Episode 297: The history of Chinese immigration to Canada is a story marked by adversity. Chinese labourers played a pivotal role in building the Canadian railway under harsh conditions, yet faced institutional discrimination, including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923, which limited immigration and separated families for years. Despite these challenges, the Chinese community’s resilience has left an indelible mark on Canadian culture. Today, we honour their contributions and recognize the need to confront our history’s shadows, striving for a more inclusive Canadian identity that values people of all backgrounds.
Sources:
Was ‘old-stock Canadians’ coded language — or a simple screw-up? | CBC News
1872 – Indigenous and Chinese Peoples Excluded from the Vote
The Fraser River Gold Rush and the Founding of British Columbia
Chinese Head Tax in Canada (Plain-Language Summary)
Chinese Immigration Act, 1923 | Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
Federal Exclusion Act – Province of British Columbia
Sir John A. Macdonald – Dictionary of Canadian Biography
Biography – CHU LAI – Volume XIII (1901-1910) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography
Chinese Head tax: George Yee’s story
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