Winter Olympics - what a wonderful few weeks for us Canadians! We shared the pain of our athletes in their disappointment and the ecstasy in their triumph. We gasped collectively as a nation when the American hockey team scored to tie the game with only three seconds left for the final period and we all screamed in jubilation when Sydney Crosby put the puck pass the American net in overtime. In those defining moments, we forget our cultural and ethnic backgrounds. In those defining moments, we are no longer hyphenated Canadians, we are just Canadians, period.

So why have our board Chair Peter Kwok and I been so vocal about the lack of representation at the opening ceremony of the Winter Games? We spoke out because we believe, in the long run, in order to achieve our vision of a world of multicultural harmony; we must achieve real integration and meaningful representation.

In integration as well as in representation, there are at least two levels: individual and institutional. The participation of people as volunteers, as torch bearers, in my view, is at an individual level. They are there representing themselves, not the community they are from. In the opening ceremony, particularly the last 13 “celebrity” torch bearers in the final day of the torch relay, the six flag bearers at the opening ceremony and the four torch bearers who light the lights at BC Place are put in place to represent the country. They, in my view, participated in the event at the institutional level. It is at this level that representation is lacking.

This lack of representation is a reflection of the power structure of our society. The lack of representation in the top decision making positions permeates in the business, cultural and political realm. Take a look at the top 500 companies in Canada, how much diversity do you see in their board rooms and in their executive suites? Take a look at the top Museums, Symphonies, Art Galleries and Theatre companies, how much cultural diversity do you see at the executive director positions or in their top talent pools? Take a look at the country’s federal, provincial and municipal elected and non elected officials, how much cultural diversity do you see there?

By voicing our concern about the lack of institutional representation in the Opening ceremony, we hope to draw attention to the larger problem.

There is no doubt that we Canadians have become more united and more proud of our country as a result of the Winter Games. In fact, I have always believed that we can only become a cohesive people if we can experience joy, anxiety, triumph and sadness together as a nation. The Olympic Games have given us that chance. And we want to ensure that as new Canadians and members of the visible minority community, we will be able to experience such future moments at both the individual and institutional levels.