Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a cultural icon in Vancouver, David Y.H. Lui, who passed away last month.
David was a B.C. boy. Born in Vancouver in 1944, David attended Kitsilano Secondary School and, later, UBC. From a young age, David was interested in ballet, but it was in university where that interest really took hold.
The man with the flowing cape, as he was known, made Vancouver a destination for world-class artists. His David Y.H. Lui Dance Spectacular series brought artists like Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, the Joffrey Ballet and Shirley MacLaine to Vancouver.
David was the head of the arts community, a prominent member for more than 40 years. He built the David Y.H. Lui Theatre in 1975, co-founded Ballet BC and BC Arts Council and was board member of the Canada Council, where he pushed for a multicultural arts scene.
Canada's artistic community has not only lost a great visionary and advocate, but a dear friend. On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada, I offer sincere condolences to David's friends and family. A celebration of David's life will be held at The Playhouse in Vancouver on October 23.