Minister Bev Oda poses with Thomas Soon for the media cameras – Gim
Wong (in uniform) sits next to Charlie Quan holding cheque with
grandson Terry – photo Todd Wong
Celebration meal: Sid Tan, Gim Wong, Charlie Quan holding cheque, Foon
Chang Ron Mah, Victor Wong and Todd Wong – photo Eric Chan (on Todd's
camera)
Head Tax descendants Ron Mah, Colleen Hua, Gim Wong and Victor Wong- photo Todd Wong
Second and First head tax ex-gratia payments to Tomas Soon, and Charlie
Quan. Standing are Victor Wong, Gim Wong and Sid Tan – photo Todd Wong
Charlie Quan receives the first head tax redress cheque
1 Reply
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immigration, and was not rescinded untl 1947, after WW2,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
CCNC: First Redress Payments Issued On Friday
CCNC: First Redress Payments Issued On Friday
Here's a news release from the Chinese Canadian National Council in Toronto.
Finally after many years of campaigning, and after many peaceful marches and demonstrations and rallies and meetings… redress payment for the Chinese head tax is happening. I will be there.
For Immediate Release
October 18, 2006
First Redress Payments Issued On Friday
(Toronto/Vancouver). Representatives of the Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) will be attending the presentation of first redress payments to Chinese Head Tax payers in Vancouver on Friday. CCNC representatives include: Colleen Hua, CCNC National President, Sid Chow Tan, CCNC National Director and Victor Wong, CCNC Executive Director.
Where: S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
28 West Pender St. , Vancouver , British Columbia
When: October 20, 2006 at 10:30 am
CCNC and redress groups have led the campaign for redress of the Chinese Head Tax, Newfoundland Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act for over 22 years. During this period, CCNC has registered more than 4000 head tax payers and families seeking a just and honourable resolution. On June 22, 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a formal apology and announced individual symbolic financial redress to living head tax payers and living spouses of deceased head tax payers.
CCNC and redress groups have been assisting the living head tax payers with their application since late August. “We are very happy for the head tax payers who will be receiving these first payments,” Colleen Hua, CCNC National President said today. “This is a restorative moment for the Chinese Canadian community as we begin a genuine process of reconciliation with the Canadian Government.”
CCNC and redress groups continue to press for redress that is inclusive of all head tax families. “The June 22nd redress announcement covers just over 10% of the head tax families registered with us,” Victor Wong, CCNC Executive Director said today. “We will press for inclusive redress to restore dignity to all head tax families including those where the head tax payer and spouse have both passed away.”
CCNC continues to work with other redress groups including the Ontario Coalition of Chinese Head Tax Payers and Families (Ontario Coalition) and B.C. Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants (B.C. Coalition) in the campaign to redress the Chinese Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act.
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For more information, please contact Victor Wong at (416) 977-9871.
Head tax redress: Outside Inside: Observing A Year of Redress Struggle
Sid Tan sends this media release as the first redress cheques will be
presented in Vancouver on Friday.
Media Advisory: For Immediate Release - October 19, 2006
Outside Inside: Observing A Year of Redress Struggle:
Seminal Moment "On the Streets" Creates Turnaround
Vancouver BC - The Head Tax Families Society of Canada (HTF),
successor group to the BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and
Descendants (BC Coalition), will observe the turnaround of the Chinese
head tax/exclusion redress struggle with a public forum. Invitees
include Greater Vancouver Members of Parliament from the three parties
represented in the House of Commons, the BC Attorney General and
Minister of Multiculturalism, the three Chinese Canadians sitting on
Vancouver City Council and other elected officials.
When: 11:00am Saturday, November 25, 2006
Where: Chinese Cultural Center - Dr. David Lam Hall
50 East Pender Street, Vancouver
"Outside Inside" refers to last November 26 when several hundred
people set up an information line in Chinatown. It attended outside a
closed redress conference funded by the government at the Chinese
Cultural Center and a photo opportunity for Prime Minister Paul Martin
at United Chinese Community Enrichment Social Services (SUCCESS). This
"on the streets" action is now considered by many in the redress
movement as a seminal moment in the redress struggle.
At the time, governing Liberals were reaching an Agreement in
Principle (AIP) to direct millions of dollars in a community redress
fund to a pro-Beijing group created in the aftermath of Tiananmen
Square in 1989. Then, the opposition Conservatives were introducing
Private Member's Bill C-333 allowing the Liberal government to direct
millions of dollars to the same group, which would accept the funds on
an agreed precondition of "no apology, no compensation" to head tax
families.
The Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) and local Association of
Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity Society (ACCESS), who
were against Bill C-333 and AIP, enlisted head tax families and
supporters to make a strong and definitive statement that the
Government's and Official Opposition's actions were a betrayal. The ad
hoc BC Coalition was revived and called for political participation
and peaceful assembly. Recently, the Head Tax Families Society of
Canada was formed to call for good faith negotiations between the
federal government and representatives of head tax families for a just
and honourable redress to all head tax families.
The unilateral settlement imposed by the Government will directly
address only 0.6% of affected head tax families. Approximately 600
surviving head tax payers and spouses will receive $20,000 in ex
gratia payments. Over 82,000 Chinese families paid the unjust tax
between 1885 and 1923 in Canada and 1906 to 1949 in Newfoundland
before joining Confederation.
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Diwali in Vancouver: Lots of intercultural fusion happening!
Diwali in Vancouver: Lots of intercultural fusion happening!
Tarun
Nayar is one of the key people involved in “Beats Without Borders”
which has grown into a musical cultural fusion extravaganza.
Tarun has sent me the following information about some special events
during Diwali – “the festival of lights” which symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for mankind.
Here's Tarun's message:
Nayar is one of the key people involved in “Beats Without Borders”
which has grown into a musical cultural fusion extravaganza.
Tarun has sent me the following information about some special events
during Diwali – “the festival of lights” which symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for mankind.
Here's Tarun's message:
This
is a little reminder of all the fantastic events happening over the
next few days for the Indian Festival of Lights… From Bhangra dance
classes to Indian Classical Music, the three events listed below are
just a sampler of the many workshops and events happening around town.
Check the http://www.vandiwali.ca website for more info.
is a little reminder of all the fantastic events happening over the
next few days for the Indian Festival of Lights… From Bhangra dance
classes to Indian Classical Music, the three events listed below are
just a sampler of the many workshops and events happening around town.
Check the http://www.vandiwali.ca website for more info.
Diwali Mubarak!
Tarun
———————————————————————————————–
DIWALI 2006
Beats Without Borders Diwali Dance Party
Thursday Oct 19th, Doors 9pm
The Waldorf (1489 Hastings)
10$ advance, 15$ Door
Tix at Highlife, Zulu, Boomtown, Kamal
Beats
Without Borders is gearing up for its first big party of the winter;
and it should be spectacular. DJs Amar (SF) and Layla (OR) join us from
out of town, Andrew Kim opens the night on electric sitar and eastern
violin, and we'll have special guest dancers and live dhol and tabla.
This is a two room party: expect a high-energy masala of sound and
light to warm up the dancefloor and shake off those fall blues! Last
year, this was one of our biggest parties of the year. We've just
released another 50 tickets to Highlife Records, so if you're looking
for 10$ tickets, that's where to head :o)
Without Borders is gearing up for its first big party of the winter;
and it should be spectacular. DJs Amar (SF) and Layla (OR) join us from
out of town, Andrew Kim opens the night on electric sitar and eastern
violin, and we'll have special guest dancers and live dhol and tabla.
This is a two room party: expect a high-energy masala of sound and
light to warm up the dancefloor and shake off those fall blues! Last
year, this was one of our biggest parties of the year. We've just
released another 50 tickets to Highlife Records, so if you're looking
for 10$ tickets, that's where to head :o)
Roundhouse Diwali Celebration 2006
Sunday Oct 22, 12:00pm-4:00pm
Roundhouse Community Centre
181 Roundhouse Mews (Davie & Pacific)
FREE
An
Exposition of Music, Dance & Visual Art –Family Entertainment for
All! Performances, Vendors, Henna painting, & Diwali sweets. Missed
a workshop? Join our dancers for a mini lesson in Bollywood &
Bhangra!
Exposition of Music, Dance & Visual Art –Family Entertainment for
All! Performances, Vendors, Henna painting, & Diwali sweets. Missed
a workshop? Join our dancers for a mini lesson in Bollywood &
Bhangra!
Diwali Chaihouse
Sunday Oct 22, 7:00pm-11:00pm
Wise Hall
Wise Hall
1882 Adanac Street (Venables & Victoria Drive near Commercial)
$5.00 at the door. Doors open at 7:00pm
$5.00 at the door. Doors open at 7:00pm
Fusion
Inspiration: An Intimate Night of Poetry, Music, Dance & Film.
