The next time I met Margaret’s parents was a week before the wedding. Again, time was tight. This time it was my turn to be on the run. As it so happened, both of our families were living in other parts of the country and all were arriving at different times which resulted in the seemingly endless trips to the airport plus all the odds and ends that required time. Later in the week, her out-of-town nephews arrived and took up some of her time. We’ve had to wait another two years before we became acquainted.

She was born in An Min Lai, Kaiping County, Guangdong, China, (中國廣東開平縣安民里) April 1, 1911. She was the second daughter but fourth child of Wing Shui Xie whose hao was Yu Zuo (謝永述號堯作) and Guan Shui (關瑞) who had a total of three sons and five daughters.

We don’t have much information on her formative years except she, unlike the majority of rural children of the time, received some formal education but wasn’t able to continue as her elders followed the tradition of giving the girls minimal or no education. We learned in later years that after her marriage she tried valiantly to self-educate. But she met great resistance from her in-laws. Despite the opposition, at the end, she learnt enough and was able to correspond with her husband who worked in Canada.

In 1928 she was married to Cho Lai Chow (周麗操) who five years ago went to Canada, stayed and worked with his two uncles. This marriage was arranged through the efforts of her eldest sister, Kung Di (謝拱娣) whose husband’s village is close to the Chow’s. The following year she gave birth to a baby boy. Sadly, the baby didn’t survived. She seldom talked about this child but we know he was always on her mind because she expressed a desire to follow the Chinese tradition of him adopting a male child of her other sons (過繼) to carry on this line.

On November 8, 1929, her husband boarded the Empress of Russia and returned to Canada. Because of world events it would be over twenty years before they would see each other again.

At the conclusion of World War II, an application was made to the Canadian Parliament to repeal the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923. Taking advantage of this change in Canada’s immigration policy, her husband applied and became a Canadian citizen in 1949. Immediately he applied for his wife of twenty years to join him in Canada. From Hong Kong she boarded a CP Air flight, Empress of the Air, and landed at Vancouver on February 10, 1950 where her husband was waiting. Together they took the train to Elrose, Saskatchewan where Cho Lai Chow owned and operated the Liberty Cafe. Over the next six years they had three children, their only daughter, Margaret (周惠連), two sons, Harry (周錦達) and Kam (周錦東).

During the same period of time, they arranged to bring three nephews from China over to Canada. They are:

* Ming Chow (周錦信)
* Kam Fay Chow (周錦煇)
* Jim Der (謝丁財)

All three were in their late teens, no more than a year apart in age. All stayed and worked at the cafe until they were old enough to go out on their own. She had the satisfaction of seeing them become successful in life and eventually started families of their own. But she was hurt by the actions of a couple of them. She never really talked about it. I would think the sharpest and deepest hurt came in the early 60’s. At the time the Canadian government was investigating the Chinese immigration irregularities of “Paper Sons” which involved the selling and buying of immigration documents. And that was the one and only route available for the three nephews to come to Canada. One of them, however, turned against his aunt and uncle. As a result, the RCMP made an unexpected visit.

Margaret remembers that her family was traumatized. To this day, Margaret’s recollection of this event comes with mixed emotions. She doesn’t remember the time span but she knew her parents were very upset and worried, particularly her mother who was trying to hide her tears most of the time and feared being sent back to China. Margaret’s parents did not want to talk about these matters with her and her younger brothers. Since Margaret and her brothers were born in Canada, she says that she didn’t fully understand the seriousness of the situation until much later. She remembered a flurry of phone calls to and from some relatives and some people within the local Chinese community in Moose Jaw. She remembered that, even though she was only a child at the time, she felt helpless and confused. To this day, she has not talked about this time period with her brothers, not knowing whether they remembered or want to be reminded of those past days. Because Margaret did not comprehend the situation at that time, the RCMP’s unannounced visit to their home was a total shock and surprise. The visit came during a late afternoon or evening. Her father ushered her and her brothers out of the living room to one of bedrooms with instructions to do their homework, while telling the RCMP that the children knew nothing. Through the closed bedroom door, Margaret remembered hearing the two male officers interviewing and questioning her father, going through certain documents and photographs of family relations. The visit lasted several hours. The officers left, taking some of her father’s papers and photographs with them. From this time forward, Margaret remembered her father hiring a lawyer to sort everything out. Margaret believes that there were ongoing investigations into other Chinese families also in this similar situation. From what she could recall and from all indications, no charges would be laid against all the families once they gave the correct and factual information regarding their immigration documentation. Margaret doesn’t know whether there were fines or not. The RCMP eventually returned the documents and photographs taken from Margaret’s parents, even though her mother insisted to her father that one important photograph was not returned. When going through my father-in-law’s possessions and papers, I noticed on the back of many documents – in unfamiliar handwriting –were numbers denoting them as part of a series, the date “October 17, 1962″ and an initial which bear testimony to the happenings of that day.

