AN ASIAN CANADIAN MAGAZINE Vol

AN ASIAN CANADIAN MAGAZINE Vol. 5 No. 2. SUMMEWFALL 1983 UT Participate in the activities of thelASIANADIAN RESOURCE WORKSHOP ... and join company with Asian Canadian artists, writers and community activists.

After years of depending solely on donations, magazinesubscriptions and volunteers, ARW has hidfour full time staff. ARW has received a grant from the Government of Canada

Now we can reach out more fully io the Asian community i

How You can Participate - Write or obtain articles for the ASIANAMAN Send art work for publication in the ASIANADiAN Help organize seminars and workshops sponsored by ARW

I w Promote ARW in your community

Asianadian Resource Workshop aims a To find new dignity and pride in being Asian in Canada. To promote an understanding ktween hian Canadians and other Canadians.. To speak out against those cofiitiom, individuals and institutions perpetuating racism in Canada. I To stand up against the distortions ofour history in Canada, stereotypes, economic exploitations, and the general tendency towards injustice and inequality practised on minority groups. a To provide a forum for Asian Canadian writers, artists, musicians, etc. To promote unity by bridging the gap between Asians with roots in Canada and recent immigrants.

For more details turn age 31 and write to us:

Asianadian Resource Workshop P.O. Toronb,Ont. M4T2P4 Canada or P 41 6-591 -1 625 The Asianadian: An Asian Canadian Magazine is published quarterly by the Asianadian Resource Workshop, P.O. Box 1256, Station 'Q' Toronto, Ontario, M4T2P4, Canada. Copyright O 1983. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without prior permission. $1.75 ketu- VOL. 5 NO. 2 SUMMERIFALL KODOMI NO TAME NI A Cultural Enrichment Program for Japanese Canadians by Edy Goto IMMIGRANT WOMEN An Exploited Class by Maria Theresa Larain RAMCHARAN'S NON-WHITES IN CANADA by Leonard Preyra THIRD WORLD FILMS IN THE FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS by Richard Fung and Prabha Khosla

EDITORIAL FACE TO FACE WITH DAN HEAP: Immigration Policy, Amnesty and Bia INTERNATIONAL FORUM WITH LlNO BROCKA Making Films in the Philippines DUBIOUS AWARDS "... A license should not be issued to a Chinaman... . " POETRY AMITABH PLACE by Om Joneja AI-I AKBAR KHAN bv lames Strecker REVIEW SHIOMI'S PLAY: YELLOW FEVER by Himani Bannerji Cover Photo Courtesy of COMMUNITY NEWS the Canasian Artists Group. South Asian Canadian Literature Conference Editor for this issue: Satish Dhar Coalition of Visible Minority Women Staff: LETTERS Project Manager: Syed Uddin R. Ali Promotion : Voltaire R. de Leon by Anthony Chan Graphicsand Layout: Karen Wu CONTRIBUTORS Administrative Asst.: S. Paul Apacible

ISSN # 0705 - 8861. Second Class Mail Registration Number 4438, Toronto, Canada. The Workshop is a non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible. Printing is by Weller Publishing. Typesetting by Moveable Type. NoV. '83 The Asianadian is over five years old now. In these years it has reached many cross roads. Some of these, at the time, looked like the end of the road. The fight for survival during these periods has required faith and fortitude.

Something kept us going even when we felt we had reached the edge. We just could not let an idea die whose time had come. We knew that one more push was needed to take us nearer to our goal of a self-sustaining magazine which truly embodied the Asian Canadian sensibility.

Now the opportunity has arrived.

We have been successful in rescuing the Asianadian from the quicksands of financial uncertainty - at least temporarily. The Asianadian Resource Workshop has received a grant from the Government of Canada and has hired four full time staff members to work on the magazine and other projects of the Workshop.

So we have one part of what is needed to create a full fledged national magazine worthy of Asian Canadians.

The other part, indeed the more critical part, is how interested Asian Canadians will respond to this opportunity.

We hold out an invitation to all of you who feel you have a stake in the struggle of Asian Canadians. We invite you to consider the Asianadian as your special forum. To use the Asianadian as a vehicle to test your ideas and your creative outpourings; to share your thoughts and opinions; to proclaim your projects. Even to debate in it issues that are surging within your community so that others can gain insight and thereby broaden their understanding of their own predicament.

We invite you all to participate.

Financial assistance from the Government of Canada under the N.E.E.D. program is gratefully acltnowledged.

The opinions expressed in this issue are not necessarily those of Assianadian Re- source Workshop.

2 THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 . - advised by some community elders

YO'NSEI, or fourth generatio;l 3 Canadian, about being Japanese, or

NI ... means "for the sake of the children ..." Japanese Canadians P over the past century, and their an- cestors for thousands of years before, have sacrificed much, and 6 laboured long, strenuous hours, "KODOMO NO TAMME ..." to ' provide for the best present and future for their children that they could. We, in turn, want the best and the most that Japan, Canada, ' and the Japanese Canadian experience can offer our children. Those community elders were wrong. All you have to do is see the shining faces of our little ones and feel their pride smile through.

"We're Japanese Canadians, Canadians, Canadians We're Japanese Canadians, come join us and see. We're ISSEl and NISEI and SANSEI and YONSEI We're Japanese Canadians, fi one big family."

3 THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 - - - Much of our learning is done After the demoralizing experience through songs, MAMA NO HIZA - of evacuation, incarceration in con- "at mother's knee" and crafts and centration camps, and restricted activities that pick up the themes of dispersal based totally on their race the songs. We have an extensive re- and ethnicity, NlSEl priority was to pertoire of Japanese Canadian spare their SANSEI children the songs (we invented them) and we stigma of being different, of think- do Japanese translations of North ing and knowing they were differ- American favourites like KIRA KlRA ent. Thus, at every conscious and ("Twinkle Twinkle") and ATAMA, unconscious level, denial became 7KATA, HIZA, ASH1 ("Head and an important component of the way Shoulders, Knees and Toes") We've we SANSEI viewed our culture and \ adapted songs like "Old Mac- ourselves, i.e. we couldn't be dif- Donald's Farm". When our ances- ferent, because all we had was came to "Canadian" culture. Now that it is The first song we sing is about not only permissible, but prefera- generations, because that's how ble to be ethnic, YONSEI can be Japanese Canadiahs define Japanese Canadian, not "just Cana- Ives. Those who came from Japan dian", and involving grandfparents to Canada in the early years (our helps SANSEI bridge the cultural pioneers) we call ISSEI, first gener- gap. ation. Their Canadian-born offspr- By emphasizing some of the ing are NISEI, and the grandchil- everyday things done by our seniors, ISSEI and NlSEl who are dren, SANSEI. Our fourth genera- phabet") tion is YONSEI, from the Japanese alive and observable, we're discov- numbers ICHI, NI, SAN, YON - ering how much culture we have one, two, three, four. It's important ("dog") and how accessible it is to English to know that you're YONSEI, that Ah-ee-oo-ay-oh speakers. For example, almost you're a part of a chain of people every NlSEl has a garden, and they who have contributed to the build- WOW")here and a WAN-WAN all plant vegetables to excess. Along ing and strengthening of Canada; there that you're not a "visitor" or a Here a WAN, there a WAN, zuccini are edibles that foreigner even if people say you everywhere a WAN-WAN look like one, and that Canada is Tanaka ]I-SAN had a farm made up of people of many ethnic Ah-ee-oo-ay-oh" backgrounds who have an equal stake in our wonderful country. If We also sing old favourites and lul- you're YONSEI, you have to be labies, and read stories from a taught this pride by Japanese Cana- selection of classics told by their dians; you won't learn it from any- parents to NlSEl BAACHANS one else. (grandmothers) and JIICHANS (grandfathers). Keeping content re- levant to NlSEl ensures its validity "If you're YONSEI and you "BAACHAN grows DAIKON, to JapaneseCanadians, as opposed know it, say BANZAI! DAIKON, DAIKON to Japanese, and guarantees rein- If you're SANSEI and you BAACHAN grows DAIKON, forcement of songs and stories in know it, say BANZAI! enough for us all. the grandparent's home. Some If you're NlSEl and you know can't get enough. NISEI, particu- BAACHAN grows AZUKI, it, and you're really proud to larly BAACHANs, are frequent vis- AZUKI, AZUKI show it itors each week to our groups. BAACHAN grows AZUKI, If you're ISSEl and you know A certain amount of cultural de- enough for us all. , it, say BANZAI!" gradation is to be expected as im- BAACHAN grows GOBO, migrants and their descendants GOBO, GOBO My daughter, barely one, does not lose sight and memory of the an- BAACHAN grows GOBO, yet understand the implications of cestral homeland. With Japanese enough for us all." being YONSEI, but she already sh- Canadians the acculturation pro- outs BANZAI! with the loudest of cess was all the more devastataing, them. immediate, and all-encompassing.

------THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 - -- And so we recite the various plant KODOMO NO TAME Nl ... was mothers in each. We have two assis- names. Although most of the chil- started nine months ago by two vol- tants, resident BAACHAN Aya dren do not eat these foods at unteers - myself, a SANSEI, and Liz Saegusa, and JIICHAN Doug home, they are learning about Iwata. Liz, a HAKUJIN (Japanese Fujimoto, both NISEI, retired pri- them. On special occasions, at New Canadian for "white", or "non- mary school teachers. Liz runs the Year's, on our picnic days, and at Japanese) married to SANSEI, was crafts program and I do the songs. the grandparents', they will be able particularly concerned that her chil- I have left discussion on one of to greet these foodstuffs familiarly. dren, half Japanese, might en- the most important aspects of our Our children wear HAPPl coats ' counter racial discrimination, program - that being the very made by the mothers. The HAPPl is taunts or torments when they en- young age of participants, to the a short, informal peasant garment tered the public school system. She last. We like to pretend that it was more suitable for children's play wanted them to experience what it our intention to work with young than a kimono. Ours are Japanese means to be Japanese Canadian toddlers and infants. Our original Canadian, rather than Japanese.For while they were still young. Like "pre-schooler" program plans were boys they are made of a fabric with many of the HAKUJIN mother;, Liz quickly revised as we discovered a fishnet pattern to remind them of is more sensitive to remarks and in- that the expected three- and four- their grandfathers and great-grand- uendos we SANSEI have learned to year olds had already been enrolled fathers who were the West Coast's ignore. Almost half the mothers are in other playgroups and schools by pioneer fishermen. The girls wear HAKUJIN. Having chosen to be part their ambitious and upwardly a strawberry pattern to commemo- of Japanese Canadian families, mobile parents. What was left was rate the contributions of Japanese rather than being born to them, a group of infants with eager and Canadian market gardeners. HAKUJIN mothers are often more enthusiastic mothers. Because of our program's emphasis concerned than SANSEl parents No one who works with one's and on Canadian content, on highlight- that their children have the positive two's would be surprised at our lit- ing and reinforcing Japanese Cana- group experiences and cultural ex- tle geniuses' successes. We're con- dian culture as it is found in the posure KODOMO NO TAME NI - stantly amazed at how much they community and in the family, we has been able to provide. They are pick up, and we'reoptimisticforthe have been able to keep imports, often surprised to find that they are future. Our youngest children learn and therefore costs, low. The at no disadvantage to the SANSEI songs, stories, and Japanesevocab- Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre mothers. Being "Japanese Cana- ulary faster than their mothers, provides us adequate play space on dian" is a new experience for us all. along with their first English words, Wednesday mornings, at no And, typical of our community, and our oldest are already fast-ap- charge. Mothers pay a small fee to most of the children are "mixed", proaching three years of age. cover refreshment and craft ex- with one HAKUJIN and one Mothers are planning to keep their penses, and are encouraged to Japanese Canadian parent. children involved with KODOMO bring their children's favourite toy Five children, including Liz's NO TAME NO ... programs and ac- each week to share. This supple- Tiyoshi, 28 months, and my Aja tivities until they are old enough to ments our stock of purchased and Miyuki, 1, attended the first class. participate in Japanese language, donated toys. Children's word We now piggy-back two groups classical and folk dances, or martial books have been relabled in with enrollment limited to 15 arts classes offered in the communi- Japanese by recent arrivals from ty.4 Japan who bring their children to play waith ours, and to learn our With the Japanese history. Canadians the acculturation process was all the more

5 THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 ASIANADIAN : What do you see as the big issue in immigration and refugee matters today?

Heap: I suppose the very biggest issue in both immigration and refugee matters is the outlook of the government, and to some extent the outlook of the public on this subject. In the past and up to the present, the government has treated immigration as part of our labour policy. It has been very confusing. Confusing to immigrants especially but confusing to others too. It means that the government can change rapidly from saying "we want more" to saying "we want less". In a way, that makes it very hard to plan. The government has cut back this year both on general immigration and on refugee quotas with the Dan Heap is currently the Member same excuse - unemployment. of Parliament for Spadina and Im- Now I consider that thes'e two migration Critic for the New Demo- things are not really related in the cratic Party. He was born in Win- I don't think 15,000 way the government suggests. For nipeg in 7925 and educated at one thing, the refugees or immig- Upper Canada College and refugees a year or rants should be able to make up Queen's University in Kingston, their minds on whether they want Ontario. He has studied theology even 150,000 to come here and run the risk of at the University of Chicago, the immigrants a year unemployment rather than being Montreal Diocesan College and the told that it's for their own good to McGill Faculty of Divinity and has are the cause of keep them out. been an Anglican Minister since Secondly, when the government 7951. Prior to his election to the two million being puts it that way, whatever it intends, House of- Commons in August, the effect of putting it in that way 1987, he served for ten years as an unemployed. is to suggest to Canadians that im- Alderman in the City of Toronto. migrants, and perhaps refugees, He and his wife Alice have been If anything, are taking jobs that otherwise married for thirty-three years and would go to Canadians and are thev have seven children. the truth is therefore a cause of unemployment Asianadian would like to thank among Canadians. I don't think Dan Leckie, Olivia Chow, Dora the other way. 15,000 refugees a year or even Nipp, and Leonard Preyra for mak- 150,000 immigrants a year are the ing this interview possible. cause of two million being un-

6 THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 employed. If anything, the truth is word. group that produced the report ap- the other way. That is to say, there First of all, it is not happening peared to study it more in is some evidence to show that im- now. Anyone reading this report Washington D.C. than in Canada. I migrants generate more jobs than should be clear that it is only a re- don't know why they spent so much they take. commendation not government time asking people in Washington Underneath that, the big issue is policy. Those without status who about a Canadian problem. Also, the attitude toward immigration. might be affected by any change the report and subsequent com- ",+. The attitude in part, maybe largely, should not be under the impression ments by Gerry Robinson, a lawyer has been that we bring immigrants that by surrendering themselves to who is advising the government, to do jobs that otherwise are not immigration officials they will get seemed to focus a lot of attention preferred. At one time, it was open- landed status. In fact, it appears on the question of tighter control '-., ing up the prairies for farming, at from recent experience that the in- at border points of entry and a strict ' other times it has been construction formal rule of accepting for landing application of the Immigration Act . labour, railroad repairs, mining those who have surrendered after for employers who knowingly hire under very hard conditions. Now being 'established' for five years has illegals. I accept that Canada needs perhaps it is service jobs like been extended to ten years. I'm af- to have a tighter border security sys- domestic labour, housekeeping, raid that unless we make that clear, tem. With such a system though we childcare, or very low-paid jobs in some immigrants being very anx- also have to have a fairer and faster . the textile or entertainment indus- ious and perhaps not having a com- method of considering refugee &$: claims, family re-unification re- try. mand of English might misun- When the policy is to bring the derstand it and be very sorry. quests and applications abroad. immigrants in to do these jobs then The study is in my opinion a trial There must also be guarantees that it has the effect of setting Canadian balloon. If there is public opinion the control system will not violate workers against the immigrants. Be- in favour of amnesty then the Minis- civil liberties. I also have some dif- cause even if the Canadian workers ter will probably proceed. If on the ficulties with the Advisory Commit- don't prefer those jobs they feel other hand, there is a real backlash tee's specific recommendation that that immigrants are coming to take against immigrants and illegal im- Canada have a conditional settle- them, are underselling or undercut- migrants as a result of the proposal ment programme, (that is, those ting Canadian workers and so the then the government will back away without status surrender them- conflict contributes to racism. from taking any action. selves and may be allowed to live in a temporary residence status for What lies behind or what event What are some of the strong and six years - then if they meet cer- triggered the government's interest weak points of the Report? tain unspecified criteria they would in discussing the question of an am- be granted landed status.) If such a nesty for illegal immigrants? The report has some good points, scheme were implemented itwould however, it was not carefully pre- give them the status of second class I don't know. I think that's a good pared. The study's estimate of the non-citizens. question. What triggered it? number of present illegals is highly Incidentally, the word "amnesty" suspect. It mentioned 200,000 but What are some of the good points was not used in the report by the gave no indication at all of how it of the report? Canada Employment and Immigra- arrived at that figure and some re- tion Advisory Council to the Federal sponsible people have said that the The main benefit of the report is Minister of Employment and Im- true figure is much lowerthan that. that it brings the discussion out into migration. It was used immediately Another thing I don't understand the open, on to the public agenda, afterwards by some journalists and is why there was so little consulta- and lays out some of the main con- I think it is a mistake to use that tion with community groups. The cerns and problems associated with The long-standing problem of course is a very uneven distribution of our external it. It also acknowledges that some immigration offer for him or her. In otherwords, of the reasons for the number of there is now hardly any difference illegal immigrants are faults in the officers between that part of the family government's programmes such as .... reunification-assisted relative prog- the delays which frustrated some ramme and independent immigra- people to the point where they de- Whatever the tion. cided to "cut the corner" and in this way the report is useful. intent the effect The Standard Processing Time Re- Also, the fact that the Minister has port of 1980 seems to suggest that asked for a further report gives is to make there is a geographical or racial bias people a way of entering into the built into Canadian immigration discussion and having some effect immigration to policy which frustrates applications on government policy. from certain countries. What's your Canada much reaction to that suggestion? How will the offer of an amnesty more available to affect the immigration status of I'm not familiar with the Standard those people currently in the pro- people of Britain Processing Time Report. I was not cess of applying for entry into in office in 1980 and knew even less Canada. ? or English- about immigration then than I do now. There is no government comment speaking or The long-standing problem of on that and I couldn't guess. The course is avery uneven distribution only way an amnesty would make northwestern of our external immigration offic- sense is that it be entirely separate, ers; some countries have ten or above and beyond the immigration European origin. more officers and others have quotas. none. Whatever the intent is the ef- If the government were to fect is to make immigration to suggest that because we are giving Canada much more available to amnesty to 200,000 illegal immig- people of Britain or English-speak- rants we will reduce the quota by ing or northwestern European ori- that amount that would be the gov- gin. It takes longer to get to Canada ernment's decision. I hope they from some countries than others. wouldn't make that decision and There may be other biases built into there has been no suggestion that the regulations but I'm not aware they will. of them.

