City of Vancouver launches Historical Discrimination Against People of Chinese Descent advisory group

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      In light of International Day to Eliminate Racial Discrimination today (March 21), the City of Vancouver has announced the formation of an eternal advisory group to guide the Historical Discrimination Against People of Chinese Descent (HDC) work and research.

      According to a City of Vancouver press release sent out today, a Council motion that was approved in late 2014 has allowed ongoing research on the laws, regulations and policies of previous Vancouver City Councils that discriminated against people of Chinese descent in the City of Vancouver from 1886 to 1947.

      Some examples include full voting rights not being granted to Chinese-Canadians until 1948; excluding Chinese people from being employed by the City of Vancouver (no Chinese person was employed by the City until 1952); city by-laws restricting where Chinese residents could own and run businesses; and housing covenants being used to prohibit Chinese residents from purchasing property.

      The discrimination imposed against Chinese people by previous Vancouver city councils does not include the federal government’s attempts (the Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act) to limit Chinese people from entering Canada.

      In 1885, Canada passed the Chinese Immigration Act and imposed a head tax of $50 to all Chinese immigrants entering Canada . In 1900, that tax was doubled to $100 and required that all Chinese people leaving Canada must return within a year or face paying the head tax again. In 1903, the Act was amended again and increased the head tax to $500.

      Head tax certificate of Chan Hong–Yee, Vancouver, British Columbia, 1919.
      Chinese Canadian Stories/Royal BC Museum/BC Archives

      The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in 1923, and virtually banned all Chinese immigration to Canada until 1947. This prevented Chinese families from reuniting with one another for many years, and exponentially increased the suffering of Chinese people already living in Canada.  

      Staff working on the HDC research has been consulting with the Vancouver Chinese community, historians, and Chinese community organizations on their findings. Their research on this topic has enabled them to report back to council with recommendations on steps and actions in support of reconciliation, including a public acknowledgement and formal apology.

      The newly launched advisory group will guide the rest of the process and help recommend next steps and actions that should be taken.

      The advisory group has already met twice and includes members from local organizations such as the city's Cultural Communities Advisory Committee and the Mayor's Working Group on Immigration, as well as knowledge experts, veterans, and descendants. Respected senior members of the Chinese community were also invited to join as "honorary" members to provide important perspectives.

      Three public consultation events will be held in May for the public to provide comments that will be used in a draft final report in the fall. These comments will also be considered for a proposed wording of an official apology to Chinese-Canadians, which will likely differ from the B.C Legislature apology in 2014 and Stephen Harper’s apology for the Head Tax in 2006.

      More details are expected to be posted online.

      Follow Tammy Kwan on Twitter @ch0c0tam and Instagram @ch0c0tam.

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