Chinese Head Tax In Canada

The beginning of the Chinese immigration can date back to 1858, around the time of the British Columbia gold rush. The number of Chinese immigrates increased during the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (1881-1885), when they were brought here as cheap laborers. However, instead of showing gratitude toward these people, the Canadian government set out harsh rules in order to “reserve” a “white man’s country” (Prime Minister R.B.Bennett, 1907).
In 1885, the Chinese Immigrate Act was created by the dominion government to discourage Chinese people from coming to Canada. The act states that “every Chinese person that comes to Canada has to pay a head tax of fifty dollars”. This act was amended on 1900 and again on 1903, and the price
In 1993, just before his term ended, Prime Minister Mulroney suggested a redress by “offering individual medallions, a museum wing and other collective measures” (CCNC, The Redressing Campaign). However, the Chinese people rejected this idea almost immediately. When the Liberal came into power under Prime Minister Paul Martin, the federal government had set aside 25 million dollars to redress several communities, including the Chinese people who had payed head tax. Yet, this idea was replaced by the ACE it program and no compensation or apology was given to the discriminated groups. Eventually, the breakthrough came when the current Prime Minister Stephen Harper publically apologized in parliament on June 22, 2006 to all the Chinese immigrates. The government issued “$20,000 payments for each surviving head-tax payers and their spouses.”(Straight, Head-tax redress fails to account for total
One of the workers of the Ontario Coalition of Head Tax Payers and Families said ,"For the government to step up to the plate and say we take responsibility for our wrongs, I think it sends a major message to all Canadians of the kind of values we hold dear." (CBC news, PM unveils redress for head tax on Chinese, Susan Eng). A taxpayer’s son has commented for Harper’s actions, "I think he (Harper)'s doing it for compassion," he said. "At the same time, he recognizes the wrongs done to the Chinese people" (CBC news, PM unveils redress for head tax on Chinese, Jason Pon). However, some people felt that the redress was not complete because “less than 1% Chinese-Canadian head tax families have received a redress settlement” (GungHaggisFatChoy, Keeping a Promise: Sid Tan's work on Chinese head tax redress, Todd Wong). They felt that some redress money should also be given to the “sons, daughters and families of deceased head tax payers” (NowPublic, Vancouver IAM Daily Blog Report: 10,000 Homeless for B.C. Winter, Luongo on Shutout Streak, Chinese Head Tax Redress Addressed, by Inveslogic). The reason for these reactions are clear, most people are delighted because either that they are getting payed for being discriminated or they feel that the government is finally making up their mistakes. The opposite reaction is also reasonable because it has been 121 years since the heads tax was