Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act
For a country that prides itself on multiculturalism, this is very disappointing:
From 1885-1947, the Canadian government legislated racism under the Head Tax and Exclusion Acts. In 1885, the government put a head tax of an initial $50 on each Chinese immigrant in hopes of discouraging them from entering Canada. By 1903, the head tax went up to $500 (2 years pay). The government collected about $23 million from this tax. On JULY 1, 1923, the government passed the Chinese Exclusion Act which stopped Chinese immigration altogether. The act was in effect until 1947.
What I find rather disturbing is that although the Canadian government found Chinese unfit to become Canadian, they were good enough to help build the most dangerous parts of the Canadian Pacific Railway and work in coal mines.
What I also find the most disturbing is the fact that the Canadian government has yet to compensate families for the money they forked over as Head Tax AND has only just promised a formal apology in Parliament.
For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_tax_(Canada)
From 1885-1947, the Canadian government legislated racism under the Head Tax and Exclusion Acts. In 1885, the government put a head tax of an initial $50 on each Chinese immigrant in hopes of discouraging them from entering Canada. By 1903, the head tax went up to $500 (2 years pay). The government collected about $23 million from this tax. On JULY 1, 1923, the government passed the Chinese Exclusion Act which stopped Chinese immigration altogether. The act was in effect until 1947.
What I find rather disturbing is that although the Canadian government found Chinese unfit to become Canadian, they were good enough to help build the most dangerous parts of the Canadian Pacific Railway and work in coal mines.
What I also find the most disturbing is the fact that the Canadian government has yet to compensate families for the money they forked over as Head Tax AND has only just promised a formal apology in Parliament.
For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_tax_(Canada)
# posted by Anonymous @ 9:19 PM 
