1981 – 2003: The Moncton Chinese Friendship Association (MCFA)

The Moncton Chinese Friendship Association (MCFA) was established in August 1981 by several Chinese families, including Lam’s, Chan’s and Wen’s families etc. Mr. Tom Lam was the first president of MCFA. Among active executive members of MCFA were Tom Lam, Wayne Chan, Chungchi Wen, Leo Lam and Quinn Chan etc.

The Chinese community was very active in 1980s. MCFA participated in Moncton’s annual Santa Claus Parade in November 1981 with a float of Moncton Chinese Friendship Association and a colorful Chinese Lion. MCFA then held a big banquet to celebrate the Chinese New Year, Year of The Dog, at the MingGarden restaurant in 1982. Premier Richard Hatfield, MP Gary McCauley, Moncton Mayor Dennis Cochrane attended the party. Other activites included a few mandarin Chinese classes for children and adults, a Chinese art and culture exhibition held at the art gallery of the Universite de Moncton as well as a cooking class for the general public.

Executives of MCFA were also actively involved in other community organizations. Mr. Tom Lam was one of founders of the Multicultural Association of the Greater Moncton Area (MAGMA) which was established in March 1980 and elected as the president of MAGMA in 1982. He also was, representing MCFA, a member of the Commons Committee on Visible Minorities. Ms. Kitty Tsang and Ying Lam joined various heritages groups representing MCFA. Other executives were also joined various clubs, associations or groups representing MCFA.

Before it was reorganized and renamed as the Greater Moncton Chinese Cultural Association (GMCCA) in March 2004, MCFA was respectively chaired by, in sequence, Mr. Tom Lam, Prof. Chungchi Wen and Dr. John Li and had served the Chinese community in GMA for more than 20 years.

2003 – Now: The Greater Moncton Chinese Cultural Association (GMCCA)

As more and more Chinese immigrants, scholars, students and adoptive children from China arrived in GMA, the population of the Chinese community in this region grows fast since late 1990s. To better serve the whole Chinese community with different backgrounds and origins, executives of MCFA and representatives of Chinese newcomers formed a special preparation group in late 2003 to discuss the reorganization of MCFA and formation of the new GMCCA. Members of the preparation group included Buquan Miao, John Li, Chungchi Wen, Tom Lam, Zuoe Lam, Quinn Chan, Waileung Ying, Guihua Zhang, Tao Tao, Chunyan Yang, Deshuang Man, Zhikuan Liu and Mingkun Gu etc.

After several rounds of discussions on the reorganization and formation of the association, the preparation group worked out the drafts of constitutions and election procedures for GMCCA. A special general meeting was then called at Faculty of Engineering, the Universite de Moncton on March 27, 2004. The general meeting was open to all Chinese in GMA. The agenda for the meeting was firstly approved by the all attendants and then the constitutions and election procedures for the new association, GMCCA, were approved.

According to the newly approved constitutions, the president and vice president(s) of GMCCA should be elected on the general meeting of the association members while other executives of the association will be nominated by the elected president. Prof. Buquan Miao was elected as the president of GMCCA, Prof. Chungchi Wen and Mr. Deshuang Man elected as vice presidents of GMCCA. This general meeting completed the transition of the only Chinese association in GMA from MCFA to GMCCA.