Harper calls for apology to Chinese Canadians

[Machjo]

Harper calls for apology to Chinese-Canadians
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-01-27 06:57



The Prime Minister-designate of Canada, Stephen Harper, speaks at a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Harper said that Chinese-Canadians "deserved" an apology for state-sponsored racism that sparked a century-old row. [AFP]
Prime minister-elect Stephen Harper said that Chinese-Canadians "deserved" an apology for state-sponsored racism that sparked a century-old row.

"Chinese-Canadians are making an extraordinary impact on the building of our country. They've also made a significant historical contribution despite many obstacles," Harper said in his first address since winning a general election.

"The Chinese-Canadian community deserves an apology for the head tax and appropriate acknowledgment and redress. On this occasion, I would like to take the opportunity to wish all Canadians of Chinese descent a healthy and prosperous New Year," he said

The Chinese New Year starts Sunday.

Prior to 1930, more than 80,000 Chinese immigrants were forced to pay a special tax to enter Canada, of as much as 500 Canadian dollars (US$433), or two years' salary.

Now, their descendants want redress for the tax, which was imposed only on people from China by officials scared by a massive wave of immigration.

Long-time protests against the measures reached deafening levels during the election campaign, 125 years after they began, as candidates mined for votes among the country's one million Chinese-Canadians.

Many politicians have already personally apologized or promised to apologize for the head tax.

However, many Chinese-Canadians want those elected to formally stand up in Parliament to issue a formal apology and offer victims and their families compensation.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2006-01/27/content_515938.htm

 

[Lotuslander]

The Chinese-Canadian community deserves an apology for the head tax and appropriate acknowledgment and redress.

Stephen Harper

I disagree with this. We can't chnage the past. Chinese Canadians came to Canada of their own volition and paid the head tax of their own free will. This is totally different than the internment of the Japanese Canadians and Ukraininans Canadians during the First and Second World Wars of which they had no control over. Today Canada still imposes entry fees on immigrants, is this wrong? Of course not. Candians a hundred years ago had a different notion of what Canada should be and most people did not believe Canada should be a multi-cultural country, they thought it should be a British country and a French country, is this racist, yes it is. Did they have a right to restrict immigration to this country? Yes they did, just as today Canada has that same right to restrict the number of immigrants and refugees we accept. Indeed, Canada today does not accept all those whop apply to enter this country there is a very defined entry processing regimine. Those with better education or family in this country are placed in a higher priority to enter Canada than those with low education or low skills. Is this discrimination? Yes it is. So why do we do it? because it conforms to our values and needs as a society.

Therefore I do not see the point of compensating and apologising to people who of their own free will decided to enter Canada and pay a fee for doing so. Yes it was a racist system and this blemish on our history should be highlighted in museums but, at the end of the day I have little sympathy for people who had a choice. They chose to do what they did and I am sure they are glad they decided to pay the head tax.

 

[cortez]

i would have to agree with harper on this one-- and we dont often agree

an apology is in order for this disgusting behaviour

for all the wonderfull contributions that chineese canadians have made to this country you would think they would be shown some gratitude

in order to put the past behind us-- one should resolve this outstanding debt---

apologize and compensate
and also thank them..

 

[turubawebmaster]

I also have to agree with harper on this one

Chinese Canadians have helped us build our railroads in the past... I think we owe the Chinese a lot for the history

 

[DurkaDurka]

Apology;Yes. Compenation ; No

 

[Curiosity]

The Chinese were treated as badly in the U.S. and until the mis 60s were not even allowed to own property in San Francisco - they had very little rights at all for being such a pacific and hardworking group of immigrants.

Perhaps they should consult with Vicente Fox's "immigrant policy" for invasion and immersion into another nation....the people from Mexico seem to have outwitted the U.S.

 

[MikeyDB]

Could you outline that policy for people unfamiliar with it Curiosity?

 

[Curiosity]

MikeyDB

Seeking to increase his economic wealth, Vicente Fox (I am not familiar with what his predecessor practiced and have no idea who actually won the more recent election)...so I'll use Fox as the example:

Fox should have sought to strength Mexico's wealth by wooing corporate giants to invest in the huge
labor force Mexico provides. While it is slave labor, it nevertheless is the strong selling point with which
the U.S. was wooed into providing slave labor jobs in agriculture primarily to the easily deported Mexicans - even to the point of emptying his jails of felons and having them migrate to the U.S.

There were jobs but the Mexicans were never given any status and were expected to send their earnings unnecessary for the "goods of living" back home to build the Mexican economy. Fox has generated a singularly wealthy influx of money from these undocumented people of his land - I wonder if the intended families ever see the money at all.

The U.S. farmers and growers saw this as a cheap labor source (to me it is still another slavery solution), and it has continued for years. Now second and third generation migrants have educated themselves and have legalized their status and become active participants in the electoral process especially in the southern states, but the neverending and overwhelming migration continues.

The undocumented slaves from the south (now including Central and South American refugees) has caused a huge problem for the people of the U.S. because they now have to educate and take care of the health, nutrition and housing needs of these people as well.

It continues unabated without a solution in sight. Politicians hate to make laws against this migration because they are threatened for the loss of votes by the activitists.... and the beat goes on...

The U.S. is rapidly (100% in governmental services) becoming bi-lingual, in voting, in schooling, etc. etc. and the hard working and bright Latino people are making huge inroads.... but are still illegal and not contributing their fare share to the economy in the way of taxes which pay for schooling and medical necessities for example.

Google is filled with the games Fox has place and there is really no "policy" as such.... other than ship them over the line.... including felons unwanted in Mexico.... poverty class members (because Fox only wants his pure races and the mixed people are unwelcome in his world), and of course the usual drug runners.

The people in the U.S. have such a huge burden supporting this free migration - the issue has become one of making or breaking parties at election times now.

It would have been far more humane and economically feasible to have developed Mexico for its people to remain in their land and go about the business of self-improvement and improvement of their country's
source of income.

I won't go farther because I see on another topic you have pretty much assigned labels to many of the members here....therefore....I won't spend more time....

Anything said about the migration problem of Latinos makes great fodder for those who cry racism...when it is not.... it is slavery being practiced by the Mexican leaders while the U.S. becomes a willing participant.