LOST YEARS DOCUMENTARY MINI-SERIES A WINNER WITH CBC TV AUDIENCE
EDMONTON - The first episode of Lost Years: A People’s Struggle for Justice, which aired on CBC TV in Alberta and Saskatchewan this weekend, proved to be a hit with television viewers.
The second episode is scheduled for this Saturday, August 27th, again airing in the 7 PM Prime-time slot.
The documentary mini-series covers 150 years of Chinese Canadian history, and was filmed across Canada, China, the United States, New Zealand, and Australia. The mini-series was produced by Kenda Gee and Tom Radford in association with CBC TV Alberta and CBC Saskatchewan.
Steve Glassman, Executive Producer for CBC TV Alberta was pleased with the early viewership numbers. “In our Calgary market, we doubled our typical viewership audience, and beat out our competitor’s flagship news affairs program. CBC TV is proud to be part of this international production.”
Final numbers for the weekend will be available in two approximately two weeks. The response from viewers in Alberta to Lost Years was tremendous, according co-producer Kenda Gee.
“In the 3-day period leading up to the Episode 1 broadcast, our website received 4,000 hits per day. Even after the episode aired, we continued to receive a steady stream of email and comments, posted online. Some of them even included requests to purchase the DVD version even though Episode 2 has not even been broadcast, there has been a lot of excitement,” said Gee.
“Other enquiries came from outside of Alberta and Saskatchewan, asking when Lost Years would be broadcast in their region, or asking if they could host screenings in their city. The reaction has been over-whelming.”
Gee says one special request came from Vernon, British Columbia, where the organizers promised 900 people would attend the screenings in their Old Towne Cinema which seats 450 people. Vernon is the birthplace of Larry Kwong, the first Chinese Canadian hockey player who tried to break into the National Hockey League in the 1940s, but faced racism. Kwong was featured in Episode 1.
The subjects in Episode 2 of Lost Years will include Normie Kwong, former Lieutenant-Governor and Canadian sports icon, and follow the turbulent history of Chinese Canadians, from the 1950s to present day, including the redress campaign started in Canada to the apology announced in Ottawa in 2006.
Episode 1
LOST YEARS is an epic documentary mini-series touching on the largest exodus in humankind, covering over 150 years of history of the Chinese in Canada and abroad.
An epoch that delivers an important message, namely, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” (Spanish philosopher, George Santayana (1863-1952), in Reason in Common Sense, The Life of Reason.)
We witness how man’s inhumanity to man continually plays out in world history and affairs, in part through the advances of new media and the vastness of our global village.
Our journey begins in old China in 1910 and concludes with the movement to embrace redress as a concept of social justice in the modern world of Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia, exactly one century later.
For more information, please visit: www.lostyears.ca
LOST YEARS is the Winner of the BEST DOCUMENTARY (History & Culture) Award and Prize, Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival.
The national premiere is scheduled for February 2012 in Canada, it is on the precipice of becoming the largest-viewed made-in-Canada production ever, in the history of television broadcasting before the end of 2012.
Congratulations to all those involved from Day One.
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Please advise the February 2012 date & time of the documentary, ” The Lost Years. ”
Thank you.
Regards,
Georgina Jang
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Hi Georgina,
Currently, the CBC TV national premiere is schedulded for:
Saturday, Feb 18, 2012 – 12 NOON ET (9 AM PT / 10 AM MT).
EPISODE 1 – The “Loh Wah Kiu”
For BC Viewers, need to wake up early or set your PVR.
EPISODE 2 – Jook Sing! the conclusion will air the weekend after, or March 3rd.
Programming is: ABSOLUTELY CANADIAN – showcasing the best Canadian-made documentaries.
Thanks for your support !
International Film Festivals prohibit commercial release of DVDs prior to local/regional premiere screenings so interested viewers are asked to add their name to our mailing list: dvd @ lostyears.ca (no spaces)
Enjoy !
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(Check local listings for Episode 2 – either Feb 25, or Mar 3). Same time-slot.
12 NOON Eastern Time (Toronto/Montreal)
9 AM Pacific Time (VANCOUVER)
10 AM Mountain Time (Edmonton/Calgary/Prairies)
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Hi ExpatHKboy -
The journey of going back to China will be in the sequel.
It, and the prequel, are currently in development, given the tremendous response from the viewership – both Chinese and non-Chinese.
Thanks for your interest !
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Ronglimeng, you want to forget ” a re-recitation of how tough our great-grandparents had at the hands of the whites.” in Canadda but you want to “, I immediately thought of 1966-1976, the “lost years” of the Cultural revolution ! ”
in China.
Why would you want to care more about the sufferings of the Chinese in China and not the Chinese in Canada???
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What are you Ronglimeng? An Actuary ?
Know what an Actuary does in court ? They assess compensation for lost limbs, broken marriages, fatalities?
What’s your flipping point?
Chinese were better off in Canada THAN China ?
And ……………………… ???
And what? They caused their own suffering?
Have you read the history of China, or lived it?
Yes, they were better off here, there, and everywhere.
Who was to blame for their upheaval and turmoil in China? It was all THEIR fault? What next, you want to blame the victim and then assess how much to deduct from their income?
Two wrongs don’t make a right, buddy. In the case of the white foreigner, make it 8 or 9.
Pay up now.
