CHSBC writing workshop: My cousin Hayne Wai, Dan Seto, Todd Wong (me)
Category Archives: Chinese Canadian History
“Finding Memories, Tracing Routes:” CCHSBC book launch BIG SUCCESS for Chinese Canadian Family Stories
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“Finding Memories, Tracing Routes:”
CCHSBC book launch BIG SUCCESS
for Chinese Canadian Family Stories
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
7:30pm
Vancouver Public Library
350 West Georgia Street.
Author Dan Seto
holding a copy of the CCHSBC book Finding Memories, Tracing
Routes” Dan's story includes a beaver… how Canadian is that? –
photo Todd Wong
Almost two hundred people attended the book launch of the Chinese Canadian
Historical Society of BC's book launch for “Finding Memories, Tracing
Routes: Chinese Canadian Family Stories.”
Family
and friends + interested listeners all crowded into the Alice Mackay
Room at the Vancouver Public Library to hear about how self-confessed
non-writers helped create the most significant new book about Chinese
Canadian stories. CCHSBC executive members described how the 6
week writing project took place and what its' significance means to how
history will be understood.
Dr.
Henry Yu, UBC professor of History said “Many people think that history
is defined by the historians, but it's not – it's really defined by the
people who tell the stories. The authors in this book have
changed how history is being told.”
Editor Brandy Liên
Worrall, who was a former editor for the Amerasia Journal
in Los Angeles, led the 6 week workshop. With simple exercises,
the 8 first-time writers were able to discover their topics, and flesh
out their stories with details, sights, sounds and emotional
experiences. Worrall was credited by each of the writers as being
very
supportive, and able to make their stories really come alive.
Shirley
Chan, one of the writers, said she had always wanted to be able to
share the stories that her mother had told her – but she didn't know
how. The writing workshop with a group setting not only helped her to
write, but she developed lots of new friends, and a sense of community
too!
Writer
Hayne Wai (also my cousin), who is also currently president of the
CCHSBC, said it is important to note that nobody considered themselves
a “writer” before the workshop. They didn't know what a
“metaphor” was. And while they all had different reasons for
wanting to write, they also had different audiences to write for.
Some people wrote for their parents or their ancestors. Some
people wrote for their family and future generations. But many of
the writers each admitted that it was also important for them to write
for themselves.
Dan
Seto was the one writer selected to give a testimonial presentation to how the
workshop helped him to give voice to the stories inside him, as well as
helping to understand his brothers and his parents better. And along
the way, Dan said the writing process helped him to mature. Dan
introduced his family to the audience. And he introduced his
dragon boat team too! He asked the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon
boat team and its coach – me… to stand up and credited us with giving
him the support and listening to his stories about his family.
All
of the eight authors attended the book launch, and next took seats near
the stage. They answered questions from the audience, then signed
copies of the books for family, friends and fans.
Author Dan Seto holds a copy of
“Finding Memories” with his dragon boat team buddies, Todd, Jen,
Stephen, Wendy, Jonas, Julie, Grace, Tzhe and Jeremy. – photo courtesy
of Grace.
We
really do love Dan on the dragon boat team. He and many others on
the team regularly exchange ideas about Chinese-Canadian identity and
issues, as well as thoughts about issues that affect us. This
year I openly shared with the team about my activities in the Save
Kogawa House and Head Tax redress campaigns. Others talked with
Dan about where we grew up, and where our ancestors grew up. And
like the writing group our Dragon boat team members provides lots
of social support – the following paddlers came out to support Dan:
Grace, Julie, Jonas, Wendy, Jennifer, Jeremy, Tzhe, Joe, Keng, Gerard,
Stephen, Steven, Christine and myself.
CCHSBC president Hayne Wai (my
cousin!), Dan Seto and Todd Wong (me!), attending the Oct 21st CCHSBC
writing workshop at the Vancouver Museum – photo courtesy of Todd Wong
The Chinese Canadian
Historical Society of BC proudly presents the first
collection of eight stories demonstrating the power of finding common
history in the lives and deaths of those who came before us. Created
during a six-week community writing workshop, this touching and
evocative book is a must-read for all Canadians who want to understand
the central place of Chinese-Canadians in our shared past.
Authors: Shirley Chan,
Belinda Hung, Roy Mah, Dan Seto, Hayne Wai, Candace Yip, Gail Yip and
Ken Yip.
