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An Interview with a local Chinese community
activist Danny C.P. Ng
March 17, 2010
by Paul K.P. Wong
 L-R: Danny K.M. Ng and Danny C.P. Ng |
Talking about the history of Calgary's Chinatown, since I migrated to this city from Montreal in 1977, has made me want to research and investigate more about Calgary Chinatown's history, because there was no further information that I could find in the Chinese books, newspapers or periodicals, in addition, it did not have any relevant literature provided, I only learned the information from those long term Chinese residents in Chinatown by oral, then I was determined to write about the development process for future use. So, I often use spare time and go to the Calgary Public main library, I also go to the Glenbow Museum actively look for the records. Since 1980s, with a few of Chinese community’s newspapers and periodicals, the information can be traced easily now.
On Sunday, March 7th this year, in Chinatown, I met a retired professor, he asked me about the establishment of the present Chinatown in 1910, and asked me to produce evidence to the date, I immediately returned him one of local historians’ name of the resources, as there is a number of local history books in English available to testify this issue at the Calgary Public Library central building that can be found, the other source such as the Calgary Herald data archive, the department of historical documents in the Glenbow Museum and the archives of the municipal government information, etc., can be found as a significant evidence of this history.
2010 came already, in other words, this is Calgary's Chinatown’s establishment of a century. I am currently writing the information that is entirely based on historical facts that could be found but not from the mirages, castles in the air, elusive and illusory, fictitious, or behind closed doors to the wall. Academic doubt for the historical issues is absolute right attitude and is admirable, so I would like to work with professors and other academic specialists and learn from each other, but I am also pleased about this university lecturer at the retirement, still so dedicated pursuit of knowledge, I am inspired to learn of the updates, so that my knowledge will not be out of date and libel by others.
Subsequent, I interviewed Danny C.P. Ng, an old Chinese resident who lives in Calgary more than half a century, and he talked about the current establishment of Calgary's Chinatown Centennial related issues such as: how is the decent ways to celebrate the occasion? In particular, I have recently learned that the municipal government will set aside $500,000 to co-host the public function, to celebrate the event. How can we celebrate the Chinatown Centennial that can meet the expectation of the municipal government? And how do the Chinese people play the unity and cooperation? While we were talking, he also mentioned a number of constructive and mutual programs of those celebrating activities with the public, as examples.
However, Danny C.P. Ng, who has been involved in the Chinese community actively in more than thirty-five years -- took part in a number of major Chinatown campaigns, developments’ planning and a very rich experience and knowledge in large-scale events of cultural and entertainment programs would like to send the sincere advice and encouragement to the group for whom are responsible for organizing the event in Chinatown: “To celebrating and entertaining with the public”.