Boxing Day Head Tax stories in Media: Vancouver Sun and CKNW

VANCOUVER SUN Tuesday » December 27 » 2005

Head-tax redress a top issue in several ridings Liberals and Conservatives have opposite views on an issue that could sway some Lower Mainland constituencies

Jonathan Fowlie
Vancouver Sun

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Redress for the head tax Ottawa once imposed on Chinese-Canadians is becoming a significant election issue in some ridings in B.C. and Ontario, Chinese community leaders told a news conference Monday.

"With the Conservative party and the Liberal party taking diametrically different positions on this, that could have an effect," former Vancouver councillor Tung Chan said.

Tung cited Burnaby-Douglas and Richmond as two examples of Lower Mainland ridings where the issue is key.

"Richmond has 40 per cent Chinese-Canadians living there, so that could well be one of the ridings where this could have a major impact," Chan said.

Joseph Wong, president of the Chinese Canadian National Council, agreed, saying the head tax and the recently announced $2.5-million plan by Ottawa to address the issue are starting to be of major concern, especially in ridings with a substantial Chinese community.

In November, the Liberal government announced a $2.5-million plan to recognize the historic injustice of the head tax, but it did not apologize or offer individual financial redress to victims and their families.

"As far as we are concerned, the Chinese community across Canada is voicing our disapproval of that type of settlement," said Wong.

"We absolutely would not accept this type of settlement imposed upon us by the federal Liberal government," he added.

Wong, who is also a recipient of the Order of Canada, said there are are at least 10 Ontario ridings where the Chinese-Canadian community accounts for at least 10 to 15 per cent of voters, and where the head tax issue could affect the outcome.

While campaigning in Ontario earlier this month, Conservative leader Stephen Harper changed his position on the head tax issue and joined the New Democratic Party and Bloc Quebecois in condemning the government's $2.5-million plan as inadequate.

Harper also called on Parliament to apologize for the head tax.

Between 1885 and 1923, the Canadian government collected $23 million in so-called head taxes -- essentially fees to immigrate to Canada -- from about 81,000 Chinese immigrants. The government went a step further between 1923 and 1947 by imposing an outright ban on Chinese immigration.

At Monday's news conference, Wong called the head tax the "most racist, dirtiest part of Canadian history" and demanded it be properly addressed.

"The federal government is not taking this seriously enough," he said, slamming the recently announced Liberal plan.

Wong went on to urge Chinese Canadians to become more involved in the election because of the issue, though he stopped short of endorsing one party over another.

"I'm asking Canadians of Chinese descent to participate in the political process," he said. "I am asking people to know about the issues they are voting for, and also to know about the stance of their candidates and vote accordingly."

jfowlie@png.canwest.com
© The Vancouver Sun 200

City's Chinese community wants Ottawa to up the ante
Dec, 26 2005 - 7:20 PM

VANCOUVER/CKNW(AM980) - A group of concerned Chinese Canadians are calling on the Liberal Government to rescind an agreement in principle on the headtax redress.

Former Vancouver City Councillor Tung Chan says on Boxing Day or not this is about to become a major issue in the Federal election.

Reps from several groups are calling for an apology and individual compensation, charged Chinese immigrants between 1885 and 1947.

Dr. Joseph Wong is the founding President of the Chinese Canadian National Council, "I'm asking Canadians of Chinese descent to participate in the political process. We know the Chinese community has not been a high voter turnout within our community and I think that this is exactly the problem that we are facing."

Dr. Wong also points to recent polls suggesting 75 to 90 percent of those asked in the Chinese Canadian community aren't satisfied with the agreement offer which is 12 and a half million dollars in compensation.