Pham's Canadian sponsors, 1980

photo: courtesy of The Pham family

Pham, The Trung applied for admission as a refugee in the government-sponsored category withing the special programme for the boat people established by Canada. His Canadian sponsors were John and Grace Gilbert of Stratford, Ontario. There he received a great deal of local support from the church and community at large. Only in 1982 did he move to Toronto in search of job opportunities.