May 2018

In honour of Asian Heritage Month, we recently interviewed Christopher Yan, an Associate in our Corporate Commercial Group. We asked Chris a series of questions about his background and community involvement. To learn more about local organizations he is involved with, the Canadian of Asian Heritage who inspires him, and the most important lesson he learned from his parents, read the full interview immediately below:

Q: What is your earliest memory of celebrating your Asian Heritage?

A: Since a large part of my early childhood was spent in Hong Kong, I have a lot of great memories of dinners and events where my family and I celebrated various Asian Heritage related events and holidays. One of my earliest memories of such occasions was celebrating Chinese New Year in Hong Kong where we had moon cakes and played with lanterns.

Q: Are you involved in any local communities or organizations with ties to your Asian Heritage?

A: Yes, I am currently the VP of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers British Columbia Society (FACL BC). Also, when I was younger I was also involved with various leadership programs that were operating at SUCCESS in Vancouver's Chinatown.

Q: Can you name a Canadian of Asian Heritage who inspires you?

A: With regards to inspiration, I would say all the Asian Canadian war veterans. They endured great hardship and trailblazed through obstacles to allow us to enjoy the wide range of opportunities we have available today.

Q: What is the most important lesson you learned from your parents?

A: My parents taught me to treat others with respect in a manner you wish to receive. While growing up in a home with three other siblings, this was a very important lesson because it helped us kids get along with each other. As I grew older, this lesson continues to find me success and allows me to be receptive to others’ views and opinions.