Toronto Star: Toronto Chinese head tax community meets with Bev Oda for consultation

Toronto Star: Toronto Chinese head tax community meets with Bev Oda for consultation

Apr. 22, 2006. 01:00 AM

Chinese keep up head-tax pressure
Families address officials who will shape redress plan
Government has promised apology for `discriminatory acts'

by NICHOLAS KEUNG

IMMIGRATION/DIVERSITY REPORTER

 More than 400 people showed up at a consultation in Toronto last night to give federal Heritage Minister Bev Oda an earful over the new government's Chinese head-tax redress plan.

Since Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced in the throne speech earlier this month that Canada would offer an apology in Parliament to people who paid the head tax and their families, the Chinese Canadian community has been holding its own public meetings across the country.

The Ontario Coalition of Head Tax Payers and Families and its national counterparts have registered 600 people, including eight head-tax payers — all now 98 to 106 years old — and 92 surviving spouses.

Some 81,000 Chinese paid $23 million to enter Canada under the head-tax scheme between 1885 and 1923, when the Chinese Exclusion Act was enacted to bar Chinese immigrants altogether. The act wasn't repealed until 1947.

Speaking before the closed-door consultation, Oda acknowledged the “racially biased and discriminatory acts of the government at that time” and stressed this government's commitment to issue an apology and redress.

Yesterday's meeting was the second in a series by the Oda and Jason Kenney (Calgary Southeast) to seek opinions from the Chinese community on the redress package, to be completed by the end of the year. Other stops include Halifax, Montreal, Vancouver and Edmonton.

Linda Ing, 67, was born in China but didn't join father Ralph Lung Kee Lee in Canada until she was 12 in 1952. The Pickering woman said she was thrilled to share her family's story with Oda.

“It'd be nice for Dad to get an apology when he's still alive. He deserves an apology for all the sacrifices that he made to send his family and relatives here,” said Ing, whose father, now 106, arrived here in 1912 with two uncles, then 9 and 5. All worked on the railroad.

  
“Head Tax Redress is coming,”Jason Kenney and Conservative Government tells Vancouver Chinese-Canadian Community at head tax issues consultation meeting.
 


Todd Wong, Joy Kogawa, Cynthia Lam
and Jason Kenney – Parliamentary Secretary on Multiculturalism. 
Prior to the consultation, I introduced Kenney to Joy and Cynthia, both
Order of Canada recipients – photo Albert Tsui.




“Head Tax redress is coming,” promised Parliamentary Secretary on
Multiculturalism Jason Kenney.  “We are not going to consult,
consult and consult.  Expect an announcement in a few weeks. 
And then another announcement about more details of a redress
package.  The government wants to move quickly on this
matter.  We will accept submissions for the next two weeks.”



The atmosphere was fairly jubilant as Jason Kenney wrapped up the
evening, by addressing the Chinese-Canadian community at the Gateway
Theatre in Richmond BC.  Approximately 30 speakers had adressed
the Parliamentary Secretary sitting beside top ranked Canadian Heritage
staff including Linda Johnston, Director of BC/Yukon, Western Region.



“We are not going to make a redress package that everybody will be
happy with,” said Kenney in his closing remarks.  “But we will
have something that includes an apology and is fair and just, and
recognizes that racism was instituitional.”




Sandra Chan moderates as Kenney sits
with Heritage Canada regional directors, anticipating the outpouring of
stories to come – photo Todd Wong




Charlie Quan and Joe Chow, both head-tax payers, were introduced to the
audience to  loud applause.  Joe's son spoke about the
urgency for redress, saying that his father is now 98 years old. 
Charlie said that $500 in 1923 could be a small house or
two, and that the equivalent should be made in compensation, suggesting a figure of $350,000.  



There was a decidedly split political view between speakers, as
the National Congress of Chinese Canadians, Vancouver School Board
trustee Don Lee, and the Chinese Canadian
veterans took the stance to honour the Agreement-in-Principal that they
had signed with the Liberal government.  Don Lee, an NCCC member,
was loudly booed after he stated that he and his father did not
consider themselves “victims” because of the racist legislation, and
that his father had willingly paid the tax to have a better life in
Canada.



