One of the perks of being a member of the Historical Society of Ottawa is that we occasionally receive an invitation to a fundraising event for an important heritage cause, to enjoy a delicious meal and some cultural entertainment.

A banquet hosted by the Vietnamese Canadian Centre was held at the Sala San Marco Event Centre on March 28, 2026, to raise funds for the Vietnamese Boat People Museum, to be built at the northeast corner of Preston and Somerset Streets.

The Historical Society of Ottawa has had a special relationship with the Vietnamese Canadian Centre (VCC) since June 2021 when we invited Mike Molloy and Robert Shalka, authors of Running on Empty: Canada and the Indochinese Refugees, 1975-1980, to speak to HSO members about their efforts to rescue people fleeing on small boats from the former South Vietnam, and of Canada’s role in finding new homes for refugees. About 4,000 of these found a renewed life in Ottawa. The highlight of the HSO online presentation that evening was Rivaux Lay; a Cambodian refugee who was a social worker, translator and teacher’s aide at one of the refugee camps in Thailand where Vietnamese evacuees stayed before finding new homes in Australia, France, Germany, Netherlands, UK, USA and, of course Canada.

Guests for the evening included other financial supporters of the proposed museum, including many local businesses in Ottawa’s Chinatown district, Somerset West Community Health Centre and the Dalhousie Community Association. The evening featured music and dance performances by Ngọc Huyền, Thủy Hương, Hồng Nhung, Đào Nguyên and Carmelle Cachero, and also the visual art of Anh Thư Nguyên.

Retired MP Jason Kenney thanked all attendees and talked of the willingness of Canadians to come to the aid of “boat people”. Kenney spoke especially of the unrelenting efforts of Can Le – co-chair of the Vietnamese Boat People Museum – for all that he has done for a decade, and will continue to do, to complete the cultural centre. He came to Canada 13 years before the refugee crisis, and took up the challenge of finding homes and jobs for many of Ottawa’s 4,000.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of 1976 reunification of Vietnam which in turn precipitated the beginning of the exodus of refugees. In 1979 the City of Ottawa launched Project 4000 – the initiative led by Ottawa mayor Marion Dewar to take half of the 8,000 refugees Canada initially intended to accept. (The number was later raised to 50,000.) Can Le had hoped to have the museum open in time for this anniversary but a pandemic, a failed legal challenge against his leadership role with the VCC, and a heart attack slowed progress. But fundraising efforts continue, and this evening’s event confirms that there is much support out there.

The museum, with the additional support of the Free Vietnamese Canadian Community of Ottawa, will have permanent exhibits on the challenges of survival for Vietnamese refugees, their successful search for freedom, and the eventual reception they received worldwide. Other exhibitions will showcase contributions made by Vietnamese residents to the countries where they resettled. The museum will also reserve space for revolving exhibitions by Vietnamese artists.

If you'd like to make a contribution to support the future museum, donations can be made by cheque payable to the Vietnamese Community Centre (Memo: Museum Project) and send to Vietnamese Canadian Centre, P.O. Box 62042, Convent Glen, Ottawa, ON, K1C 7H8.