Editor: Brandy Liên
Worrall
Proceeds from the sales of this
collection will go towards the Edgar Wickberg Scholarship for
Chinese Canadian History.
For additional
information on the book launch, please email
info@cchsbc.ca.
For information on the
collection and/or how to purchase, please go its
dedicated page.
To
find out more information on the upcoming February workshop that will
focus on “Stories about Family and Food” – please go to www.cchsbc.ca/
Vancouver Sun: 100 Influential Chinese Canadians in BC… agree/disagree?
Vancouver Sun: 100 Influential Chinese Canadians in BC… agree/disagree?
The Vancouver Sun published its pick of 100 most influential Chinese Canadians today.
They write that senior editors and writers created a preliminary list
that was then scrutinized by their colleagues at Chinese newspapers who
added more names. Next they consulted with officials at
Univeristy of BC and Simon Fraser University, then with “trusted
community members.”
“We do not intend the list to be a Top
100 ranking, or compehensive in any hierarchical way. We see it
more as a n assembly of individuals who have made significant
contributions in their respective fields. We have tried to
balance the various areas of endeavor, gender and geographical
origin. Where necessary, we opted to include people whose
influence is already well-established, rather than younger people with
great promise.
100 ranking, or compehensive in any hierarchical way. We see it
more as a n assembly of individuals who have made significant
contributions in their respective fields. We have tried to
balance the various areas of endeavor, gender and geographical
origin. Where necessary, we opted to include people whose
influence is already well-established, rather than younger people with
great promise.
We opened the list to anyone living and working in British Columbia on
a permanent basis, whter they are Canadian citizens, or longtime
foreign residents.”
My first reaction was…. this is cool. It's great that the
Vancouver Sun would choose to recognize Chinese Canadians, being the
largest single ethnic group in the Lower Mainland. However over
the past few years I have also criticized the Vancouver Sun for not
paying attention to issues in the same community. I think the
Vancouver Sun and other mainstream media have often relegated important
Canadian issues (of Chinese ancestry) and individuals to the back
pages, or often ignored them.
Witness the very same Saturday paper. “The feature article 100
Influential Chinese Canadians in BC”is on the front page. But one
of the most important issues in Chinese Canadian history is relegated
to the backwater of page B8 – with only a green headline banner on page
B1 – the front page of the Westcoast section. The Globe &
Mail put head tax on page 1 of their BC section with a colour
photograph, whereas the Vancouver Sun had only a black and white photo.
It's nice to see friends Sid Tan, Don Montgomery, David Wong, Roy Mah, Sandra Wilking, Mary-Woo
Sims, and many others that I have known such as Ray Mah, Raymond Louie, Jenny Kwan, Bill Chu, Milton Wong, Bob Lee,
Lydia Kwa, Maggie Ip, Robert Fung, Andrea Eng, Paul Wong, and Eleanor
Yuen.
My next thoughts were that the list was missing many people that have
been my own role models amongst my influences. People like Joe
Wai
architect of the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens and many other prominant
projects in Chinatown, Beverly Nann OBC former social worker and former
president of explorASIAN (Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society), Jim
Wong-Chu, excutive director and founding member of Asian
Canadian Writers' Workshop and tireless vice-president of
explorASIAN.
Where is Shirley Chan? Where is her
naturopathic/chiropractic brother Dr. Larry Chan who has done so much for alternative
healing in Vancouver and BC? Where is Simon Johnston, playwright
and executive director of the Gateway theatre? Where is Ken Lum, recently listed in BC Almanac's Greatest British Columbians.
Where is Gabriel Yiu, recently written up in the revised edition of Saltwater City? Where is Thekla Lit, leader of BC Alpha? Both of whom also helped to champion an apology for the Chinese Head Tax.
Why does the list include 16 year old golfer Eugene
Wong and not Lori Fung OBC OC, the Olympic gold medalist for rhythmic
gymnastics? Why pick 16 year old skater Mira Leung, but not veteran Megan Wing who skates pairs with Aaron Lowe (They were both born in Vancouver, but are living in Windsor and training in Michigan – but I am sure they come back from every now and then…)
Why is World Journal editor-in-chief Han Shang Ping on the list when he
has only been in BC for 1 year, and most likely is NOT a Canadian
citizen?