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You are trying to argue with Trolls.
If ExpatHKBoy is real then snowmen live in Hawaii.
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Ronglimeng, how do you quantify suffering??
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Level 11:
White foreingers invade your homeland, enforce immigration at the end of gun, force opium down your peoples’ throat, broker your humankind as cheap coolie labour to build ‘their’ country –
But, OH – your puppet colonies don’t like the race they label ‘yellow’, so they invent head “taxes” that govt keeps for itself, CRIMINALIZES opium, tell Chinese labourer they are unwanted and lie about passage back home, because after all, they didn’t pioneer the country they’ve lived in for 5 or more generations. Let’s just give free land and money to the whites at the same time.
Meanwhile – some scumbag Chinese merchant (who gets off scott-free paying the ‘taxes’) and makes money of the back of the Chinese, or it could be some self-loathing condescending Wheel comes to Canada, marries and has a baby they name Ronglimeng.
Welcome to Canada, the home of the free and ungrateful.
(Projectile vomit.)
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Hey WRongLegNutmeg and ExpaddyHongerBoy,
WTF do you meant go back to China?
These dudes were RECRUITED, suckered … and when all was said and done – they were told – SO SORRY – No money to send you BACK! CPR and Government BS.
You two dudes speak English okay? Or you two live off the suffering and sacrifices of the old-timers?
Sissy boys with big yaps today. Who do you think won your right to be equal Canadians ungrateful Sissy boys.
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@Sweet Beast,
I am ExpaddyHongerBoy???
“These dudes were RECRUITED, suckered … and when all was said and done – they were told – SO SORRY – No money to send you BACK! CPR and Government BS.”
SOME contract-based Chinese workers couldn’t go back to China for a myriad of reasons. But many other did. (like those in San Francisco)
Yes, these employment contracts were scams, no different than slavery, in some way.
If all these workers wanted to leave, but only they couldn’t, then you can’t say they are Canadians and/or immigrants, because they never wanted to stay in the country in the first place. So these “stranded passengers” are not applicable to what Ronglimeng said about The 2nd law of Human Thermodynamics.
“Who do you think won your right to be equal Canadians”?
Definitely not the old-timers, I am 200% sure.
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Make it Level 20 if you have so much time on your hands.
The POINT is that the ’suffering’ was caused in part by external (FOREIGN) sources.
They invade your country. Yeah China is worse than the rest of the world.
So what’s your point? They should all go back ‘home’?
What kind of logic is that?
Now that China is a Super Power, let’s see who’s laughing now. And if China does the same thing. That’s have to invade Canada first though, and carve up the country and cause turmoil.
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“Make it Level 20 if you have so much time on your hands.
The POINT is that the ’suffering’ was caused in part by external (FOREIGN) sources.
They invade your country. Yeah China is worse than the rest of the world.
So what’s your point? They should all go back ‘home’?
What kind of logic is that?
Now that China is a Super Power, let’s see who’s laughing now. And if China does the same thing. That’s have to invade Canada first though, and carve up the country and cause turmoil.”
Are you talking to me?
I think you have a timeline problem; you get mixed up with the dates and you don’t know much about world history.
For example, why couldn’t the Chinese workers go back to China either after World War I or World War II?
If you say they were waiting for compensations from white people in Canada at that time, well, that’s a real lost cause …
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oh dear.
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Old timers like Harry Ho and Roy Ma (and others) are the Martin Luther King Jrs of Canada.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=s3Sc2V9TXdM
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Boys and Girls…
Can’t one have a nice, calm and respectful discussion around here without getting so inflamed?
I had an opportunity to view the screening of “Lost Years” this past week with almost 400 other viewers at SFU theatre hall.
Folks, this film was produced by a few good Canadians on a tighter than shoe string budget.
The film won the prestigious History and Cultural film award last month at the International film festival in China.
I don’t know about the rest of you, my fellow curmudgeons, but I think the documentary shares a piece of Chinese diaspora history that isn’t readily found in current school curriculums.
There’s one more screening of the film in Vancouver, well actually, in the neighbouring city of Richmond. It’s tomorrow. Put your bickering aside, and spend a couple of hours watching this documentary. Best of all it’s free.
I said it before, and I’ll say it again… I’m proud of the contributions of the pioneer Chinese to the building of Canada and of America. This story is everyone’s history. It makes our nations who and what it is today.
So to @Lost Years and to @Chinktalk and others… thanks for recognizing the untold heros of America and Canada.
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ExpatHKboy,
I agree with tUCC. Just go watch it. I was one of the lucky ones to get in, the theatre was packed I didn’t think there would be a problem it was miserable outside.
I hate most of the portrayals on tv so if you think it will be the same material you are so wrong. I won’t give away the surprises but don’t you think it is presumptuous to make all these hard statements and pass judgment when you haven’t seen it ? =)
That’s like arguing, “I’m right because I said so.” If that’s your feeling don’t expect to get much respect from anyone, especially me.
Politics aside, I think there’s hope for the Chinese Canadian community. It is definitely the best film I have seen made by any Chinese Canadians in ages. And there are a lot of films out there that are so-so. Most of my girl friends end up watching overseas (Asia) titles because they can’t find anything good in Canada.
Lost Years was a nice change and most of the people who were in the large crowd couldn’t stop talking about it afterwards. =)
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Not because I said so, but what I’d reasonably expect from a documentary and its limitations.