One speaker said that the aborted ACE program which had initially stood
for Acknowledgement, Commemoration and Education, now stood for
Apology, Compensation and Exclusion – because of the government's
refusal so far to recognize descendants as directly affected, limiting
compensation to only head tax payers and spouses, many of whom have
died in the past 20 years.



Most of the audience favoured some form of individual compensation with
members of the BC Coalition of Head Tax
Payers, the Chinese Benevolent Association, and ACCESS, all touting a 2
stage view of apology and immediate compensation for surviving head tax
payers and spouses, with compensation for descendents to be negotiated
next.



BC Coalition members Thekla Lit, Daniel Lee, Harvey Lee, Foon Yee,
Gabriel Yui, George Jung, Bill Chu, Karin Lee and myself all
spoke.  Each added different dimensions of suffering and hardship
endured by the head tax payers, spouses and their descendants. 
Thekla  emphasized the human rights aspects, while Harvey,
Karin and Daniel emphasized the hardships on their familes. 
George presented a list of known head tax payers and spouses in
BC.  Bill Chu emphasized that true redress is a healing for the
community, for the history, for the emotions, and that it is spiritual. 



Gabriel outlined the framework for reconciliation and asked for
everybody who supported it to please stand.  About 80% to 90% of
the 500 strong audience then rose to their feet and started clapping.



Sid Tan, spoke in his role as president of ACCESS, Association of
Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity.  He stated that he
has worked on redress for 20 years.  He told how his grandmother
had been left in China by his grandfather, because he could not bring
her to Canada, and how she called him “useless,” because she did not
understand implications of the Exclusion Act.  Tan also criticized
the NCCC for signing the AiP document which contained the preconditions
of “No apology” and “No Compensation,” and said that the NCCC should be
ashamed of themselves.  This brought on audience calls of “Shame!”
directed at the NCCC.

When it came to my turn to speak, I chose to introduce some great
Asian Canadians in the
audience.  I introduced Gim Wong, who rode his motorcycle across
Canada from Victoria to Ottawa to ask Prime Minister Martin for an
apology on head tax, but was denied a meeting, and was ignored when
Martin came to Vancouver to announce the AiP.  I also introduced
Cynthia Ho Lam, Order of Canada
recipient, and who has worked long and hard in the Montreal community
and for head tax redress.

Cynthia Ho Lam (right) speaks with Larry Chow, son of head tax payer Joe Chow.  Head Tax payer Charlie Quan is in the back ground (center) – photo Todd Wong


I gave recognition to the veterans who fought for our country, even
when they couldn't vote, and introduced my Grand-Uncle Daniel Lee, who
as a
war veteran has recieved the highest awards for community service and
merit, and who has written letters to Parliament asking for an apology
each year .  It was his grand father (my great-great-grandfather)
Rev.
Chan Yu Tan, who had led the successful appeal for Wong Foon Sing, when
he was wrongfully accuses of the Janet Smith murder in Vancouver. 
I explained that in those days, the courts were so prejudiced against
Chinese that the unlikely chance of being successful in court was
termed “Chinaman's Chance.”  I pointed out that for the last 20
years, the federal government has consistenly rebuffed calls for head
tax redress, and stated we had a Chinaman's Chance for success.

I also introduced Joy Kogawa, author of Obasan, member of
the Japanese Canadian redress movement of the 1980's, and Order of Canada
recipient.  I stated that in my role as a member of the Save Kogawa House
committee, I have learned so much about the Japanese Canadian redress
process from Joy.  It is an opportunity for healing, as both the
Chinese and Japanese communities have suffered such negative
identities. 



“When I spoke at Vancouver City Council, asking them to help save
Kogawa House, I told them that when the Japanese Canadians were
interned, the Chinese were afraid that if Canada went to war with
China, they could be rounded up and interned too,” I addressed the
panel.  “They tried their best to be 'Good Canadians' and not get
into trouble.



