Mah, Valerie
Valerie Ann Mah (née Lor) was born and raised in Brockville, Ontario. Her parents owned and ran the New York Café in Brockville for 55 years, and Valerie helped in the restaurant both as a child and an adult. In 1957, Valerie moved to Toronto, Ontario to attend university, earning a B.A. and B.Ed. She earned her Master’s degree in Education while working full time to support her family. During her teaching career, Valerie worked as a Special Education teacher, a Vice Principal and finally a Principal. She retired in 2003.
In 1964, Valerie married Daniel Mah, son of the first Chinese Presbyterian Minister in Toronto, Rev. T.K. Wou Mah. Daniel’s mother, Anna Ma, organized Chinese Christian women’s meetings and activities in the pre-World War Two years, one of the only social outlets for Chinese Canadian women during this period. Daniel and Valerie were instrumental in the founding of the Mon Sheong Home for the Aged in 1975, the first nursing home in Toronto catering to an aging Chinese Canadian population. Valerie was a key organizer of But Women Did Come: 150 Years of Chinese Women in North America (1987), a historical photo exhibition demonstrating the role of Chinese American and Chinese Canadian women in families and communities. The photos from this exhibition are available in this database. In 2004, Valerie ran as a NDP candidate in the Federal election. At the time of the interview, Valerie was an active Board member for many community organizations.
‘Wherever [Alexina Louie] goes in Canada, whenever she feels like she’s in a strange city, and she feels uncomfortable, she looks for a Chinese restaurant so she can have sui yeh and she’ll go looking for wonton soup. So it’s true, it’s comfort food.’
In this clip, Valerie Mah refers to friend and composer Alexina Louie’s preference for Chinese food when touring Canadian cities, stressing how food can serve as a comforting reminder of cultural identity. Valerie also explains how Chinese cuisine in Canada varied from place to place and has become more readily available over time. Her family’s restaurant in Brockville, Ontario, served what Valer
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