David Lam
Vancouver 49° 15' 39.14" N, 123° 6' 50.23" W Politics Person
David See-chai Lam, OC, CVO, OBC (林思齊) (September 2, 1923 – November 22, 2010) was from 1988 to 1995 the 25th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.
Early life
Born in Hong Kong, Lam and his family immigrated to British Columbia following World War II. He received an Economics degree at Lingnan College in Hong Kong and an MBA from Temple University in Philadelphia.
Career
Lam became a prominent real estate businessman in Vancouver, and was a leading proponent of many ambitious development schemes. He is also noted for being a leading philanthropist. In 1986, he helped found the Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival.
Lieutenant Governor
In 1988 Governor General Jeanne Sauvé, on the advice of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, appointed him lieutenant governor. Three premiers served under Lam: William Vander Zalm, Rita Johnston, and Michael Harcourt.
He formally ended the practice of lieutenant governors wearing the Windsor uniform. This practice was reinstated by current Lieutenant Governor Steven Point.
He was Canada's second non-white lieutenant governor (first was Lincoln Alexander of Ontario), and the first Asian-Canadian Canadian lieutenant governor.
Honours
In 1988, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St. John (KStJ) and Vice-Prior of the Order from 1988 to 1995. In 1988, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada and was promoted to Officer in 1995. In 1994, he was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) by the Queen in 1994. In 1995, he was awarded the Order of British Columbia.
Death
He died on November 22, 2010 from prostate cancer at the age of 87.[1]