The Lunar New Year holds a special significance for East Asians within the Toronto Police Service and its communities, as highlighted by Chief Myron Demkiw during a celebratory event at police headquarters on February 7. Chief Demkiw emphasized that the Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, carries cultural and traditional importance for many Asian communities, symbolizing the beginning of the Lunar Year and a time for family gatherings, feasting, honoring ancestors, and celebrating culture and heritage.
Marking the first new moon of the lunar calendar, the Year of the Dragon, the fifth in the 12-animal Chinese zodiac cycle, is being celebrated this year. Toronto Police Services Board Chair Lisa Kostakis expressed pride in celebrating this auspicious year alongside members of the city’s Asian communities, emphasizing the focus on building strong and trusting partnerships with Toronto’s Asian communities.
The Lunar New Year festivities included a dragon dance, symbolizing the ritual that strengthens Chinese community ties and deepens connections with Canadian and Asian communities, according to Sergeant Stephen Yung, the East Asian Internal Support Network (EAISN) Chair. Yung described the Lunar New Year as a tradition that encourages leaving behind past woes, sharing food, generosity, giving thanks, dancing with lions, and welcoming good fortune and prosperity while warding off bad and evil spirits. He emphasized the importance of reflection, correcting past mistakes, and creating new opportunities for the future.
The East Asian Internal Support Network (EAISN), established in 2008, comprises over 200 police officers and civilian professionals, providing mentoring, guidance, and support to each other. The network also creates networking, knowledge-sharing, and skills development opportunities to help members grow personally and professionally. Chief Demkiw highlighted that organizing the Lunar New Year celebration is one way the EAISN engages and supports the community.
In addition to the Lunar New Year celebration, the EAISN has been holding a golf tournament for the past eight years, further showcasing the network’s commitment to engaging with and supporting the community.