Can you call somebody a valid Chinese-Canadian if they are NOT a
Canadian citizen. Certainly the Taiwan born Han Shang Ping is of
Chinese ancestry, but I would argue that caucasian SFU professor Jan
Walls has contributed much more to the Chinese-Canadian community and
Jan is a valid Canadian.
Lists are often controversial and the Vancouver Sun has also asked
readers for nominate their own influential Chinese-Canadians by
e-mailing: influential@png.canwest.com
You can bet that I will be.
Here's some of the introduction of the Vancouver Sun article.
“History lost track of what became of that first “Chinaman,” but his pioneering footsteps cleared a path for innumerable others.
Today,
people of Chinese ancestry are the province's most populous ethnic
minority, numbering almost 500,000 in the Lower Mainland. They wield
immense influence on every aspect of our shared society. In field after
field — arts, politics, law, medicine, science, finance, business,
religion, community affairs, philanthropy — Chinese-Canadians have
taken their rightful place as leaders and innovators.In some ways, this is Canadian multiculturalism at its very best, a colour-blind gathering of talent and shared purpose.
There's
just one problem: For most of our history, we have been anything but
colour-blind. It wasn't the Anglo-Europeans of British Columbia who had
to fight for the right to belong, or who endured a century of racism of
the most despicable and institutionalized sort. It wasn't the
Anglo-Europeans who were reminded over and over, for generations, that
they were different, lesser than other Canadians: required to pay taxes
but not allowed to vote.These dark facts make the contemporary
accomplishments of Chinese-Canadians in B.C. all the more impressive.
Not only have they distinguished themselves in so many ways, but
Chinese-Canadians have done so against a background of racism and
discrimination that only just began to abate in the second half of the
20th century.Prejudice has finally given way to politeness, but
our divisive history lives on in the way the Anglo-European majority
and the so-called Chinese community (actually not one homogenous group,
but many sub-groups divided along linguistic, political and cultural
lines) continue to conduct themselves as two solitudes: nodding
acquaintances who sometimes still ignore one another.”
Charlie Quan receives the first head tax redress cheque
Charlie Quan receives the first head tax redress cheque
Arms raised in triumph! Head
Tax redress campaigners Victor Wong, Gim Wong, Sid Tan stand behind the
second and first head tax ex-gratia payments to Thomas Soon and Charlie
Quan – photo Todd Wong
Ninety-nine year old Charlie Quan recieved the very first ex-gratia cheque
for Chinese head tax redress, presented by Bev Oda, Minister of
Canadian Heritage and Status of Women. Oda and David Emerson,
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacifc Gateway and
the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, were in town to present the cheques to
Quan, Thomas Soon (aged 95) and Ah Foon Chin (aged 96) who could not attend and was represented by his daughter-in-law.
In 1923, Quan had to
pay $500 to enter Canada, estimated to be the cost of a house or two
years wages back then. Only ethnic Chinese were charged the head
tax. It was a concerted effort to keep Canada white, and
discourage Chinese from coming to Canada.
Beginning in 1885, the Canadian government imposed a
$50 fee on Chinese immigrants, which was raised to $100 in 1900 and to
$500 in 1903. But by 1923,
Chinese were still coming, so the Canadian government passed the
“Chinese Exclusion Act” which effectively banned all Chinese
immigration, and was not rescinded untl 1947, after WW2,
During the head tax redress campaign,
Charlie Quan repeatedly stated that he wanted his money back.
Quan was interviewed for the NFB documentary ” In the Shadow of Gold Mountain,” written and directed by head tax descendant Karen Cho.
Earlier in 2006, Quan stated that he thought a head tax redress
settlement would be worth $35,000.
After Quan received his cheque and posed for pictures with Minister Bev Oda, he sat down beside his friend Gim Wong,
also a veteran of Chinese head tax who completed a “Ride for Redress” on his motorcycle across
Canada to Ottawa in 2005 to draw attention to the head tax/exclusion act redress
campaign. Wong was also featured in the movie “In the Shadow of Gold Mountain.”
Quan and Gim immediately looked at the cheque and
began to count to check the number of “zeroes”on it. After so
many years of seemingly hopeless campagining, they still found it hard
to believe that redress payments were actually happening.
Payments for surviving spouses will begin in November, 2006.
