The Chinese Canadian National Council has rejected the apology offered to the Chinese community for the historical wrongs visited upon their ancestors.
Last Thursday, May 15th, the provincial government of British Columbia officially apologized to its Chinese community for historical policies that targeted immigrants and residents.
Victor Wong, Executive Director of the CCNC responded immediately. In a letter to the all of the Members of the British Columbia legislature he outlined the council’s objections to the provincial government’s apology.
In the letter Mr. Wong said the government is “profiting from racism”.
The federal government imposed a $50 head tax on Chinese immigrants in 1885 when Chinese workers were no longer needed to work on the Canadian Pacific Railway.
In 1903 the head-tax was increased to $500. And for 24 years, from 1923 until 1947, the Exclusion Act prevented Chinese people from coming to Canada. It wasn’t until 1967 that restrictions were finally eased.
“The Chinese have a long history in Canada. It’s been a bitter one.” Victor Wong
More than 90 per cent of Chinese immigration to Canada has come through the pacific province of British Columbia. Like many other immigrants, the Chinese first arrived in the 1850’s drawn by the Fraser Valley Gold Rush.
In 1872, the Chinese were no longer allowed to vote, a prohibition that continued until 1949 in British Columbia. Over the years the B.C. government received $8.5 million from the federal government, which was half the total head-taxed collected.
Carmel Kilkenny spoke with Victor Wong about the historical context of this failed apology and what the CCNC would like to see happen to move forward
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