“For our children's children, we must create the kind of world where
they will never be told that they are worthless and unwanted because
their grandparents had to pay a head tax, and that Canada did not want
them.   For years Chinese did not have the vote or the
ability to determine our lives, we need self-determination.  For
head tax redress, we need self determination.”





Ed Lee WW2 veteran is a good friend
of my Uncle Dan.  Sitting behind us are Tekla Lit and Gabriel Yui,
my friends of the BC Coalition.



As I made my way back to my seat, I shook hands with some of the
veterans including my Uncle Dan and Howe Lee, as well as Raymond Leung,
president of the Chinese Benevolent Association, congratulating me on a
good talk.  I took my seat beside Joy Kogawa, and
she also complimented me on my talk.



“This is amazing,” she told me.  “There are so many people
here.  We never had a community turnout like this,” as she
recalled the Japanese Canadian redress movement.  “This is so
exciting that it is happening so quickly… there were opposing groups
back then, and they would have been booed too.”



Ellen Crowe-Swords, a third generation Japanese-Canadian also on our
Save Kogawa House Committee, spoke after me.  I love Ellen, she
like Joy, is an amazing person that recognizes the hurts still deep in
the Japanese Community.  Ellen says that many people are still in
denial, and refuse to believe that they were victimized in the process.



“I saw what the redress issue did to the Japanese community,” stated
Ellen, “It divided the community.  It's important for you to work
together and promote healing.”



“But I have to tell you something,”Ellen shared with the audience, “When I recieved my $22,000… it sure felt good!”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NAMES OF CHINESE HEAD TAX
PAYERS DELIVERED

TO MINISTER OF CANADIAN
HERITAGE

TORONTO/VANCOUVER, April
21, 2006 – Chinese Canadians welcome direct consultations
with Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Government on an apology and
appropriate redress for 62 years of legislated racism under the Head Tax and
the Chinese Exclusion Act.

Tonight, Minister of Canadian Heritage Bev Oda
will meet with Chinese Canadian families who were affected by the Head Tax and
Exclusion Act at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time.

On the West Coast, Parliamentary Secretary on Multiculturalism Jason Kenney will hold a similar meeting at the
Gateway Theatre, 6500 Gilbert Road,
in Richmond, B.C.,
from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
local time.
          
Several hundred people are expected to attend each event in Toronto and in Richmond
where Chinese Canadians will be invited to tell their stories. “There has
been a groundswell of support for redress and for these consultations after so
many years of injustice and struggle to right this historic wrong,” says
Avvy Go, Legal Counsel for the Ontario Coalition of Chinese Head Tax
Payers and Families (Ontario Coalition).
          
“Since the Throne Speech, when the Prime Minister promised a
Parliamentary apology for the Head Tax, we have been overwhelmed with calls
from surviving Head Tax payers, their spouses and families,” says Victor
Wong, Executive Director of the Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC).

“Many holders of Head Tax certificates have left their contact
information with us and we will be delivering their contact information to the
Government during these cross-country consultations,” Wong added.
          
Since last fall in Ontario alone,
the Ontario Coalition
and CCNC national office have received updated information from nearly 400
people who were affected by the Head Tax (1885-1923) and Exclusion Act
(1923-1947), including six surviving Head Tax
payers – aged 98 to 106 years old – and 59
surviving spouses.
          
The B.C. Coalition
of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendents and the Association of Chinese
Canadians for Equality and Solidarity (ACCESS) in Vancouver have collected 200 names, including
2 head tax payers and 33 surviving spouses and will also pass the information on
to the Government.
         
“It’s a measure of the Government’s commitment to not
only deal with the few surviving Head Tax Payers and spouses on an urgent basis
but also hear from all those directly affected by this historic injustice that
they are now willing to directly consult with the Chinese Canadian community on
appropriate redress,” says Susan Eng,
Co-Chair of the Ontario Coalition.
“It is also in line with the Framework for Reconciliation proposed by our
organizations so we are very hopeful that there will be a resolution by July 1^st.”
 
