Steven Guilbeault, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, yesterday announced the designation of the Exclusion of Chinese Immigrants as an event of national historic significance under Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration.
On July 1, 1923, the Canadian government introduced a new Chinese Immigration Act, commonly known as the Chinese Exclusion Act, to stop Chinese immigration.
This legislation replaced the first Chinese Immigration Act of 1885, which included the various head taxes (entry taxes), among other measures to deter immigration from China.
Under the Chinese Immigration Act, Chinese migrants had to pay a head tax of $50 to come to Canada. (Diplomats, government representatives, tourists, merchants, scientists and students were exempt.) The Chinese were the only group of migrants that had to pay the head tax.
For almost a quarter of a century, the Chinese Exclusion Act imposed restrictions that negatively impacted families by prohibiting immigrant spouses and children from joining the predominantly male Chinese population in Canada.
The act was the culmination of widespread anti-Chinese racism and policies increasing in Canada since the 19th century.
While the exact number is unknown, Canada allowed entry to fewer than 50 Chinese people during the 24 years that the act was in effect.
This act also required all Chinese people living in Canada, even those born here, 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.
The act was repealed on May 14, 1947.
After two decades of lobbying, in 2006, Chinese Canadians received an official apology from the federal government for the head taxes and the exclusion of Chinese immigrants.
More information can be found in the backgrounder, Exclusion of Chinese Immigrants (1923–1947) National Historic Event. The Canadian Encyclopedia also has a good article on the Chinese Head Tax in Canada.
