2021年クリスマス・ランチ＆第一回小松和子アワード授与式

日本カナダ商工会議所（JCCOC）のクリスマス・ランチと第一回小松和子アワード授与式が２０２１年１２月１４日（火）にガスタウンのイタリアンレストラン(Al Porto Ristorante)で行われました。在バンクーバー羽鳥隆総領事ご夫妻も招き、会員やゲストを合わせて３０名の方々が参加して楽しく親睦をしました。会としては2年ぶりの公の集まりでした。

◇2021 Christmas Lunch & Inaugural Kazuko Komatsu Award Ceremony

The Japan-Canada Chamber of Commerce (JCCOC) Christmas Lunch and the First Kazuko Komatsu Award Ceremony were held on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, at Al Porto Ristorante in Gastown, Vancouver. We were honoured by the attendance of the Consul General of Japan, Mr. Takashi Hatori, and his wife, at this event. Thirty people, including the association members and guests, attended the event and enjoyed the fellowship and festivities at our first public gathering in two years.

Copyright 2021 Manto Artworks

現会長のサミー高橋氏の提案で、今年から、創始者のひとりであり、長年に渡り会の陣頭指揮をしてこられた故小松和子元会長の功績を称え、小松和子アワードを設けました。地域社会への還元、貢献をする良き市民として、日本カナダ国際ビジネス交流や日系社会で協調の精神を発揮し活躍された個人や団体に功労を称え、敬意を示すことが目的です。

選出基準は次の通りで、JCCOC会員の皆様からノミネート者を推薦していただきました。

• カテゴリー１：過去５－１０年間に日系カナダコミュニティーに多大な貢献をした人を選出
  　　　　　　（必ずしも会員でなくても良い）
• カテゴリー２：現在日本カナダ商工会議所に貢献中の会員から選出 ​
• カテゴリー３：現在日系カナダコミュニティーで活躍中の非会員から選出　

会は、小松和子アワード賞受賞者選定委員会を11月に発足させ、公平な審査が行われました。厳選な結果、8名と1団体の方々が受賞（下記受賞者リスト参照）。そのうちの3名の方と1団体の代表がクリスマス・ランチと同日同場所で行われた授与式に参加されました。残念ながら都合で当日参加できかった受賞者三人、入谷氏、藤野氏、井戸氏に、オンライン授与式が12月20日（月曜日）のカナダ西海岸時間午後5時より行われました。

受賞者の皆様、おめでとう御座います。心からお祝いを申し上げます。

◇2021 Kazuko Komatsu Awards recipients

各受賞理由は次の通りです。

Life Time Achievementアワードは、４１年間バンクーバー新報の社主であった津田左江子氏と元弁護士のゲリー・マトソン氏に、創立初期から長年に渡っての日本カナダ商工会議所と日系コミュニティへの貢献と功績を称えて授与。

Young Entreprenueruial アワードは、日本カナダ商工会議所青年部でめきめきと頭角を表し、『食を通じて日本とカナダを繋ぐ』という点において著しい活躍をされた、疋田氏に贈る。

Professional Service アワードは、2人の専門的なスキル貢献に対し贈った。

入谷氏の長年に渡る極めて正確で詳細な会計の仕事ぶりが高く評価し功労を称えた。藤野氏には、日本に居ながらも、ソーシャルメディア動画調製技術でパンデミック期の会のオンラインイベントを実現成功させた功績を称えた。

Community Service Awardは非JCCOC会員の中から、三個人と1団体に贈られました。日系コミュニティで大人気のフラダンス教室運営、心身の健康維持に尽力されてきた山本氏の貢献を称えた。中村氏は、和歌山へのトーテムポール寄贈企画の経緯を語る動画撮影や日系コミュニティで躍動感、メッセージ性ある写真を撮影する。井戸爵秀氏は人気バンクーバー在住Youtuberとして活躍、日本カナダ商工会議所が関わった日本人街復興企画や和歌山トーテムポール寄贈企画についての撮影担当。この2人が、ソーシャルメディア、写真や動画撮影を通して日本カナダ商工会議所の活動を発信し、日系コミュニティ活性化への協力に時間と労力を惜しまず活躍してくれたことを称えた。日本語認知サポート協会は、2017年から続けられている日本語での認知症に関する草の根活動の努力に感謝の意を示し、日系コミュニティへの惜まぬ努力と貢献を尊んだ。当非営利団体は、近年増加傾向にある認知症に関し、社会での認識や理解を高め、認知症本人またその周囲の家族、親戚、友人などサポーター間の情報交換の場、日本語でのサポートの支援提供に奔走。

