Advocates for Chinese head tax apology say B.C. premier should not delay

VANCOUVER – The grandson of an Chinese immigrant forced to pay a head tax says B.C.’s premier shouldn’t let her political woes interfere with delivering a meaningful apology for the policy.

Victor Wong with the Chinese Canadian National Council is wondering about Christy Clark’s suggestion that the timing may be affected by the ethnic vote scandal that has rocked her government.

Clark told CTV’s Question Period she may need to wait some time before making the apology so she won’t be accused of playing politics with the issue.

A Liberal government document surfaced in late February suggesting the party would attempt to gain “quick wins” at the ballot box in May by issuing a formal apology.

Wong says members of his community see themselves as apart from the political firestorm because the government has already offered an apology several times.

The apologies have not been been accepted because the Chinese-Canadian community also wants a meaningful financial settlement.

The scandal has forced Clark’s former deputy chief of staff and her multiculturalism minister to resign and prompted an internal review.

Canada charged Chinese immigrants a head tax starting in the late 1800s to discourage immigration.