May 2018

In honour of Asian Heritage Month, we recently interviewed Kinji Bourchier, Partner in our Commercial Litigation Group. We asked Kinji 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: Growing up, I remember our New Year’s Day Japanese Celebrations. We had tables of excellent food, gave toasts and played dice games in good company.

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

A: I am currently involved with the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL) which is a diverse coalition working to promote equity and justice for Asian Canadian legal professionals and the wider community. I am also involved with the Nikkei Centre, which strives to honour and preserve Japanese Canadian history through events and exhibits.

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

A: My grandparents, Takaharu and Harue Nakanishi, inspire me. They lived through Japanese-Canadian Internment and raised six children, all of whom went to university. My grandparents were always positive, never bitter nor resentful, and maintained an optimistic outlook on life despite all the hardships they lived through.

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

A: My parents taught me the importance of working hard and staying humble.