Editing File:Irene Christine Chu.jpg

Irene Christine Chu is a writer, book author, artist, calligrapher, musician, social activist, and television executive producer/producer. 
She was born in Shanghai, China, grew up in Hong Kong, and has been in Canada since 1963. She describes herself as a woman of many trades and hobbies and is an avid reader, writer, pipe organist, artist, Chinese calligrapher, gardener, cook.  In 2009, Irene was a co-founder of Ginger Post, an English e-magazine with a Chinese Canadian perspective. www.gingerpost.com. 
She has served on various boards of hospitals and health care organizations. At present, she sits on the boards of George Brown College, Rogers Media - OMNI Television, and The Sweda Group. She previously served on the board of the  Toronto International Film Festival Group. 
In 1985, Irene was the founding president of Hong Kong University Alumni (Ontario) Association in 1985. Currently she serves as an advisor to the Board. Irene has devoted much of her time and effort to public services. She was appointed a Canadian citizenship court judge from 1985 to 1986 and was a member of appeal division - Canadian Immigration & Refugee Board from 1986 to 1994. 
Chu also as a real estate company that serves a small circle of close friends. She is an advisor to the Toronto Chinese Writers Association and C.C. Times Weekly.
Media Accomplishments:
Executive Producer/ producer 
Once Upon a Time in Toronto.  In Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles, aired on Omni Television on October 2009. This is a 20 episode television drama series.

See Teaser
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G44b9zgc86E

http://www.torontofilm.net/2009/10/once-upon-time-in-toronto-october-17.html
http://magazines.humber.ca/finecut2007/sections/hollywoodnorth/jordana/index.html
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4421754/
http://www.fims.uwo.ca/olr/Apr0407/OMNI.html

Executive Producer 
An Audio-Visual analysis of W5 "Campus giveaway" produced by the Council of Chinese Canadians in Ontario. See full film documentary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS-PBKXJbhs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR8M-haYfPk
http://search.library.utoronto.ca/details?7328458&uuid=7137d5c0-f6b0-487b-b343-c3cf4ac259ea

Calligraphy:
Evelyn Huang, Chinese Canadians: Voices from a Community. 1992. http://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Canadians-Community-Evelyn-Huang/dp/0788165569
Anthony B. Chan, Perpetually Cool: the Many Lives of Anna May Wong. 2003. https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780810859098


 



Social Activism:
Core member of the Ad Hoc Committees of Chinese Canadians Against W5, 1979-1980.

Publications
Irene Chu co-edited with Huai-min Li and Lillian Ma. The National Meeting, 1980: Proceedings of the National Meeting of Ad Hoc Committees of Chinese Canadians Against W5, April 18, 19, 20, 1980, Toronto 108 pages.
http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/search.jsp?N=4294331753
http://www.worldcat.org/title/national-meeting-1980-proceedings-of-the-national-meeting-of-ad-hoc-committees-of-chinese-canadians-against-w5-april-18-19-20-1980-toronto/oclc/317520644

Co-edited with C K Fong and May seung Jew. Living & growing in Canada: a Chinese Canadian perspective. Proceedings of the Provincial Conference held in Toronto, November 10, 11, 1979, and reports & commentaries = An Shêng hua jên hui i : "shêng yü ch'ang yü Chia-na-ta": hua i Chia jên ti chan wang : i chiu ch'i chiu nien shih i yüeh shih jih chi shih i jih yü To-lun-to, 1980. 148 pages.
http://search.library.utoronto.ca/details?3724324&uuid=12fe6e1e-5559-40d1-821c-b0d6d0983dd1
http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/search.jsp?N=4294331753
http://www.worldcat.org/title/living-growing-in-canada-a-chinese-canadian-perspective/oclc/015975865

Presentation:
'Too Asian" Ryerson University
http://journalism.ryerson.ca/article/12080/


In her leisure time, Irene plays the pipe organ and piano, does oil painting and Chinese calligraphy as well as writing her family history. She is also an avid gardener who takes pride in her 40+ peony plants that give her immense pleasure in the summer despite her allergy to them
What is Irene's statement on life? "Music is my life, art my love. But my greatest passion is cooking because I love eating."