Freshly appointed Senator Yuen Pau Woo calls his decision to study at Pearson College in Metchosin the most disruptive choice heB次元官网网址檚 ever made.
ThatB次元官网网址檚 not to say it was a bad choice far from it but for a 16 year-old from Singapore, the move to southern Vancouver Island was a drastic one.
B次元官网网址淚t was the best kind of disruption that happened to me B次元官网网址� It was a huge risk for me because nobody had heard of Pearson College in Singapore and the International Baccelaurate wasnB次元官网网址檛 even a recognized program at the time, but I knew I wanted to do it,B次元官网网址� Woo said.
The two-year program at Pearson covers the final year of high school and a pre-university year for its international students, with a particular emphasis on social service and an understanding of international issues.
B次元官网网址淎bove all it is a belief that education is a force to unite peoples, nations and cultures,B次元官网网址� Woo noted.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 like to think that IB次元官网网址檝e taken some of that ethos with me B次元官网网址次元官网网址�
When he embarked on this overseas educational adventure, Woo didnB次元官网网址檛 expect that heB次元官网网址檇 be finding a new country to call home, but thatB次元官网网址檚 exactly how it turned out.
B次元官网网址淚 really gained an appreciation and a fondness for the folks of southern Vancouver Island and how warm and welcoming they were to me and my fellow students,B次元官网网址� he said.
Woo also had a close friendship with a local Vietnamese refugee family and he was particularly impressed at how Canadians welcomed them as well.
Woo returned to Canada and moved to Newfoundland in 1988, nine years after he started studying at Pearson College. He returned to B.C. in 1996 and now lives in Vancouver.
Prior to applying for a place in the senate B次元官网网址� a new practice under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in an effort to make the upper house of parliament less partisan B次元官网网址� Woo served as the president of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, a not-for-profit organization that focuses on CanadaB次元官网网址檚 ties with Asia.
While some have called his appointment as being representative of growing ties between Canada and Asia, Woo doesnB次元官网网址檛 necessarily see it that way.
While he acknowledged that much of his expertise is in that field, he was quick to point out that he has plenty of experience in other areas as well.
B次元官网网址淚 have quite a diverse background in many public policy issues,B次元官网网址� he said, noting that he has worked with fisheries and health-care issues, among others.
B次元官网网址淏ut itB次元官网网址檚 true B次元官网网址� what IB次元官网网址檓 best known for is the promotion of stronger relations between Canada and Asia.B次元官网网址�
ThereB次元官网网址檚 no question that the Senate has been ravaged by various scandals over the last few years. A 2015 Angus Reid poll suggested that 41 per cent of Canadians would like to see the Senate abolished, while another 45 per cent want to see it reformed.
Woo hopes that a new batch of independent senators B次元官网网址� Trudeau named nine late last month and was expected to name 12 more in the near future B次元官网网址� can help change the SenateB次元官网网址檚 image for the better and restore wavering faith in CanadaB次元官网网址檚 upper house.
B次元官网网址淭he only reason why I applied to the Senate was the Prime MinisterB次元官网网址檚 stated intention that he wants senators to be independent and to use their best judgment, skills and knowledge to improve and strengthen legislation and to strengthen Canadian democracyB次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淚 think if senators both new and old are able to provide that kind of value added to the parliamentary system, we will prove to the Canadian public that this is an institution that is not only credible, but of value.B次元官网网址�
joel.tansey@goldstreamgazette.com