You know, I could have come back with even harsher review once I have watched the movie/film or whatever you call it.
The chinese community in canada, haha, I know some canada-born-chinese who have abandoned Canada and emigrated back to China, HK to live there permanently.
People vote with their feet.
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@ExpatHKboy
Good come-back. Not.
Like the other poster wrote – keep troll-ing.
Lame-o-lame-o.
Can’t go to the screening. Ask u mamma, boy.
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Besides giving dislike in my replies and verbal abuse here, what do you people offer?
So I assume you have watched the documentary film?
I dare to ask, SO WHAT? White people give you a million bucks in compensation. There will be no deal. Nothing has changed. Social justice is a myth; it is all about somebody’s vested interest/national interest and you ain’t one of them.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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ExpatHKBoy you should ask yourself the same question. Other than Trolling what do you offer?
Your credibility is Zero here. Get mamma to read u own replies fella.
Get out and see the world. Stop whining about stuff u refuse to see. That would be first step.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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” ExpatHKBoy you should ask yourself the same question. Other than Trolling what do you offer?
Your credibility is Zero here. Get mamma to read u own replies fella.
Get out and see the world. Stop whining about stuff u refuse to see. That would be first step.”
vic ma, you came out of nowhere and keep harassing ne with personal attacks. iam here to share opinions with lw, chinktalk and ronglimeng. I don’t offer anthing else because that is not why I am here.
so could you show me the money you got from white people and other compensation, or actions, things for that social justice sh*t resulting from this documentary film? are you a liar who smear me for no credibility? show me the money.
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ExpatHKboy stop Trolling and getting everybody worked over.
Bah-hahaaha!!
Playing the role of clueless FOB Honger aint cool.
You insult my real Honger friends. At least they admit the Chinese Canadians before them paved the way for them to be accepted in Canada. But most of them are more concerned about about one thing other than money – themselves.
Sounds pretty much sounds like you, eh, ExpatHKboy?
Why don’t cha take your Passport and fly back home to HK if they’ll let you back in? Whats a wealthy guy like you hanging out here with all your money and monster homes in my backyard?
First you are being attacked by others and now you know everything? BAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh …..
Go back home. Get on the boat before she leaves.
rotfalmao
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“You insult my real Honger friends. At least they admit the Chinese Canadians before them paved the way for them to be accepted in Canada. But most of them are more concerned about about one thing other than money – themselves.
Sounds pretty much sounds like you, eh, ExpatHKboy?
Why don’t cha take your Passport and fly back home to HK if they’ll let you back in? Whats a wealthy guy like you hanging out here with all your money and monster homes in my backyard?
First you are being attacked by others and now you know everything? BAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh …..
Go back home. Get on the boat before she leaves.
rotfalmao”
I only see you and Vic Ma harass me here.
You insult my White canadian friends who aren’t racist and have traveled to work and live in Asia like HK and Japan, yet you whine how you CBCs have to put up with decades with anti-chinese racism and other sh*t.
Blah, blah, blah!
What a disgrace!
You wish you were white, so you want white people to respect you as equals and accept you in Canada?
Not a chance.
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@ExpatHKBoy
So let me get this straight- I come out of nowhere to harrass you? And, then, you want me to ’show (you) the money’ to rebut your nonsense? Is this correct?
Wouldn’t that be just like the stereotype of the uninformed F.O.B. Hong Kongers who come out of “nowhere”, fresh off the boat and start *telling* Chinese Canadians what’s wrong with their wanting justice and how lucky *they* are, rather than *thanking* them for putting up with a few decades of anti-Chinese racism and winning the rights that all Chinese Canadians have now?
If you are not a Troll, you are seriously telling me and everybody here that Chinese Canadians did not have a role in winning the respect and rights of White Society? Really?
You tell others that they have the wrong timeline, what planet are you reading from?
Let me beat the others to the punch: the Chinese fought *for* Canada during the world wars, and they still *didn’t* have their franchise returned until the last 1940s. The last anti-Chinese laws were not even off the books until the late 1960s. And you’re asking others why they didn’t go back to China?
Come on, don’t you have better things to do than Troll and harrass Chinese Canadians on this website?
Chinese Canadians fought for their rights, they fought for Canada and they earned every right to protest whatever their hearts desire.
As for the money – I didn’t say any film won money, but now that you mention it, why don’t you ask your question to the Survivors and Spouses who were redressed by Ottawa? And I won’t be surprised if the latest films win the remaining redress for the Chinese Canadian community. In the Shadow of Gold Mountain did put the issue on the table, why don’t you speak to the MPs who were around before the 2006?
I was at the Richmond screening yesterday and if you were there, then you will know what kind of impact a film can have. From what I could tell, it was packed and if they had more chairs they could have had more people watching. I was annoyed when they said that they would have to schedule another date and started taking names down.
Inteaad of trolling here as the innocent wronged why don’t you stop wasting readers’ time, including mine, and post something of substance.
Or, is your real motivation to paint HK immigrants as being totally oblivious to the contribution of Chinese Canadians before them ? Hmmmmmm …….
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“Wouldn’t that be just like the stereotype of the uninformed F.O.B. Hong Kongers who come out of “nowhere”, fresh off the boat and start *telling* Chinese Canadians what’s wrong with their wanting justice and how lucky *they* are, rather than *thanking* them for putting up with a few decades of anti-Chinese racism and winning the rights that all Chinese Canadians have now?