However, my mother-in-law and father-in-law didn’t let this nephew’s actions against them and the resulting consequences spoiled their belief in people. Far from being discouraged, they took advantage of Canada’s more liberal immigration policies of the 70’s and sponsored her youngest brother Ping An Xie’s (謝平安) son, Tho Lim Der (謝 素林),and his wife and their two young daughters to Canada. Tho Lim Der immigrated first, who in 1980 arrived at Moose Jaw. A year later his family joined him there. In 1986 they moved to Vancouver where they now reside.

After Margaret’s family moved to Moose Jaw in 1960, my mother-in-law started another garden where she grew Chinese vegetables. Every year she would send us a box of her harvest by inter-provincial bus (Greyhound Bus Lines). The first time I saw her melons, jie gua (節瓜), my eyes were the size of golf balls. The jie guas were the size of winter melons (冬瓜) or about 10 times larger than normal. So we used them as winter melons. Great soup!

One of her desires was to move from Moose Jaw to Vancouver. During her last trip to Vancouver, we even took her to look at “open houses.” Unfortunately, her health started to deteriorate soon after her return to Moose Jaw. Knowing her wishes, the family decided it is fitting that her final resting place should be in the Vancouver area.

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On June 28, 1923 he set sailed aboard the Empress of Australia from Hong Kong and arrived at Victoria, BC, Canada on July 17. Held in a holding cell until his sixth uncle, Zhong Xuan Chow (周宗漩), came and paid the $500 Head Tax. Together they went to Milestone, Saskatchewan where his fourth uncle, Zhong Lan Chow (周宗瀾), was staying. Went to school during his stay at Milestone.

In 1924 he moved to Plato, Saskatchewan where his uncle, Zhong Xuan, had just bought a restaurant. Next year went to Conquest, Saskatchewan because Uncle Zhong Xuan had sold the business and returned to China. Spent a year in Conquest then went to Elrose, Saskatchewan and worked as kitchen aide in the Elrose Hotel.

In 1928 return to China where he got married to Der She Chow (謝秀琴). He stayed in China till the end of 1929. He returned to Canada on the Empress of Russia on November 8. While in China, the new couple welcomed a baby boy into the family. However, the baby didn’t survived.

After returning from China he went to Plato where he stayed till 1943. This was the Great Depression years. Despite the fact he seldom talked about it but from the bits and pieces we know it was hard. He went prematurely grey. Potato must be the main food staple because he had an aversion to it. One of the benefits of slow business is ample spare time. He used this time to raise chicken, to go fishing, to learn curling. This love of curling never left him. Up to his last days it is the only televised sport he would watch. He even arranged his meals so it wouldn’t interfere with his viewing.

In 1943 he moved to Elrose where he purchased the Royal Cafe and changed the name to Liberty Cafe. Applied and became a Canadian citizen in 1949. In early 1950, after almost twenty years, his wife joined him in Canada. They started to raise a family in Canada with the birth of their only daughter, Margaret (周惠連), two sons, Harry (周錦達) and Kam (周錦東).

During the 50′s he, in keeping with Chinese tradition, arranged to bring his eldest brother, Shui Shao Chow’s (周瑞韶) second son, Ming (周錦信), his younger brother, Shui Can Chow’s (周瑞燦) eldest son, Kam Fay (周錦煇), his wife’s older brother, Ping Xiang Xie’s (謝平相) second son, Jim Der (謝丁財). In fulfilling a promise made to his former business partner, he arranged for Lai Chow (周黎) to come over from China. All four were in their late teens, no more than a year apart in age. They stayed and worked at the cafe. Eventually the time came for them to spread their wings. Ming was the first to leave. He and his family is now in Edmonton, Alberta. Jim settled in Rosetown, Saskatchewan operating his own restaurant. In 1982, a year after his death, his family moved to and settled in Vancouver. Lai and Kam Fay continued to operate the Liberty Cafe until 1965 when Lai, a non-smoker, died of cancer. In 1981 when Kam Fay sold the restaurant and moved his family to Vancouver, BC.

In 1960 after selling the business to Lai and his nephew Kam Fay, he moved his family to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. His intention was to operate a restaurant there. This never happened because of lacking a suitable partner. He converted the upstairs of the building earmarked for his new restaurant into a rooming house for elderly Chinese. He spent the next quarter century looking after his tenants’ needs, such as booking and accompanied them to doctor’s appointments, writing letter to relatives, corresponding with all levels of government, and keeping them abreast with events of the outside world.

Canada’s more liberal immigration policies of the 70′s enabled him and his wife to sponsor one more nephew to Canada. In 1980 his wife’s youngest brother, Ping An Xie’s (謝平安) son, Tho Lim Der (謝素林), arrived at Moose Jaw. A year later his family joined him there. In 1986 they moved to Vancouver where he now operates his own restaurant.

