'They thought Canada was safe'
Some parents of Chinese students 'very worried' after two killed in club
The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Monday, December 12, 2005
Canada is seen as a peaceful place, an ideal destination for Chinese parents looking to send their children overseas to learn English. But that may change after two 20-year-old students were shot and killed last week at a karaoke bar on Somerset Street, a leader of Ottawa's Chinese community said yesterday.
"They thought Canada was safe, but now many parents are very worried," said Diyu Wang, who heads the Ottawa Association of Chinese University Alumni. "I think it will have a very bad impact."
About 100 people, many of whom were wearing white flowers in keeping with Chinese tradition, gathered outside Fullhouse Karaoke & Bubble Tea yesterday afternoon to remember Linhai Tian and Tailang Liu.
Candles, bouquets, incense and photos of the two friends were displayed around the building, and a recording of Mr. Liu singing at a karaoke contest was presented to a family representative.
More than 150 mourners gathered again at 8 p.m. for a candlelight vigil.
Police blocked off Somerset Street and the mostly silent crowd huddled together trying to protect their candles from the light falling snow and cold wind. The people living in one of the apartments above the bar set candles on their balcony.
A few curious people took pictures, but most just listened to the taped music.
The parents of both men, along with an aunt, an uncle and a close family friend, flew to Ottawa from China on Saturday, but were too distraught to attend the memorial.
"Because of China's one-child policy, the son or daughter is king or queen of the family," Mr. Wang said. "So you can imagine how the parents feel."
News of the deaths has travelled rapidly, and is being discussed by expatriate students around the world, Mr. Wang said. More than 3,000 messages of sympathy have been posted on the website www.comefromchina.com.
But parents of prospective students won't necessarily be put off from sending their children to Canada, said Winnie Wang of the Federation of Ottawa Chinese Community Organizations, an umbrella group representing 31 area groups.
"This is just a one-time incident," she said. "A lot of people have a very good impression of Ottawa, and they love to send their children here."
She estimated that 7,000 to 8,000 Chinese students currently study in Ottawa.
They primarily study at Carleton University, the University of Ottawa and Algonquin College.
Ms. Wang was one of the speakers who addressed the crowd yesterday afternoon, along with other community leaders and a representative of the Chinese Embassy.
"We promise we will do everything we can to bring the killer to justice and remind other young people that the real world has an ugly side," Ms. Wang told the mourners.
Finding the killer is a high priority for everyone in the community, said Xing Huang, the president of the Chinese Community Association of Ottawa. Mr. Huang will meet Mayor Bob Chiarelli this morning to discuss the situation; Mr. Huang will seek a swift end to the police investigation, an increase in the number of Chinese-speaking police officers, and tighter gun-control laws.
"Someone used their gun to kill two innocent boys," Mr. Huang said. "We need to prevent this from happening."
Friends of the slain students prepared a DVD showing Mr. Liu singing in a karaoke contest at Ha-Ha Restaurant & Karaoke Bar in October, to be given to the Mr. Liu's family. Members of a Chinese students' organization plan to put the clip on a website so others can view the performance.
With files from Anna Piekarski
Some parents of Chinese students 'very worried' after two killed in club
The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Monday, December 12, 2005
Canada is seen as a peaceful place, an ideal destination for Chinese parents looking to send their children overseas to learn English. But that may change after two 20-year-old students were shot and killed last week at a karaoke bar on Somerset Street, a leader of Ottawa's Chinese community said yesterday.
"They thought Canada was safe, but now many parents are very worried," said Diyu Wang, who heads the Ottawa Association of Chinese University Alumni. "I think it will have a very bad impact."
About 100 people, many of whom were wearing white flowers in keeping with Chinese tradition, gathered outside Fullhouse Karaoke & Bubble Tea yesterday afternoon to remember Linhai Tian and Tailang Liu.
Candles, bouquets, incense and photos of the two friends were displayed around the building, and a recording of Mr. Liu singing at a karaoke contest was presented to a family representative.
More than 150 mourners gathered again at 8 p.m. for a candlelight vigil.
Police blocked off Somerset Street and the mostly silent crowd huddled together trying to protect their candles from the light falling snow and cold wind. The people living in one of the apartments above the bar set candles on their balcony.
A few curious people took pictures, but most just listened to the taped music.
The parents of both men, along with an aunt, an uncle and a close family friend, flew to Ottawa from China on Saturday, but were too distraught to attend the memorial.
"Because of China's one-child policy, the son or daughter is king or queen of the family," Mr. Wang said. "So you can imagine how the parents feel."
News of the deaths has travelled rapidly, and is being discussed by expatriate students around the world, Mr. Wang said. More than 3,000 messages of sympathy have been posted on the website www.comefromchina.com.
But parents of prospective students won't necessarily be put off from sending their children to Canada, said Winnie Wang of the Federation of Ottawa Chinese Community Organizations, an umbrella group representing 31 area groups.
"This is just a one-time incident," she said. "A lot of people have a very good impression of Ottawa, and they love to send their children here."
She estimated that 7,000 to 8,000 Chinese students currently study in Ottawa.
They primarily study at Carleton University, the University of Ottawa and Algonquin College.
Ms. Wang was one of the speakers who addressed the crowd yesterday afternoon, along with other community leaders and a representative of the Chinese Embassy.
"We promise we will do everything we can to bring the killer to justice and remind other young people that the real world has an ugly side," Ms. Wang told the mourners.
Finding the killer is a high priority for everyone in the community, said Xing Huang, the president of the Chinese Community Association of Ottawa. Mr. Huang will meet Mayor Bob Chiarelli this morning to discuss the situation; Mr. Huang will seek a swift end to the police investigation, an increase in the number of Chinese-speaking police officers, and tighter gun-control laws.
"Someone used their gun to kill two innocent boys," Mr. Huang said. "We need to prevent this from happening."
Friends of the slain students prepared a DVD showing Mr. Liu singing in a karaoke contest at Ha-Ha Restaurant & Karaoke Bar in October, to be given to the Mr. Liu's family. Members of a Chinese students' organization plan to put the clip on a website so others can view the performance.
With files from Anna Piekarski