If you are not a Troll, you are seriously telling me and everybody here that Chinese Canadians did not have a role in winning the respect and rights of White Society? Really?
You tell others that they have the wrong timeline, what planet are you reading from?
Let me beat the others to the punch: the Chinese fought *for* Canada during the world wars, and they still *didn’t* have their franchise returned until the last 1940s. The last anti-Chinese laws were not even off the books until the late 1960s. And you’re asking others why they didn’t go back to China?
Chinese Canadians fought for their rights, they fought for Canada and they earned every right to protest whatever their hearts desire.
As for the money – I didn’t say any film won money, but now that you mention it, why don’t you ask your question to the Survivors and Spouses who were redressed by Ottawa? And I won’t be surprised if the latest films win the remaining redress for the Chinese Canadian community. In the Shadow of Gold Mountain did put the issue on the table, why don’t you speak to the MPs who were around before the 2006?”
Fresh off the boat uninformed Hong Kongers? Thanking them for putting up with a few decades of anti-Chinese racism and winning the rights that all Chinese Canadians have now?
Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!! Are you sure you are not white? Because that’s a white guy would say.
What do you know about how to emigrate to Canada? Who do you think let immigrants into Canada? YOU? I don’t think so.
Putting up with a few decades of anti-Chinese racism? Yes you did and still you think of yourself as a proud Canadian. What a joke but that’s your identity crisis.
winning the rights that all Chinese Canadians? Yes, I don’t think Chinese Canadians have a role in winning the respect and rights of White Society. And instead of proving your case to me with argument, logic, and historical facts, what did you do? Abusive personal attacks.
Did you ask me why and what makes me think you didn’t win respect from white people?
Let me answer your question first.
You said, “the Chinese fought *for* Canada during the world wars, and they still *didn’t* have their franchise returned until the last 1940s. The last anti-Chinese laws were not even off the books until the late 1960s. And you’re asking others why they didn’t go back to China?
Chinese Canadians fought for their rights, they fought for Canada and they earned every right to protest whatever their hearts desire.”
How exactly did you win the respect of white people here? It proves the exact opposite. You had no rights before the world wars. And after you fought the wars, which you really can’t say no to that, you still had no rights until the late 1940’s and the last anti-chinese laws weren’t off the books until the 1960’s.
I didn’t say you couldn’t protest; I didn’t say you hadn’t earned the right; I didn’t say you hadn’t fought in the wars.
~~I said you didn’t win the right to be equal Canadians despite all your efforts above.
Next part, you mentioned the 2006 redress. Could you explain to me why the Japanese got apology and compensation from Brian Mulroney in the 80’s, while you have to wait until 2006. At that time, the Federal Liberal government already said no to your redress. Just before the election, because the polls were so close, the liberal party said you would re-consider it, while the Conservative party also said they would do a redress if they win as government.
Whose votes were these political parties looking for at that time in 2006?
After answering your questions, do you want me to show you my other evidences why you didn’t win respect from white people?
Hot debate. What do you think?
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You are making the point for me ExPatHKBoyToy : The Japanese Canadian community only won compensation because of the Japanese American situation. Even the Japanese Canadians say this in their books and articles.
When Chinese Canadians were the first to bring up the issue of Exclusion and Head Taxes, THEN the other countries like New Zealand, and the United States followed CHINESE CANADIANS. Judy Chu’s story in congress all goes back to the what was happening in Canada whether or not Americans want to admit it.
But they didn’t introduce head taxes in the USA because from my understanding from the activists in Canada – the USA stood by their constitution – no taxation without representation. That’s also a reason why they originally left Britain – because they fought a revolution over the injustice of paying a government that took away their right to vote or have a voice over how their taxes were being used.
Again – from my understanding from colleagues in the campaign – it should never have been called head taxes because the money went directly to the government and the Chinese Canadians were forbidden from using public facilities, etc.
Go Troll somewhere else. We are all too busy to give you an education about Canadian history.
Go back to Hong Kong if you don’t know better.
Ignorance is no excuse. You waste all our time with babble.
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this may seem like a silly question i am not trying to be rude but when was the last documentary or documentary series created by chinese canadians?
i live in b.c. and there are a couple of shows i have seen on regional tv one on redress and the other called sea to sea (?). in the credits the names were almost all caucasian names.
i did not like either of them not because they were caucasian filmmakers. i found them very dry. maybe good for school but not for tv.
i have never seen any major work on chinese canadian tv only on cable tv. that does not count.
when is the time for the screening in vanccouver or richmond? is it free?
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Hi Elaine,
You can view documentaries free of charge at the National Film Board website. There are two documentaries that I enjoyed watching: In the Shadow of Gold Mountain and The Third Heaven; there’s another interesting documentary at NFB about the UBC hockey team’s eight-game tour of China in 1973 called Thunderbirds in China.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Jacques,
My personal opinion as a CBC (Canadian Born Chinese) –”Third Heaven”? Please.
Unlike ExpatHKBoy, I took time to look at the online stream as you suggested, one would think our taxpayer dollars are still paying Orientalism films of NFB from the 1950s. NFB still doesn’t “get it”. Aside from the dragon dances and boats the only thing missing was the foreign accents from an Outsider perspective.
