Paul Nguyen, (born February 23, 1980) is a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

filmmaker Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, castin ...

, politician and social activist. In 2012, he was among the first 60 Canadians to receive the

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (french: Médaille du jubilé de diamant de la reine Elizabeth II) or The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2012 to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's ...

at the inaugural presentation ceremony at

Rideau Hall Rideau Hall (officially Government House) is the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and their representative, the governor general of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main b ...

to honour significant contributions and achievements to the country.The Queen's Diamond Jubilee: a Canadian celebration
Nguyen is the

Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (french: Parti progressiste-conservateur de l'Ontario), often shortened to the Ontario PC Party or simply the PCs, colloquially known as the Tories, is a centre-right political party in Ontario, Canada ...

's candidate for the district of Humber River—Black Creek in the

2022 Ontario general election The 2022 Ontario general election will be held on or before June 2, 2022, to elect Members of Provincial Parliament to serve in the 43rd Parliament of Ontario. As of December 2016, Ontario elections are held on the first Thursday in June in th ...

Life and career

Nguyen was born in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

to Vietnamese parents who fled to Canada after the

fall of Saigon The Fall of Saigon, also known as the Liberation of Saigon by North Vietnamese or Liberation of the South by the Vietnamese government, and known as Black April by anti-communist overseas Vietnamese was the capture of Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon, t ...

during

The Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam and ...

. After graduating from C.W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute, he attended

York University York University (french: Université York), also known as YorkU or simply YU, is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's fourth-largest university, and it has approximately 55,700 students, 7,0 ...

and earned his

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...

in film in 2004. Nguyen grew up in the

Jane and Finch Jane and Finch is a neighbourhood located in the northwest end of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in the district of North York. Centred at the intersection of Jane Street and Finch Avenue West, the area is roughly bounded by Highway 400 to the wes ...

neighbourhood. In 2004, Nguyen created Jane-Finch.com to address the constant negative media coverage about his community.

Jane-Finch.com

Nguyen launched Jane-Finch.com on March 13, 2004, in response to negative stereotypes about the

community. The website gives an unprecedented look at the neighbourhood and features a multimedia library of information. In late 2005, a community news section was added to allow reporters to document local events not covered by the mainstream media. The website produces music videos, public service announcements, and broadcasts local political debates and town halls. In addition to the production of original content, the website also publishes submissions from residents.

Reception

The website has received widespread critical acclaim and national media attention. In 2005, the website was featured on the Global Television Network evening newscast, ''

Global National ''Global National'' is the English language flagship national newscast of Canada's Global Television Network. Editorial and production staff are based out of Global's national news centre at Global BC in Burnaby, British Columbia, with Dawna Frie ...

''. In late 2005,

CBC Radio CBC Radio is the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which (regardless of language) are outlined below ...

host

Shelagh Rogers Shelagh Rogers, OC, is a Canadian broadcast journalist based in British Columbia. She is the host and producer of CBC Radio One's '' The Next Chapter'', and former chancellor of the University of Victoria. Background Rogers grew up in Ottawa ...

featured the website for a special edition of ''

Sounds Like Canada ''Sounds Like Canada'' was a Canadian radio program, which aired weekday mornings on CBC Radio One from 2002 to 2008. Until the end of May 2008, the program was hosted by the award-winning broadcaster Shelagh Rogers, and in the summers by a rotat ...

''.Sounds Like Canada
/ref> In 2008, the website was selected by Now Magazine among "9 things we love about Jane-Finch".9 things we love about Jane-Finch
/ref> The website won back-to-back

Canadian Ethnic Media Association The Canadian Ethnic Media Association (CEMA), founded in 1978 as the Canadian Ethnic Journalists and Writers Club, is an organization for professionals engaged in the field of print and electronic journalism and creative writing. CEMA upholds t ...

Awards in 2010 and 2011 for its ongoing community news coverageOMNI Television Presents the 32nd Annual Canadian Ethnic Media Association Awards
/ref> and the 2011

Heritage Toronto Heritage Toronto is an agency of the Municipal Government of Toronto that works to builds a better city by bringing people together to explore Toronto’s shared past and peoples’ lived experiences. It is located in St. Lawrence Hall in the city. ...

