It
is totally irresponsible of your Government to empty the funds before
the Head Taxpayers and families even have the chance to seek justice.
We've been on their case for over 20 years and they’ve done zilch until
now. So why the sudden rush ?  If they’re going to throw
money out the window like that, at least take the time to hear out
those who directly suffered from 62 years of legislated racism.
Isn't that what these funds are all about ? Your Government must be
diligent & not just give the money out with no accountability. I
like to remind you in case you’ve forgotten that it is your
responsibility & one of the reasons you were elected into office to
begin with ! 


 
Our friend
& social justice activist, June Callwood said ‘to favour one group
selected by the Government is unacceptable. I haven't seen such
highhandedness for a very long time’ while she wonders ‘what are
they hiding?’ Tony Chan, ex-CBC broadcaster now broadcast prof/writer
said ‘This is worst than the W-5, ‘campus giveaway’ CTV program in
1979!’ If you remember the noise from the community back in ’79…that
was nothing compare to what you’ll be hearing this time around.    I've been getting overwhelming support from as far as Washington State
& MPs from B.C. but nothing from my local MP…That really pisses me off !
Again I ask you…”How can the Liberal Government negotiate with these
privileged and self-important members of so-called national group with
no historical/community understanding or connections to the issues at
stake?”   As
a direct descendant of a Chinese Head Tax payer, I want you & your
Government to know that I’m not interested in your ‘Guilt Money’&
empty political gestures. The irresponsible rush to pawn off this money
to The NCCC without any true representation of my community is
essentially what this money is & the message it carries. What I
want for my ancestors’ are sincere recognitions for their contributions
to this country & a meaningful apology to put their souls to rest.    You’ll be hearing from my wide circle loud & clear at the polls this coming election !    Regards, Kwok K. Gin      Trinity Spadina       M6G 1H8 Meena Wong     Vancouver Central    V6K 2S4   Thank
you all for your recent overwhelming solidarity. Please copy and paste
the letter into a new message and place your names under this list with
your riding, postal code & forward it to your MP (google them on
line). For Liberal MPs in BC: Vancouver Quadra Stephen Owen Owen.S@parl.gc.ca Vancouver Centre, Hedy Fry Fry.H@parl.gc.ca Vancouver Kingsway David Emerson Emerson.D@parl.gc.ca Vancouver South, Ujjal Dosanjh Dosanjh.U@parl.gc.ca Richmond, it is Raymond Chan Chan.R@parl.gc.ca Victoria, it is David Anderson Anderson.D@parl.gc.ca North Vancouver, it is Don Bell Bell.D@parl.gc.ca

Head Tax issue: Todd's letter to the editors of the Vancouver Sun

To Kirk LaPointe
Managing Editor, Vancouver Sun

Hello Kirk,

Thank you for taking seriously my comments about
the Sun's coverage of Canadian issues that just happen to have Asian
names and faces behind them, and not just to feature Asian faces at
Chinese New Year time.

I am a 5th generation Canadian, my
picture and activities have been featured in the Vancouver Sun many
times since 1993, for my Gung Haggis Fat Choy events, for being awarded
the SFU Terry Fox Gold Medal, and for speaking as a Terry's Team member
for the Terry Fox Run as a living cancer survivor.

I believe
that the Vancouver Sun can offer a different perspective to the Chinese
head tax issue.  I want to know what real community leaders such as Bob
Lee, Milton Wong, David YH Lui, Lori Fung, Roy Mah and Bev Nann have to
say.  Their pioneer forefathers all likely had to pay the head tax,
their families were isolated by the Chinese Exclusion  Act.  These
people have recieved the Order of Canada and or the Order of BC.

I want to hear from
architect Joe Wai, writer Wayson Choy, historian Jim Wong-Chu.  How
about “white” people that are important members of the Chinese
community such as Dr. Jan Walls or Dr. Edgar Wickberg.

Kevin, here is the link to my blog article postings on Chinese Canadian Head Tax redress
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/ChineseHead
TaxissuesGimWongsRideforRedress

What does writer Joy Kogawa think about the Chinese head tax redress
issue.  Joy and Roy Miki both worked on the Japanese Canadian redress
campaign and both are listed in Almanac's 100 Greatest British
Columbians.

Here's a letter to me from Joy Kogawa below

Regards, Todd Wong

June
Callwood, Dr. Joseph Wong, Michele Landsberg, and many other people of
conscience have added their support to the Ontario Coalition of Chinese
Head Tax Payers and Families plus the Chinese Canadian National
Council. The strenuous efforts of these organizations to have the Head
Tax redress resolved in an honourable manner have thus far been
thwarted by the federal government.

Media Release: November 24, 2005  –  For Immediate Release

Government Bungling
Confuses Canadians on Chinese Head Tax/Exclusion Redress: 4,000 Head
Tax Payers and Families Call for a Just and Honourable Redress Now

Vancouver – The federal government is poised to sign an agreement with
the National Congress of Chinese Canadians (NCCC) that humiliates and
disrespects the few remaining Head Tax payers and their spouses. 
Community groups say the NCCC is not representative of the Chinese
Canadians calling on the government to engage in a genuine process of
redress and reconciliation.  Only good faith negotiations with
representatives for the last surviving Head Tax payers and spouses who
are in the 90's or older will bring about the long overdue
reconciliation and healing.

“We would all agree that Canada is a better country today because of
the legacy of the Japanese Canadian redress. In that light, we
respectfully request that the Prime Minister review the deliberations
taking place regarding Bill C-333 and re-engage in negotiations with
active participation of all Chinese Canadian communities,” said Grace
Eiko  Thomson of the National Association of Japanese
Canadians.  “Only a just and honourable settlement can bring about
a healing process leading to full participation and pride in Canadian
citizenship.”

Since 1984, over 4,000 Head Tax payers, spouses and families, each with
Head Tax certificate, registered with the Chinese Canadian National
Council (CCNC) to represent their claim to the Government.  The
CCNC was not consulted about the agreement because the government set
preconditions of “no apology” and “no compensation”. This was
unacceptable to those seeking direct individual acknowledgement,
recognition and a tax refund.

“Paul Martin is doing the same to the aboriginal community at the First
Minister   Conference: luring native elites and chiefs into
accepting a dollar cap for a Ten Year Plan without consultation with
grassroots groups and victims of residential schools,” said Bill Chu,
chairperson of Chinese Christians in Action and Canadians for
Reconciliation.  “It is shameful that a Chinese group (NCCC) with
little history of fighting for Head Tax redress bypassed consulting the
victims and is willing to accept whatever small funds offered with no
intent of paying the actual victims.”

“As Canadians, we should have the courage to face our past wrong-doings
including the imposition of head tax and the Chinese Exclusion
Act.  We should also urge our government to redress the head tax
payers and families,” said Thekla Lit, a human rights and peace
activist.  “Before anyone or group benefits from the money
established because of the injustice to Chinese pioneers, they have the
moral obligation to ensure the head tax payers, spouses and families
get their refund of head tax first.”

“The Chinese head tax redress has been dragged on for over a quarter of
a century.  We shouldn't rush to an unjust settlement because of a
upcoming election, said Gabriel Yiu, current affairs commentator. 
“By shutting out the Chinese Canadian National Council, who represents
over 4,000 redress claimants, the Liberal government is adding another
disgraceful chapter to our national history.”

“There is much anger and frustration at the federal government. 
Before his election to the Commons, current Multiculturalism Minister
Raymond Chan supported Head Tax payers, spouses and descendants at
Chinese Canadian National Council meetings,” said Sid Tan of the B. C.
Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants, director of CCNC
and a grandson of  a Head Tax payer.  “His proposed agreement
with the NCCC is unethical and humiliates the very people who overcame
the racist legislation to enable him to serve in public office.”

The B. C. Coalition of Head Tax Payers Spouses and Descendants are head
Tax payers, their surviving spouses, descendants and supporters. 
They are joined in their demand for a just and honourable redress now
by the Ontario Coalition of Head Tax Payers and Families, Chinese
Canadian National Council, Chinese Canadian Redress Alliance, the
Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity Society
and the Metro Toronto Chinese and South East Asian Legal Clinic.

Go to www.headtaxredress.org to sign the on-line petition to stop the
proposed agreement between the federal government and NCCC. 
Without proper consultation with the over 4000 Head Tax payers and
families registered with CCNC, any agreement on the on the Chinese Head
Tax/Exclusion redress and reconciliation will be unethical.

-30-

Sid Tan, co-ordinator  604-433-6169
B. C. Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants

Gim Wong with Jack Layton above right.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOVEMBER 22, 2005

NDP CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE FAIR DEAL FOR CHINESE HEAD TAX PAYERS

OTTAWA –
NDP Leader Jack Layton along with his caucus colleagues, House Leader
Libby Davies (Vancouver East), Immigration Critic Bill Siksay
(Burnaby-Douglas) and MP Peter Julian (Burnaby-New-Westminster), urged
the Prime Minister to find a compromise and fair deal for all Chinese
Canadian head tax payers and their families, today.

“These families deserve an apology and real respect from this government,” said Layton. In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Federal NDP questioned the government’s
reasoning in allocating $12.5 million for a redress project to a single
organization without including thousands of head tax payers, their
families and their representatives.

“It
is completely inadequate for this government to exclude at least 4000
head tax payers, their families and descendants through a lump sum
agreement with only one organization,“ said Davies.

$12.5 million has
been allocated to Chinese Canadians through the Acknowledgement,
Commemoration and Education (ACE) Fund, established for communities
affected by wartime and similar past measures. The government is
expected to announce Wednesday that it will sign over the entire
allocation to the National Congress of Chinese Canadians, despite calls
from several other organizations, such as the Chinese Canadian National
Council, to be involved in any commemorative, educational or other key
measures that may arise from the fund.

“At
the forefront of the redress movement is the Chinese Canadian National
Council, which represents thousands of head tax payers and their
families,” said Layton, “but if this deal goes forward in its current form, CCNC will have no say in how the funds will be spent.”