In September 1984, almost two years after the death of his wife, he moved to Burnaby, BC, to live with his daughter and her family.

An Eulogy
by
Patrick Lee

My grandfather will be remembered as a hardworking and modest man. He had simple needs. He was forthright and honest, a person with humble beginnings who placed a great value on education and friendship.

I will remember him as the only grandparent I ever knew. I will remember him as a man who was content with what life had given him. He never asked for much and in the years I knew him, he lived a simple life.

My grandfather’s lifetime could be divided into three different parts.

He was born in An Kai Lai, Kaiping, Guangdong, China on May 29, 1909.

The direction of this early period started with his steamship voyage at the age of 14 from China to Victoria, B.C., Canada, in 1923. He was held in a holding cell until his 6th uncle came and paid the Head Tax.

His early life was marked with many obstacles and hardships. He worked as a kitchen aide and cook in various small towns in Saskatchewan, where he learned to speak and write English. He developed an independence that I could still see during the time that I knew him. At age 19, he returned to China in 1928 to get married to Der She Chow, returning to Canada alone in 1930.

He lived through the Great Depression of the 1930′s in Saskatchewan, becoming prematurely grey in his 20′s. He didn’t talk much of this period of his life. From the bits and pieces he shared with family, it was a very difficult time for him. However, he did learn the game of curling, a favourite Saskatchewan sport. His love of curling never left him. Up to his last days, it was the only event he thoroughly enjoyed to watch on TV. He even timed his meals around the curling schedules. It gave him great pride whenever Canada won the world titles.

From 1943 to 1960, he purchased and operated the Liberty Caf?in Elrose, Saskatchewan. Despite the long days in the restaurant business, he developed many close and valued friendships with the Canadian townspeople and farmers within the community. People called him “Lee” and loved his home-baked pies, sugar doughnuts, and fresh bread. When the surrounding farmers came into town for their supplies, it was a special treat to stop into the Liberty Caf?for coffee and a piece of pie. He took pride in his abilities and in the respect he had earned in the community.

He became a Canadian citizen in 1949 and arranged for his wife to join him in early 1950, after a separation of 20 years. At the late age of 41, my grandfather was able to start his family in Canada with the birth of his three children: my mom, Margaret, and two sons, my uncles, Harry and Kam. Also during this time period, he was able to assist extended family still in China by bringing over some nephews to Canada. It is good to see that all their families are presently thriving.

The second part of my grandfather’s life covered another quarter of a century from 1960 to 1984 when he moved his family from Elrose to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. He owned and operated a 3-story building in which many of the tenants were elderly Chinese. Besides being their landlord, his tenants became his friends and they trusted him to be their English translator in personal and medical matters. He was respected and active within the Chinese community in Moose Jaw. In the 1970′s, he was able to sponsor another nephew, Tho Lim Der and his family, to Moose Jaw.

After my grandmother, Der She Chow, passed away in late 1982, my grandfather spent the third part of his lifetime in retirement in Burnaby, B.C., living with my parents and me. He spent the last 20 years of life in relatively good health. During the 92 years of his life, he spent more than 75 years in Canada. He helped many people and he fulfilled some heavy responsibilities. Through it all, he remained a practical man with simple needs. Perhaps this was a secret to his longevity.

My grandfather was a man who touched each of our lives in different ways: as a father, as a grandfather, as an uncle, and as a friend.

I will remember him growing snow peas in the garden. I will remember him teaching me card games. I will remember him laughing at how hot it is in the summer, how cold it is in the winter, how rainy it is in the spring, and how windy it is in the fall. I will remember carving pumpkins with him on Halloween. I will remember joining him on walks as a child. And on those walks stopping to talk to neighbours. Neighbours who’d greet him as if they’ve known him for years. Just from his daily walks, he’d gotten to know everyone in the neighbourhood, and everyone had gotten to know him. I don’t think his small town roots ever left him. He was a man who held basic values of trust, honesty, integrity, and friendship.

It is so difficult for my generation to understand the hardships endured by those who walked before us. Seldom do we recognize the sacrifices made for us. Hearing stories of my grandfather’s life, I cannot imagine what it must have been like. Such a life is not lived without courage, determination, and perseverance. It’s true that the battles and times we face now are different than those of the past, but we can always draw from the knowledge that we too can find inner strength during hard times just as he did.

So as we commemorate his life, we celebrate the legacy he has left us. His legacy is in his family and his friends. His legacy is the people that he has helped, and in the lives that he has touched. He has left us a history. A history of pride in culture and of pride in family. And now this history is in our hands to carry on where he left off.

He will be greatly missed and always remembered.

July 16, 2001

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Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

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Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

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Rosetown, Saskatchewan

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