Portrait of Wong Foon Sien, 'Mayor of Chinatown' and rights advocate

Born in Guangdong, China, on July 7, 1899, Wong Foon Sien (黃寬先) was a prominent Chinese Canadian advocate. After moving as a child to Cumberland, British Columbia, he studied at the University of British Columbia. He faced significant systemic discrimination: racist laws denied him the right to vote, and as a direct consequence of this disenfranchisement, he was also barred from entering professions such as law and pharmacy, for which suffrage was a prerequisite. His efforts were pivotal in the successful campaign to grant Chinese Canadians the right to vote and to repeal the Exclusion Act in 1947. Foon Sien continued to fight for immigration rights throughout his life, helping to reunite families and improve the status of Chinese Canadians. Known as the “Mayor of Chinatown,” he united diverse community groups and influenced policy reforms. Recognized posthumously for his contributions, he was designated a Person of National Historic Significance in 2008, with a commemorative plaque installed on East Pender Street in Vancouver in 2011 to honour him.