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DISCOVER CHINESE CANADIANS

Part 6. Immigration History – From Segregation to Integration

A microanalysis, more free analyses are available at www.researchvit.com.

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1788-Craftsman & 1858-Gold

2

In 1788, The British Captain John Meares hired the first group of 70 Chinese smiths and carpenters from Macau and Guangzhou, they landed in Vancouver at the west coast of British America (Canada).

Their craftsmanship and diligence impressed him. He wrote in his memoirs: “if hereafter trading posts should be established on the American coast, these men should be very important.”

Gold was discovered in the lower Fraser Valley in 1857. In the following year, the first group of Chinese immigrants from San Francisco arrived in Victoria by boat. Soon after, more Cantonese came from Hong Kong to seek a better livelihood.

B.C. faced adverse economic conditions after the Gold Rush in 1865. Chinese was started to be blamed for their longer working hours but lower wages.

1858Gold

1788Craftsman

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1872-Discrimination & 1881-Railway

B.C. entered Confederation in 1871. Next year, Chinese was disenfranchised. From the 1870s onward, discrimination against Chinese became a hallmark of B.C.

The 1881 Census of Canada listed 4,383 Chinese in Canada of which 4,350 (99.2%) resided in B.C., 22 in Ontario.

Chinese made a great contribution for constructing Canadian Pacific Railway.

In 1880, 5000 labourers were sent as “guest workers” from Guangdong China by ship, and 7000 Chinese railway workers were recruited from California. Their task was the most dangerous part of the whole railway, which will cross Rocky Mountains, and white men would not take the risk.

By the end of 1881, the first 5000 Chinese labourers had less than 1500 remaining.

1881Railway

1872Discrimination

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1885-Head Tax & 1923-Segregation

After the completion of Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885, Chinese labourers were not need any more. The Federal Government then imposed a Head Tax of $50 on every Chinese immigrant (The only people who need to pay the tax before entering Canada.)

The head tax of $50 could not stop Chinese coming to Canada, the head tax was then increased to $100 in 1901 and again to $500 in 1903. However, this also could not stop the poor Chinese seeking a better pay in Canada.

As head taxes failed to curb Chinese immigration, the federal government passed The Chinese Immigration Act in 1923, by which no person of Chinese origin was permitted to enter Canada. Head Tax was also stopped then.

During the period of exclusion from 1923 to 1947, many Chinese in Canada had to endure the hardship of separation from their families in China.

1885Head Tax

1923Segregation

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1939-War & 1923-Politics

Canada entered World War II on 1939. Governments of British Columbia and Saskatchewan strongly opposed enlisting Chinese in the armed forces, fearing they would demand to be enfranchised after the war.

It was only after Japan entered the war that the British started recruiting Chinese Canadians to infiltrate and fight behind Japanese. Finally over 600 Chinese Canadians served in World War II.

On 1947, the federal government repealed the Exclusion Act and other Acts against the Chinese.

Having obtained the franchise, the Chinese began to participate in politics. Chinese war veterans Douglas Jung who was elected MP for Vancouver Centre in 1957.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, many Chinese Canadians were elected as MPs, Mayors and so on.

1939War

1957Politics

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1967-Equal & 1980-Recognition

The Federal Government introduced a liberalized immigration policy on 1967. It gave people around the world an equal opportunity for admission to Canada according to their education, occupational skills, and other criteria. Immigrants were identified by their last permanent residence and not by ethnic origin.

After 1967, Chinese professional and skilled workers from many places and cultures entered Canada.

In 1986, the Investment Canada Act induced many Hong Kong and Taiwan investors to bring substantial capital to Canada.

On 1980, Parliament passed a motion recognizing “the contribution made to the Canadian mosaic and culture by the people of Chinese background.” This was the first official recognition of Chinese railway workers.

In 1987, all three political parties supported the introduction of an all-party parliamentary resolution to recognize the injustice and discrimination of the head tax and the Chinese Exclusion Act.

1980Recognition

1967Equal

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1996-Integration & 2006-Apology & 2010-Develop

With the political uncertainties as Hong Kong headed towards 1997, many Hong Kongers chose to emigrate to Canada. It was easy for them to enter Canada due to their Commonwealth of Nations connections. According to Canadian Consulate in Hong Kong, from 1991 to 1996, "about 20,000 Hong Kongers emigrated annually to Canada, comprising over half of all Hong Kong emigration and about 20% of the total number of immigrants to Canada.“

In 2000, China has also taken over from all countries and regions as the country sending the most immigrants to Canada. According to 2002 Statistics Canada, China has supplied averaging over 30,000 immigrants per year, totaling an average of 15% of all immigrants to Canada.

On June 22, 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered a message of redress in the House of Commons, offering an apology in Cantonese and compensation for the head tax once paid by Chinese immigrants.

2006Apology

1996Integration

In 2010, President Hu Jintao visited Canada, local Chinese Canadians welcomed in airport.

In 2011, Chinese Canadians reached 1.5 million, takes 4.4% of Canada’s population.

2010Develop

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Who is ResearchVit?

Who do we focus?

What’s our core value?

Who are we?

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Marketing Research and Consulting

Headquartered in Toronto, Canada

Provide Quantitative and Qualitative marketing research and consulting services

Study North American consumers

Special capacity to study consumers with Chinese origin in North America

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Data Source:

1. “Milestones in Chinese Canadian History”, Chinese-Canadian Genealogy, Vancouver Public Library;

2. “The Early Chinese Canadians 1858-1947”, Library and Archives Canada;

3. “A Brief Chronology of Chinese Canadian History”, Simon Fraser University, David See-Chai Lam Center for International Communication;

4. “Chinese Canadian History”, The Chinese Canadian military Museum Society;

5. “Moments of Chinese Canadian History”, Chinese Canadian Historical Photo Exhibit;

6. “History of Chinese immigration to Canada”, Wikipedia;

7. “加拿大华人历史” , Wikipedia.facebook.com/pages/ResearchVit/495766670485350?ref=ts&fref=ts