表彰状を手にされたそれぞれの受賞者の方々は喜びの笑みを満面に浮かべていました。一番最初に表彰された津田氏は素敵な笑顔で皆に一礼をされ、感謝の意を示されました。マトソン氏は受賞を当日に知り驚きと喜びで、大変ありがたいことだと丁寧に謝辞を述べました。青年実業家の疋田氏は三年前にカナダに移った３日後に参加したクリスマスの集いがきっかけで、自身の活動に拍車をかけ、今日の賞に繋がり感動している、そしてこれから益々日加ビジネス活動に力を入れたいと力強く語ってくれました。優美なフラダンスの踊りのポーズで嬉しさを表現する山本氏は、氏のプログラム協力者と参加者皆の賞だと述べ、賞を共有したいと強調されました。写真家中村氏はスポーツシーンや笑顔を写真に撮る喜びと感動を持ち続け、来年撮影家として現地入りする北京オリンピックが楽しみだと、賞によって次年の活動へのやる気がより高まったことを嬉しそうに話してくれました。日本語認知サポート協会の福島さんは故小松和子さんと生前に交流をもたれてたことから、これはきっと小松和子さんからのエールであるのではと歓喜された気持ちを謝辞に込めていました。またさらに、非営利団体が経済団体と連携していけるきっかけになるだろうと新しい展望を嬉しく思うという感想を述べてくれました。

各受賞者ご紹介写真

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Copyright 2021 Manto Artworks

オンライン授賞式の様子　

画面上段中、Professional Service Award受賞の藤野 啓氏、中段右Community Service Award受賞の井戸 爵秀氏、下段中Professional Service Award受賞の入谷 伊都子氏　　　

受賞者の方々の声に共通していた言葉は、この賞は自分だけではなく一緒に活動してきた仲間、賛同してくれるコミュニティの参加協力皆を称える賞だと、感謝の意を述べられていたことです。コミュニティのリーダーとして活躍される人々は常に一緒に活動する仲間を尊ぶことにより、活動に心と意気込みが篭り、コミュニティで良き仲間を増やしていけるのでしょう。小松和子アワードはそんな連帯感ある日系コミュニティで活躍する多様なコミュニティリーダー達の活躍ぶりを称え贈られました。そしてこの賞が、カナダと日本のビジネス、観光、文化教育の結びつきを強めるリーダーシップ育成の礎や励ましとなり、会員の皆様が日頃の活動にますます力を注いでもらえるきっかけになることをJCCOCは強く望んでいます。そして日系コミュニティ全体の益々の繁栄と発展にも繋がるようにと願っています。

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◇2021 Christmas Lunch & Inaugural Kazuko Komatsu Award Ceremony

The Japan-Canada Chamber of Commerce (JCCOC) Christmas Lunch and the First Kazuko Komatsu Award Ceremony were held on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, at Al Porto Ristorante in Gastown, Vancouver. We were honoured by the attendance of the Consul General of Japan, Mr. Takashi Hatori, and his wife, at this event. Thirty people, including the association members and guests, attended the event and enjoyed the fellowship and festivities at our first public gathering in two years.

At the suggestion of the current president, Sammy Takahashi, we established the Kazuko Komatsu Award this year in honour of the late past president Kazuko Komatsu, who was one of the founders of the JCCOC and spearheaded the association for many years. The purpose of the award is to honour and pay tribute to individuals and organizations that have been active in Japan-Canada international business exchange and the Japanese Canadian community by demonstrating a spirit of cooperation as good citizens who give back and contribute to the community.

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Copyright 2021 Manto Artworks

Nominees were nominated by JCCOC members based on the following criteria:

• Category 1: Nominees who have made a significant contribution to the Japanese Canadian community over the past 5-10 years (does not have to be a member)
• Category 2: Nominated by current members of the JCCOC
• Category 3: Selected from non-members currently active in the Japanese Canadian community.

In November, JCCOC formed a committee to select the recipients of the Kazuko Komatsu Award to ensure an impartial review process. After careful selection, the committee chose eight people and one organization to receive the award (see the list of the recipients below). Three of the winners and a representative from one of the organizations attended the Christmas lunch and accompanying award ceremony.  JCCOC also commenced the online award ceremony on Monday, December 20, 5:00 p.m (BC time) for the three awardees, Mr. Iriya, Mr. Fujino, and Mr. Ido, who could not attend the ceremony.