Hon. Bev Oda presents the cheque to
Thomas Soon in front of media cameras. Gim Wong (seated
center in uniform) smiles. Charlie Quan shows his cheque to
grandson Terry. – photo Todd Wong
Quan was accompanied by his favorite grandson Terry Quan and Terry's
wife and two children. Together they represented a legacy of four
generations of Chinese Canadians going back to 1923 when Charlie Quan
arrived with his father in 1923.
Also accompanying Quan and Wong, were Victor Wong, executive
director
of the Chinese Canadian National Council,
Colleen Hua (national CCNC
president), and Sid Tan national CCNC board representative. Both
Wong and Hua and travelled from Toronto to attend the event, and both
say they will continue the campaign to include descendants of
predeceased head tax payers and spouses.
Head Tax redress campaigners Ron Mah,
Colleen Hua (CCNC National president), Gim Wong and Victor Wong (CCNC
executive director) – photo Todd Wong
It was the CCNC that helped lead the campaign for a more comprehensive
redress package than the Agreement-in-Principle that was signed almost
a year ago by Prime Minister Paul Martin. That agreement gave no
apology nor individual compensation, and only promised an
“acknowledgement,” and community funding.
Also present were many of the members of the Head Tax Families Society,
including Ron Mah, Foon Chan, Cynthia Lee and myself. Other head
tax descendants attending were Col. Howe Lee and Vancouver city
councillor George Chow. Howe was a signatory on the Liberal
Agreement-in-principle document for which the veterans signed onto
because they hoped to see some form of “acknowledgement” in their
lifetime as they saw their numbers dwindling each year. Up
until the Liberal A.I.P., no previous Canadian government had been
willing to tackle the Chinese head tax or Exclusion Act
issue. While the NDP, Bloc Quebecois and Green Party each
agreed to the CCNC call for Head Tax apology – the Conservative Party
did not join the redress bandwagon until after Prime Minister Paul
Martin stumbled on his pseudo apology given on a Chinese language radio
program.
Head Tax Descendants: Vancouver City
Councillor George Chow and Col. Howe Lee, president of the Chinese
Canadian Military Museum attended the event – photo Todd Wong.
After the initial and obligatory photographs of each cheque
recipient were taken with Ministers Oda and Emerson, I suggested a
photo with all
the head tax descendants in the room together. Both Sid Tan and
Howe Lee had to finish media interviews before they were able to join
us standing at the front. The three head tax redress cheque
recipients sat on chairs in front, beside Ministers Oda and
Emerson. Gim and Sid were both heard saying to Charlie Quan “We
kept our promise” – which was to continue campaigning for head tax
redress until he would a redress payment. They cut it pretty darn
close to Charlie turning 100 years old before the redress payment
arrived.
I was asked today how I felt about the presentation of the cheques, and
my reply was that it is bittersweet. Only less than 1% of 81,000
head tax payers and spouses will recieve the ex-gratia cheque payments,
because the Conservative government is only giving them to surviving
head tax payers or their surviving spouses. This means that there
will be no recognition of the head tax certificate paid by my
great-grandfather Ernest Lee, because both he and my great-grandmother
passed away a long time ago. Only head tax payers and spouses who
were still alive in February 2006 when the Conservative government came
to power will be recognized.
Sid Tan, long time head tax activist since the 1980's says that the
campaign for honour and justice will continue. Sid's late
grandfather paid the head tax, but his grandmother is no longer alive
to collect a redress cheque.
But all is not bitter…. There is much to celebrate. One
year ago on Novmber 26th. Then Prime Minister Paul Martin came to
Vancouver for the A-I-P ceremony, and met with Charlie Quan, so that
Martin could have a “face to face”with an actual living breathing head
tax payer. Martin told Quan to his face, that there would be no
individual compensation. What a difference seven months made when
on June 22, Charlie Quan sat at the Hotel Vancouver listening to Prime
Minister Harper make an apology for the Chinese head tax, and promised
that there would be payments to living head tax payers and spouses.
After the ceremony, we walked up Pender St. and celebrated at the New
Town Bakery for lunch. Charlie was surrounded by his grandson and
grandsons. Gim Wong sat at the next table with Ron Chin, Foon
Chang, Victor Wong and myself. Sid joined us immediately after
going to the CBC studios for an interview. We took
pictures. Charlie held his cheque up for all to see. And…
Charlie Quan paid for our celebration.