Award of Excellence in the media category.2011 Heritage Toronto Awards recipients announced
/ref>

Media career

Nguyen is a frequent media commentator on social issues affecting the Jane and Finch community.

Advocacy

Nguyen has used his media footing to offer his opinion or act as an advocate for various issues. * February 3, 2005, Nguyen appeared on

to talk about his viral music video You Got Beef? and Jane-Finch.com.Internet Neighbourhood
/ref> * August 4, 2005, Nguyen appeared on G4

Tech TV Tech or The Tech may refer to: * An abbreviation of technology or technician *Tech Dinghy, an American sailing dinghy developed at MIT *Tech (mascot), the mascot of Louisiana Tech University, U.S. * Tech (river), in southern France * "Tech" (''S ...

's Gadgets and Gizmos detailing his community work in the

area.Gadgets and Gizmos: Out There
/ref> * October 18, 2005,

Metro Morning Metro Morning is CBC Radio One's local morning program in Toronto, airing on CBLA-FM. The program airs from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. weekday mornings, and has frequently been Toronto's highest-rated radio program in its timeslot. The program is c ...

'' host

Andy Barrie Andy Barrie, (born January 30, 1945) is an American Canadian radio personality most known for his work at Toronto radio stations, first at CFRB and later as host of '' Metro Morning'' on CBLA-FM from 1995 until his retirement on March 1, 2010. ...

introduced Nguyen's uncensored op-ed "The Real Toronto".The Real Toronto
/ref> * December 2, 2005, Nguyen took CBC host

on a tour of

for an episode of

. * January 14, 2006, Nguyen appeared on CBC's Canada Now to discuss solutions to gun violence.Backpacking tour
/ref> * May 24, 2007, Nguyen and

Mark Simms Mark Simms (born 1981) is a Canadian filmmaker, community activist and martial artist. Life Mark Simms was born in Toronto, Ontario and grew up in Jane and Finch alongside childhood friend, Paul Nguyen. Simms is the executive producer for th ...

appeared on CTV's ''The Verdict with Paula Todd'' to discuss the Jordan Manners shooting.School shooting aftermath
/ref> * Summer 2007, Nguyen discussed the CBC Television documentary Lost in the Struggle in the

Ryerson Review of Journalism The ''Review of Journalism'' (formerly the ''Ryerson Review of Journalism'') is a Canadian magazine, published annually by final-year journalism students at Toronto Metropolitan University. The magazine profiles personalities, issues and controv ...

.It's a Crime
/ref> * May 12, 2008, Nguyen talked about the growth of Jane-Finch.com in The

Toronto Sun The ''Toronto Sun'' is an English-language tabloid format, tabloid newspaper published daily in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The newspaper is one of several ''Sun'' tabloids published by Postmedia Network. The newspaper's offices is located at Pos ...

. * June 18, 2009, Nguyen appeared on Goldhawk Live with

Dwight Drummond Dwight Drummond (born September 22, 1968) is a Canadian television journalist who currently hosts ''Canada Tonight'' on CBC News Network. He previously worked as the anchor of ''CBC Toronto News with Dwight Drummond'' at CBLT, CBC Television's st ...

and

Anthony Perruzza Anthony Perruzza ( , ; born 1959 or 1960) is a Canadian politician who has served on Toronto City Council since 2006. He currently represents Ward 7 Humber River—Black Creek. Perruzza was a North York councillor from 1988 to 1990, and served i ...

to discuss the future of

.What's in the future for Jane and Finch
/ref> * January 8, 2009, Nguyen spoke out in The

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and pa ...

against the rebranding of Jane and Finch to University Heights.Rebranding Jane and Finch
/ref> * January 8, 2010, Nguyen appeared on CBC's

to give his opinion on Toronto's unsolved murder rate.Unsolved murder rate
/ref> * July 5, 2010, Nguyen was interviewed on

Radio Canada International Radio Canada International (RCI) is the international broadcasting service of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Prior to 1970, RCI was known as the CBC International Service. The broadcasting service was also previously referred to as ...

