Former B.C. judge Randall (Bud) Wong remembers getting out of bed early one morning when he was five to greet his uncle at the train station in Vancouver at the end of the Second World War in 1945.
His uncle Delbert Yen Chao was returning from India after years of service as an infantryman.
“I remember very vividly my uncle coming off the train, and he was wearing his army uniform and knapsack,” said Wong, 83.
“We were so happy to see him that we took him home, and then he came to live with us.”
The service of Chinese Canadian soldiers like Chao in the First and Second World Wars will be honoured by a new exhibition at the Chinese Canadian Museum in Vancouver’s Chinatown.
The exhibition, titled "A Soldier For All Seasons," is scheduled to launch in spring 2025.
The museum says that by the end of the Second World War, Chinese Canadians were in every branch of Canada’s armed forces — despite not being recognized as full citizens with the right to vote in federal elections until 1947.
The same year, the Chinese Exclusion Act that effectively banned Chinese immigration was repealed. It was another two years before Chinese Canadians were allowed to vote in all provincial elections too.
According to Veterans Affairs Canada, more than 200 Chinese Canadians volunteered to fight in the First World War, while more than 600 served in the Second World War.
Wong said the exhibition was important to keep the veterans’ stories alive as a reminder of their sacrifices and how they were fighting on two fronts – one overseas and the other at home, for equal recognition as Canadians.
"When they returned, their credo was ‘one war and two victories.’ Basically, one was helping Canada defeat its enemy and the other one is basically attaining the right to vote," said Wong, a board member with the Chinese Canadian Museum and president of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum.
"It was on the basis of saying, ‘We fought for king and country, now please give us the right to vote.’"
Melissa Karmen Lee, chief executive officer with the Chinese Canadian Museum, said the exhibition would show Chinese Canadians’ involvement "in every single part of the Canadian war effort."
Among the troops being honoured are those who fought as part of Force 136, a group of Chinese Canadians who conducted perilous special operations behind enemy lines in Japanese-occupied Southeast Asia.
They were trained to blend in with local communities, help resistance fighters and sabotage Japanese supply lines and equipment.
Wong said colourized photos of Force 136 veterans left him emotional, and their mission was so dangerous it had another code name — Operation Oblivion.
“Because they said if you volunteer for this, there’s a good chance that you may not come back. You might get captured. You may get killed,” said Wong.
Wong said that as the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War next year approached, there were only four Chinese Canadian veterans left.
If he could travel back in time to thank such veterans, he would tell them "we are forever grateful for what you have accomplished."
Wong said his uncle’s ethics, hard work and service influenced him growing up. Wong would go on to become the first Chinese Canadian provincial Crown counsel in 1967.
__
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
A post shared by Chinese Canadian Museum (@ccmuseumbc)
B.C. health officials say they have detected Canada's first-ever case of H5 avian influenza in a human.
More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.
Women are sharing information on social media about a feminist movement in which straight women refuse to marry, have children, date or have sex with men.
A woman is dead after a driver crashed a truck through a Boston Pizza in Fort McMurray late Saturday morning.
St. Thomas police say they arrested a 72-year-old St. Thomas resident after their ex-partner reported receiving flowers and a note left on the porch.
As the possibility of mass deportations looms following Donald Trump's re-election on Tuesday, border towns like the City of Cornwall are preparing for a potential influx of asylum seekers.
The majority of strokes could be prevented, according to new guidelines aimed at helping people and their doctors do just that.
As I see other generations of music lovers say music was so much better when they were younger, I wondered why. We can’t all be right — or maybe we are? I talked to experts in how music influences our brains to find out.
Actor Tony Todd, known for his haunting portrayal of a killer in the horror film “Candyman” and roles in many other films and television shows, has died, his longtime manager confirmed. He was 69.
A Vancouver designer is making waves in the architectural world with an outdoor modular building created to address the city’s unrelenting housing crisis.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has thrown his weight behind a campaign fighting for better work rights for Kal Tire employees, joining a picket line of workers in Burnaby Saturday morning.
B.C. health officials say they have detected Canada's first-ever case of H5 avian influenza in a human.
A man who died in Brampton on Saturday following a “possible stabbing” was actually shot, say Peel police.
More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.