Highlighting the work of young South Asian artists, featuring, among
others, Delhi2Dublin, Inject, Zenobia Salik, Spoken word, and various
short films. Should be a great night!
Food: Phnom Pehn – great food, cheap prices… perfect for post-paddling appetites
Food: Phnom Pehn – great food, cheap prices… perfect for post-paddling appetites
Our dragon boat team is really a food club. Paddling is just an
excuse to work up an appetite. During the 2006 paddling season
from April to October, we have gone Japanese, Chinese, Irish,
Vietnamese, South Asian… even Burger King. We have tried frog
legs at the Phnom Pehn and kangaroo at the Locust. We have even
wrapped our own home made haggis won ton for our Gung Haggis dragon boat team end-of-season wrap-up party.
But one of our favourite restaurants is the Phnom Pehn, tucked away on
Georgia Street on the outskirts of Vancouver Chinatown.
Over the summer we had some great dinners. Sometimes we had two
tables full of paddlers, sometimes one table. But the food,
service and company was always good, even if the restaurant is always
crowded and we had to wait for a table.
Tonight, some of our keener paddlers who want to keep paddling for
fitness and fun, went out on marathon canoes on False Creek.
Afterwards we decided to go to Phnom Pehn for dinner. We started
with a Fish Soup which was so savoury everybody commented on it.
Deep fried spicy squid was wonderful with a light batter. Deep
Fried chicken wings with the lemon pepper sauce is a definite
favorite. Chinese broccoli was nicely done. The deep fried
spring rolls with ham, were not well-recieved by our spring roll
fans. The Vietnamese rice rolls were good – but strange that
these supposed “appetizer” items arrived last. Everybody was
happy and full. Next time I want to order the lemon-grass chicken
drumsticks.
Eating together and sharing food is a good way to build community, and one of the best features about the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dragon Boat team,
dragon boat team.
photo Roland TanglaoChicken Wings with Lemon Pepper Sauce is one of our team's favorite dishes!
here are some reviews by my friends Roland Tanglao and Barb Lee + more links.
Roland's Mini-Review: Phnom Penh
Georgia Straight: Diversity and tolerance outweigh idiocy on-line
Georgia Straight: Diversity and tolerance outweigh idiocy on-line
As part of the Georgia Straight's contribution to the Think Vancouver
theme of Diversity, Technology writer Dave Watson checks out websites
that are pro-diversity, as opposed to racist hate-mongering rant
sites. He does a good job finding Asian Canadian webzines such as
Ricepaper or the Asian American Web zine Jade. Watson even checks out Canadian heritage websites too.
There's even a cartoon of a male dressed in kilt, sporran, wooden clogs and a turban. Hmmm… doesn't look like anybody “we” know.
But somehow he missed the weblogs such as www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com or Susanna Ng's
Chinese in Vancouver BC – Chinese Canadian news, stats or Asian Canadian writer Alexis Keinlen and her writing blog, or my friend Jeff Chiba Stearns who created the award winning animation short :
Check out Dave Watson's story
Diversity and tolerance outweigh idiocy on-line
Once in a while, a story hits the traditional media about some nasty
hate-mongering Web site hanging out there in cyberspace where young
people or other impressionable minds could find it. It’s true that such
things do get established, but it seems to me that they’re greatly
eclipsed by the number of sites that either actively promote tolerance
or provide a forum where people within an ethnic group can discuss
common problems (and people from outside the group can drop by and
learn something). And then there are all those self-selected
communities that are based on some kind of shared interest (a TV show,
author, hobby, job at McDonald’s, or whatever) and thus are usually
colourblind.
All of these on-line venues provide opportunities
for communication and challenging preju?dices, a means for people to
meet mind to mind on neutral ground. It’s difficult to dislike someone
retroactively on some generalized, arbitrary basis when you’ve already
considered or accepted one of their opinions. Communicating via the
Internet also frees people up from their herd instinct (the tendency to
follow the dominant personality in the room) because typing your
thoughts focuses you down into yourself.
Sure, some people are
too weak-minded to develop their own thoughts, and they simply parrot
the opinions of whoever last influenced them, while others have no
capacity to analyze or challenge their prejudices and have to seek out
similarly close-minded people in order to reinforce their beliefs, but,
in general, people who are smart enough to use the Internet have the
potential to learn new things. Here, then, are a few Web sites that
might prove useful for that purpose.
read more Diversity and tolerance outweigh idiocy on-line
Check out these websites on Chinese Canadian History that I list on www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com