“The
Prime Minister should remember his responsibility to find a course of
compromise that will address the needs of the diverse community of
Chinese Canadians that deserve to be acknowledged here,” said Julian.

“Finding
a compromise to address the injustices committed against Chinese
immigrants to Canada over a period of decades should be this government’s first priority,” added Siksay.

The Canadian government collected $23 million from Chinese Immigrants to Canada between 1885 and 1923.

-30-

For more information, please contact:

Jack Layton – Karl Belanger: (613) 995-6767

Libby Davies – Leanne Holt: (613) 992-6036

Bill Siksay – Sonja vanDieen: (613) 996-5599

Peter Julian – Henri Sader: (613) 992-4215

_____________________________________________

From:   Julian, Peter – M.P. 

Sent:   November 23, 2005 10:45 AM

Subject:        Bill C-333, Chinese Canadian Recognition and Redress Act

Importance:     High

Thank you for
contacting my office with your concerns about the government amendments
to Bill C-333, Chinese Canadian Recognition and Redress Act.

BC NDP Caucus member
Libby Davies has brought forward several amendments to this Bill to try
to ensure that Head Tax Payers and their families were properly
represented.  Unfortunately, the Liberal and Conservatives
representatives on this committee voted against all amendments that the
NDP has put forward on this Bill.

You can rest assured
that my Caucus colleagues and myself will continue to push for changes
to this Bill that will acknowledge the mistakes the past government
made by imposing this tax, and for the Bill to be more inclusive of
Head Tax Payers and their families.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Julian, MP

Burnaby-New Westminster

Tel: (613) 992-4214  Fax: (613) 947-9500

Tel: (604) 775-5707  Fax: (604) 775-5743

TTY: (613) 992-4249

CEP 232/SCEP 232

Chinese Head Tax: NCCC
Director Openly Reprimands NCCC for Mishandling Head Tax Issue


The
following article appeared on November 19, in Ming Pao, under a
photograph
of Tsai Fung Chan Lee, Har Ying Lee, and Jie Jun Zhang Yan.

NCCC
Director Openly Reprimands NCCC for Mishandling Head Tax Issue

NCCC
director Tsai Fung Chan Lee went public in her opposition to NCCC, openly
criticizing NCCC's approach, and urged its executive chairman Ping Tan and
the federal government to reconsider their approach to the Head Tax issue.

Tsai
Fung Chan Lee is also the chairwoman of the Association for
Promoting
 Chinese-Canadian Friendship (Zhong Jia
Lian Yi Hui). She stated yesterday
that for many years NCCC has done a good job promoting friendship between China
and Canada.  However, it has handled the
Head Tax issue in inappropriate
ways.

She
states that it was the Head Tax payers who actually paid, if the
government
is to redress the Head Tax issue in anyway, the money should go to the payers
and their families. It should be up to the payers and their families to decide
whether to donate the money to the community or to keep the money. It should
be their choice.

Mrs.
Lee said, her own father-in-law and elder brother-in-law had been
Head
Tax payers. When her father-in-law could not afford to pay any more Head Tax,
his wife was forced to stay in China to look after two sons, and for forty years
led a widow's existence with a living husband. It was clearly a tragic story
of tears and hurt.

Mrs.
Lee clearly states that she is going public and speaking up in the hope
that Ping Tan, NCCC, and the federal government would do some clear thinking,
and reconsider the way the Head Tax issue is being handled.

Also,
Jie Jun Zhang Yan, founder of the Association of Guangzhou High School
Alumni In Canada, states that she is puzzled by the federal government's
attitude towards Canadians of Chinese descent. She cannot understand why
compensation cannot go to the victims - the Head Tax payers. She appeals
for the government to appoint a government spokesperson to explain the government
stand.

Letter to the Vancouver Sun : Chinese head tax redress Bill C-333 is an affront to justice

RE: The liberals bungle a great opportunity to do the right thing.
By Brad Lee
Saturday Nov 19th, page C7

Bill C-333 is an affront to justice


I am a 5th Generation Chinese Canadian.
Bill C-333 is an affront to justice and Canadian values.

Every year my WW2 vet grand uncle writes to the government asking for an apology.  Ain’t going to happen.

Raymond Chan is making secret deals with the National Congress of
Chinese Canadians –this group does not accurately represent actual head
tax payers nor their descendants – the Chinese Canadian National
Council does.  Chan and the NCCC are basically all immigrants that came
to Canada after 1967.  The head tax was last paid in 1923, before the
Chinese exclusion act closed the doors until 1947.  These guys just
want the $12.5 million.

1 – Chinese had to pay the head tax – no other ethnic or racial group was taxed.
2 – We endured over a century's worth of
racial discrimination and prejudice.
3) The government is ignoring us, and speaking to immigrants who did not pay the head tax.

The majority of head tax descendants are multi-generational Canadians
who all speak English, eh? – Why is Chan only talking to Chinese media?

It’s time for all Chinese-Canadians to wake up and protest. 
Register on-line as a headtax descendant.  The liberals are giving away OUR money that our ancestors sweated for.

Todd Wong aka “Toddish McWong”

www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com