Chinese Canadians Seek Lunar New Year Resolution on Head Tax Redress

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chinese Canadians Seek Lunar New Year Resolution on Head Tax Redress
 
January
21, 2006 (Vancouver). Redress-seeking groups including the Chinese
Canadian National Council and the Association of Chinese Canadians for
Equality and Solidarity (ACCESS) support the open letter written by
Canadians for Redress to all 4 party leaders urging them to work
cooperatively in the new Parliament to resolve the longstanding head
tax redress issue.
 
Canadian for Redress made up of prominent Canadians are asking all four leaders to start the process of reconciliation by
jointly issuing an apology on behalf of the
Canadian
Government on or before Lunar New Year on January 29, 2006. This is to
be followed by an all-party Parliamentary acknowledgement when
Parliament is recalled.
 
Prime
Minister Paul Martin and Conservative Leader Stephen Harper are
expected in Vancouver on Sunday. “We are urging all Party leaders to
start the process of reconciliation so that we may finally close this
dark chapter in Canadian history,” Sid Tan, ACCESS President said.
“Lunar New Year is upon us: a time for family, reconciliation and hope.”
 
CCNC
is urging all Canadians and especially Chinese Canadians to participate
in this important vote. The polls open at 7am on January 23rd and close
at 7pm and Canadians can vote at their local polling station even if
they have not received their voter card. “Our community has spoken
loudly and forcefully on the Head Tax redress issue: now is the time to
participate in the vote,” Victor Wong, CCNC Executive Director said
today. “We urge all eligible Chinese Canadians to exercise their right
to vote on January 23rd. Our community of over 1 million account for as
much as 40% of constituents in some key ridings and all voters will
have a hand in determining the makeup of the new Parliament.”
 
CCNC
is a national human rights organization with 27 chapters across Canada.
We are joined in this grassroots-driven campaign for redress of the
Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act by redress-seeking groups including
the Ontario Coalition of Chinese Head Tax Payers and Families, B.C.
Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants, the Chinese
Canadian Redress Alliance, the ACCESS Association of Chinese Canadians
for Equality and Solidarity Society and the Metro Toronto Chinese and
South East Asian Legal Clinic.
 
– 30 –


For more information and media interviews, please contact:
Sid Tan, Vancouver, 604-433-6169 / 604-783-1853, sidtan@telus.net
Victor Wong, Vancouver, 647-285-2262, victorywong@yahoo.com

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