Well, actually, they managed to get that in there too.
I think I spoke to soon. If not for films like Lost Years (thank goodness) we are still a step away from living in the dark. I can’t believe NFB turns down so many worthwhile films and would produce something like “Third Heaven” in the 1990s. Ok, none of us are surpised. We continue to live it.
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thanks for mentioning me in your reply.
I will definitely watch the film someday and come back with a review.
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Elaine He wrote: ” … when was the last documentary or documentary series created by chinese canadians ?”
Elaine;
I don’t know if these will meet your criteria (I haven’t checked the film credits) but a couple of docs come to mind…
One was “Searching for Confucius” which followed author/teacher Wayson Choy on a trip back to China, more about finding his own Chinese roots than it was about Confucius IIRC, but I could be mistaken. I recorded it to a DVD and you’re welcome to a copy.
Wayson (or “Sonny” as we knew him) and his parents lived around the corner from my childhood home in Belleville ON. He and my elder brothers were best pals.
Another is the film “Under the Willow Tree” (sub-title “Pioneer Chinese Women in Canada”).
http://www.onf-nfb.gc.ca/eng/collection/film/?id=33336
I went to see it when the film’s director screened it here in Ottawa at the National Archives auditorium years ago. I purchased a copy of the VHS tape in the lobby afterwards (as an indication of how long ago it was.)
I see at the above link that “Margaret Wong” is listed as the producer. That jogged my memory of another doc film “Return Home” by Michelle Wong and it turns out, co-produced by Margaret. (thanks to Google).
There are at least a half dozen or more of these little films over the years but unfortunately, their names don’t come to mind at the moment. They are mostly about young Chinese-Canadians who took it upon themselves to try and get their parents and/or grandparents to talk about their experiences.
If you are truly interested, I could try and find the ones that I did record and make copies for you.
Ideally, someone more web-savvy than I would put them up on the web.
Which brings me to the reason that I am on this site.
I was trying to see if there was a downloadable AVI file of the “Lost Years” doc series or failing that, an on-demand live-streaming video of it.
If anyone knows of either of the above, please send me a note at (with the munging removed, of course). Thanks in advance, y’all.
PS Another doc film possibility one just came to mind– I seen to have a vague recollection of perhaps seeing something about author Denise Chong and her book “The Concubine’s Children”.
That just stirred up some more memories … one of author/journalist Jan Wong and one if not two films by and/or about her.
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Elaine,
I would agree with Rob, I liked Michelle Wong’s Return Home. Her love for her grandparents really shows throughout the short. I didn’t like Under the Willow Tree for the same reason Rob mentioned in his post – an attempt by a person to record stories before they disappeared but made by someone who is not a real filmmaker. It belongs more in an archive but not for tv for showing in a theatre. I don’t know about the 3rd one but the first two are not the “Oriental” mix like the other one Jacques listed. |-O oooo eeeeeee
I wonder if anyone who watched Lost Years on television has it on their pvr? Can we buy the dvd yet ?
Hope this all helps =)))
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Hey @expatHkboy u troll… Haff u seen da film? If not, then shit da hell up u yellow piece of trash
All u ever do around here is whine. bitch and complain. If u got insecurity problems, get some medical help, but u don’t trash others
Hot debate. What do you think?
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@Expat HK u suck
ExpatHKboy ‘gotta ask his mamma’. Lol.
He’s still living in her basement.
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“”
Expat HK u suck01-27-12
Hey @expatHkboy u troll… Haff u seen da film? If not, then shit da hell up u yellow piece of trash
All u ever do around here is whine. bitch and complain. If u got insecurity problems, get some medical help, but u don’t trash others
“”
Please allow ExpatHKboy to say what he wants, I myself find his opinions offensive at times, but if we want to practice true freedom of expression, he should be allowed to speak his mind.
We don’t want to start acting like the mainstream medias where the most effective arguments against their agendas are censored.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Rongliment, you just made up this list:
”
I’ll list a few examples from the “suffering levels”.
Level 1:
Somebody gives you a dirty look. You feel sad because she has no reason to feel that way about you.
Level 2:
Your sister takes a driving test. You don’t think she was treated fairly. The reason for failure sound bogus. You’re pretty sure it is a “race thing”. You’re angry and frustrated.
Level 4:
You worked on an overseas assignment. The pay was good, but you missed Mom, some of the other boys on the crew were killed and buried far from home. You lost 3 toes, and had a punctured ear drum. (You had the feeling that the Health & Safety Committee was not very effective.) You sent almost all your money back home so that when you could no longer work you didn’t have the money to go back home. You eventually died in poverty and loneliness. Your only consolation was that dozens of people had a better life at home because of you.
Level 8:
You were a nice guy born into a well-off family in 1911 so you knew what the good life was all about. But when you’re 40, everything went for a sh*t. You’re sent to a prison camp just because you were well-off. Your oldest son goes too and he dies there from abuse. A couple of your daughters are set to the countryside and you never see them again. You have no income and your remaining family splits up because of bickering over sharing what little the family has. Your wife dies in pain from cancer, denied treatment and denied medicine. In your last years you live with abject poverty with a mentally ill son, and a retarded daughter while things start to get better around you again.