In a letter to your constituents What do you see happening in im- dated November 10, 1982 you claim migration and refugee matters in that the present government policy the next few years? is "making a mockery"of the family reunification programme. How is I don't see very much change in the this happening? general immigration policy. There will probably not be any substantial As of May 1, anybody wanting to new discussion there. bring in an assisted relative to On refugees, it is hard to tell. Canada must have an approved job There are ten or fifteen million re-

8 THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 fugees in the world at present and find them saying that immigrants is happening in Europe, Britain and a lot of people think that the should be given the proper oppor- France in particular. number is more likely to grow than tunity to be integrated here be- to shrink. We don't know where the cause otherwise they would be The situation there is rather differ- next trouble spot will be, either exploited by anti-labour employers. ent than in Canada because of the from drought or civil war. Four Things like union busting. There- large number of temporary labour, years ago I don't think anybody was fore it is to the advantage of all guest labour and so on. We have predicting the boat people and so working people if immigrants are some farm labour but we don't have on. In Africa the causes appear to given full access to English or anything like the scale of it in Britain be more a result of natural disaster. French language lessons, knowl- and Western Europe. Partly be- The United Nations is warning us edge of the law and the ordinary cause of distances I suppose. I don't that we have a lot of refugees in the social services they need for sup- know enough about the situation world and the number is more likely port. there to make a comparison.. to increase. What Canada should If the government does use un- While I've been NDP immigration do about them is something we employment or the economic situ- critic and a member of the Canadian should be addressing. Mainly aid to ation as a determinant of the immig- Paperworkers Union I haven't refugees where they are with a cer- ration quota do you not think that heard any request or proposals tain amount of programming to the interests of the immigrant com- from union officers hostile to im- bring them into Canada. I think we munity and those of the labour migrants. there is positive action should be taking more refugees movement would conflict? on the part of the Toronto Labour than we do. I don't think we can Council, for example, to work with possibly bring out any large percen- The labour unions have become the school boards to make sure that tage of the number who are re- aware of that possibility and are classes are provided for English as fugees and' it is not clear to the making some effort to guard against a Second Language for immigrants. United Nations whetherwe should. it. The policy of the organized There is a positive effort by the labour movement has changed as labour movement to make sure that Do you foresee any change in the of the last fifty years. A century ago they are integrated in a way that be- climate of Canadian public opinion they were rather thoughtlessly anti- nefits both the immigrants and with regard to the acceptance oire- foreign especially anti-Asian. As of ~anadians.4 fugees or immigrants in Canada forty or fifty years ago that appa- given our uncertain economic fu- rently has changed. We find that in ture? the 1930s and 1940s the labour movement under the CCF were I haven't found any specific hostility campaigning for equality of treat- to refugees. There is a general ment of Asians and in the 1940s the humanitarian feeling that if they are CCF was in the lead with the cam- in danger for their lives where they paign that East Asians in Canada be are they should be able to start a allowed to vote, Chinese, Japanese, new life somewhere else. I have not and East Indians in particular. They found hostility in that respect. were specifically prohibited from The question of what happens to voting, and the law wasn't changed immigration policy in full is really a until 1947 or 1948. labour question since the government is treating it as such. I don't In other words, you do not expect find the organized labour move- Canadian labour unions to increase ment hostile to immigrants. I do their opposition to immigration as

THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 IG T MEN AN OITED CWS

by Maria Theresa-Lara.in

Working class immigrant women are exploited as workers, as immigrants and as women.

This is one of the key-note Today, I have been asked to speak The first group of immigrant speeches presented to The on behalf of immigrant women. To women are those who, because Immigrant Woman in Canada: attempt to speak on behalf of im- they belong to a certain socio- A Right to Recognition, To- migrant women in general is an al- economic class in their countries of ronto, Ontario, March 20-22, most impossible task. Trying to origin, they have access to educa- 1981. This speech was "inad- speak on behalf of all immigrant tion, to better jobs and the potential vertently" left out of the pub- women would be to deny the differ- to achieve a more meaningful life. lished proceedings of the con- ences exist within these women, ference for obvious reasons. and there are differences.

THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 10 - The second, and by far the largest ground, our culture, counts little group, are those immigrant women when it comes to the point of be- who, in their countries of origin, coming part of Canadian society. belong to a lower socio-economic But, our existence does not start at class. These women have little or the port of entry at the Canadian no access to education, they are not airport. Life does not begin for us integrated into what is technically when we first face a Canadian im- defined as the "labour force" and migration officer. We have a past, their potential for becoming margi- we have a culture, we have a history nal to this society is great. These that is as worthwhile for us as Cana- are the women who work here as dian history and culture is for Cana- unskilled or semi-skilled workers, dians, and we want respect for it. in two main areas of the labour To assume the contrary is chauvinis- force: in the manufacturing indus- tic and leads to unfair practices. tries -they work as garment and Within the immigration policy, textile workers, in plastic, shoe and there is an issue that we must rubber factories; and in the service analyze. This is the link between the industry - they work in laundries, immigration policy and the hotels and restaurants, as cleaners criminated against, isolated from economic interests of those who and domestics. families and society by being de- are in power. These are the women who take nied the basic tool for communica- Immigrant labour has been, and the jobs that Canadian native-born tion: language. They are also forced continues to be very crucial for the women won't take. These are the to remain in what is called the job development of Canada. When women who are not present today, ghettoes, and on top of all that, they Canada needed workers to help the in spite of the fact that they repre- are blamed for all sorts of problems railroad, thousands of Chinese sent the vast majority of immigrant such as unemployment, inflation, people were brought into the coun- women. They are the working class and social service cutbacks, and so try. After the project was finished immigrant women, and they are the on. These problems are in fact the the doors were closed to them and women that we will try to represent result of the current crisis and the those Chinese who remained here at this conference. government's response to it. were forced to live in the most de- The women that we will be speak- So we can see that working class plorable conditions. ing about, the working class immig- immigrant women are exploited as When Canada needed highly- rant women suffer three main types workers, as immigrants, and as trained professionals and technical of exploitation in this country. women. All these types of exploita- workers during the fifties and six- They are exploited as workers, tion are interrelated and cannot be ties, thousands of both male and because they are forced to work separated from each other, and female workers were brought to fill through necessity eight or more they will exist until structural these vacancies. hours a day for the minimum wage changes are made within this soci- Today, Canada needs unskilled or often less. This, in effect, repre- ety- labour and immigrants, including sents the smallest fraction from the What I would like to do is to women, are brought in to meet the profit that the owner of the factory further examine this exploitation needs of the Canadian labour mar- extracts from their labour power. and to analyze how this exploitation ket. As a result, we find a high con- They are exploited as women, be- is manifest in terms of structural dis- centration of working class immig- cause as other working class crimination within three main rant women, working in the poorest women, they work a double day. areas: immigration, employment, paid sectors,. where they are After eight hours a day at the fac- and education. exploited and isolated from society. tory, they go home just to start In order to fully understand the Worst of all, they are forced to another shift, cooking, cleaning, reality that immigrant women face, remain in these ghettoes without taking care of their man and their we have to start from the point the possibility of getting out be- children, and they do it all for free. when we first arrive in Canada. cause that would go against the in- This benefits the society in general, Therefore, the first issue that we terests of those who own the means but more importantly the employ- have to deal with is Canadian im- of producation. Unfortunately, the ers, because what these women are migration policy and within it, some owners of these businesses are the in fact doing is raising a new gener- assumptions that seem to us false ones who have the political power ation of workers. Thirdly, they are and inaccurate. to influence such things as the im- exploited as immigrants because, One of these underlying assump- migration policy. This is why the im- besides working under the worst tions is that our existence starts migration policy reflects the in- conditions and being paid the low- when we first put our feet on Cana- terests of these groups. This is also est wages, they are humiliated, dis- dian soil. Our past, our back- the reason why immigrant women

THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO-2 - - - -- who want to get out of the factory tion, rather than protecting the left to describe now is (I) what does ghettoes are often frustrated by rights of working class immigrant it really mean for an immigrant contradictory practice in Canadian women. woman to work under such work- employment policies. We will now go into the area of ing conditions and (2) why do they Some examples of these con- employment and briefly describe stay in these jobs? tradictory practices are the follow- the situation of working class im- To be a working class immigrant ing: (a) When we first arrive in migrant women. women means to get up at 6 a.m. Canada and request language train- We have already talked about the or earlier, to prepare breakfast for ing we are denied it with the exuse fact that working class immigrant the family, to have a sip of coffee that, "You won't need it for your women work as unskilled workers or tea, to put the house in order job." Of course, these jobs which in order to fill the needsof Canada's and run to the bus stop, swearing require no English are on factory labour market. We know that they in each one's own language at the assembly lines, where almost every are poorly paid, that they work Canadian weather and at the bus language except English is spoken. compulsory overtime, that they which never conles on time. When we try to get out of these often work under deplorable work- Once at the factory, an old dusty job ghettoes and again ask for lan- ing conditions, that they cannot and dreary Spadina shop, she will guage training, we are told, "Sorry, communicate with their employers, go up the stairs and meet her fellow it is too late now. After being here that often they do not receive fringe workers. She will pay five cents for for such a long time, you should and other benefits, and that they the hot water and pour herself a already speak the language." do not have possibility of getting cup of coffee while she takes her (b) Another example of the con- out of these job ghettoes. What is coat off. Then she will sit in front tradictions that we meet within the of her sewing machine and start practices of Canada and employ- working without stopping even to ment is the case of a woman who go to the washroom, because that wanted to get the English course in is not allowed during the "employ- order to cantinue working at a day- er's time." At 10 a.m., she will have care centre, which was thework she a coffee break, then back to work had done in her country for ten until lunchtime. After half an hour years. She was told by the counsel- for lunch, they are back at their lor that she should remain in the work again, no talking, no standing, factory because, even though she no stretching, no going to the was- could learn English, she would al- hroom. If the machine breaks ways have an accent, and that down, it is always the workers' fault would not be good for the children and supervisors will yell at them, she would be working with. insult them, or hand them humiliat- These situations are just exam- ing notes, like this one that I have ples of how government policies here. It was given to Susana, a sew- keep immigrant -Nomen in job ghet- ing machine operator whom I toes. As was mentioned before, the know: economic interests of those in Within the Every time you break the power need to maintain immigrant machine you loose produc- women in these ghettoes. As long immigration tion time and as you are on a as immigrant women remain there, piece rate income YOU suf- isolated from the rest of society policy, there is an fer. Therefore you MUSTallow with no access to language, retrain- issue that we must the machine to finish the cycle ing or education, the owners of the BEFORE you remove the gar- means of producation will be sure analyse. This is the ment. This is most important. to receive the profits that they want from the working class labour. link'between the This note was given to her after Going back to our starting point, , . fruitless efforts on the part of the we mentioned that working class lrnrnigration supervisor trying to tell Susana that immigrant women are exploited at she had broken the machine and three different levels: as workers, policy and the that she was going to be held re- as immigrants, and as women. We sponsible, and equally fruitless ef- can conclude now that immigration economic interest forts on the part of Susana trying to policy and practices reinforce these of those tell the supervisor that she did not three levels of oppression by pro- break the machine and that she did tecting the economic interests of power. not like being yelled at and the owners of the means of produc- humiliated in that way.

THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 A working class immigrant terests of those who have the power dian society, but in order to do woman's day ends at 5 p.m. at the to influence government policies that, we need respect, respect factory, if she doesn't have to stay like the immigration and labour for our history, respect for our to work overtime. She then goes policies need to maintain working background, and respect for our home to continue with her second class immigrant women in these job culture. shift. Her children come home and ghettoes. This is the only way the Language is one of the main talk to her, but sometimes she has owners of big factories and indus- barriers that face us when we at- to force them to speak their native tries will be certain to receive the tempt to communicate and to language because she does not un- profits that they want from working participate in Canadian society. derstand when they speak to her in class labour. Acquisition of the official lan- English. After supper, the same We will now refer to the third guages of Canada is our funda- routine: doing the dishes and area that concerns working class mental right. It is inhumane to cleaning, may be with some help. immigrant women and this is encourage and to entice people She is too tired to talk, but still she education. Education cannot be from third world countries to has to spend some time with her separated from the concept of come to Canada for a better family while they watch TV or talk culture. Canadians see them- life, and then to deny them ac- about the interesting things that selves as "givers" to the immig- cess to the most essential tool for happened to them during the day. rant and do not perceive the to- gaining control over their lives: She listens to them, but she does tality of the immigrant as particip- language. not have anything to tell them. After ant and enricher of Canadian so- If it is true that the economic a while, she goes to bed, thinking ciety. needs of this country are met in about tomorrow, which will be the Those who make the policies part by maintaining an unskilled, same as today. ought to understand that immig- illiterate, and isolated labour We have roughly described a day rants do not come here to be force, then it becomes clear that in a working class immigrant "civilized." Civilization is not it is not in the interest of the pol- woman's life. Through the descrip- synonomous with North Amer- icy-makers to provide easy action of that day, we can observe ican culture. We are willing to cess to language skills. That is how she is being oppressed as a share what we have, to be par- why government policies rein- worker, as an immigrant, and as a tici~antsand enrichers of Cana- force the three levels of exploita- woman. tion that working class immigrant We are aware of the fact that women are subjected to. working immigrant women suffer Given that fundamental struc- the same kind of oppression as tural changes are needed in our Canadian working class women. economic, political, and social But this oppression is aggravated by institutions before qualitative the fact that they are immigrants changes can be realized in the and that they therefore have special lives of working class people, barriers in terms of communication what can we realistically hope to and in terms of participating in so- achieve? cial and family life. This leads us to Women Working with Immig- our second question: why do they rant Women believes that basic stay in these jobghettoes if the con- reforms can be initiated within ditions are so bad? the immigration policies, within There are three reasons for that: the areas of education, health, (a) they need the jobs because they employmeant opportunities, lan- must work; (b) these are the only A working class guage acquisition, and social ser- jobs that they can get because they vices. If it is the business of this do not speak the official language; immigrant conference to address the needs and (c) they have little possibility of and concerns of immigrant getting language training because woma.nrsday ends women, then let us begin by rec- they cannot pay the courses by ognizing that it is not the immig- themselves and the government at 5 PM at the rant woman who is the problem. will not facilitate their access to the It is not that the immigrant English training courses. factory. She then woman is needy or helpless. We In other words, we are back to goes home to know who we are, we know what what was stated before when we we want, we knowwhat we need. analyzed what the immigration pol- continue with her And, we know also that what we icy meant for working class immig- are demanding are our basic rant women: the economic in- second shift. rights.4

THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 I SUBHASH RAMCHARAN'S

by Leonard Prevra

Although it is politicallyadvan- tageous to theorize on the emergence of a new Canadian society that enshrines the principles of democracy and freedom, justice and equality for all, and the evolution of a dynamic, multicultural society, the evidence shows neither equality nor justice, nor the evolution ofa dynamic multicultural society. In fact, one may argue, that the trun- cated multiculturalism that has emerged in Canada is counter productive to the political, social and economic aspirations of the nonwhite immigrant groups in the society. By giving overt public support to the preservation ofcul- tural traditions, the majority group can turn a blind eye to the evidence of a racially stratified economic system. Likewise, a blind eye can be turned to the evidence of an elite dominated members of the majority group, and to the culture of poverty, frustration, and deprivation that is the lot of many nonwhite Canadians.

(Subhas Ramcharan, Racism : Nonwhites in Canada. Toronto, Butterworths, 1982.)

