VANCOUVER—Ottawa is reaching out to youth and the Chinese community in order to increase understanding of the impact of Canada’s discriminatory policies toward Chinese immigrants in the first half of the 20th century.
“The Head Tax and other immigration restrictions that affected Chinese-Canadians are an unfortunate chapter in our history and deserve recognition,” said Parliamentary Secretary Alice Wong in a press release.
To honour the contributions of Chinese-Canadians and to raise awareness of the notorious Head Tax and other policies that limited Chinese immigration between 1885 and 1947, the government launched four projects announced last week by Dr. Wong on behalf of Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.
The projects will also seek to honour the work of those who challenged discrimination and sought redress.
Four institutions will deliver the projects funded under the government’s Community Historical Recognition Program (CHRP). Simon Fraser University (SFU) will receive $200,000, while the University of British Columbia, the Metro Toronto Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic, and the Toronto Community and Culture Centre will each receive $50,000.
“Underneath the Head Tax, there are some important issues including inclusiveness, democracy, and participation,” said Rick Walker, SFU’s Learning and Instructional Development Centre (LIDC) video producer and project coordinator.
“[The project] will examine the impact of the Head Tax on Canadian culture in relation to other restrictive immigration policies. It’s going to look at it from a historical perspective, but also a broader perspective, such as its relevance to today.”
