Building Bridges for Canada: Lifetime Achievement Award

March 2, 2014 – Established in 2003, the CRRF Award for Lifetime Achievement acknowledges and honours individuals who promote the principles espoused in the Canadian Race Relations Foundation Act and who have made outstanding contributions towards positive race relations in Canada.

The CRRF, in conjunction with this event, hosted a full-day conference, Multiculturalism in Greater Vancouver, on March 3rd at the Westin Wall Centre in Richmond, BC.

Award for Lifetime Achievement

Arthur K. Miki

The Award for Lifetime Achievement was presented to Arthur K. Miki, CM, OM. Mr. Miki, on behalf of the Japanese Canadian community, led the negotiations to achieve a just redress settlement for Japanese Canadians interned during the Second World War, which had a far-reaching impact nationally, including the establishment of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. An active leader in the Japanese Canadian community, he has had a distinguished career as an educator and community activist. In 1991 he received this country's highest recognition, the Order of Canada. In October 1999 he received an Honourary Doctorate degree from the University of Winnipeg, and on July 12, 2012 he received the Order of Manitoba. 

Community Champion Special Awards

The Award Dinner also celebrated the outstanding achievements of four community leaders and organizations for their positive contribution to race relations in Canada.

Interfaith for World Peace Society

Established in 2009, the objective of the Interfaith for World Peace Society (IWPS) is to embrace multiculturalism and promote racial harmony in the community. While recognizing and respecting the differences of individual faith groups, IWPS puts the emphasis on the passion for love and world peace that runs across all faiths. 

Dr. Aziz Khaki

Posthumous – Dr. Aziz Khaki was born in Zanzibar, where he joined and became active in the independence movement. After Independence, Dr. Khaki immersed himself in working for the betterment of the Muslim and general populations of the country. He fled political repression in Tanzania and immigrated to Canada, drawn to it by its official policies of multiculturalism and bilingualism.

Dr. Khaki was a recipient of the Federal Minister of Multiculturalism Award on Excellence in Race Relations, and a recipient of the Governor General’s Award on the 125th Anniversary of Canada. In 2000, Dr. Khaki was declared as one of the 25 influential spiritual leaders of the past 100 years in British Columbia. In 2009, he received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from St. Mark's College, University of British Columbia. 

Dr. Alan Lau

A successful entrepreneur-turned-community-developer, Dr. Alan Lau has been a stalwart of community service and champion of racial equality ever since he immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong.

A speaker of six languages, Dr. Lau is Chair and Executive Director of Richmond Community Benefit Centre (RCBC), which he founded in 2003 as the Canadian Low-Income Seniors Affordable Housing Society.

Rabbi Dr. Yosef Wosk

Rabbi Dr. Yosef Wosk, OBC, Ph.D., Litt.D., Th.M., M.Sc. is an ordained Rabbi, has received two honorary doctorates, holds Ph.D.s in Religion & Literature as well as in Psychology, and Masters degrees in Education and in Theology.

Rabbi Wosk has founded and supported hundreds of libraries worldwide, endowed Vancouver's Poet Laureate, and has lectured at a number of universities and institutes of higher learning throughout the world. Identified as one of the top ten thinkers and most thoughtful citizens in the province, he is a Member of The Order of British Columbia, a recipient of both The Queen's Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals and is included in the Canadian Who's Who.