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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 54

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 6, 2022 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 54 - Apr/6/22
Mr. Han Dong (Don Valley North, Lib.)
  • Apr/6/22 3:37:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to present a petition regarding the upcoming redesign of the five-dollar bill. The petitioners are calling for the Minister of Finance to select Mr. Won Alexander Cumyow as the face of the new five-dollar bill. While Mr. Won Alexander Cumyow may not be a household name for many Canadians, his story represents the struggle, opportunity and hope that have shaped Canada's identity. In 1861, Mr. Won was the first Chinese Canadian to be born in present-day Canada, and he faced a lot of discrimination. He was trained as a lawyer but was never able to write the bar exam because he was not on the voters list. Despite all of this adversity, Mr. Won, in the end, led the fight against the head tax and the Chinese exclusion act, and in 1949, at the age of 88, he voted for the first time in the federal election. This is a good opportunity for us to showcase the rich history of Canada's immigrant heritage. I am proud to sponsor this petition and will sign it.
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