's The Link with Marc Montgomery about winning the Paul Yuzyk Award.RCI The Link
/ref> * October 6, 2010, Nguyen asked then-mayoral candidate

Rob Ford Robert Bruce Ford (May 28, 1969 – March 22, 2016) was a Canadian politician and businessman who served as the 64th mayor of Toronto from 2010 to 2014. Before and after his term as mayor, Ford was a city councillor representing Ward 2 Etobi ...

how he would help solve the problems in the Jane-Finch area on

's ''

''.Mayoral Candidates' Debate
/ref> * December 13, 2010,

Judy Sgro Judy A. Sgro (born December 16, 1944) is a Canadian politician. A member of the Liberal Party of Canada, she currently represents the electoral district of Humber River—Black Creek in the House of Commons of Canada. Sgro currently serves a ...

, PC, MP praised Nguyen's community work in the House of Commons of Canada.Community Volunteerism
/ref> * June 4, 2012, Nguyen appeared on the CTV News Channel program, National Affairs, to discuss reaction to the Toronto Eaton Centre shooting.National Affairs: Shootings and stereotyping
/ref> * June 29, 2012, Nguyen appeared on

Voice of America Voice of America (VOA or VoA) is the state-owned news network and international radio broadcaster of the United States of America. It is the largest and oldest U.S.-funded international broadcaster. VOA produces digital, TV, and radio content ...

about being the first Vietnamese-Canadian to receive the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.Thanh niên gốc Việt nhận Huy chương Kim khánh bội tinh Kim Cương của Nữ hoàng Anh
/ref>

Broadcast

Nguyen has produced several documentaries featuring Toronto's Jane and Finch neighborhood. In 2006, Nguyen served as an associate producer on the Gemini Award-nominated CBC documentary ''Lost in the Struggle''. Nguyen and

spent 10 months following the lives of three troubled youth from the Jane and Finch neighborhood. The story was updated 6 years later in ''Lost in the Struggle: The Next Chapter'', which aired on CBC on October 26, 2012. * ''Lost in the Struggle: The Next Chapter'' (associate producer) ( CBC Television, '' the fifth estate'', 2012)Lost in the Struggle: The Next Chapter
/ref> * ''Revealed: Missing the Target (associate producer) (

Canwest Global Canwest Global Communications Corporation, which operated under the corporate name Canwest, was a major Canadian media conglomerate based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with its head offices at Canwest Place. It held radio, television broadcasting an ...

/90th Parallel Prod., 2010)A frightening portrait of gun-crazy Canada
/ref> * Goldhawk Live: What's in the future for Jane and Finch? (community associate producer) (

Rogers TV Rogers TV (stylized as Rogers tv) is a group of English-language community channels owned by Rogers Communications. Many of these channels share common programs. Rogers TV broadcasts in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and ...

, 2009) * ''Ian Jones: Activist and Artist, How the Steelpan is Changing Lives'' (director) (

Bravo! CTV Drama Channel (formerly known as Bravo) is a Canadian English language specialty channel owned by Bell Media. The channel was founded as the Canadian version of the U.S. channel Bravo (which is now owned by NBCUniversal) on January 1, 1995 b ...

/ Leda Serene Films, 2007)EPISODE 9: Ian Jones: Activist and Artist, How the Steelpan is Changing Lives
/ref> * Give A 'Hood A Bad Name... (producer) (

CBC Radio One CBC Radio One is the English-language news and information radio network of the publicly owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial-free and offers local and national programming. It is available on AM and FM to 98 percent of C ...

, "Outfront" 2007)Give A 'Hood A Bad Name...
/ref> * ''Lost in the Struggle'' (associate producer) ( CBC Television, '' the fifth estate'', 2006)Lost in the Struggle
/ref> * Racism: Wash it Away (director) (Racism. Stop It! National Video Competition/ MuchMusic, 1999)

Awards

* 2018: Nguyen was awarded a Canada's Volunteer Award from Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Jean-Yves Duclos Jean-Yves Duclos (; born 1965) is a Canadian economist and politician who has served as Minister of Health since 2021 under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. A member of the Liberal Party of Canada, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Qu ...

for creating unique opportunities for the at-risk youth.Recipients of the 2018 Canada’s Volunteer Awards
/ref> * 2018: Nguyen received the

