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Was the BC Premier Christy Clark (together with her fellow Liberals Suzanne Anton, Amrik Tung, Kuljeet Kaur, Gurjit Dhillon, Moira Stilwell etc.) out campaigning to get ethnic votes or just taking part in the celebration of Vaisakhi Day one month before BC Election 2013 in Vancouver’s South Asian community of Main & 50th Ave?

Such was a question posed to the premier by a CBC reporter citing a similar accusation from NDP leader Adrian Dix whose political team was also at the event on April 13, 2013. Clark in particular mentioned the Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA) show that her government spent $11million to bring to Vancouver a week earlier. The BC general election is scheduled to take place on May 14, 2013, one month before BC Election 201. Christy Clark was behind Adrian Dix in every poll taken in recent weeks.

This Vancouver South area is a major center for the South Asian community. In 2011, Prime Minister Stephen Harper also stopped by and stood on the same podium and gave a Vaisakhi blessing as Christy Clark did. Both of them were running for re-election. An estimated 100,000 people showed up at Vaisakhi Vancouver 2013 which had the oldest Vaisakhi parade in North America.

Vaisakhi or Baisakhi as it is also known celebrates the start of the harvesting season for Punjabi farmers. This historical event which dated back to 1699 also marked the origin of Khalsa the Sikh religion.

[Photos & video by Ray Van Eng]

Ray Van Eng is an award-winning Photographer/Videographer, Screenwriter and Movie & TV Producer. One of his videos is currently on view at the Hava Nagila Exhibit, Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in Manhattan, New York, NY. from Sep 2012 to May 2013.

Main St. & 50th Ave. Vancouver BC

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Diwali means the festival of light. The organizers of the Vancouver DIWALI 2012 (Nov 09, 2012) adopted the slogan “Light Your Spirit” to celebrate the universal light that exists in all of us. Enlightenment would perhaps be appropriate as well.

The evening’s programming included a number of highly sought-after dance and music acts from the Canadian South Asian community.

First up is the Chaniya Chokries Vancouver Garba Dance team at the Roundhouse Community Center in downtown Vancouver’s Yaletown on Nov 10, 2012. The dance story is the telling of the widely-known and popular Radha & Krishna tale that has long been an Indian folklore. The Chaniya Chokries dancers are Vancouver’s newest Garba dance team coming from a national competition in Canada where they placed first in their category.

Other performers included Merlyn Prakash, South Asian Arts from Panj Bhangra, Sangeeta Maruti, Amika Kushwaha, Lapis, Kathak + Flamenco Fusion, DJ A-Slam + Kytami, Vancity Bhangra, Shaimak Vancouver Bollywood Dance Team. Fusion seems to be a key concept and there are no shortages of cross-cultural collaboration between artists from very different backgrounds and artistic disciplines within this group.

To top off the evening at 8:30 PM, a band of percussionists brought together by Sal Ferreras lead the audience outside onto the ground where the old Engine 374 came to rest at the roundhouse which was renovated 26 years before in 1986 when the city of Vancouver celebrated its 100 years of incorporation. The locomotive engine now lies inside a glassy museum nearby.

There, band members played a variety of instruments including Bhangra drums, Taiko, Brazilian bongos and others. Many in the audience stood on their feet and danced enthusiastically as if to release some of the pent-up energy gathered from the night’s powerfully rhythmic beats and vibrant writhing bodily moves from many of the South Asian dance numbers earlier.

Once again, it is what this writer would proclaim ‘Bollywood in Vancouver’. Live!!

Shiamak Vancouver Bollywood Dance [A Video by Ray Van Eng | www.vancouver21.com ]

Chaniya Chokries Garba Girls Team [A Video by Ray Van Eng | www.vancouver21.com ]

Amika Kushwaha + Cassius Khan [A Video by Ray Van Eng | www.vancouver21.com ]

DJ A-Slam + Kytami [A Video by Ray Van Eng | www.vancouver21.com ]

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Ray Van Eng is an award-winning photographer, screenwriter, journalist, Internet publisher and movie/video producer. One of his videos is currently on view at the Hava Nagila Exhibit, Museum of Jewish heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York from Sep 2012 to May 2013.

181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver BC, Canada

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The GRAND Wedding Show (Sep 15-16, 2012) is an annual event designed to meet the needs of the soon-to-be-married couples who are planning their nuptials. A highlight of the show is the bridal gown fashion runway which features a mix of white wedding gowns, Asian qipao-style cheongsams and South Asian sari-themed dresses for a multicultural flavor that is very much in demand in today’s marketplace. The event is held at the Trade ad Convention Center East at Canada Place in Vancouver Canada from Sep 15-16, 2012.

Sari & Qipao Bridal Fashion @ Grand Wedding Show 2012 Vancouver

800 Canada Place, Vancouver BC Canada

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Canadian indie rock band Walk Off The Earth played their famous Gotye’s cover song ‘Somebody That I Used To Know” with five band members playing on the same guitar. They also belted out an original number ‘Summer Vibe’ to a very appreciative audience at Holland Park Concord Pacific World Music Stage during the Surrey Fusion Festival 2012 on July 21, 2012.

The band came from Burlington, Ontario. Band members include Gianni Luminati, Sarah Nicole Blackwood, Ryan Marshall, Mike Taylor and Joel Cassady. Besides the guitar, piano, drums and other instruments, the band also plays other unconventional musical tools including the Ukulele and the Theremin, as well as looping samples.

