EULOGY FOR ALICK SIU

The world we know today is very different from the world we knew two years ago.  But the community today is even more different than what it was 67 years ago, before the grand entrance of our dear friend Alick Siu.

Born in 1955, Alick was both an idea man and an action man.  An avid reader and socio-politically attuned community leader, Alick’s motto was:

Thought becomes idea

Idea becomes action

Action becomes habit

Habit becomes Destiny

Alick was never content with the status quo.  There was always something that he could improve, and he could always motivate more people to multiply the impact.  After his university graduation in Saskatchewan, Alick came to Ontario in 1980, where he quickly proved himself to be, not only a promising IT professional, but also someone who had the capacity for much more than a 9-to-5 job.  His thoughts of filling the gaps for newcomers’ employment challenges turned into concrete ideas, which motivated him to act.  Alick founded the Canadian Chinese Information Processing Professionals (CIPro) in the early 1990s, working alongside many esteemed community and industry leaders who are now prominent members of society.  Ever since then, many more innovative ideas were put into action by Alick and his troops, creating a long-lasting impact in society.  His mission to make a difference became his habit, and the positive social impact is a testament to his destiny.

Alick’s habit brought about a series of initiatives, including his involvement in:

• Unionville Residents’ Association since 2008,
• the board of Markham Public Library since 2015,
• the board of Markham Arts Council,
• founding of Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurs (ACCE),
• founding of Civic Engagement,
• multiple election campaigns,
• the “No Casino Markham” project,
• “Yes to York” University in Markham,
• the “Keep the York Down” campaign,
• affordable housing advocacy,
• founding of the Resident of Markham Amenity Network (ROMAN),
• the Anti-Asian Racism initiative in October 2021,
• and the years of timely and in-depth commentary work across a variety of media outlets.

Alick’s destiny involved many like-minded individuals, and most notably, sharing the journey with the love of his life.  He wedded his life partner Winnie in January 1991.  They gave birth to their daughter Michelle the next year, and then to son Melvin 6 years later, all Alick’s pride until his last days. 

Many more were touched by Alick’s destiny and passion, either through benefitting from his community work, or from having the privilege to serve alongside him.  Many plazas, recreation centres, and recording studios in York Region were graced by his presence for panel discussions and advocacy campaigns.  The community has benefitted from increased leadership capacity because of Alick’s inspiration.  Not one election went by without public consultation, nor a single controversial development went undebated, under his watch.

Alick’s keen eye for development, strong critical thinking skills, consistent application of principles and logic, and quick-witted humour made him a great mentor, visionary leader, sharp critic, loyal friend, and reliable teammate.

His plans and aspirations did not end with his retirement.  Alick had much bigger plans for himself and the community post-retirement.  Only that, on the morning of February 23, 2022, Alick boarded the plane by himself for a long vacation, not to a cottage, but to eternal glory.

On February 8, 2022, Alick wrote on his Facebook:

Those who love us never truly leave us.

There are things that death can not touch.

by Jack Thorne of Harry Potter

True friends never leave each other.  As much as we will miss our drinks, chats, fights, and collaboration, none of us here today are leaving Alick emotionally.  His spirit will remain with us forever, and his impact on the community will be remembered for many years to come.  These are things that death cannot touch.

Our dear friend Alick Siu had inspired many individuals, sparked numerous ideas, and turned them into actions.  We all are very aware of Alick’s passion, and many of his friends share the will and capacity to turn his ideas into actions.  We will make it our habit to change other people’s destiny by upgrading their quality of life.

Rest well, dear friend,

and let us grow your flame, until we meet again.