“We have committed to helping the government reach Head Tax
families by immediately delivering all contact information given to us and
remind the community that no community organization has any official status to
collect or register names. People may contact Canadian Heritage
directly.” added Eng.
“Once we know the exact government office responsible for receiving this
information, we will post it on our web site: www.headtaxredress.org
.”
          

          
–30–

 

For more information, please contact:

Ontario
Coalition of Chinese Head Tax Payers and Families
Susan Eng, Co-Chair, (416) 960-0312 (Toronto); (647) 988-3595 cell
Avvy Go, Legal Counsel, (416) 971-9674 (Toronto); (647) 271-9357 cell
George Lau, Co-Chair (416) 588-1751 (Toronto)
Yew Lee, Co-Chair, (819) 827-3357 (Ottawa)
 
Chinese Canadian National Council
Dr. Joseph Wong, CCNC Founding President, (416) 806-0082 (Toronto)
Colleen Hua, National President, (647) 299-1775 (Toronto)
Victor Wong, Executive Director, (416) 977-9871 (Toronto); (647) 285-2262 cell      

BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants
Gabriel
Yiu, Chinese-language spokesperson (604) 889-0696 (Vancouver)
Karin Lee, English-language spokesperson (778) 773-1088 (Vancouver)
Harvey Lee, English-language spokesperson (604) 254-7137 (Vancouver) 

Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity
Sid Tan, President/ CCNC National Director, (604) 783-1853 (Vancouver)

Chinese Canadian Redress Alliance

William Dere (514) 488-0804 (Montreal)
Walter Tom (514) 341-3929 (Montreal)

 

Edmonton Chinese HTEA Redress
Committee

Kenda Gee, Chair, (780)
487-3536 (Edmonton)

 
Sien Lok Society of Calgary
Raymond Lee, Past President, (403)
288-3903 (Calgary)

 
Saskatchewan Chinese Head Tax Redress Committee
Sam Gee, Chair, (306) 586-7579 (Regina)
Choon Yong, Vice-Chair, (306) 586-9663 (Regina)

Halifax Chinese Redress Committee
May Lui,
Chairperson, (902) 423-7802

 
For details on the Framework for Reconciliation and background news
articles, please visit our website at: www.headtaxredress.org

 

A Daughter ‘s Sorrow

by    Rebecca Tam –
Granddaughter of a Head Tax payer

Ever since I was a little girl growing up in
Hong Kong in the 1960’s, there was nothing I worried more about than the
sight of the postman trotting down our street with the mail in his hands.

The scene that followed was all too familiar
to all of us: Mom would sign for the registered mail and the postman would hand
over a thick letter from Canada
to her.  Mom would go into her room,
open the letter and sob while she read and re-read carefully every single line
from her parents who were living in Canada. My mom clung to every word
in those letters as if her very own existence depended on it. And who could
blame her? Only through these words and scenes that were described in these
bi-weekly letters, was she able to get a glimpse of what life would be like
with a father and a mother. She could hardly imagine what life would like with
a dad. My mom had not seen my grandpa since the day she was born.

I was born in Macau, but my grandparents were
from Canton, China. Both of my grandfathers went
to North America hoping to better themselves and find gainful employment overseas. In fact, my
maternal great-grandfather came to work in Canada and grandfather followed
him.

Grandpa landed in Vancouver, on April 18, 1918, paying the $500.00 head tax
upon stepping on to Canadian soil. He was 15 years old, a young man eager to
work, learn and start a new life in the land of milk and honey. However, life
was not easy in this strange new land. Chinese workers were discriminated
against and employment opportunities were limited to difficult jobs with long
hours, generally unwanted menial labour or dangerous
jobs, such as laundry workers, domestic servants and railroad workers.

Grandpa worked extremely hard and after years
of labouring in Canada,
he was able to save enough money to go back to China in 1925 where he found
himself a blushing young bride. Grandpa sailed across the Pacific Ocean; he and
Grandma were married that year in China. Grandpa might have had a
premonition of the political events to come for he stayed as long as he could
with his new bride. The new couple had a long honeymoon and Grandpa stayed
almost a year in China
after the wedding.