The celebratory meal… Charlie
Quan holds his ex-gratia head tax payment cheque, accompanied by
redress campaigners Sid Tan, Gim Wong, Foon Chang, Ron Mah, Victor Wong
and Todd Wong
Click here for Susanna Ng's article + pictures: Canada-delivers-first-head-tax-redress
Click here for more Head Tax information, links and stories on www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com
check out these other head tax media stories:
Ottawa issues head tax redress payments to Chinese Canadians
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2006/10/20/head-tax.html
Cheques of $20,000 given to surviving head tax payers
Head Tax Families Society of Canada to become a non-profit society
Here's a message from my friends at the newly named Head Tax Families Society of Canada.
B.C. Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants is
changing it's name to Head Tax Families Society of Canada and becoming
a non-profit society.
changing it's name to Head Tax Families Society of Canada and becoming
a non-profit society.
Attached please find petition to the Harper government for a head tax refund based on “one cerificate, one claim” principle.
Please assist us in petitioning the government by printing out the
petition form and having your friends and relatives sign the petition
and mail to the address at the bottom by no later than November 15th,
2006.
petition form and having your friends and relatives sign the petition
and mail to the address at the bottom by no later than November 15th,
2006.
Thanking you in advance,
Harvey Lee
Head Tax Families Society of Canada.
There is a drive to continue the redress process for the Head Tax against Chineseimmigrants and the Exclusion Act.
As concerned Canadian citizens we wanted the government to create the fairest redress possible: something that was win-win-win: for the government, for head tax payers and families, and the people of Canada.
With coalitions, and community members from across Canada, from Victoria B.C on the Pacific Ocean to St. John's New Foundland in the Atlantic Ocean, from Inuvik, N.W.T. in the Arctic Circle to the Southern Ontario shores of Lake Erie – Canadians asked for redress.
The Chinese Canadian National Council proposed a 2 step process. The first step was to immediately apologize for the racist head tax and provide a symbolic compensation package to surviving head tax payers and spouses, and community funding. The second stage would be to address a package to surviving head tax payer descendants, where the original head tax payer or spouse is predeceased.
The Conservative Government followed through on step one, but has ignored step two. They have only addressed the head tax payments of surviving head tax payers and spouses. Anybody who died before the Conservatives came to power is “shit-out-of-luck.” This is unfair. This penalizes those who worked hard, and died early, because they had to pay off the eqivalent of two years salary, or the price of a house, just to be allowed entry into Canada, when any other race than Chinese could come in Free of Charge.
When our representatives met with Jason Kenney, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, they told stories of the hardships, and introduced him to surviving head tax payers, spouses , sons and daughters. Kenney honestly did not realize that the head tax payers “borrowed” the money to pay the head tax to come to Canada. Kenney did not know that head tax payers worked many years and years to pay the borrowed money – sometimes to family and village members, sometimes to organizations. But they worked hard and paid it off. They were not affluent immigrants in 2005, who could easily pay a $1000 landing fee to come to Canada.
The pioneers paid $500 each from 1903, to 1923. It was the equivalent of a two year salary, or a house – which would today be $100,000 or more! That's how racist the head tax was. It was meant to keep Chinese immigrants out of Canada, to keep Canada white, to keep Canada clean from the Asian peril, the Yellow Fever, the Chinese plague.
If the government charges a tax and then decides it was incorrect, or a mistake – they give a tax refund, with interest. In 1885, the Canadian government created the first Chinese head tax, charging $50. When Chinese kept coming, the charge was raised to $100. When Chinese kept coming, it was raised to $500 in 1903. In 1923, the Canadian government decided that the Chinese Head Tax was not doing the job of keeping Chinese immigrants from coming to Canada, so they created the Chinese Exclusion Act. In 1947, after WW2, the Canadian government decided that the Chinese Exclusion Act was wrong, and rescinded it. But they never gave an apology, nor refunded the head tax…. when repeatedly asked…. until June 22nd, 2006.
Today, the equivalent of $500 from 1903 with compound interest, would be between $200,000 to $300,000. The Head Tax coalitions across Canada recommended a “symbolic compensation figure,” – not asking for full refund + compound interest.
One certificate – one payment. It's fair and simple.