On Saturday the City of Calgary held the first of three open houses seeking public input regarding the the intersection and roadways of Sarcee Trail and Bow Trail S.W.
Calgary police are investigating a crash between a minivan and a school bus on Friday.
The soon-to-be-operational Halkirk 2 wind farm was shut down on Friday after a turbine broke.
Many Kanata residents are pushing back against the installation of a tent-like structure to house asylum seekers, holding a rally Saturday to oppose the decision.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.
As the possibility of mass deportations looms following Donald Trump's re-election on Tuesday, border towns like the City of Cornwall are preparing for a potential influx of asylum seekers.
A battle is brewing between the city and people who live in Montreal’s Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood after it tried to shut off access to a popular wooded area.
Some 300 Montrealers received an early holiday present on Saturday – a brand new winter jacket, courtesy of an NBA player and his family.
Montrealer Ophelia Sarakinis grows fresh strawberries year-round in her indoor farm under the name GUSH Farm.
A boy is in hospital after being stabbed at a McDonald's in Beaumaris on Friday.
A woman is dead after a driver crashed a truck through a Boston Pizza in Fort McMurray late Saturday morning.
An Alberta municipality says it wants to tell ratepayers how much of their taxes is being spent on policing costs, but Municipal Affairs is taking issue with its disclosure.
New Brunswick health officials are urging residents to get vaccinated after 11 new cases of measles were confirmed in the province.
Nova Scotia's New Democratic Party says a candidate criticized by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs for "troubling" and "damaging" social media posts is no longer running for the party in the Nov. 26 general election.
Alex Decoteau didn’t live to see his 30th birthday, but what he accomplished in his 29 years of life was simply remarkable.
The countdown to the CFL Western Final is on – and fans of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders were gearing up for the big game Saturday afternoon.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
Manitoba RCMP officers are canvassing an Interlake community this weekend as part of an ongoing homicide investigation.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders extended their Grey Cup drought to 11 years after losing 38-22 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL’s Western Final on Saturday.
The final round of ballots from Saskatchewan’s provincial election were tallied on Saturday, and a race that was previously too close to call has officially been declared.
CTV News Regina will be airing special coverage of Regina’s municipal election on Wednesday evening beginning at 9:30 p.m.
Police say on Nov. 2, two female victims were sexually assaulted by a man in separate incidents.
With University Stadium packed to capacity and an electric atmosphere driving the players, the Golden Hawks delivered an impressive performance, defeating the powerhouse Mustangs and securing their first Yates Cup title since 2016.
Police said officers responded to the area of Christopher Drive and Champlain Boulevard Friday afternoon for a report of a robbery.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders extended their Grey Cup drought to 11 years after losing 38-22 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL’s Western Final on Saturday.
The Regina Rams claimed the Evan Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.
Elections Saskatchewan completed the final step in the vote counting process from the provincial election on Saturday.
Police say that a 16-year-old was attacked with a sword Nov. 3 in Cobalt, Ont., in a case of intimate partner violence.
The majority of strokes could be prevented, according to new guidelines aimed at helping people and their doctors do just that.
Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.
More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.
One by one, students from elementary schools walked to the centre of Vimy Ridge Park in London, Ont. to lay a wreath at the memorial.
The Neighbourhood Decision Making program was launched in 2017 to give Londoners in five areas of the city a chance to submit ideas and earn money to make them come to life.
A former Barrie landlord says she been scammed by a woman recently charged by provincial police with posing as a nurse after allegedly falsifying her credentials to work in long-term care homes.
A heavy police presence has been seen in an Innisfil neighbourhood throughout the day.
Multiple managing partners of Collingwood’s Supportive Rapid Re-Housing Program (SRRP) announced that they will welcome their first residents in the coming weeks.
More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.
Windsor police attended the Ambassador Bridge for an ongoing investigation Saturday.
Actor Tony Todd, known for his haunting portrayal of a killer in the horror film “Candyman” and roles in many other films and television shows, has died, his longtime manager confirmed. He was 69.
B.C. health officials say they have detected Canada's first-ever case of H5 avian influenza in a human.
Contract negotiations resume today in Vancouver in a labour dispute that has paralyzed container cargo shipping at British Columbia's ports since Monday.
Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a special weather statement for Metro Vancouver, Howe Sound and parts of the Fraser Valley and Sunshine Coast as another storm approaches.
The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.
Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.
More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.
The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year’s host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.
The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.
There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.
Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.
Mayors of the five largest cities in northern Ontario met in North Bay the last two days to discuss a range of critical issues impacting their cities and the region.
Residents in the Sault expressed concerns ranging from vandalism to privacy invasions during recent consultations on the city's plan to install automated speed enforcement cameras.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic — and they need to be cleaned up.
School staff are being struck more often, students are fighting more frequently, and police are increasingly being called to school grounds, according to data compiled and released this week by the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association.
Newfoundland and Labrador's auditor general has issued a warning about the province's financial position as the government announced it would finish the 2024-25 fiscal year with a higher-than-expected deficit.
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock — whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.
A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada says the government held a briefing with unions on Thursday to discuss the 'Refocusing Government Spending Initiative." PSAC says, "without prior consultation, the government unilaterally announced their plans to cut costs across the federal public service."
The Supreme Court may have succeeded in sidestepping the request from Droits collectifs Québec (DCQ), which had dragged its registrar before the Federal Court to compel the translation into French of some 6,000 decisions made before 1969 that were only available in English.
Canada will apologize to Inuit in Nunavik for the killing of sled dogs between the mid-1950s until the late 1960s, minister Gary Anandasangaree said.
B.C. health officials say they have detected Canada's first-ever case of H5 avian influenza in a human.
The majority of strokes could be prevented, according to new guidelines aimed at helping people and their doctors do just that.
New Brunswick health officials are urging residents to get vaccinated after 11 new cases of measles were confirmed in the province.
Elwood Edwards, who voiced America Online’s ever-present 'You’ve got mail' greeting, has died Tuesday at his home in New Bern, N. C. He was 74.
In 1916, Harold Wrong plucked a flower from the fields of Somme, France and tucked it into a letter he mailed home to Toronto. For decades, the type of flower sent remained a mystery.
New technology that was tested at the Assiniboine Park Zoo has arrived in Churchill to help track polar bears.
Kate Winslet shared an anecdote about an encounter she had with someone from her star-making blockbuster film 'Titanic' while producing her new film 'Lee.'
As I see other generations of music lovers say music was so much better when they were younger, I wondered why. We can’t all be right — or maybe we are? I talked to experts in how music influences our brains to find out.
Actor Tony Todd, known for his haunting portrayal of a killer in the horror film “Candyman” and roles in many other films and television shows, has died, his longtime manager confirmed. He was 69.
Contract negotiations resume today in Vancouver in a labour dispute that has paralyzed container cargo shipping at British Columbia's ports since Monday.
Televisions that measure 97 inches (and more) diagonally across – a.k.a. XXL TVs – are becoming a huge hit as the cost of giant screens sinks sharply, and viewers look to replace the screens they bought during the peak of the pandemic a few years ago.
Canada added lower-than-expected 14,500 jobs in October and wages of permanent employees rose, data showed on Friday, as the economy grappled to absorb the slack built up due to a rapidly rising population amid an overheated market.
Tourists in Rome won't be allowed to toss coins into the Trevi Fountain. A walkway now gives limited access to the monument during maintenance work.
Cynicism is on the rise. Should that come as any surprise given today’s divisive global conflicts and our fraught political landscape? Even the weather seems like it’s out to get us.
Decluttering your closet can be an easy task when you follow the "one in, one out" rule according to an Ottawa specialist.
A Maui man who lost a part of his leg to a shark bite is now out of the hospital and thanking those who saved his life and helped him recover.
Canadian men's rugby team are ranked 22nd in the world, compared to No. 21 for Chile. Canada faces No. 20 Romania next Saturday.
The Canadian Premier League intends to expand by two teams in 2026.
A driver's trip from London, Ont. to Ottawa to visit their girlfriend ended in a traffic stop for speeding on Highway 417, according to police.
Recall notices have been issued for some Volkswagen models from 2006 to 2019 for airbag safety issues.
Two suspects accused of selling stolen cars while employed at a legitimate car dealership in Toronto are now facing a combined 176 charges, police say.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
© 2024 
All rights reserved. Use of this Website assumes acceptance of Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy