HOF045: TRUONG Minh Tri / LAM Thu Van

LAM Thu Van, her husband, and son TRUONG Minh Tri, left Vietnam by boat in June 1979. They arrived in the islands of Indonesia five days later. They stayed in a refugee camp where they met with Canadian Immigration officials. The family was allowed to migrate to Canada in October 1979. They had chosen Canada because of its reputation as a stable country where one could speak French and earn a living.  Her eldest daughter had escaped Vietnam before the family had left the country. She boarded a British ship and eventually settled in England until she was reunited with her family in 1980. LAM Thu Van, a medical practitioner in Vietnam, chose to pursue her studies in order to regain her license to practice medicine once again.  She is very proud of her son’s and daughter’s accomplishments. They completed their studies and have become accomplished Canadian citizens.