Not – one payment per certificate, if you or your spouse is still alive. One person said that would be the equivalent of saying to First Nations people. “We are sorry we stole your land, and put your people on reserves. We will give compensation only to people who are still alive when it was done. Too bad they all died
now, and couldn't live past 120 years to enjoy today..… Please don't blame us, we only just formed the Government.”
(please see the 1967 speech by Chief Dan George on Canada Day, given at Empire Stadium in Vancouver).
We know that generations have suffered in First Nations culture because of the move to reservations, and because of residential schools. We know that generations have suffered because Japanese Canadians were interned and their property was confiscated. And we know that generations of Chinese have suffered due to unfair racism, and economic disadvantage due to the Chinese Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act. It is the descendants of the original head tax payers that carry on despite the adversity and continue to build and love this country called Canada. We love Canada despite its racist history because we care for its future.
One certificate – One payment – It's only fair.
Please sign and circulate the attached petition.
'Chinese Canadians,' or 'Canadian Chinese' (with or without the hyphen)
'Chinese Canadians,' or 'Canadian Chinese' (with or without the hyphen)
It's almost as interesting as the question: “What is a Canadian?” But, truly… What is a “Chinese-Canadian?”
I used to think it was like being a French-Canadian, but instead of my ancestors being from France, they came from China. Presto! I am a Chinese-Canadian.
But then I discovered that French-Canadians have different historical and parliamentary differences. In 1985 I spent 2 weeks in Montreal and Quebec City, trying to speak French exclusively. I learned that being “Quebecois” is different from being a “Quebecker.” A Chinese-Canadian friend went to Montreal, and phoned me saying “Guess what? I'm not Chinese-Canadian anymore, now I'm an Anglophone!”
So… what is a Chinese-Canadian, or a Chinese (un-hyphenated) Canadian?
Susanna Ng asks the question on her weblog “Chinese in Vancouver.” She cites a study by Julianne Rock titled “We are Chinese Canadian: The Response of Vancouver's Chinese Community to Hong Kong Immigrants, 1980-1997.”
Susanna finds it interesting to discover that the “established” Chinese Canadian community (pre-1967) felt threatened by the new immigrant waves from Hong Kong during the 1980's, because of different values and cultures. As one of the Hong Kong immigrants, she “didn't realize the Hong Kong Chinese were seen so much as an outsider by established Chinese Canadians then.” She goes on to “comtemplate about the recent wave of immigrants from China
and how we – the Hong Kong Chinese now the established Chinese
Canadians – responded. We see big differences in
culture/habits/behaviours between 'us' and 'them.'”
I find Ms. Ng's article interesting and I look forward to meeting with her. After growing up in Canada amongst Chinese-Canadian pioneer descendants, then making friends with each of the subsequent Chinese immigration waves in the 70's, 80's and 90's – it is clear to me that each immigrant wave brings different cultures and regionalities of location and time. This is similar to each of the different ethnic immigration waves that came to Vancouver's Strathcona neighborhood: Jewish; Russian; Chinese; Hong Kong; and Vietnamese.
The Vancouver / Canadian “Chinese-Canadian” community is itself very
diverse and multicultural. Fact: China is many times larger than
Europe, and filled with many “types” of Chinese ethnic groups. So it
makes sense that there should be as many “types” of Chinese people, as
there are European peoples.
I have made this point many times, especially when organizations try to
label “somebody” a “representative” of the Chinese community. It's like
asking somebody to be representative of the “white community” or the
“Canadian community.” I once went to a CBC Radio breakfast meeting of “Chinese community representatives” and was shocked to see so few multi-generational born in Canada pioneer descendants. Most were Chinese language speaking immigrants.
As a 5th generation Canadian, it's not surprising that Chinese-Canadian
pioneer descendants from prior to the 1923 Exclusion Act would feel
threatened by the massive immigrant waves from; post-1967 with a new
immigration point system; 1980's Hong Kong exodus; recent Taiwanese
immigration wave; and recent Mainland China immigration wave.
Nor is it surprising that ethnic Chinese immigrants from Hong Kong,
would find themselves resentful of the new recent immigrants who don't
integrate easily. These complaints are not as harsh as the sentiments of the White
Canadian (largely immigrant) population that created both the 1885-1923 Chinese head
tax, or the 1923-1947 Exclusion Act, when they said that the Chinese would not integrate into Canadian
society stating, “We don't want Chinamen in Canada, This is a white man's country and white men will keep it.” or “The people of Canada do not want to make a fundamental alteration to the character of our population.” Hmmm… did anybody ask First Nations if European or Asian immigrants could come to Canada?
