Quon, Emma
Emma Quon (née Lee) was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. Her father immigrated to Canada in 1898 and her mother in 1913. Emma had a busy social life in Montreal, taking part in many church and extra-curricular activities. She married Harry Quon in the late 1930s, and the young couple ran an inn in Port McNicoll, Ontario. After returning to Montreal, Emma became very active in community work as a founding member of the Canadian Chinese Cultural Society of Montreal, a member of the Credit Women’s Breakfast Club, and as part of a group committed to the re-location of the Chinese Hospital. In 1996, Emma moved to Alberta to be close to her daughter.
In this photo, Emma Quon is acting as Master of Ceremonies for an international variety show called ‘The Flying Carpet’, which raised funds to establish McGill University’s International House. The show featured national songs and dances by members of sixteen student clubs. A review of the Variety Show in a 1953 issue of the Montreal Star notes a Chinese fashion show, which ‘provided us with a chance to see some beautiful costumes and also gain an understanding of Chinese Styles.’