Level 10:
You’re a peasant who’s never had much of a life, never really had a full belly, never even been clean. Then it gets worse. It doesn’t rain much for a couple of years, and some city folks have some crazy, crazy ideas about how to grow more food. (Foreigners later wonder how the leadership of a 5,000 year old civilisation could be so f*ckin’ stupid !) The result is that everyone you know starves to death. It’s a struggle to refrain from eating the dead of your family, let alone burying then. You’re just one of 20-40 million people who die- nobody knows for sure how many.
“chinktalk”,
I don’t think you’ll find much suffering over “Level 4” here in Canada, either now, or even in the past, where you like to dwell.
How’s that for quantification?
“”"
SORRY FOR THE CAPS, USED JUST FOR CONTRAST.
RONGLIMENT, YOU JUST MADE UP THIS LIST AND CALLED IT A QUANTIFICATION OF SUFFERING.
I BELIEVE YOU ARE LOSING CREDIBULITY.
HOW CAN YOU MADE UP SOMETHING AND USE IT AS A JUDGEMENT ON OTHERS.
THIS IS RIDICULOUS.
THERE IS NO OBJECTIVE VALUATION OR EVEN CONSENSUS TO YOUR LIST, YOU JUST MADE IT UP AND CALLED IT A QUANTIFICATION TO SUFFERING.
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”
’ll list a few examples from the “suffering levels”.
Level 1:
Somebody gives you a dirty look. You feel sad because she has no reason to feel that way about you.
(AGAIN, SORRY FOR CAPS)
FRANKLY, I AM USED TO DIRTY LOOKS, I WOULD NOT CONSIDER THIS TO BE SUFFERING IN ANY WAY, AND YOU PUT THIS A LEVEL 1 SUFFERING, THAT IS WHY YOU CANNOT QUANTIFY SUFFERING
Level 2:
Your sister takes a driving test. You don’t think she was treated fairly. The reason for failure sound bogus. You’re pretty sure it is a “race thing”. You’re angry and frustrated.
I AM PSYCHOLOGICALLY SCARRED FOR OVER 40 YEARS BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT. THAT YOU CLASSIFY AS LEVEL 2 SUFFERING.
HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH SUFFERING I HAVE BEEN THROUGH BECAUSE OF IT, WHAT MADE YOU THINK YOU CAN QUANTIFY THIS SUFFERING FOR ME???
THAT IS WHY YOU CANNOT QUANTIFY SUFFERING.
Level 4:
You worked on an overseas assignment. The pay was good, but you missed Mom, some of the other boys on the crew were killed and buried far from home. You lost 3 toes, and had a punctured ear drum. (You had the feeling that the Health & Safety Committee was not very effective.) You sent almost all your money back home so that when you could no longer work you didn’t have the money to go back home. You eventually died in poverty and loneliness. Your only consolation was that dozens of people had a better life at home because of you.
YOU ARE TRIVIALIZING AND INSULTING THE TREMENDOUS SACRIFICES OF OUR CHINESE OLD TIMERS. AND I HAVE KNOWN QUITE A NUMBER OF THEM. YOU PUT THIS AS A 4 OUT OF 10 IN THE SCALE OF SUFFERING, HAVE YOU EVER TALKED TO AN OLD TIMER AND HEAR HIS SIDE OF THE STORY.
THAT IS WHY YOU CANNOT QUANTIFY SUFFERING.
Level 8:
You were a nice guy born into a well-off family in 1911 so you knew what the good life was all about. But when you’re 40, everything went for a sh*t. You’re sent to a prison camp just because you were well-off. Your oldest son goes too and he dies there from abuse. A couple of your daughters are set to the countryside and you never see them again. You have no income and your remaining family splits up because of bickering over sharing what little the family has. Your wife dies in pain from cancer, denied treatment and denied medicine. In your last years you live with abject poverty with a mentally ill son, and a retarded daughter while things start to get better around you again.
DID YOU JUST DREAM THIS UP OR HAVE YOU ANY FACTUAL EXPERIENCES BEHIND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.
HOW CAN QUANTIFY THE SUFFERING YOU JUST MADE UP.
Level 10:
You’re a peasant who’s never had much of a life, never really had a full belly, never even been clean. Then it gets worse. It doesn’t rain much for a couple of years, and some city folks have some crazy, crazy ideas about how to grow more food. (Foreigners later wonder how the leadership of a 5,000 year old civilisation could be so f*ckin’ stupid !) The result is that everyone you know starves to death. It’s a struggle to refrain from eating the dead of your family, let alone burying then. You’re just one of 20-40 million people who die- nobody knows for sure how many.
YOU TALKED ABOUT FOREIGNERS THINKING OF THE CHINESE AS BEING STUPID AND THAT OF THE CHINESE THINKING ABOUT EATING THEIR DEAD.
AND YOU MADE THIS AS A LEVEL 10 SUFFERING, THE HIGHEST LEVEL. THE ULTIMATE IN SUFFERING.
ARE YOU SURE??
ARE YOU SURE THIS IS WHAT THE CHINESE WOULD LOOK AT AS THEIR ULTIMATE IN SUFFERING?
“chinktalk”,
I don’t think you’ll find much suffering over “Level 4” here in Canada, either now, or even in the past, where you like to dwell.
WHERE WOULD I LIKE TO DWELL??? DO YOU KNOW?????
