In June 2023, Mr. Brandt Louie spoke in the Senate of Canada as part of the ceremonies marking the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act, a law denying citizenship and rights for Chinese Canadians despite being born in Canada. An accomplished business leader and educator, Louie is passionate about building foundations for diversity and inclusions in his local community and nationally in Canada.
Cold Tea Collective’s editors May Au and Samson Chan sat down with Mr. Brandt Louie OBC, Chair and CEO of H.Y. Louie Co. Limited and Chair of London Drugs Limited., to learn about his experience growing up in Canada and insights about changing the narrative for the future generations of the Asian diaspora.
Showing resilience early in his career
As a Chinese Canadian, Brandt Louie is no stranger to discrimination. Growing up in the family business, he witnessed firsthand how his father and others navigated discrimination and barriers due to the Chinese Exclusion Act which was repealed in May 1947.
The Louie family, like all Chinese at that time, had minimal rights and were exposed to institutional and social discrimination that limited their business and opportunities to compete fairly. Despite all the limitations, the Louie family successfully navigated a very challenging business landscape through sheer will and determination. It is testament to the courage they had, that the family business has continued to be successful for over 120 years.
When Brandt Louie completed university and began his career as a chartered accountant, the situation still remained inequitable, though less obvious than in the past when his grandfather started their family business. “To believe that racism disappeared in my time, or in your time is a fallacy,” says Louie. “There were still large well-known firms that had an unwritten policy to not hire…
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