It was great when many of the post 1990 immigrants joined the Head Tax redress movement. Gabriel Yiu, Thekla Lit and Bill Chu really represented the immigrant-Chinese community very well. The BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Family was a very cooperative work group of both Canadian-born pioneer descendants, China-born sons and daughters of pioneers who couldn't come to Canada because of the head tax / exclusion act – but came 1947-1967, and immigrants who arrived post 1967. It was an issue that brought Chinese Canadians together across the country, not dependant upon their regional or historical immigration culture or history. Yiu, Lit and Chu spoke in many Chinese language debates in the Chinese media, as many pioneer descendants like myself do not speak Chinese (In 1967 – who would have ever thought that so many ethnic-Chinese immigrants would come to Canada, overnumbering Canadian-born pioneer descendants?). A Georgia Straight article titled Head Tax Unites Activists summarized this alliance very well.
The reality is this: after a few generations everybody gets
inter-married, and calls themselves Canadian. In the between-time, new
immigrant Chinese will call themselves “Canadian” to distinguish
themselves from the homeland they have recently left, than they will
call themselves Chinese-Canadian, to distinguish themselves from
mainstream white-Canadians, then as families inter-marry, they will
call themselves Canadian. Full circle.
Below is an excerpt from Susanna Ng's article.
We are 'Chinese Canadians'
I found an interesting study done by Julianne Rock for her master thesis at SFU. The title of the study is “We are Chinese Canadian: The Response of Vancouver's Chinese Community to Hong Kong Immigrants, 1980-1997“.
Rock
indicates that local born Chinese and post-1947 immigrants comfortably
called themselves “Chinese Canadian” after the establishment of the
multiculturalism policy. However, the term “Chinese Canadian” was even
more important to these groups of Canadians of Chinese descent when
Hong Kong Chinese began their exodus to Canada in the 80s, whom were
seen as people refusing to integrate into Canadian society.
Rock states:
When
speaking about nationality, older Chinese Canadians who were either
born in Canada or who immigrated in the post war years are adamant
about their identity as Canadian first and foremost.
And she quotes how prominent Vancouver architect felt about the “invasion” of the Hong Kong Chinese:
Bing
Thom, a Vancouver architect with ties to the Chinese Cultural Centre,
called himself a “true-blooded, third generation Canadian” and admitted
that he is “getting the uncomfortable feeling now that, because [he] is
of Chinese heritage, [he] is looked upon as an immigrant again.
Rock
notes the lavish lifestyle of the Hong Kong Chinese has made older
immigrants/locally born feel threatened and “concerned about a possible
backlash.”
notes the lavish lifestyle of the Hong Kong Chinese has made older
immigrants/locally born feel threatened and “concerned about a possible
backlash.”
read more: We are 'Chinese Canadians'
Georgia Straight: Asian-history anniversaries begin to coalesce (by Charlie Cho)
Chinese Canadian history is alive and well in Vancouver and really beginning a renaissance. The Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC (I am a member) is active. The Vancouver Public Library has been doing great stuff with their Chinese Canadian genealogy website. The Chinatown Revitalization Committee is active. And the BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Familes are active.
Check this nice article by Charlie Cho in the Georgia Straight. Charlie interviews leading Vancouver Chinatown historians such as Dr. Henry Yu of UBC, and Jim Wong-Chu.
They talk about the historic Anti-Asian riots in 1907 by the Anti-Asiatic League of Vancouver. It was a scary night in Vancouver. A while back, I talked with tailor Bill Wong of Modernize Tailors, and he referred to it as Vancouver's own “Crystal Night” because so many store windows were broken.
Analysis
Asian-history anniversaries begin to coalesce
History is never neutral. Framing is everything. Take Vancouver’s anti-Asian riots of 1907.
On
September 7 of that year, the Asiatic Exclusion League led a parade to
City Hall at Main and Hastings streets, calling for an end to Asian
immigration to British Columbia. More than 8,000 people, including
local politicians, labour leaders, and members of fraternal
organizations, rallied with banners reading Stand for a White Canada.
