July 1 marks the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923.
The act — also known as the Chinese Exclusion Act — restricted nearly all Chinese immigration to Canada for decades and an event was held at Calgary’s Central Library Friday to commemorate the anniversary of the act.
Attendees had the opportunity to learn about the history of Chinese immigration to Canada through storytelling sessions and historians spoke about the challenges and contributions of Chinese immigrants throughout the past century.
Some of the people there had grandparents who were targeted by laws aimed at keeping Chinese people out of Canada, including the Chinese Immigration Act.
“People don’t realize how how racist a policy that was and it was institutionalized by our government. It was something that was immoral, but made legal and that is shocking,” said Ronald Lee.
Lee’s grandfather came to Canada to help build the Canadian Pacific Railway, one of over 15,000 Chinese labourers who first came to Canada in the mid-nineteenth century to assist in the construction of the railroad.
Once the railway was complete, the government of the day set in place a number of measures to stop the flow of immigrants from China to Canada.
When Lee’s grandfather went back to China after the work was complete, he had to pay a $500 tax to be able to return to Canada.
The head tax remained in place until 1923, when the Government amended the Chinese Immigration Act, banning most Chinese immigrants until it was repealed in 1947. Its impact has spanned generations and continues to impact Chinese Canadians today.
“I’m saddened by the ignorance of the people to not understand, and even now when we talk about this, I’ve had people come up to me and say, ‘Ron, why bring up the past?'” Lee said.
Part of bringing up the past is making people aware, he said.
Calgarian Jack Yee was born in China and moved to Canada as a child in 1950. He said he didn’t learn until recently about Canada’s previously racist immigration policies.
“I was surprised because I grew up in a small town and I had a very good treatment,” said Yee.
Calgarians with families were who impacted say bringing up the past is a way to keep history from repeating itself.
“This is a way to remind everybody freedom and democracy are not guaranteed in this country,” Lee said.
“You have to keep our leaders on their toes because we see today we have identity politics and it’s starting again with that right wing thinking and politicians will cater to it, which is very sad,” Lee said.
In 2006, Chinese Canadians received an official apology from the federal government for the head tax and for excluding Chinese immigrants.
The Exclusion Act also required all Chinese persons living in Canada to register with the government and to carry certificates with photo identification, or risk fines, detainment or deportation.
This was the only time the federal government imposed such a requirement on a non-Indigenous community during peacetime.