HOW WOULD YOU KNOW?????
How’s that for quantification?
PRETTY BAD, RONGLIMENG, PRETTY BAD, YOU TOTALLY LACK CREDIBILITY.
HOW CAN YOU MAKE UP SOMEHTING AND CALL IT A QUANTIFICATION OF SUFFERING FOR OTHERS??????????????
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Chinktalk,
I think Ronglimeng was saying, despite there were “minor” human right abuses in Canada, people are still better than starving in Africa or be killed in a war with ethnic cleansing.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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“”I think Ronglimeng was saying, despite there were “minor” human right abuses in Canada, people are still better than starving in Africa or be killed in a war with ethnic cleansing.
“”
That is NOT what he is saying.
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‘chinktalk’,
I agree with a lot of what you write.
But could you refrain from using original refrains? =)
I think most of us can get the context of what you are writing from scrolling up and down.
It’s really hard to follow the discussion. I scrolled down a big part of this page, just to find a paragraph or two.
Thanks for your understanding. =)
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Chinese Chicky-poo
funny my children too say that I repeat myself, it must be old age. You have to be patient with older people like me.
Of course, I am not saying that all old people repeat themselves, but some of us do.
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“That is NOT what he is saying”
Well, yeah, that is pretty much what I was saying. I’d quibble a little with the “minor” adjective, but ExpatHKboy has pretty well nailed it. (By the way, I’ll also be watching the film, and I’ll look forward to his review.)
On this suffering thing… Chinktalk, you’re a hard guy to please on “quantification”.
Let me try again:
You’re hammering a nail into a wall. You bang your thumb. That’s suffering. You switch hands, and bang the other thumb. Your suffering has just doubled.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Roglimeng, where on your list that you said ” despite there were “minor” human right abuses in Canada, people are still better than starving in Africa or be killed in a war with ethnic cleansing.”
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@chintalk:
I didn’t say that. ExpatHKboy said that as he used other words in an attempt to explain what I meant to you.
Some people have a low tolerance for pain, or if you like, for suffering. Your stubbed toe may affect you in the same way my broken wrist affects me. Similarly the insult to your sister 40 years ago may have traumatised you in the same way a hardier person in Hunan Province may have be traumatised by the starvation of a neighbour.
I think it pointless to continue in this thread. I suspect that you are being deliberately obtuse. I’ll let you have the last word. Bye.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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The problem is you are comparing two different worlds, literally.
Say, you live in some country in Africa, you are probably “used to” people carrying machine guns around and dead bodies on the street and such.
But, this is supposed to be a 1st world country.
Based on that logic, we shouldn’t do anything to help or support the unemployed, or homeless white people in Canada because they are still much better off than someone fighting civil war in Africa.
This is the immigrant perspective, too. We immigrants didn’t come from a war-torn sh*thole. See Toronto and Vancouver. They came with money driving Benz, BMW and buying real estate worth millions of dollars. When we complain about “bad treatment” in Canada, you promptly tell us the “Living in Africa story”.
If Canada had accepted people like that, Ontario would have been filled with–1 billion African refugees–but this is not the case today, you know why?
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Don’t run away now.
Just as the conversation is beginning to get interesting,you decide to withdraw.
What a bummer.
@expathkboy
Funny you should say that.Lately,I’ve heard alot of talks bitching about chinese people with their wealth here.
That got me thinking alot.
I thought…if say we came here with no cash and no assets,We’ll be labeled as leeches or parasites to the country.
However,when we come with cash,we are blamed for the high price houses amongst many other things.
You can never win really.
It is funny because I tried to simulate if the same situation would happen if it were rich British immigrants instead of Chinese.
I took a look back to the HK immigrants of the ninties.
An article point I found had this quote from a former BC senator which I took a liking to.I shall quote him here:
“Immigration is OK when someone comes over to work as a domestic or in a laundry because the local people can feel superior to them,” said Jack Austin, a senator for British Columbia. “But it’s pretty hard to feel superior to someone in a Mercedes.”
Hot debate. What do you think?
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“I thought…if say we came here with no cash and no assets,We’ll be labeled as leeches or parasites to the country.
However,when we come with cash,we are blamed for the high price houses amongst many other things.
You can never win really.”
Because it is about race and race only.
Haven’t white people taught you that by now?
Hot debate. What do you think?
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LOST YEARS – 2-part Documentary Mini Series
CBC TV National Telecast (PREMIERE)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2012
Episode 1 (of 2) – The Loh Wah Kiu – Absolutely Canadian
…
Live Times:
1:00 PM – ATLANTIC | 1:30 PM – NEWFOUNDLAND |
12 PM – EASTERN | 10 AM – MOUNTAIN | 9 AM – PACIFIC
———————————————————————————-
Lost Years – A Documentary Mini-Series about the Chinese Diaspora
CBC TV National Telecast (Premiere)
Saturday, February 18, 2012: 12 PM Noon (Eastern)
Tune into CBC TV for a television special premiere (2 part mini-series with EP 1 on Feb 18th) on Absolutely Canadian, showcasing the best Canadian Documentaries
See More
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Absolutely Canadian: http://www.cbc.ca/absolutelycanadian/
9AM PT | 10 AM MT | 11AM CT | 12 Noon ET | 1PM ATL | 1:30PM NFLD
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Lost Years Screening – Ottawa – February 28, 2012
Sponsored by the Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre (OCCSC) and the Ottawa Chapter of the Chinese Canadian National Council
Library & Archives Canada Auditorium
395 Wellington Street, 7:30PM – FREE ADMISSION
Donations in support of Chinese Community Services are welcome
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I missed the CBC “Lost Years” and have heard so many good remarks about it. Can I watch it on my computer and if so how do i find it. Please advise. Thanks in advance.
