The
Redress for the highly discriminatory Chinese head tax, designed to
deter Chinese from coming to Canada, is finally moving ahead. The
Conservative government apologized and announced plans for redress back
on June 22nd, but no clear plan was in process yet.
The government has still limited redress only to surviving head tax
payers and spouses, despite calls from head tax redress and human
rights activists to compensate all families who paid the head tax. The
Chinese Canadian National Council and the BC Coalition for Head Tax
Payers, Spouses and Families is still calling for one payment for each
certificate, as a direct symbolic redress. Over $23 Million was
collected in the Chinese Head Tax, enough to pay for the building of
the trans-Canada railway, when only Chinese were deliberately
targeted. No other ethnic group was discriminated against in this
way to deter them from coming to Canada.
Immediate Release
August 29, 2006
Redress Application Process Announced
for Head Tax Payers
CCNC Seeks Inclusion of All Head Tax Families
TORONTO: The Government of
Canada today released the application process for Chinese Head Tax payers
living as of February 6, 2006. As per the redress announcement of June 22,
2006, living Head Tax payers who paid the Dominion of Canada Head Tax
(1885-1923) or the Dominion of Newfoundland Head Tax (1906-1949) are eligible
for ex-gratia payments of $20,000. Please see: http://www.pch.gc.ca/newsroom/index_e.cfm?fuseactionfiltered=displayDocument&DocIDCd=CBO060709
“The Canadian Government has today
taken the first concrete step in implementing the redress announcement of June
22nd,” Colleen Hua, CCNC National President said today.
“We urge the Canadian Government to be inclusive of all head tax families
in this process of reconciliation and extend redress payments to families where
the Head Tax payer and spouse have both passed away.”
CCNC and redress-seeking groups have
identified 34 head tax payers across
Canada this year and will endeavour
to contact the surviving head tax payers and their families. “Already one
Head Tax payer we identified has passed away but his estate will be
eligible,” Victor Wong, CCNC Executive Director said today. “We
will continue to work collaboratively with the Government to restore honour and
dignity to all head tax families and to the community.”
Application forms and an applicant's guide
are available in English and French on the website of the Department of
Canadian Heritage at www.canadianheritage.gc.ca.
Forms and guides are also available by phoning the Canadian Heritage Help Line
at 1-888-776-8584 or by visiting a Service Canada Centre near you
(www1.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/gateways/where_you_live/menu.shtml).
Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) continues to work with other
redress-seeking groups including the Ontario Coalition of Chinese Head Tax
Payers and Families (Ontario Coalition), Association of Chinese Canadians for
Equality and Solidarity (ACCESS), B.C. Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses
and Descendants (B.C. Coalition), Calgary Chinese Head Tax Redress Coordinating
Committee, Edmonton Chinese HTEA Redress Committee, Saskatchewan Chinese Head
Tax Redress Committee, Chinese Canadian Redress Alliance (CCRA), Halifax
Chinese Redress Committee, and the Steering Committee on Chinese Newfoundland
Head Tax in the campaign to redress the Chinese Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion
Act.
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For more information, please contact:
Colleen Hua, CCNC, (647) 299-1775
Victor Wong, CCNC, (416) 977-9871