary Lee Association. He was one of the six trustees that looked after the development of The Bowside Manor. He has been a former President (1998) and Director of the Calgary Lees Association.
He worked for 15 years as a civil engineer and then changed careers by becoming a businessman by opening food courts in shopping malls.
Laurie remembers that the Lee Headquarters was used as a permanent address for Lee Members to receive mail from China and keep in contact with their families while they were working in different parts of the province. Laurie lived in the bachelor apartments at the Calgary Lees association headquarters in 1966.
Laurie sees the need for new younger members to join.
3. Dan Lee (Interview Feb.2010)
Current (2010) President of Calgary Lees Association.
Dan was born in 1932. At age 16, Dan immigrated from China, and arrived in Canada on August 4, 1949 at 9:30 pm in the evening in Vancouver and went to Trail BC. where he lived for five years. He was sponsored by his three uncles who were allowed to bring in relatives under 18 years of age.
In 1954, he remembers coming to Calgary from Trail in a two ton truck that broke down twice because of flat tires. His first job in Calgary was working for two months as a waiter at the Four Winds Café. He opened up the Sunrise Grocery Store on 14th St. and 13th Ave. S.W. and sold the business in 1956 and then opened another one on 26th St. and 29th Ave. S.W. called Lee’s Grocery that he sold in 1961.
He went into the life insurance for two years travelling throughout Alberta and BC.
In 1963 he returned to open another grocery store on 35 St. SW. across from Ernest Manning High School.
By 1966, Dan noticed the opening of Mac’s Convenience Stores and Seven Elevens, so he decided to join the Calgary Real Estate Board at the age of 33. The average cost of a house was selling for $14,500. In 2007, the average cost of a house is $470,000.
He joined the Lee Association in 1954. Harry Lee, the Calgary Lees Association Chairman encouraged Dan to run for Lees association chairman Association in the 1960’s because Dan had the flexibility in his sales job to devote time to running the association.
Dan has been the chairman for over 33 years. He was first elected in 1963. Sui Hong Lee was recommended to become the treasurer.
Dan was chairman when they built the 88 unit Bowside Manor low cost housing apartments.
Married his wife May in 1957. He has two sons Donald and Tommy. His son Tommy Lee is a professional golf pro in Airdrie. He has one grand daughter named Jenny.
4. Wai Hop Lee (Interview , Feb. 2010)
Born in Hoiping, Guangdong China in 1938. Lived in Hong Kong for 18 years.
In 1972, his sister sponsored his immigration to Canada at the age of 34.
He brought his wife and two sons, Peter and Tony to Canada two years later from Hong Kong and had two more daughters born in Canada.
His profession in Canada was working for a Canadian optical company in making lenses. In 1977, he was able to become a Canadian citizen. He joined the Lees Association in 1978. His wife Linda is a member of the Lees Association. He retired in 2001.
5. Byron Lee (Interview, Feb.2010)
Came to Canada in 1950 at the age of 16 after being sponsored by his cousin.
Attended James Short and Western Canada in Calgary and then began working.
He ran his own restaurant for 20 years. His first restaurant was the Golden Bell Restaurant on 1st St. and 12th Ave. S.W. After 20 years, he incorporated the restaurant into B and LEE enterprises. He sold the restaurant but for eight more years continued to run the grocery store.
Returned to Hong Kong in 1958 where he met and married his wife at the age of 24. He has four children—three sons (Raymond, Gordon, Lawrence) and one daughter (Mary).
Since retiring in 2001, Byron is the treasurer for the Calgary Lees Association as well as the treasurer for the UCCA ( United Chinese Calgary Association). With UCCA , he has helped to raise $400,000 for the Chinese relief fund for the earthquake victims in Sichuan , China.
6. Peter Lee
c. Individual Biographies (Lees Association across Canada)
1. Lee Duck ( Lethbridge)
Name of individual: Lee Duck
Name of association: Lee Association (Lethbridge)
Birth date: _1895______ to ___1977_______
Ancestral Home: China__Province: Toisan County :
Family arrival in Canada: 1905
Immigrated to Canada on a Blue Funnel Steamer shoveling coal in the engine room. First job in Canada was working on the CPR as a grease monkey responsible for lubricating all the bearings of the steam engine. As the train traveled from Vancouver through the BC interior and Alberta with the turn around point at Medicine Hat, Lee Duck had to grease the engine at each whistle stop.
Founding member of Chinese National League in Lethbridge. President of Chinese National League and helped build the Chinese National League Headquarters building in Lethbridge that still exists today
Lee Duck had to pay the Chinese Head tax on more than one occasion. Because of the Chinese Exclusion Act he was not able to bring his wife from China to Canada. Lee Duck was not allowed to become a Canadian Citizen until 1950.
Address of Lee Duck’s village. Family tree of people living in Lee Duck’s house in the village.
Jack Lee (Lee Dat Man) number three son and Harvey Lee ( Lee Gan Man) number two son of Lee Duck. In background is a photo of Lee Duck Cleaner’s on 13th St. in North Lethbridge in 1950.
As of 2009, Harvey Lee is 89 and Jack Lee is 80. Jack Lee joined the Regina Rifles at 16 and fought four years during WWII seeing action in Belgium, Holland, France and Germany. Jack Lee became a Sergeant Major in the Canadian army and was called to duty during the FLQ crisis during.