My grandpa left China
for Canada
in 1926, shortly after my mother was born. 
After returning to Canada,
Grandpa spent every ounce of his energy and waking moments working, trying to
save enough money to bring his new wife and baby daughter to Canada. He spent a lot of time and
money travelling to town to see the lawyers and he
made numerous appeals to his M.P. asking for help, but all to no avail.

1923 – 1947 – The darkest period
in Canada’s
history when our government openly and legally discriminated against Chinese
immigrants.  Due to the Chinese
Exclusion Act, there was no way for Grandpa or any Chinese person living in Canada to bring family members to Canada
during this more than 20 year period.

Grandpa was a very determined hard worker.
His dream was to be reunited with his family to provide for them. Even with the
very limited opportunities afforded to Chinese workers at the time, Grandpa was
able to find employment and save enough money to open his own restaurant in Bearmore, Ontario. He consistently sent letters and
money to China
to support and care for his wife and daughter. Meanwhile, my mother was growing
up fatherless in China.
Her constant and only hope since childhood was that one day she would meet her
father and get to know him, a wonderful, generous and caring man, as everyone
who knew Grandpa kept telling her.

My parents got married in 1945. But there was
no possibility for my mother or any one of us to immigrate to Canada.

After WWII, the Chinese Exclusion Act was
finally abolished in 1947. Grandpa was granted full Canadian citizenship on February 5, 1952. He could
now apply to bring his family to Canada.

After a separation of 27 years from her
husband, having raised her only daughter on her own, and going through many red
tapes, Grandma was finally allowed to come and join Grandpa in Canada
in 1953.

I could never imagine what was going through
Grandpa and Grandma’s mind when they met each other again. The last time
they saw each other, they were a newly married couple. The second time they saw
each other again, they were grandparents themselves with grey hair.

How much suffering and loneliness had they
endured? How many possible happy memories and precious time had been stolen
from them in these 27 years?

Unfortunately, my Grandparents were not to be
reunited with their family due to further immigration restrictions. My mother,
who was then 26 years old, a married woman with children of her own, was not
allowed to come to Canada.
The reason: she was an adult, no longer a dependent,
therefore, she was not qualified to come as a dependent child.

Again, the letters went back and forth
between Canada and Hong Kong – still the only link between Grandpa and
Mom. More tears were shed every time when the postman arrived.  Grandpa kept trying to bring us to Canada
and to fulfill his life-long dream of seeing his only daughter and now his 7
grandchildren as well.  However, the
immigration process was not going smoothly even though by then Grandpa was very
well established in the community and was a proud owner of a very successful
restaurant employing many workers.

The Canadian Government started to open the
doors to non-European immigrants in 1967 when we could apply as a family to
immigrate to Canada.
However, the selection process was lengthy and the criteria were strenuous.

Finally, we received news at the beginning of
1971 that our whole family, all nine of us, had been granted immigrant status.
There was a lot of excitement preparing for our move to Canada. My mother was bubbly,
elated and hardly able to contain her girlish anticipation and happiness of
meeting her father at last for the first time. “Oh, there is so much
catching up to do! And your Grandpa will spoil you children rotten since he has
never had a chance to play with his only child. But he will have all 7
grandchildren to play with!” 
Mom was sharing her happiness with us as our family prepared our move to
Canada
in July, allowing us to finish school in June.

1971 – A day in March, the saddest day in our
family history. The postman came and the familiar scene repeated for the
umpteenth time. Except this time, within minutes after Mom went into her room,
she let out the most horrifying and ear piercing wailing I had ever heard.  My mother was sobbing uncontrollably. My
Dad and my older siblings went into her room to find out what had
happened.  More crying and sobbing
came from the rest of my family. Oh, my God, what had happened? Why was everyone
crying as if the sky had fallen?