14 THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 Does Ramcharan not know the This analysis of immigration re- ticipation, Ramcharan offers a de- meaning of the word "gratitude"? cords for the period between 1901 fensible explanation for their isola- What gives this prominent success- and 1976 also indicates quite clearly tion. ful nonwhite Canadian the right to that in times of economic prosper- He states: "Faced with overt at- attack Canada's cherished cultural ity and labour shortages immigra- titudes of hostility, loneliness, pov- policy?Does he not hear the chorus tion is welcomed, while in periods erty, frustration, and generally of Hallelujahs each time Canada's of economic hardship the demand being a stranger in a society that multicultural policy is mentioned? for immigrants is perceived as the refused to accept them as equals, Why does he play Cassandra just 'cause of unemployment. By the early nonwhite immigrants to when it's becoming fashionable to explicitly linking immigration Canada had no alternative but to be "ethnic" in Canada? Whatever quotas to the unemployment rate, turn inwards and look to one his motives, Ramcharan's creden- Rarncharan implies government another for social, psychological, tials for commenting ori Canada's policy itself fans the flames of ra- and emotional support". Decades multicultural policy are impecca- cism. later he finds that very little has ble. He is currently Head of the Uni- All in all these are hardly earth- changed in this regard: "For non- versity of Windsor's Department of shattering revelations to anyone white immigrants in Canada the Sociology and Anthropology and who is even vaguely familiar with most weighty inferiority they suffer has spent over two decades study- Canada's race relations record. In is that they are treated as members ing race relations in Canada and the fact the first two-thirds of Racism of a category, regardless of their in- West Indies. Furthermore, as a non- represents little more than a very dividual merits. As such, they are white (Asian) immigrant himself good summary of the theoretical is- ascribed a position in society by the Rarncharan has undoubtedly sup- sues and practical evidence guiding majority group, based on their plemented his academic work with the race relations debate in Canada physical and cultural characteris- a wealth of personal experiences today. It is the concluding third of tics. The inevitable outcome is the that few outside the nonwhite com- the book which makes it extremely development of a separate social munity in Canada can claim to pos- stimulating reading. identity, and the institutionalization sess. If only for these reasons Ra- of a way of life that sets them apart cism: Nonwhites in Canada de- as a distinct community". serves to be examined seriously. For nonwhite Ramcharan argues that it is this Ramcharan's seminal work be- immigrants in Canada racial schism which lies at the heart gins with an historical examination of Canada's racial problems and of the role and status of nonwhites the most weighty Canada's multicultural policy only (East and West Indians, Arabs, inferiority is that serves to exacerbate it. "Cultural Chinese, Filipinos and Japanese) in pluralism and multiculturalism", he Canada. And, not surprisingly, they are treated as believes, "can be perceived as a finds a familiar history of racially members of a category double-edged sword. On the one discriminatory immigration hand it can retard the emergence policies - the head tax, the Chinese regardless of their of social conflict in the Canadian Exclusion Act, the nonwhite immig- individual merits. social system. On the other hand, ration quotas of the 1962 and 1974 though, it allows for the continua- Immigration Acts, etc. - He shows tion of majority group dominance that the present Immigration Act is For one thing, he offers the heret- in the social, economic and political still subtly racist but nonetheless an ical observation that the ghetto or institutional spheres, a domination improvement over its predeces- siege mentality of some nonwhite that is anathema to the develop- sors. groups is partly responsible for the ment of an egalitarian society". His In the course of his recital Ram- growing racism directed against argument brings to mind the image charan shatters the stereotypical them. As the sociologist puts it: "It of South African "Homelands" and Amerindian "Reservations" and image of nonwhites as being SO- is essential that the racial minorities cially and culturally inferior by recognize that wider interaction their contribution to multicul- showing how "only the best qual- with the host society is a major step turalism. In any case, he goes on to ified and skilled can meet the entry in reducing the negative attitudinal say: "By falling into the trap of sup- requirements of the Canadian im- frame of reference in which many porting ethnically and racially sepa- migration department" and goes on of them are held". He feels that the rate groups in the society, we will to present statistical evidence failure of nonwhites to interact only be furthering the practice of which confirms that over the past leads to a climate of ignorance, dis- separate but unequal, which has two decades less than two percent trust and misunderstanding in the been the institutional arrangement of the nonwhite immigrants could wider society. Yet, despite his criti- of the past. Power, prestige and in- be described as uneducated or un- cism of nonwhites for their nonpar- fluence continue to be the preroga- skilled. - tive of the majority group in the so- - ciety, and we can see no positive new society and integrate into the immigrants is that on the one hand long-term benefit to racial orethnic social structures they will become by valuing and emphasizing their group identification as either an in- socially and economically mobile. cultural distinctiveness, they are tegrative force, or as a method for Second and third generation endangering the very goal of equal- the procurement of equality in the Chinese and East Indians children ity of opportunity and mobility that economic system". born in Canada he points out, are they so desperately seek. On the Here we come to the crux of his periencing the same racially pre- other hand,' if they insist on em- central thesis. Racism: Nonwhites judiced attitudes and discriminat- phasizing their rights to full equal- in Canada begins with an accep- ory behaviour that their parents and ity, and demand that universalistic tance of the proposition that grandparents faced on their migra- standards and achievement values "Canada has no alternative but to tion. "It is simplistic", he argues, be the form of the society, they risk assume a culturally pluralistic "to rationalize discriminatory and the loss of their cultural identity." character given its commitment to unequal treatment of people on the Nevertheless,. Ramcharan argues it maintain a dualistic society in terms basis of length of time in the society is a risk Canadians have to take if of language and culture" and goes and also, it is futile to believe that we are to avoid the "cataclysmic on to find processes such as absorp- the problem will simply disappear confrontations and conflict" that tion and assimilation to be "un- with time". In any case, Ramcharan have marked interracial relation- workable" and "archaic". Ramcha- challenges the notion that decision- ships in the United States and Great ran suggests instead an inter- makers must take full responsibility Britain. mediate course between the Scylla for improving race relations in In conclusion the Ramcharan and Charybdis of cultural assimila- Canada. Community leaders too, feels that Canada's racial problems tion and social isolation - social he feels must take steps to improve are not insurmountable, however, integration. The process of integra- the public image and social interac- many changes and compromises tion, he believes, must begin with tions of nonwhite groups in Cana- must be made by the dominant a recognition by the dominant elites dian life. In this respect, Ramcharan elites and minority groups if a truly and nonwhite group leaders that ra- argues "Only organized political ac- multiracial state can emerge in cism has become a problem in tion, and an increased activism on Canada. As it stands, Racism: Non- major Canadian cities and that racial the part of leaders of the minority whites in Canada represents a mas- inequality inevitably brings social groups can reap any dividends. Sit- sives attack on Canada's multicul- unrest, riots, violence and tension ting quiescently, hoping that the tural policy and its "pox on both if it is allowed to continue un- power elite and those who control your houses" approach is bound to abated. The acceptance of this fact the political processes will voluntar- offend ethnic community leaders he adds. must lead decision-makers ily change the status quo, is an exer- and decision-makers as well. It is to encourage positive social cise in futility, as past decades oi not surprising that the work has changes in race relations: structural nonwhite deprivation in Canada proven to be controversial. systemic changes; stronger anti- have shown". He convincingly ar- Nevertheless, in my opinion, Ram- discrimination laws especially in gues that institutional change will charan's work represents the most employment and housing; attitudi- only occur with the dispersal of ra- thoughtful and thought-provoking nal changes, improved police/com- cial minorities into the modern so- treatment of some of the major is- munity relations and so on. On this ciety. sues in race relations in Canada note Ramcharan is not optimistic. "By becoming part of the power today and deserves to be seriously "Canada's predilection for a self structure they (nonwhites) can in- examined by community activists, image of equality of opportunity for fluence the decision-making pro- government leaders and all those all racial and ethnic groups, and its cess, alter the traditional roles, and who are concerned about the state refusal to accept the evidence of ra- increase the groups' chances of of multiculturalism in Canada cism in its midst, bodes ill for the achievement and mobility". today. 4 successful resolution of inter-racial He cautions that there will be a conflict". price to be paid for increased ac- Ramcharan rejects the conclusion tivism, however, "advocates of mul- of Walter Pitman's Task Force on ticulturalism cannot expect equality Race Relations in Toronto that racial of opportunities in social and intolerance in Toronto is not a economic structure without realiz- phenomenon of institutional ra- ing that in the cultural sphere com- cism but rather of "culture shock" promises will have to be made". with the white majority being un- "Special treatment often means un- able to adjust to the fact that To- equal treatment", he notes, "and ronto had become a multicultural thus is dysfunctional for the immig- entity. Furthermore he disputes the rant in the long.run". In a nutshell idea that as nonwhites adjust to the he feels "the dilemna for nonwhite

16 THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 A Conversation With LlNO BROCKA by Richard Fung

Over the years Lino Brocka has become something of a legend to Fes- tival of Festival audiences. His "gangster melodrama with a difference" Jaguar was a hit in 1981, followed by Bona in 1982. This year the director was in Toronto to intro- duce an older (19791, but nevertheless wonderful dissertation on Man- ila slum conditions, Insiang. These screenings, largely due to the persistence of one program- mer, David Overboy, have done much to establish Brocka's reputa- tion in the rather myopic eyes of North American film going circles. However, Lino Brocka has for years been the leading light of Filipino di- rectorial talent, as was made evi- dent by the number of Filipino fans who surrounded him after the Bloor cinema screening of Insiang. Talented and outspoken about conditions in his country (he spoke at 'Ninoy' Aquino's funeral), Lino Brocka is not a favorite of the Mar- cos regime. Richard Fung talked with the director about politics, filmaking and the connection between the two.

THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 17 Asianadian : moved the local film festival to jan- One of the things that strike me in I have read that you oppose revolu- uary Ist, so the December play date the film of yours that we've seen is tion in the Philippines right now. is open to Hollywood movies. I sup- that there is long gap between art Why is that? pose Valenti sort of told the First or politics and popular film - that Lady that if you don't open the De- you actually integrate melodrama, Lino Brocka: cember play dates then we pull out action, the love interest and poli- The military is very strong, thanks or we don't participate, and of tics. Did you always make films this to the U.S. government, so at this course the first lady cannot afford way? Is it an interest or is it some- point even if you say you would like not to have Valenti and Hollywood thing you do to gain a wider audi- to have option for violence - be- movies and Hollywood celebrities ence? cause the situation in the provinces in her International Film Festival. So Well let's put it this way. To be able and in the mountains is different now the movie industry is also up to make the kind of movies I like to from that in Manila and suburbs -at in arms. make with the least amount of com- this point violence would actually Again you can see the U.S. influ- promise ... l think simultaneous worsen things, because that is ence. You know, not only in the with making those movies one exactly what the government is military bases. It's rather insulting - should never lose track of that audi- waiting for. They have always said so the move right now is to go on ence. Before you speak of the great that this is exactly what we're strike for three months starting Sep- Filipino movie, you've got to speak against: communism etc. Any form tember eleventh. It was approved about the great Filipino audience of violence or militancy they always unanimously by the film academy that will make that movie. Definitely excuse or justify by saying 'It's the which is made up of all the guilds that movie audience is not that well communists again.' It's a conve- in the local movie industry. This used in the aesthetics of cinema. nient excuse for them. That was the means they will not work for the They are not familiar with festival excuse they used when they de- next three months. There is also a movies, they patronize popular clared martial law, and naturally this move to boycott American movies cinema. So you take into consider- sort of falsification always finds an in December, so we will push for ation the characteristics of popular ally with the U.S. government and that. cinema which make them go to the so they've been taking advantage of This is where film is coming in movies. If they like blood I'II give that. I don't think violence will right now. We're going out into the them blood. If they like sex - 1'11 achieve anything at the moment. streets and trying to add pressure give them sex - but it is a matter of What we're working for is to gener- just like the labourers, the urban putting what is popular into cinema ate mass action. poor, the teachers, the students. and rooting, anchoring it in some Each sector is now bonded to- basic social milieu,, so that you're Where does film fit into all of this? gether. able to put some relevance into what is popular. So it's very hard ... in Filipino we call it "Tim- We have a film festival, an annual pla". You know you sort of put a local film festival which is held little salt and a little pepper and a every December and it has been If they like blood I'II little this. You have to somehow traditional for the last fifteen years combine all these things because or so. All the movie houses in Man- give them blood. If you have to make a movie that will ila and suburbs show nothing but they likesex - I'll give be familiar to the audience, what Filipino movies. This is of course to they want, you are actually making encourage the local movie industry. them sex -but it is a them conscious of things. It's very This last two, threeyears, (jack) Val- matter of putting important to develop that -while enti, who is the head of the Motion you are showing them what they Pictures Association of America has what is popular into want, you are actually making them been trying to get the December cinema ... so that conscious of things. play dates for the American movies, for understandable reasons - it's you're able to put lnsiang is from 1979. You have said the box office season. I suppose some relevance into that you 'are not allowed to make due to pressure or threats, I really movies like that or Jaguar anymore. don't know how he was able to get what is popular. In what sense? it - but he was able to get it - they

