Faye Leung, a trailblazing woman so involved in B.C.'s politics and culture that one of her trademark hats was once displayed in a provincial museum, has died at age 92.
A notice posted on her ‘Faye Hat Lady Leung’ X feed said she passed away Nov. 1.
“Faye’s energetic, unrelenting personality, laced with intricately detailed stories, made her a force of nature that left a lasting impression on all who met her,” the post said.
“Ruffling feathers along the way, she not only fought the forces that tried to suppress her but overcame them, changing the face of politics in British Columbia. Faye had an unbreakable spirit that continues to inspire,” it said.
Leung was instrumental in bringing down B.C. Social Credit Party premier Bill Vander Zalm. The third generation Chinese Canadian was a successful realtor. It was Leung who brokered the 1990 deal for Vander Zalm to sell the Richmond Fantasy Garden World castle he lived in to Tan Yu, a Taiwanese billionaire.
Leung long claimed she’d been stiffed on the commission.
It later came out that Vander Zalm had taken $20,000 from Yu. The former premier strenuously claimed the cash given to him for "safe keeping" came in an envelope and not a brown paper bag.
She could be frequently found at events asking Vander Zalm where her money was.
The situation ended Vander Zalm’s stint as premier.
The case sparked an investigation by the conflict-of-interest commissioner, the late Ted Hughes, then a former B.C. deputy attorney general.
Hughes found Vander Zalm acted improperly by negotiating the Fantasy Gardens sale at the same time he arranged for Yu to have meetings with the finance minister and the lieutenant governor.
Vander Zalm was also later found guilty of defaming Hughes and had to pay the latter $60,000.
The X post called Leung a “trailblazer, businesswoman and cultural pioneer.”
“Her legacy leaves an indelible mark. Energetic, colourful, and cheeky, ‘The Hat Lady’ was the embodiment of innovation, resilience, and dedication to her community,” it said.
She was born in Victoria and raised in the Chinatowns of Victoria and Vancouver, later becoming a fierce advocate for equality.
“Working tirelessly to improve the lives of Chinese Canadians whether local or immigrant, Faye was always quick to point out past wrongs while championing the ongoing rights of her community,” the post said. “Paving the way for future generations to thrive in a society that once marginalized them, she earned the Chinese Canadian community’s title Ambassador-at-Large."
Husband Dean Chun Kwong Leung was described as Leung’s soul mate and life partner. With him at her side, she became a force to be reckoned with in business, the statement said.
She was voted Vancouver’s “Man of the Month” when women’s liberation was just a burgeoning idea, and later nationally recognized as a B.C. "Entrepreneur of the Year" nominee.
She founded and opened the first trust company branch in Canada with the Canada Trust Bank branch located in her business office in Chinatown, where the couple was also instrumental in the opening of the Mandarin Trade Centre.
The couple also worked with other banks and facilitated work with Canadian banks in Hong Kong. In addition to that, Leung was also active in immigrants’ rights.
“Her decades in business bridged and pioneered the economic and social gaps and hosted, assisted, cultivated and fostered an understanding between Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Far East resulting in billions of dollars of investment for all Canadians to reap the benefits,” said a news release heralding the 2018 publication of her book, ‘The Hat Lady Sings,’ co-written with Christopher Best.
