Chinese Head Tax redress:  Why is the federal government not negotiating with head tax payers and their descendants?

This message is from my friend Sid Tan, who is spokesperson for BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers Spouses and Descendants.  I too, am a descendant of head tax payers.  My mothers' father and grand father paid the head tax.  Sid's message follows:

Why doesn't the National Congress of Chinese Canadians want to talk to English-language media?
 
This information is from a Chinese-language media advisory. It looks like NCCC doesn't want English-language media there. It's 2:30pm at Chinese Cultural Centre Friday November 18.
I plan to be there around 2:00pm with Gim Wong and perhaps Linda Jang. We're not sure we will be let in. I have probably written more on this than most of the reporters there.
 
There will be a meeting of the BC Coalition of Head Taxpayers, Spouses and Descendants at 1:30pm on Sunday November 20 at the Quan Lung Sai Tong (164 East Hastings Street).

This is Charlie Quan's association and he and Gim Wong suggest we consult with the group for our next steps. Hope you can attend and please circulate to those who support a just and honourable redress for the Lo Wah Kiu (old overseas Chinese).
  
Take care.    anon    Sid
 
Go to www.headtaxredress.org and sign petition and read following for current news.
 
Ontario Coalition of Chinese Head Tax Payers and Families And Chinese Canadian National Council

For Immediate Release

November 17, 2005

Chinese Canadians Condemn Secret Deal

Toronto:  Groups seeking redress of the Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act are calling on the Canadian Government to put an end to secret deals once and for all. The Chinese Canadian National Council, Ontario Coalition of Chinese Head Tax Payers and Families and BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants urge the Canadian Government not to empty the Acknowledgement Commemoration Education Fund (ACE Fund) before talking to the victims of 62 years of legislated racism: the Head Tax payers and families.

The National Congress of Chinese Canadians today announced that it has negotiated a deal with the government for the payout of $12.5 million and that the agreement will be signed on November 23rd. Apparently this has the backing of Minister of Multiculturalism Raymond Chan’s office.

“It’s outrageous that Minister Chan would say publicly on CBC that he is still open to negotiations with other groups while concluding a secret deal with his political cronies,” said Susan Eng, Co-Chair of the Coalition. “What part of “Gomery” do they not understand?”

“This issue has been absolutely churning in the Chinese language media so we would be surprised that the Prime Minister and his Government have missed the vocal opposition among Head Tax payers and families and throughout the community.” said Victor Wong, Executive Director of the Chinese Canadian National Council. “We call on Prime Minister Martin not to repeat the mistakes of the past and enter into good-faith negotiations with the Head Tax payers and families.”

“We are indeed shocked and angry to hear of this apparent sell-out,” Sid Tan of the BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants said today. “Is Minister Chan hiding behind the language barrier to silence his critics in the hopes that the wider community will never hear about it? The Minister has seriously bungled this case.”

The Ontario Coalition of Chinese Head Tax Payers and Families consists of Head Tax payers, their surviving spouses and descendants.  They are joined in their demands for redress of the Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act by the Chinese Canadian National Council, Chinese Canadian Redress Alliance, the Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity Society, Metro Toronto Chinese and South East Asian Legal Clinic, BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers Spouses and Descendants.

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For further information, please contact:

Susan Eng, Coalition Co-Chair, (416) 960-0312

Victor Wong, CCNC Executive Director, national@ccnc.ca, (416) 977-9871

Sid Tan, BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers Spouses and Descendants, (604) 433-6169

Ontario Coalition of Chinese Head Tax Payers and Families And Chinese Canadian National Council