They became a Youtube sensation when their covered versions such as ‘Backin’ Up’ from The Gregory Brothers, Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’, The Beatles ‘From Me To You’ and others hit the Internet, gaining them millions upon millions of views.

the Surrey Fusion Festival 2012 (July 21-22, 2012 at Holland Park) has a multicultural flavor that celebrates the city’s diverse communities i.e. South Asian, Indian, Punjabi, Asian, Chinese, The Philippines, South East Asian, Latino, South American and European.

This year’s headliners include Los Lobos, Wuxi Chinese Cultural Troupe, Celebration Dance Team, Walk Off The Earth, Indianation, Nanjing Acrobat Group, Delphi 2 Dublin, Polonez, Briga, Good For Grapes and many other groups. There will also a Parade of Flags which has become one of the highlights of the family-friendly festival.

VIDEO – Walk Off The Earth [Somebody That I Used To Know]

VIDEO – Walk Off The Earth [Summer Vibe]

VIDEO – Walk off the Earth – Magic & Corner of Queen

Holland Park, Surrey BC

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The Closing Gala Dance Celebration for the 2012 HSBC City of Bhangra concluded a week long festivities at the HSBC Bank of Canada headquarters in Vancouver BC on June 10, 2012. Under the giant Swinging Pendulum, the energetic South Asian Bollywood-styled moves were presented by the HSBC Bhangra Team, a group of HSBC employees with no former training and took only weeks of practicing their dance moves to Punjabi-themed remix music by DJ Rekha. A convincing and winning act!

Gala Closing Bhangra Dance – A Video by Ray Van Eng

HSBC Bank Canada 885 West Georgia Street Vancouver

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New York-based Bikram Singh came to Vancouver to perform South Asian Indian Punjabi song and dance at Downtown Bhangra 2012. The event is organized by the Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration (VIBC) Society and is part of the City of Bhangra Festival from May 31 to June 10, 2012. The HSBC Bank Canada sponsored festival offers free concerts and dance performances in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) and ticketed events at the W2 Media Café, the HSBC Pendulum Gallery and other venues. Featured performers included Anakh E Gabroo, A-Slam, Indanation, Bikram Singh, Luv Randhawa, UNC Bhangra Elite, Panj Girls etc.

Once again, it is Bollywood in Vancouver!

VIDEO – Bikram Singh at City of Bhangra 2012

Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver BC

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The Vancouver Spring Show 2012温哥华春节欢乐晚 on Jan 15, 2012 at The Centre took the format of a variety show that featured a multicultural cast of singers and dancers. A notable one is a performance by
Shiamak Davars South Asian dance group.

VIDEO – Shiamak Davars Bollywood Dance

The Centre, 777 Homer Street, Vancouver BC

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On May 02, 2011, Vancouver South conservative candidate Wai Young was finally elected an MP (Member of Parliament) and defeated her main opponent Liberal incumbent Ujjal Dosanjh on her second try. It was a hard-fought victory and three years in the making. Young lost to Dosanjh by just 20 votes, in one of the narrowest margins in Canadian election history. Meanwhile, the Conservatives have much to celebrate as well. Prime Minister Stephen Harper leaded his party to a Majority Government rule. The people have spoken and it is the politicians turn to give thanks. In this recorded video, the first to speak was Paul Lee of Team Wai Young and then it was MP Stockwell Day, president of the Treasury Board who introduced Wai Young as the next member of the Parliament amidst loud cheers. Young thanked her supporters in various communities for the support, not the least of which were the South Asian and Chinese communities that dominated her riding. The former Minister of International Trade Stockwell Day announced earlier in March that he would not be seeking re-election in the 2011 federal election.

[VIDEO – Wai Young Victory Speech on May 02, 2011]

Main and 41st Avenue, Vancouver BC

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It is Vaisakhi Day in Surrey, BC, a suburb of Vancouver, on April 23, 2011. The Sikh ceremony began at 9:30AM at the Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar commemorating the Birth of the Khalsa. Gurus spoke, gave prayers and recited from the scriptures. The celebration included dedications, gift offering, sword and armor demonstrations, spiritual worships etc. A parade was formed when the moving Gurdwara where the Holy Book, Guru Granth Sahib, was enshrined and travelled along 128th Street and the nearby neighborhood. Tens of thousands of South Asians and Sikhs gathered and walked in the procession. Along the route, free food and drinks were provided by community groups, businesses and individuals. The all-day event lasted until 4PM.

Surrey Viasakhi Sikh Ceremony at Gurdwara Sahib April 23, 2011

Khalsa Parade along Surrey South Asian Neighborhood


Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar, 12885 85th Avenue, Surrey, BC

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Plenty of British Columbia politicians showed up at the South Asian Vaisakhi Day celebration on April 16, 2011. They include BC Premier Christy Clark who introduced her Liberal MLAs – Richard Lee, Margaret MacDiarmid, Harry Bloy, John Yap, Doug Horne, Rob Howard, Iain Black and Moira Stilwell. Prime Minister Stephen Harper also campaigned in Vancouver in the middle of a Federal Election and made a stop at the Vaisakhi celebration site on Main & 50th Ave. Mr. Harper made a speech to the thousands of Indo-Canadians who gathered there and caused quite a commotion.

Premier Clark won the Liberal Party leadership race on Feb 26, 2011 but currently does not hold a seat in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in Vitoria BC. Clark previously represented the ridings of Port Moody-Westwood and Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain between 1996 and 2005 and was Deputy Premier at one time. Clark is seeking to be elected to re-enter the legislature in a May 11 by election in Point Grey, a riding held by the former Premier Gordon Campbell who Clark succeeded.

Premier Christy Clark and Liberal MLAs at Vasakhi Day


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