Under Lee Duck and his three sons, Jimmy Lee (Lee Hon Men) , Harvey and Jack, Lee Duck Cleaners was in business for 45 years. Today, Lee Duck Cleaners is now a photographic studio.
As of 2009, Harvey Lee is 89 and Jack Lee is 80. Jack Lee joined the Regina Rifles at 16 and fought four years during WWII seeing action in Belgium, Holland, France and Germany. Jack Lee became a Sergeant Major in the Canadian army and was called to duty during the FLQ crisis during.
Under Lee Duck and his three sons, Jimmy Lee (Lee Hon Men) , Harvey and Jack, Lee Duck Cleaners was in business for 45 years. Today, Lee Duck Cleaners is now a photographic studio.
2. Jack Lee (Montreal Lee Association)
Businessman and restaurant owner, Jack W. Lee is a leader and spokesperson for the Quebec Chinese community. He is unquestionably, the Chinese Quebecer to have contributed the most to the integration of his community to the Quebec society. (Wikipedia, 2010)
Jack W. Lee was born in Tai Shan, China, in 1929. After arriving in Canada in 1952, along with his father, they operated a family restaurant in Sherbrooke, Quebec. He now lives in Montreal’s Chinatown. Parallel to a profitable career in business, for more than three decades, Mr. Lee has been active in numerous professional and community organizations. With 29 years as a member of the Board of Directors for the Quebec Chinese Restaurant Association, 5 of which as Chairman of the Board, he strived to raise and achieve high quality of standards.
To revitalize Montreal’s Chinatown, Mr. Lee convinced the governments of the importance to safeguard this community that was being threatened of disappearing due to Real Estate Developers.
As the founding President of Montreal’s Chinese Community United Centre, he has succeeded in unifying the stakeholders of his community and to gather groups of different ideologies.
Mr. Lee is also responsible for bringing the first annual International Festival of Dragon Boat Races to the City of Montreal.
Currently, Mr. Lee represents the Quebec Chinese Community at the National Congress of Chinese Canadians, as Co-President of the organization. The organization has brought awareness to Canadians of the discriminatory character of the Head Tax that was imposed upon Chinese immigrants at the end of the 19th century and of the Federal Chinese Immigration Act, that was enforced from 1923-1947.
Jack W. Lee is the 1st Chinese Quebecer to be honoured by the Government of Quebec for the “Ordre National du Quebec”. Jack W. Lee is also member of the Order of Canada (1992). He was notably awarded the Quebec Chinese Restaurants Association Dedication Award (1994), the Quebec Federation of Ethnic Groups Commemorative Medal (1987) and the 125th Anniversary of the Canadian Confederation Commemorative Medal (1992).
3. Philip S. Lee (Winnipeg Lees Association)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
24th Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
Assumed office August 4, 2009
Governor General:Michaëlle Jean
Premier:Gary Doer
Preceded by John Harvard
Born 1944, Hong Kong
Profession: Politician
Religion: Catholicism
Philip S. Lee, CM, OM (born 1944; Chinese: 李紹麟) is the 24th and current Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba. He received the Order of Canada in 1999 and The Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Lee migrated to Canada in 1962 to study in the University of Manitoba. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1966 and a public administration diploma in 1977. In 1967 he was hired by the City of Winnipeg as a research chemist. He helped organize the Chinese pavilion in the first Folklorama in 1970 and later became Vice President of the Folk Arts Council of Winnipeg. In the 1977 Manitoba general election, Lee ran as a Progressive Conservative candidate in Winnipeg Centre where he lost to Bud Boyce of the Manitoba New Democratic Party. Lee was on Winnipeg’s Refugee Assistance Committee from 1979 to 1986. He also advocated the construction of the Winnipeg Chinese Cultural and Community Centre in the Dynasty Building, the Chinese Gate and Garden, and the Mandarin Building in Winnipeg.
His appointment as Lieutenant Governor was made by Governor General Michaëlle Jean, as advised by her Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, on June 19, 2009. Upon assuming the office on August 4, 2009, Lee became the 24th Lieutenant Governor of the province.
References
Order of Canada Membership List
The Order of Manitoba Act, 1999. Section 4.
Ming Pao Toronto
"Backgrounder: Philip S. Lee, C.M.". Office of the Prime Minister. 19 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-04.
Canada News Centre
Rabson, Mia (19-06-2009). "PM names Lee as Manitoba's new Lieutenant Governor". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 2009-08-04.
Canada News Centre
4. Ray Lee
Citizenship court Judge Ray Lee presides over citizenship court held at Forest Lawn Senior High School in Calgary ( March, 2008) in which 82 new Canadians take their oath of Canadian citizenship.
In 2010 Ray Lee was given honorary doctorate degrees from both The University of Calgary and The University of Athabasca.
Ray’s research into the discriminatory practice of the Chinese head tax played a role in Steven Harper’s decision to issue a formal apology to the Chinese on behalf of the Government of Canada for the discrimination suffered by those under the head-tax (Lee, 2010).
In 2010 Ray Lee was given honorary doctorate degrees from both The University of Calgary and The University of Athabasca.
Ray’s research into the discriminatory practice of the Chinese head tax played a role in Steven Harper’s decision to issue a formal apology to the Chinese on behalf of the Government of Canada for the discrimination suffered by those under the head-tax (Lee, 2010).