(CEMA) Award for best podcast.Podcast about trans woman escaping from Syria wins award
/ref> * 2017: Nguyen was awarded the

Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers The Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers (french: Médaille du souverain pour les bénévoles) is a Canadian medal intended to honour volunteers who have made a significant and continual contribution to their community, either in Canada or abroad. The ...

from Toronto Mayor

John Tory John Howard Tory (born May 28, 1954) is a Canadian politician who has served as the 65th and current mayor of Toronto since 2014. After a career as a lawyer, political strategist and businessman, Tory ran as a mayoral candidate in the 200 ...

for his efforts to eliminate racial discrimination through Jane-Finch.com.North York's Jane-Finch.com creator awarded Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers
/ref> * 2017: Nguyen was awarded the June Callwood Award from

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration The minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship (french: Ministre de l'immigration, des réfugiés et de la citoyenneté) is a minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet. The minister is responsible for Immigration, Refugees and Citi ...

Laura Albanese Laura Albanese Politi (born September 11, 1957) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2007 to 2018 who represented the Toronto riding of York South—Weston. She served ...

.Outstanding Volunteers Receive June Callwood Awards
/ref> * 2015: Nguyen was awarded the

Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include: * Meritorious Civilian Service Award *Meritorious Service Me ...

from Governor General

David Johnston David Lloyd Johnston (born June 28, 1941) is a Canadian academic, author, and statesman who served from 2010 to 2017 as Governor General of Canada, the 28th since Canadian Confederation. He is the commissioner of the Leaders' Debates Commis ...

for his website in allowing area resident's voices to be heard. * 2012: Nguyen received th
National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada
Award
/ref> from the

Lieutenant Governor of Ontario The lieutenant governor of Ontario (, in French: ''Lieutenant-gouverneur'' (if male) or ''Lieutenante-gouverneure'' (if female) ''de l'Ontario'') is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the , who operates distinctly within the province bu ...

, David C. Onley, at the

Ontario Legislative Building The Ontario Legislative Building (french: L'édifice de l'Assemblée législative de l'Ontario) is a structure in central Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It houses the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and the viceregal suite of the Lieutenant Governor ...

. * 2012: Nguyen received the

from the

Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, ...

and

Prime Minister of Canada The prime minister of Canada (french: premier ministre du Canada, link=no) is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the confidence of a majority the elected House of Commons; as su ...

, Stephen Harper, for fighting stereotypes and acting as role model and mentor for at risk youth. * 2011: Nguyen received the

Award of Excellence for preserving the living cultural history of the Jane-Finch neighbourhood.Heritage Award for jane-finch.com
/ref> The 37th annual awards ceremony was held at Koerner Hall, the Royal Conservatory of Music.The 2011 Heritage Toronto Award Recipients
/ref> * 2011: Nguyen received the Newcomer Champion Award from Dr.

Eric Hoskins Eric William Hoskins (born November 29, 1960) is a Canadian physician and former politician who served as Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care from 2014 to 2018. A member of the Liberal Party, he sat as a member of the Provincial Parli ...

. He was recognized as a community leader in the Jane and Finch area who promotes civic engagement with at-risk youth.Newcomer Champion Awards: 2011 Recipients
/ref> * 2011: Nguyen received the Bobbie Resnick Philanthropy Award from the Toronto chapter of the

International Association of Business Communicators The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) is a global network of communications professionals. Each summer, IABC hosts a World Conference, a three-day event with professional development seminars and activities, as well as t ...

(IABC/Toronto) for outstanding leadership and service to the community.The 2011 Bobbie Resnick Philanthropy Award Goes to…
/ref>
/ref> * 2010: Nguyen was granted the

Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship The Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship is a provincial medal of merit that is awarded in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was established by the Government of Ontario in 1973 to recognize people who, through exceptional long-term efforts, hav ...