Only
2,000 could fit in City Hall, so crowds drifted to Chinatown, a block
away. A rock thrown through a store window touched off a rampage of
smashed signs and glass, and looting that continued into neighbouring
Japantown, where the crowd faced some resistance before police showed up to quell the violence.
In
the following days, Chinese and Japanese armed themselves with guns,
preparing for another siege. They held a general strike, refusing to go
to their jobs in homes, restaurants, and mills.
William
Lyon Mackenzie King, then federal deputy minister of labour, held
hearings on the riot. Almost a year later, damages were awarded:
$26,000 to the Chinese, $9,000 to the Japanese.
Henry Yu, an
associate professor of history at UBC, sees 2007 not just as the 100th
anniversary of the 1907 riots but marking three other key years in the
history of Asian immigration to Pacific Canada: 1947, 1967, and 1997.
Read more at:
http://www.straight.com/content.cfm?id=20689
http://www.straight.com/content.cfm?id=20689
CHOW: From China to Canada – wins Gold Award from Cuisine Canada / UC Culinary Book Awards
Janice Chow – my wonderful artist/family historian / cook book cousin sends me this great news!
Hello Todd,
I'm happy to announce that CHOW received the gold award in the Cuisine Canada + University of Guelph's Culinary Book Awards,
Canadian Food Culture category…the category that celebrates books that “best illustrate Canada's rich culinary heritage and food culture.”
If you're in Vancouver on Sunday Sept. 24th, you can catch me at the Ricepaper magazine booth (2 – 6 pm) at Word On The Street,
Vancouver's Annual Book and Magazine Fair, on the street, Vancouver Public Library main branch.
If you're in Gibsons on Saturday Sept. 23rd, I'm reading at the first annual New Moon Festival of Asian Art and Culture.
All the best,
Janice
Jeff Chiba Stearns with the Best Short Animation award for the first annual Canadian Awards for Electronic and Animated Arts
Chinese in P.E.I.: Chinese Islanders Making a Home in the New World
Here's an interesting announcement for a new book about the history of Chinese on Prince Edward Island – Todd
September 7, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chinese
Islanders
Making
a Home in the New World
by Hung-Min Chiang
Charlottetown. Chinese Islanders: Making a Home in the New World tells the story of some of Prince Edward Island's first Chinese settlers who came to the Island as early as 1850. They were
subjected to the infamous
“head tax,” as well as the more severe Chinese Immigration Act
(also known as the Chinese Expulsion Act). But through it all, they and their
descendants have largely
adapted to and succeeded in mainstream Island
society, and are proud today to be recognized as true Islanders.
Catherine G. Hennessey writes:
“From tenuous beginnings in the closing days of the 19th century
to the blossoming of a
vibrant new Chinese community in the 21st century, Chinese Islanders: Making a Home in the New World tells the story of one of
Prince Edward Island ’s
smallest immigrant communities.”
From the book’s foreword by John Cousins:
“Hung-Min Chiang set out to write this history of the Chinese
Canadian community in Prince Edward
Island because, as he was told, “no one else
would do it.” What a daunting task it must have been. No group of
Islanders would be harder to document than these few Chinese settlers, who, for
obvious reasons, preferred to remain anonymous, and to live below the social
horizon, leading “quiet inconspicuous lives.” There were few
records, fewer accurate ones, no personal biographies for guidance, negligible
letters, and no survivors from the
early days. Added to that was a “discontinuing of generations,” a period of decline
between the 1940s and 1960s when the community came close to disappearing.
Nevertheless, Chiang has accomplished a series of minor miracles. These were
the realities of the Chinese community and the author does not avoid
them.”
“Rather, he recounts them with a serenity that carries with it
the sublime sadness of the human
plight. And this, in my opinion, is the work’s great strength.”
About the Author:
Dr. Hung-Min Chiang, originally from Taiwan ,
came to Prince Edward Island
with his family in 1967. A student of Abraham Maslow, he taught psychology at
Prince of Wales College and the University
of Prince Edward Island
until his retirement in 1991. He is fondly remembered as a favourite professor
by many. A lover of nature, all his hobbies bring him closer to the earth.
-30-
For media interviews, please contact Dr.Hung-Min Chiang, at (902) 569-3959
or by email at mchiang@eastlink.ca.