On Friday June 30, 2000 delegates from Tamsui, Taiwan arrived in Oxford County to make official the twinning between their city and the County of Oxford. Ceremonies included a signing of an agreement and planting of a tree, both in the front yard of the courthouse in Woodstock, Ontario.

The link between the two communities goes back to Dr. George Leslie Mackay, a Canadian missionary born in Zorra Township, who founded the Oxford College in Tamsui in 1882. It was because of this unique connection that the two communities decided to promote sisterhood.

This international alliance will mean the exchange of educational, cultural and administrative experience and allow a chance to promote each area. It will also provide a chance to accelerate the modernization of the two communities, advancing the friendly ties between Canada and Taiwan.

View the Agreement

Letters from Taiwan

Signing Ceremony

Procession: Motorcycle Escort	Ontario Provincial Police Colour Guard	Ingersoll Pipe and Drum Corps, Drum Major Gail Mackay
O Canada Sung by Members of the Oxford/Zorra Girls Tug of War Team	Colour Guard Salute	View of the Crowd
Proclamation: Town Crier, Doug Turvey	Opening Remarks: David Oliphant, Warden, Oxford County Co-Chair, Canadian Mackay Committee	Oliphant with Rev. Danny Huang
Special Guest: Dr. Chen	Presentation of Taiwan's Mackay Stamp to Oxford Dignataries	Guest Speaker: John Finlay, Member of Parliament for Oxford
Guest Speaker: Ernie Hardeman, Member of Provincial Parliament for Oxford	Guest Speaker: William Semeniuk, Mayor of Zorra Township	Guest Speaker: John Geoghegan, Mayor of City of Woodstock
A Hymn is Sung	Historical Address: Dr. Alvyn Austin, Professor of History, York University	Remarks from the Ontario Heritage Foundation: Beth Hanna
Unveiling of the Plaque	Mackay Family Representatives	Reverend George Leslie Mackay, 1844-1901
The Mackay Plaque in Matheson Park, Embro	The Mackay Plaque	Visitors from Tamsui
Planting of the Ginkgo Tree	Two Mackays

Tug of War at the Embro Highland Games

Tug of War on July 1, 2000, at Embro.