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I was able to watch the first part of the Lost Years, a week ago last Saturday (noon on Saturday – what a weird time for a documentary !)
I’d like to see it again as I was interrupted several times by another member of the family whom I thought should have been interested in it. No, lunch was more important to her.
Three comments on Part 1:
(1) If I didn’t have my fill of erhu music before, I do now.
(2) I’m sympathetic but not apologetic to the difficulties of 19th century Chinese workers and immigrants in Canada. Those were different times and people had different attitudes. Looking at 19th century history with 21st century values is anachronistic.
(3) Not withstanding my second comment, I do feel bad about the experiences of our Chinese-Canadian war veterans of WW II. By that time, they should have been treated much better.
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SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2012
Episode 2 (of 2) – Jook Sing of LOST YEARS
“Absolutely Canadian,” showcasing the best Canadian documentaries
http://www.cbc.ca/absolutelycanadian/ | http://www.lostyears.ca
…
Live Times:
9 AM – PACIFIC (*Vancouver/Victoria)
10 AM – MOUNTAIN (*Edmonton/Calgary)
11 AM – CENTRAL (Moose Jaw / Regina / Saskatoon)
12 PM – EASTERN (*Toronto/Montreal/Ottawa)
1PM – ATLANTIC (Halifax)
1:30 PM – NEWFOUNDLAND (St. John’s)
———————————————————————————-
Lost Years – A Documentary Mini-Series about the Chinese Diaspora
CBC TV National Telecast (Premiere)
Saturday, March 3rd 2012: 10 AM (Mountain)
Tune into CBC TV for a television special premiere (2 part mini-series with EP 1 on Feb 18th) on Absolutely Canadian, showcasing the best Canadian Documentaries
Episode 2 (of 2) – Jook Sing – Absolutely Canadian
LOST YEARS is an epic documentary touching upon 150 years of the Chinese diaspora in Canada, USA, New Zealand and Australia, covering four generations of racism as revealed through the journey and family story of Kenda Gee. Kenda, a Chinese Canadian, travels with his father to China to retrace the steps of his great-grandfather, exactly a century ago, and grandfather, who sailed to Canada in the summer of 1921. For thousands of Chinese immigrants that year, it was a journey of hope that turned into a nightmare when they were confronted with racism and the head tax, depriving them of their rights as citizens.
Kenda’s journey takes him across Canada, tracing their experiences and their descendants’ long struggle for redress to right the wrongs of the past. The stories of Larry Kwong, the first hockey player of colour to break the barrier in the NHL, and Gim Wong, an RCAF Officer who fought to join Canada’s military in the Second World War, help document enormous obstacles that had to be overcome for Chinese to become citizens in their own country of birth. The genesis and continuing fight for redress by the Chinese Canadian community is depicted in the stories told by Normie Kwong, a Canadian sports icon and statesman, and May Chiu, a legal activist and Montreal mother who ran against former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin to advance the redress cause.
See More
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Thanks to everybody for their ongoing support of Lost Years !
We are looking forward to 2012w with a number of nominations (and, we hope, awards) ahead of us.
LOST YEARS is the Winner, Best Documentary Award (History & Culture) & Prize, 9th Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival, Dec 5, 2011. It has been nominated for 6 Rosies, 38th AMPIA (Alberta film & television) Awards, May 12, 2012; the Golden Sheaf Award, 65th Yorkton Film Festival, May 24-27, 2012; and, for Best Documentary Cinematography, 55th Canadian Society of Cinematographers Gala Awards, Toronto.
Lost Years is an Official Selection of the 38th Seattle International Film Festival, May 17-Jun 10, 2012, listed in the Top 2, by Brooks Institute, and the 16th Rhode Island International Film Festival, Aug 7-12, 2012, a Shorts qualifying event for the annual Academy Awards.
web: http://www.lostyears.ca | http://www.twitter.com/lostyearspro | http://www.facebook.com/lostyearsface | http://www.youtube.com/lostyearstube | events: http://www.twitter.com/LostyearsAlerts
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LOST YEARS SCREENINGS – Moose Jaw, May 1st, 2012
Performing Art Theatre in Crescent Park
Moose Jaw, SK – May 1, 2012, 1:00 pm & 7:00 pm.
461 Langdon Crescent.
Admission by donation. Seats available on a first come, first served basis.
Sponsored by the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery
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LOST YEARS wins Grand Prize, Best Feature Documentary, RIIFF 2012, Aug 12, 2012.
http://www.film-festival.org/award12.php
Check us out at: http://www.facebook.com/lostyearsface
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Lost Years Receives Two CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS Nominations – 2013
Best Original Music for a Non-Fiction Program or Series
Best Sound in an Information/Documentary Program or Series
http://www.academy.ca/awards/nominees.cfm
http://www.academy.ca/press/ACCTNEWSRELEASE-2013-TVFullCSAnom.pdf
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