“Your grandfather had a heart attack
and died recently. He was 65,” my father announced to us.  I had never seen my mother so sad in my
entire life. Her life-long dream of seeing her father was shattered. Her whole
world was caving in and she did not see any meaning in life and she saw no hope
at all. Mom stayed in her room all day and night and sobbed for days. She
refused to eat; she refused to come out of her room or to be consoled. She
didn’t understand why life was so cruel to her. All her life, she didn’t
ask for wealth or anything, but just a chance to say, “Hi Dad, how are
you?” in person. She had been robbed of a father, deprived of a normal
family life and an opportunity of knowing the most important, wonderful and
caring person in her life.

O Grandpa, thank you for everything you have
done for us. I am sorry I never had the opportunity to meet you or know you. I
know you must have been a terrific person and the best Grandpa anyone could
have. Even though you have been gone since 1971, on many occasions, and
recently, I still run into people who knew you from before and they
couldn’t stop talking about your kindness, generosity and your
restaurant. Grandpa, I know you would have been very proud of Mom and your 7
grandchildren and many great grandchildren. We have all grown up and we are
doing really well. Thank you for being coming to Canada, and enduring so much
suffering and pain so that we can enjoy our rights and privileges now.  We love you and we will never forget
you.

Your granddaughter,

Rebecca Tam
Toronto
April 20, 2006

 

April 19th – Head Tax information meeting at SUCCESS


Almost 300 people showed up at SUCCESS building's Choi Hall and created
standing room only at the Head Tax information meeting organized by the
BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses, Descendants and
Supporters. 

The meeting was organized to inform head tax families that
Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney, would be
coming to the Vancouver area, and holding a Town Hall style
consultation with the Chinese Canadian community for:

Kenney and Minister of Canadian Heritage Bev Oda, are holding similar meetings across Canada.

BC Coalition organizers George Jung, Karin Lee and Gabriel Yui spoke to
the audience.  They told people that an apology was coming, and
that the BC Coalition is working with other Coalitions across Canada
and the Chinese Canadian National Council, to help establish a 2 stage
framework:  An official apology and compensation for suriving head
tax payers and spouses before July 1st, and a second stage after July
1st to negotiate compensation for descendants of head tax payers.

There was excellent turnout and positive response from the people who showed up. 
We had to turn a few people away from the door, and lock the doors,
only letting people in when others left.  Many people were thanking us,
as we saw them out the door at the meeting's close.

Larry Wong was on hand to explain how people could search for head tax
documentation on microfilm at the Vancouver Public Library, History
department.  It is challenging searching for exact information as
it is by date, not names.

Dr. Henry Yu was on hand to explain that his project of creating a data
base of head tax documentation will hopefully be on-line by June. 
This project will help users search by date, names, place of landing
etc.

A lot of people wanted to “register” their certificates and find
out how to search for certificate information.  Registration forms
were given out, that also listed the type of head tax
certification. 

Gordon Mark had set up a scanner to record head tax certificates and photo copies of certificates.

The BC Coalition emphasized that the important thing is to tell Jason
Kenney about the hardships that head tax payers, their spouses and
descendants had to endure.  It is not simply a head tax
issue.  The Exclusion Act of 1923 to 1947, was even more
prohibitive to Chinese immigration.  It effectively banned Chinese
immigration to Canada, preventing families from being united – which
was allowed for all other immigrants except Chinese.

It was great to see so many people from the Chinese Canadian community
attend the meeting.  Gim Wong, the WW2 veteran who rode his
motorcycle from Victoria to Ottawa and Montreal was there. 

Libby Davies, the MP for Vancouver East, and a champion for Chinese
Head Tax redress, was enthusiastically greeted by many people in the
audience who saw her.

Everybody was encouraged to attend the April 21st meeting at Gateway Theatre.  Start time is 7pm, but get there early.

Buses will meet at 5pm outside Starbucks at Tinsel Town, arranbed by
the BC Coalition.  There will be 3 buses.  Buses also are
being arranged by the NCCC and meet at CCC.

For more information on Chinese head tax redress check:
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/ChineseHeadTaxissues
GimWongsRideforRedress