Congratulations to all the winners! 

◇2021 Kazuko Komatsu Awards recipients

The reasons for each award are as follows:

The Life Time Achievement Award was presented to Saeko Tsuda, the spearhead of the Vancouver Shimpo for 41 years and one of the founders of JCCOC. Also, Gerry Matson, a former lawyer, was a recipient. JCCOC recognized their life-long contributions and honourable achievements to the Japan-Canada Chamber of Commerce and the Japanese community over the many years since its establishment.

The Young Entrepreneurial Award was presented to Ms. Hikita. She has been a prominent member of the Japan-Canada Chamber of Commerce’s Youth group and has made remarkable achievements in connecting Japan and Canada through specialty food.

The Professional Service Award was given to Ms. Iritani and Mr. Fujino for their professional skills and contributions.  Ms. Iritani received the award for her highly accurate and detailed accounting work and dedicated contribution to JCCOC over the years.  And Mr. Fujino received the award for his work in helping us realize major JCCOC online events of 2021 very successfully, even in this time of the Coronavirus pandemic, through social media video preparation while residing in Japan.

◇Award Recepients’ Photo

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◇Online Award Ceremony

Recepients/ Top center: Mr. Kei Fujino/ Professional Service Award, middle right:Mr. Tadahide Ido/ Community Service Award, bottom center:Ms. Itsuko Iritani  / Professional Service Award.

The Community Service Award was presented to three individuals and one organization from the non-JCCOC members. The Community Service Award was presented to Mr. Yamamoto for his efforts in running a hula dance class, which is very popular in the Japanese Canadian community, and for his efforts to maintain the community members’ physical and mental health. In addition, Mr. Nakamura made a video telling how the JCCOC president, Sammy Takahashi, planned to donate totem poles to Wakayama.  The award also recognized him as a great photographer taking photos with dynamism and social and cultural messages sent to the Japanese Canadian community. Mr. Ido, a popular Vancouver-based Youtuber, was filming the Japanese Community Reviving Project and the Wakayama Totem Pole Project, both of which the JCCOC was heavily involved with. They both put their time and effort tirelessly into helping to revitalize the Japanese community by introducing JCCOC activities through social media, photography, and videography. Finally, the Japanese Dementia Support Association received recognition and appreciation for its support services in Japanese, ongoing since 2017.  JCCOC is proud to honour their generous efforts and contributions to the Japanese Canadian community. This non-profit organization has been working hard to raise public awareness and understanding of dementia, which has been on the rise in recent years, and to provide a forum for exchanging information and support for clients’ family members, relatives, and friends of those affected by dementia.

Each of the awardees had a big smile on their face as they received their certificates. Mr. Tsuda, the first to receive the award, bowed to everyone with a beautiful smile and expressed her gratitude. Mr. Matson was surprised and delighted to learn of the award on the day of the event and politely thanked everyone for their support. Mr. Hikita, a young businessman, spoke powerfully about the Christmas gathering he attended three days after moving to Canada in 2018, which spurred his activities and led to today’s award. Mr. Yamamoto, expressing his happiness with a graceful hula dance pose, said that the award was for all his program collaborators and participants and emphasized that he wanted to share the award with them. Mr. Nakamura, a photographer, said that he is looking forward to the Beijing Olympics next year when he will be there as a photographer and that the award has motivated him to work harder in the next year. Before her death, Ms. Fukushima of the Japanese Dementia Support Association had had a close relationship with the late Ms. Kazuko Komatsu. She expressed joy in her acknowledgments, thinking that this award was indeed her encouragement. She also said she was delighted at the new prospect that this would be an opportunity for non-profit organizations to collaborate with economic organizations.

A common theme among the award winners was that they all were grateful for this award, which they honour themselves and their colleagues and supporters in the community. The community leaders can respect the people they work with to make their community activities full of enthusiasm and vitality. As a result, they can increase the solidarity of the community. The Kazuko Komatsu Award recognized active community leaders’ excellence in performance, significant achievements and contributions in the Japanese Canadian community.  JCCOC hopes that it strengthens the ties between Canada and Japan through business, tourism, culture and education activities and motivates our members to focus further on them. Additionally, it could help develop global-minded leadership, which is necessary for the prosperity of the Japanese community as a whole.