Arts

Photos: Korean Cultural Heritage Festival at Swangard Stadium

by Charlie Smith on August 17th, 2014 at 5:20 PM
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      On Saturday (August 16), the B.C. New Democrats put the B.C. Liberals to shame with their turnout at the Korean Cultural Heritage Festival at Swangard Stadium.

      Counting their municipal colleagues with the Burnaby Citizens Association, there may have been 20 elected NDP politicians in attendance.

      The opening remarks were delivered by Burnaby-Lougheed NDP MLA Jane Shin, who's of Korean descent, and Burnaby mayor Derek Corrigan.

      In a subsequent interview with the Straight inside the stadium, Corrigan emphasized how Burnaby is benefiting from immigration and increased diversity.

      I only counted one B.C. Liberal in the audience, Advanced Education Minister Amrik Virk, though there may have been more who escaped my notice.

      I also only spotted one federal Conservative, Sen Yonah Martin, who is of Korean descent.

      A good time was had by all with highlights including some tae kwon do, Korean pop music, and plenty of traditional Korean drumming.

      What could be more Korean than a tae kwon do exhibition?
      Charlie Smith
      Korean Canadian drummers gathered on the track before the festival.
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      (left to right) Burnaby councillors Pietro Calendino, Anne Kang, Nick Volkow, Dan Johnston, Colleen Jordan, insurance consultant Patricia Chow, and Coun. Paul McDonell
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      Taipei Economic and Cultural Office Vancouver director William Chuang, his wife Fanny Hsu, French consul general Jean-Christophe Fleury, and his wife Hyunsun Shin.
      Charlie Smith
      Surrey councillor Barinder Rasode and NDP MLA Jane Shin.
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      Advanced Education Minister Amrik Virk and Conservative senator Yonah Martin.
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      See how many New Democrats you can count in this photo.
      Charlie Smith

      The answer is 11. Bottom row left to right: MPs Fin Donnelly and Jasbir Sandhu, and MLAs Sue Hammell, Harry Bains, and Raj Chouhan. Second row left to right: MP Peter Julian and MLAs Bruce Ralston, Mable Elmore, and Kathy Corrigan. And at the very top of the photo between Julian and Ralson are Burnaby school trustee Baljinder Narang and Burnaby councillor Sav Dhaliwal, a former president of the B.C. NDP. 

      Comments

      2 Comments

      Reason for counting NDPs?

      Aug 17, 2014 at 7:48pm

      The reason for the greater turnout of NDPs is most likely because the event is taking place on NDP territory and the MLA is NDP.
      Also, the BC Liberals and Fed. Conservative parties do not need to make such presence and do the pandering because it already has most of the support of Koreans, I'm thinking.

      Others from Federal Cons. and BC Liberal Parties

      Aug 18, 2014 at 8:52pm

      Federal Minister of State (Multicuralism) Tim Uppal and B.C.'s Minister of International Trade and Asia Pacific Strategy Teresa Wat also attended the event amid their hectic schedules.