18 THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 The First Lady doesn't like the slum hard. It depends on the whimsical Among the intellectual order which settings so I have to get out of the interpretation of the chairman, of are in Manila this means a lot. You slum settings - so I have moved to the people sitting in. That's what go to Toronto, you go to Cannes - the condominiums and the houses we're hitting at the arbitrary, whim- all of that means a lot. But, as far as in the subdivisions and the sub- sical double standard interpreta- the ordinary movie goer is con- urbs. tion. Like it's O.K. for Americans to cerned - I suppose they say 'Wow, say "fuck you", "damn you" and Brocka went to a festival abroadf, I was thinking about this when I saw that is passed. But Filipinos cannot but t doesn't really give me more The Year of Living Dangerously say that even if the movie is judged options to make the kind of movie which was shot in the Philippines for adults only. You ask why and I would like to make. As a matter and showed a lot of slums -but it the answer is 'Americans are im- of fact, it scares the producers was alright because it was supposed moral, you know' - They're prom- away, because they have this notion to be Indonesia? iscuous and they have loose mor- that I am going to make a movie als: Filipinos are supposed to be that nobody will understand, that Yes, because you must remember very moral. there will be long stretches of si- that we don't have slums in the lence, you know. Some people Philippines. How do they deal with the reputa- have asked if it has helped me - it tion of the Philippines as a haven hasn't really. Otherwise I should be So they were all movie sets? for child prostitution. making movies. The last time, when I made Bona was three years ago. Yes (laughing) They close their minds to that. That was the last movie of that kind Everybody knows that it brings in and it wasn't even that serious. It How does censorship work? Is it a thedollars. So they say there ischild was produced by the star herself subtle, informal thing or is it offi- prostitution for about one day or (Nora Aunor) who just wanted to cial? two days, they will show some do something serious. police making a raid, after you will In the beginning I thought it was It is official. You cannot do anything never hear about that. People are also significant because I thought it without submitting your synopsis used to this already, these raids. It's would give us (filmakers) some kind and sequence treatment to the what you might call fund-raising ac- of protection - after having been to Board of Censors. They have to ap- tivities of the police. Especially dur- Cannes and knowing some people prove that, then after they have ap- ing Christmas or before there is also there and being written about they proved it you start the movie and of fund-raising (chuckles). When won't touch you, but the killing of after the movie is finished, then they raid the sauna baths, massage Ninoy (Aquino) just made it they censor it again whether it is ... parlors, gay bars and all that; the clear ... (laughing) what do you fit for exhibition or not. Then if the people are used to it. Prostitutes go mean? ... even if you're sur- movie gets a chance to be sent through the whole thing. After- rounded by forty foreign corres- abroad - like to a festival, or even wards they're released the next day pondents it doesn't mean anything. for showing to Filipino com- but it's good to show they were If they want you, they'll get you any- munities, as long as it gets outside raided, you know for the benefit - time, anywhere; in Toronto or Can- the Philippines it will again be sub- of the press. nes, whether you're in the Carlton mitted for censorship. The criteria lobby or Plaza 11.4 for movies being shown abroad is But the government never deals different -whether it gives a good with the basic underlying issue of image of the country. prostitution, which is poverty.

Can you give examples of other No. They don't. criteria in operation? You've had a film at this festival Well, definitely anything that tends every year for the last three years to undermine the government is now. You're here yourself this year. out, so anything political is out ... How does this change both your What else? Their guidelines on sex recognition in North America and and violence is rather confusing, the way you are treated in the sometimes lenient, sometimes Philippines?

19 THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 THE FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS

'the programming for the eigh e part of the programmers. nual Festival of Festivals, Toronto's Nicaragua's Alsino y El Condor, a international film festival, held in film nominated for best Foreigen September, was somewhat disap- Film Oscar, was directed by the not- pointing, compared to last year's. able Chilean Miguel Littin and the -the selection of films lacked any still unfinished Erendira from by Richard Fung cohesion, in part because the sec- and Prabha Khosla Mexico, was directed by Raul tion titled "Contemporary World Guerra from a script by Nobel Cinema", was .programmed - by Laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez. three people with very disparate in- Perhaps the most popular Perhaps the most popular of the terests. As a result, avant-gard of the Asian films was Asian films was Lino Brocka's In- Babette Mangolte's The Sky on Loca- Lino Brocka's Insiang. siang. Currently prevented by cen- tion found itself in the same cate- sorship from making the kind of gory as Mrinal Sen's Kharij a film films hewould like to, Brockachose about servants in India. All this Bitter Cane, by Jacques to show this 1979 film about rebell- made for tedious work in choosing Arcelain is a devastating ion against machismo, set in a Man- screenings. ila slum. Shot in a persistent wide- This set-up also made for slimmer film about the plight of angle, the viewer misses no detail pickings from Third World Cinema, Haitians and the plunder of the junk-littered world which since David Overby's "Critics of the Haitian economy surrounds the heroine. Choice", especially noted for a Other Asian features included the wide selection of Asian films, was by U.S. interests. immensely moving lnagi Ningtheml collapsed and subsumed into My Son, My Precious from the bud- "Contemporary World Cinema". ding Manipuri cinema of North East A final programme included sev- India, Japan's The Ballad of eral features from Asia but only a As well, the Latin American films Narayama, which won the Golden couple from Latin America and both came from veteran directors, Palm award at Cannes and Man Chul none from Africaorthe Middle East. which implies very little probing on Late Autumn from South Korea.

THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 --- -- exposes the relationship of un- Bitter Cane 4 employment in the United States by Jacques and exploitation in Haiti and posits Arcelain that despite a difference of language and culture the two societies are locked into one another as part of an economic system. From El Salvador came Letter from Morazan, a film produced by Radio Venceremos, voice of the FDRI FMLN. Shot mostly in video with some super 8 and then transferred to 16 mm. it shows the FMLN guer- rillas in combat with Salvadorian Government forces. A bit shakyand with some problems in editing, it is still one of the most interesting documentaries about war. Mira Nair's So far from lndia is a more conventional documentary portraying the relationship of a young man Ashok who has left his home and community in Gujarat, India, to work in the United States as a newspaper vendor. Ashok is married to a Gujarati woman before he left for the United States so that he would not marrya whitewoman. Much of the film focuseson the per- ceptions of his wife and family members about life in the U.S. 4 So Far From where none of them has been. The lndia is f~lmshows them comparing what a more they have heard about the States to conven- their lives in India. Most of them tional decide they would not like to live film in there. They feel life in America is documen- more difficult than in India. Nobody tary style. in the family speaks any English except Ashok's father, which further separates them from the United States. While the portrayal of Indian social organization is quite accurate, the film does not adequately docu- The Go Masters, a Japan-Chinaco- On the documentary front there ment the struggles of Ashok with production which won at this sum- were some excellent films by Third American life. How to get a job that mer's Montreal film festival, was World directors or about the Third pays more than for the bare essen- scheduled in at the last moment, World. An unscheduled film, Trob- tials? What about racism of Amer- without much publicity. This epic riand Cricket, from Papua New ican society?And how does he cope production, traces the relationship Guinea, is a delightful document on without the family and social struc- betweean two masters of Go, one the subversion of cricket from a col- ture in which he was brought up? Japanese, one Chinese, which onial sport to a ceremony which fits Nor does it address the question of spans the period from before the the context and reality of present economic realities of India: Why Iapanese invasion to post revolutio- day islanders. Bitter Cane, by Jac- the migration to the United States? nary China. Somewhat stilted and a ques Arcelin, is a devastating film How does his family earn a living in bit obvious in its symbolism, this about the plight of Haitians and the India? As a result Mira Nair's film film of reconciliation is neverthe- plunder oif the Haitian economy by shows us only part of the reality of less of great political significance. U.S. interests. This documentary being so far from 1ndia.4

THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 The Toronto Star, on December 16, 1931 ran an articlewith the headline, "Protests Chinaman Getting Car License". In those days, the years when racism was at its height, one could imagine Chinese being denied car licenses. What was curious about this particular protest was that it was the "Chinaman's" own lawyer who was doing the protest- ing. Lee Pong, a Chinese laundryman had been found guilty of criminal negligence in striking a pedestrian with his car. Pong's lawyer, L.E. Blackwell, told the court that his client should be given a light sentence. "I would suggest that you take into consideration the fact that he is a Chinaman," the lawyer said, "in my opinion a license to operate a car should not be issued to a Chinaman without careful supewi- sion. The crown issued him a license and now the Crown convicts him." JudgeO'Driscoll promised to consider a suspended sentence. Asianadian's Dubious Award is given quarterly to writers, artists, companies or organizations for making outstanding contributions towards perpetuating stereotyped images of Asians. Nominations for this award may be made by any reader who in his/ her daily reading comes across un- usually "brilliant" articles or pictures depicting Asian Canadian .stereotypes or exploiting the many myths about Asians in Canada. Nominations may be sent to the Asianadian. The Dubious Award for this issue MITABH PLACE by Om Joneja A Benares brocade saree My thinking, Amitabh Place was Toronto's with golden arms, pearly ears the twilight first Indian style shopping mall piercing her diamond fingers combine: I want until it closed down recently. through dal-bhat to make hymns It was named after Amitabh bangles me casually in the heart 'Hi! Kern Chho!' of what I love Bacchan, arguably India's most ,Fine Chhe, , reply popular who and look vainly for the woman before my chains opened the mall during one of in B~~~~~~ brocade are distances his visits to Toronto. this dyed cousin of Gandhi and once again gobbling Amitabh place. 4 I am heretic He drove me here to the light. to make me eat Indian in a land But the chilly that has eaten Indians: gradations of sky tipis, totems, tobaggans - all! pursuing the wanton sun Eating dosai without chutney make me still my host talks of Amitabh convalescing his stardom. in second thoughts before the moon's Waiter-proprktor eternity. pulled here by his son Kris born of the Karmas This morning he sure committed in a previous life he tied the sunrise is nostalgic of to earth Karolbagh and his unlived hou Raga Basant - he earned sweating under a fa Mookhari ; for Government of India. now, patiently, My host shows me the place as the moon impends blessed by Amitabh coffin-lidded when he was here on each man's selling a masala movie of particular love brothers, brothels, bank-balances looks, lovers, lawyers the planet ends places, palaces, pedlars in grace shanties, smugglers, shootings Ali Akbar Khan is India's most with knowledge vans, villains, vandals renowned livingsarodplayer. The of its beginning. all threadead through sarod is an instrument like the trees, taboos, temples. sitar but with a mellower sound. My body speaks as if it were my thinking in the sweet 23 hesitation of Raga Shree, A RICK SHIOMIg PLAY YELLOW FEVER

by Himani Bannerii Yellow Fever brings "Unless the stone bursts with There is a silence that is not quite feeling, unless the seed flow- the opposite of speech and actually out issues that ers with speech, there is in my holds in suspension a myriad neither the Japanese life no living word. The sound voices - a silence which once bro- I hear is only sound, white ken displays an extra-ordinary community nor other sound." depth of memory. And nor is it the simple recounting, this coming to non-white Joy Kogawa: Obasan speak, it is an act of reconstructing communities can the past towards the present and afford to ignore the future. Such has been the case with the Japanese Canadians who, in Canada. after years of silence since the Sec- ond World War, have during the last years allowed others to look

THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 virtually unheard of in legitimate theatre; it features primarily an Asian cast; it is set in Vancouver, and it is written by a Toronto native ... from this point the artists' group will branch out to embrace other areas of the arts." Yellow Fever, a light hearted thril- ler, is set in the rundown inner city part of Vancouver. It's hero Sam Shikaze, an aging private-eye, in a crumpled suit somewhat given to the comfort of the bottle, forgetful of his own sexual charms and of others as well, is reminiscent of the anti-hero private-eyes of Dashiel Hammet and Chandler. And in his temporarily quiet world of the bottle, Billie Holliday and meals out at Rosie's, enters the problem in the shape of a kidnapping of the local Japanese Beauty Queen named Cherry Blossom. Both the parents of the girl and Sam's old acquain- tance Police Captain Kenji Kadota entrust Sam with finding the girl, A and find her he does, along with From left to right: Harvey Chao (Sam Shikaze), James Knapp (Sargeant finding a woman who falls for him, McKenzie), Mary Lee (Chuck Chan), Tom McDonald (superintendent plenty of beatings with racist name- Jameson), Bob Lem (Cap. Kenji Kadota), Susan Jay (Nancy Wing). callings, and a secure place in the heart of the Canadian police and politicians of neo-nazi racist organizations such as the Western Guard. into years of oppression as "enemy nonetheless to tell it seriously - Reluctantly, bruised and battered, aliens", as the "yellow peril". They and in Toronto it was presented at Sam overcomes every obstacle - have spoken along side with the Toronto Folk Theatre but the mem- with a little help from the 'kid' re- Chinese, with the East Indians, with bers of Canasian Artists Group. The porter from the Vancouver Sun and the black people -with all the so brochure for the play introduces Chuck Chan, his woman lawyer called "visible minority" people the play as well as the project of the friend. In the end Cherry Blossom and through their speech produced group by saying: returns to the bosom of her family, such extra-ordinary works of art as "Central to the effort (of the Captain Kadota returns to the force, Joy Kogawa's Obasan. Canasian Artists Group) is the To- the Western Guard policemen are Rick Shiomis' play Yellow Fever, ronto production of R.A. Shiomi's exposed, the 'kid' finds her way to based on a story conceived by Marc much talked about play, Yellow fame through the Toronto Globe - Hayashi, is another attempt within Fever, which is so successful in the and Sam Shikaze walks alone this tradition to tell the tale with United States. It is the perfect veh- through the empty back streets of light heartedness and humour - icle since it features an Asian lead, the China town from where the

THE ASIANADIAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 Chinese are vanishing, stops, lights Shikaze), Susan Jay (Nancy the ing moments of the play is the entr- his cigarette, lowers his hat over his "Kid"), Tom MacDonald (Superin- ance of Shikaze (Chao) through that forehead and walks out of our sight. tendant lameson), Bob Lem (Kenji half-lit street, pausing to light a Yellow Fever brings out issues Kadota) and others, gave us less cigarette. That act and that setting that neither the Japanese commu- than the script of the play could pro- alone established his character and nity nor other non-white com- vide. Somewhere the seriousness put him in the long tradition of munities can afford to ignore in of the play failed to come to grips poor, unwilling, unheroic private Canada. Starting with ever-present with its humour and lightness. eyes. From then on we sit mostly stereotyping, extending in range to Somewhere in the welter of actions, interested, often drawn into the power various myths about the humour and jostlings, the point of lives of Japanese (the Chinese as 'orientals' to being branded as cun- the play began to get losi. A greater well, as the "Kid" Nancy is Chinese) ning, treacherous creatures - the economy could be exercised in this Canadians - seeing an interesting play extends into activities of racist direction. We know that knaves can use of a old time literary fame. organizations such as the Western be fools but still ... The other area When the curtain falls, we leave Guard which is considering ways of where the directionlacting were convinced of the need to look into eliminating this infectious "yellow less than satisfactory was the por- the lives of those who, "visible" as fever". Not too long ago a Nazi-Fas- trayal of women. Women don't they are, are "invisible" in the Cana- cist combine had spoken of the need to act so artificial, or strut dian cultural/social scene. 4 Jews as a social concern. The in- about the stage like that, nor hold teresting thing is that this Fascism their bodies in such coy "feminine" is shown to be deeply imbedded postures - especially if they are within the lawlorder enforcement "liberated" women. I do know that apparatus in Canada, as well as we are dealing here with a play in within various other departments of a light vein, but one could be light the State - extending from those and comic without actually which makes laws to those which caricaturing the part that one plays. implement them. And last but not But there were moments, and se- the least the play serves as a remin- quences, when the acting and the dear to the Japanese and other 'vis- theme came together - particularly ible' minority groups that, whereas in the acting of Shikaze, in his their labour and economic activities lonely walks, late nights alone, in have a role in the Canadian eco- interactions with Rosie, in his self- nomy - they themselves do not. A deprecating, sceptical humour. The time may come when the doors of caricature type of acting was put to other barbed-wired camps will be its best use in the Western Guard held open again, and even green meeting enacted by Tom Mac- reservations will open their gates Donald and Jim Knapp. and 'visible' minorities will join Aranas and artistic director Guy other invisible visibles such as the Spring, as well as the stage mana- native Indians who are right now gers of the play (Winston Kam and sitting there. Waiting for what? Midori Carney) are to be congratu- A few words about the produc- lated in the three part stage that tion now. Whereas Rick Shiomi's they created. The use of the actual play itself has so much in it, the play stage space and the space beside as presented in Toronto Free the main stage, which skrves as the f heatre under the direction of Raul main street and the alleys, is very Aranas with Harvey Chao (Sam imaginative. One of the most strik-

THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 THE;SOJOURNER L ON THE M ND OF SOME by Anthony Chan

Unlike theatre or film reviews, reviews of books neither make nor break a book's salability. Authors sometimes prefer to have a bad review rather than no review, provided proper information about the book is given: author's name, spel- led correctly, and certain details are mentioned - publisher, date of publication, where to buy, and the price. Unfortunately ]in Tan's review of Gold Mountain (Asianadian, April 1983 issue) only informs the reader of his own pet theories and attitudes. He neither provides the basic information such as publisher, date nor gives the usual de- scription of the book. A reader might wonder what the hell the book is all about. Ever since I first met ]in Tan in August, 1982 at the University of Victoria, where I was teaching a summer course on Chinese history, it seems that the interpretation of the "Chinese as a Sojourner" has been preying on his mind and studies. For me, Sojourner is equi- valent to Foreigner: one who is in a transient situation always ready to I move at the drop of a CP ticket. Actually, the magnitude of Jin Tan's concern about what I had written about the Sojourner Myth pleased me because here was someone anxious to take on this very important debate: "Were the Chinese Sojourners or Not?" . .- Others have followed him. Yuen- foon Woon, a sociologist at Victoria t recently gave a paper about .the d Sojourner as a Reality!

