2008 Asian of the Year Award Ceremony

The Honourable Sheila Copps

Click Here to View the Awards Presentation May 21st, 2008, Parliament, Attendance by Invitation The Honourable Sheila Copps, Chair of the Award Selection Committee, along with a 6-member committee, announced the winners out of eight finalists in recognition of outstanding contributions to Canada by Canadians of Asian descent.

2008 Award Recipients

Arts/Sports
Patrick Chan, aged 17, won the title of 2008 Canadian senior men’s figure skating champion, the youngest in Canadian men’s figure skating history. In addition, he won the Grand Prix de France at the age of 16.

Volunteerism
John Chew Mah, Chancellor of the Order of St. John, St. John Ambulance, one of the world’s oldest humanitarian organizations offering first aid training, volunteering opportunities, medical supplies and safety information to communities across Canada, with 25,000 volunteers contributing over 3 million hours each year.

Business/Public Service
Sonia del Rosario, President/Partner, Del Rosario Financial Services Inc. / Chair of the Philippine Centre Canada

Special Award
Tae E. Lee, Grandmaster, Tae E. Lee Ottawa Taekwondo School of over three decades, assisting three Canadian prime ministers in developing and strengthening diplomatic relations between Canada and the Republic of Korea.

2008 Finalists

Patrick Chan, aged 17, won the title of 2008 Canadian senior men’s figure skating champion, the youngest in Canadian men’s figure skating history. In addition, he won the Grand Prix de France at the age of 16.

Cindy Lee, CEO, T & T Supermarket Inc, Canada’s largest Asian supermarket chain employing over 3,000 employees.

Tae E. Lee, Grandmaster, Tae E. Lee Ottawa Taekwondo School of over three decades, assisting three Canadian prime ministers in developing and strengthening diplomatic relations between Canada and the Republic of Korea.

John Chew Mah, Chancellor of the Order of St. John, St. John Ambulance, one of the world’s oldest humanitarian organizations offering first aid training, volunteering opportunities, medical supplies and safety information to communities across Canada, with 25,000 volunteers contributing over 3 million hours each year.

Anne-Marie Pham, Chair of the Youth Action Committee of the Vietnamese Canadian Federation and co-founder of Calgary Vietnamese Youth Group. She stands out as one of the outstanding youth leaders in promoting intergenerational transmission of cultural heritage, traditional values and work ethics in the Vietnamese community in Canada.

Sonia del Rosario, President/Partner, Del Rosario Financial Services Inc. / Chair of the Philippine Centre Canada

Tina Takahashi, the first Canadian woman to achieve a 6th degree black belt, and be inducted into the Judo Canada Hall of Fame. Won first women’s national judo championship and several championships titles in Canada, Japan, China, and Hawaii.

Yuen Pau Woo, President and Co-CEO of Asia Pacific Foundation, Canada’s think-tank on Asia, providing information, research and Analysis on Asia as well as Canada’s transpacific relations.

2008 Asian of the Year Award Selection Committee

Born into a prominent political family in Hamilton, Ms. Copps rose to the very highest levels in the Canadian government, becoming Deputy Prime Minister for the Liberal Government in 1993. She has also been Minister of Canadian Heritage. Ms. Copps was a journalist prior to her 27-year commitment to public office, a vocation she has returned to. Sheila is married to Austin Thorne and has one daughter, Danelle.

Michael Chambers, Member
President, Canadian Olympics Committee /Former chair, National Capital Dragon Boat Race Festival

Claudia Chowaniec, Member
President, Precept Inc. / Former Chair of Ottawa Chamber of Commerce

Jeffrey Dale, Member
President & CEO, Ottawa Centre for Research & Innovation (OCRI)

John Higginbotham, Member
Advisor, Pacific Gateway, Transport Canada / Former Canadian diplomat in Asia

Jim Orban, Member
Publisher, Ottawa Citizen

Victor Rabinovitch, Member
President & CEO, Canadian Museum of Civilization Corp.

Frank Ling, Facilitator
Consultant, Canada-Asian Pacific Develoopment

Elizabeth Yeh, Facilitator
Publisher, AsiaNetwork Magazine