. He was invested at Queen's Park by the

, Canada, David C. Onley.Ontario Medal For Good Citizenship Recipients
/ref> * 2010: Nguyen received the

(CEMA) Award for best ethnic internet journalism in Canada.Canadian Ethnic Media Association announces award winners for 2010 32nd annual awards
/ref> * 2010: Paul Nguyen received th
Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism
ref name="2010 Award Recipient for Outstanding Achievement
2010 Award Recipient for Outstanding Achievement
/ref> for making significant contributions to multiculturalism in Canada from the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism,

Jason Kenney Jason Thomas Kenney (born May 30, 1968) is a Canadian former politician who served as the 18th premier of Alberta from 2019 until 2022 and the leader of the United Conservative Party (UCP) from 2017 until 2022. He also served as the member of ...

, PC, MP. Nguyen received a $20,000 grant towards a non-profit organization of his choice. He was selected among 88 nominees across Canada. * 2009: Nguyen was honoured at the City of Toronto'
Access, Equity and Human Rights Awards
Nguyen received th

ref name="William P. Hubbard Award for Race Relations

/ref>
/ref>Advocate wins city award
/ref> for outstanding achievement in fostering a positive race relations environment and the elimination of racism and prejudice in Toronto. The award was presented at Toronto City Hall by City Councillor

Gord Perks Gordon Perks (born October 7, 1963) is a Canadian politician and environmental activist who has served on Toronto City Council since 2006. Perks currently represents Ward 4 Parkdale—High Park. Career Perks has worked for a number of environ ...

and the

Mayor of Toronto The mayor of Toronto is the head of Toronto City Council and chief executive officer of the municipal government. The mayor is elected alongside city council every four years on the fourth Monday of October; there are no term limits. While in ...

, David Miller.Access, Equity and Human Rights Awards
/ref> * 1999: Nguyen was one of ten winners in

Citizenship and Immigration Canada Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC; french: Immigration, Réfugiés et Citoyenneté Canada)Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program since 2015; the legal title is Departm ...

'
Racism. Stop It! National Video Competition

/ref> His winning entry was broadcast nationally on MuchMusic.Stop Racism
/ref> Nguyen was awarded by former Secretary of State for Multiculturalism an
Status of Women
Dr.

Hedy Fry Hedy Madeleine Fry, (born August 6, 1941) is a Trinidadian-Canadian politician and physician who is currently the longest-serving female Member of Parliament, winning nine consecutive elections in the constituency of Vancouver Centre includin ...

. The winners were selected among 320 entries across Canada. The 1999 winners were brought to Toronto for a March 3 taping of the MuchMusic Stop Racism Concert and Video Awards Program.

Short films

* Know Your Rights (executive producer), Jane-Finch.com (2010)60 second interview with Paul Nguyen
/ref>Know Your Rights screening
/ref> * Open Your Eyes (director) (2007)
/ref> * You Got Beef? starring

Chuckie Akenz Chuckie Nguyen (January 21, 1986), better known by his stage name of C-A, and formerly as Chuckie Akenz, is a Canadian rapper of Vietnamese descent. He grew up in the Jane and Finch neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Chuckie rose to n ...

(director) (2004)Rapping against Jane-Finch's bum rap
/ref>Vietnamese International Film Festival
/ref>
/ref>

Electoral record

References

External links

* http://www.jane-finch.com * http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/lostinthestruggle/filmmaker.html * http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/multiculturalism/paulyuzyk/recipients_2010.asp * http://www.toronto.ca/civicawards/2009winners.htm#hubbard * http://caribbeantales.ca/heartbeat/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=27 * http://www.torontolife.com/daily/informer/2010/08/06/torontos-six-most-memorable-neighbourhood-naming-smackdowns/ * http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=62c72629-98b1-4b3e-bbb9-1e77fade5d3a&k=55728 * http://www.canadianimmigrant.ca/learn/newsitems/article/7322 * http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/it/newsrel.nsf/9da959222128b9e885256618006646d3/fff0fb3a0249145f8525767a00508694?OpenDocument * http://www.blogto.com/people/2009/06/toronto_through_the_eyes_of_paul_nguyen/ * {{DEFAULTSORT:Nguyen, Paul 1981 births Activists from Toronto Canadian activists Film producers from Ontario Canadian male journalists Canadian people of Vietnamese descent Film directors from Toronto Journalists from Toronto Living people Recipients of the Meritorious Service Decoration Asian-Canadian filmmakers