27 THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 Debate over issues was one of the No where in his review did ]in In modern Chinese history, there major goals which Cheuk Kwan, Lau Tan refer to these passages or to are two schools. One follows the Bo and I envisioned when we any of the chapter topics. It is quite response theory - the Chinese started the Asianadian on April obvious that he did not take the reacted and were helpless to the Fool's Day, 1978. With Aminur time to read the book except for onslaught of imperialism in China. Rahim's "is Oriental an 0-ccident?" the Preface. If he did, he did not The other takes the view that the (Asianadian, April 83 issue) not only do it with any clear understanding Chinese, even under imperialism, is there humour in Asian Canadian or perception. One wonders what were able to create and direct their communities, but also vigorous de- kind of history is taught at the On- ' own destiny. I followed this latter bate about key issues. tario Institute for Studies in Educa- school for my first book, Arming the But I digress. tion where Jin Tan is presently Chinese. Besides Jin Tan's inability to fol- teaching. Perhaps Jin Tan's major But again I digress. low the standard rules of reviewing difficulties lie in his training or lack An example of the "Chinese as a book, his argument against my of it. Victim" thesis is Peter Ward's White "Sojourner as Myth" premise As for his comparing Southeast Canada Forever. The title itself tells comes out of reading, not Gold Asia with Canada and the condi- the reader where Ward is coming Mountain, but two articles I wrote tions of Chinese immigration, it's ft-om: certainly not from the view- for Visible Minorities edited by like comparing apples with le- point of the Chinese in Canada. It's Ujimoto and Hirabayashi and The mons - one sweet and the other the outsider's view of Chinese Journal of Ethnic Studies in 1980 and sour. Jin Tan would profit from Canada. The Chinese are merely 1981: early interpretations. Why do reading M. Godley's The Mandarin things to be toyed with and con- I think that? Capitalists from Nanyang, 1981 and sequentl~can have any number of Essentially, its because my in- R. Irick's Ch'ing Policy toward the images, falsehoods, directions im- terpretation has taken a quantum Coolie Trade, 1982. He would find posed on them. That is why Asiana- leap from those earlier efforts. In that many Chinese in Southeast dian was launched - to give the Gold Mountain, I wrote about the Asia were more resident capitalists Asian Canadian view of issues in roots of emigration, workers and and less sojourner. Canada.: merchants, Qing dynasty policy to Jin Tan also laments the fact that Gold Mountain describes a social overseas Chinese (incidentally, hua Gold Mountain takes the "CHINESE history of Chinese Canada: what qiao or hua q does not mean AS VICl-IM" thesis. Far from it: the people ate, how they dressed, what sojourner), and comments by Ale- bo0k.i~rather directly opposed to conditions were present, how they xander Winchester, Huang Cun- the Chinese as Victim thesis. What married, etc. TO call the book an xian, Sing Cheung Yung, and Won is this thesis? It means that the exercise in the "Chinese as Victim" Alexander Cumyow (the first Chinese were constantly reacting thesis shows that )in Tan needs to Chinese born in Canada). If JinTan responding to racism and racists read more widely and with Some had taken the time to read these called the tune. Again, if JinTan had effort. Before reviewing any other passages, if nothing else, they read my chapters on workersimer- book, he should also read it care- would have ,given him some idea chants, Sun Yat-sen and the revolu- fully first. that Chinese immigrants were tion in Canada, the drive to repeal A review is like makeup. made sojourners because of ra- the exclusion act, and the section It reveals a person's faceand cism. Both Sing Cheung Yung and on literature, he would have disco- thethoughts behind it. 4 Won Alexander Cumyow said that vered that the Chinese in Canada "the Chinese would bring their were creating history. They were families here were it not for the un- taking matters in their own hands.

28 THE ASIANADIAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 In addition to these presentations As a result of this dissatisfaction South Asian there were poetry readings by sev- with the conference, a strong Canadian eral South Asian writers such as Lak- movement of women emerged to shmi Gill, Krisantha Bhaggiyadatta, form a Coalition of Visible Minority Literature Himani Bannerji, Rienzi Crusz, Cyril Women. The goals of this Coalition Dabydeen and Reshard Gool. are to build a united front to fight Conference. against racism and sexism in Cana- dian society. On October 1 and 2,1983, a confer- It was felt that a common voice ence was held at the University of Coalition of was needed to address this issue. Toronto campus on South Asian Visible The first meeting of the Coalition Canadian Literature entitled: was held on October 22,1983.in To- Search for Meaning. The confer- Minority ronto. ence was sponsored by Toronto The projected activities of the Co- South Asian Review to mark the re- alition include: lease of the report entitled - o To work towards gaining access Search for Meaning. Edited by After months of planning, a confer- to the media in order to bring the Dr. Suwanda H.]. Sugunasiri, it is ence of Visible Minority Women, message of the Visible Minority the work of several contributors sponsored by the Race Relations Di- Women to the public's attention. who have worked for about three vision of the Ontario Ministry of years on the project. The report, Labour was held in Toronto on Sep- e To monitor the media and expose however, has yet to be published. tember 30 and October 1, 1983. biases in dealing with Visible In the first session Dr. Sugunasiri The conference was attended by Minority Women. made a short presentation of his re- women from visible minority com- To work with labour organiza- port. This was followed by a review munities from all over Ontario. tions in order to influence the of South Asian Canadian Poetry in Among the participants were labour movement. English by Arun Prabha Mukherjee women from the Black, Chinese, 0 To get representation on boards, of the University of Regina. South Asian, Native and the Filipino committees and organizations Other topics covered in the two-day communities. which deal with issues affecting proceedings were: South Asian Throughout the conference plan- Visible Minority Women. Canadian Novels in English by Frank ning and at the conference itself dif- If you wish to participate in the ac- Birbalsingh of York University; ferences emerged between the tivities of ihis Coalition please con- South Asian Canadian Short Stories community women and the govern- tact: by S.H.]. Suwandasiri and Canadian ment organizers. The community Punjabi Fiction and Drama by S. women felt that the government or- Margaret Gittens Kalsey. Nuzrat Khan of Ottawa ganizers had diluted many of the 101 Blecker St. spoke on Urdu Literature in action-oriented draft resolutions Unit 100F Canada. and made them read like bland in- Toronto, Ont. Brenda E.F. Beck of the University nocuous statements. Also many of M4X 1x1 of British Columbia gave a talk on the resource people nominated by Indo-Canadian Popular Culture: the community women were not Should Writers Take the Lead in its called by the government organiz- Development? Dr. M.G. Vassanji of ers. Also Latin American women the Toronto South Asian Review were not included in the confer- spoke about Patterns of South Asian ence. Literature.

THE ASlANADlAN VOL. 5 NO. 2 Contributors

Himani Bannerji is a poet and short Richard Fung is a former Trinidadian Prabha Khosla was born in Pororo, story writer who has recently re- who came to Toronto from Ireland Uganda. She works with the To- turned from a trip to lndia where in 1973. He is presently studying ronto Committee for the Liberation she did resesarch in political theatre Film at the University of Toronto. of South Africa. She also acts as an in Bengal. She came to Canada from He has recently completed a vid- organizerlinterpreter for working lndia in 1969 and teaches part time eotape on racism in the Toronto class women of lndian origin at at York University. She has pub- School System for the Toronto work. lished a book of poetry called A Board of Education. He is a member Leonard Preyra is a doctoral candi- Separate Sky (Domestic Bliss, 1982). of the Gay Asians of Toronto. date in International Economics at Anthony Chan was one of the found- Edy Goto is Sansei (third generation Queen's University in Kingston. He ing members of Asianadian Re- Japanese Canadian) living in To- has worked as a research analyst for source Workshop. He is the author ronto with her husband and two the MacDonald Commission on the of two books, Gold Mountain and children. Over the last eight years Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Arming the Chinese. He has taught she has been actively involved in James Strecker teaches Media history at several Canadian univer- community work with the Japanese Studies at Sheridan College in sities and is presently with the Canadian community. She was Hamilton. His work has been pub- Minority Development Program of. General Secretary of the Japanese lished in several Canadian periodi- the Canadian Broadcasting Corpo- Canadian Centennial Society. cals including Fiddlehead, Poetry ration. Om Joneja teaches in the Depart- Canada Review, Dalhousie Review. Meena Dhar is an urban planner ment of English, Maharaja Scindhia Maria Theresa-Larain lives in To- with the City of Toronto. She im- University of ~aroda, India. His ronto. She is the coordinator of migrated to Canada in 1967and lives poems in Hindi and English have Women Working with Immigrant in Toronto with her husband and been published in Indian periodi- Women, a national umbrella or- two children. She is a member of cals. He was in Canada recently to ganization. the Board of the Riverdale Women's do post-doctoral research at Con- Centre. She is a free lance graphic cordia University, Montreal. artist.

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