Chinese immigrants get apology from B.C.
VICTORIA — When Shui Lee arrived in Kelowna for his first day of school, it didn’t take long before he experienced the kind of racism toward Chinese-Canadians that haunts British Columbia’s history.
“The first day when I go to school, someone got a rock and smashed my forehead and said, ‘Go home, go back where you come from,” Lee said. “And he spit on my face.”
It was 1969, and a 12-year-old Lee, who had just arrived from Mainland China, saw first-hand the discrimination that his great-great grandfather had seen when he’d arrived in B.C. in 1914 to help build the Canadian Pacific Railroad.
Lee took his story and his greatgreat-grandfather’s $500 head tax certificate to the legislature Thursday to hear British Columbia’s official apology for discrimination and racism toward Chinese-Canadians.
He met B.C. Premier Christy Clark, told her about his family, began to cry, and was embraced.
“On behalf of the Province of British Columbia, on behalf of the entire legislative assembly, we sincerely apologize for the provincial government’s historical wrongs, “Clark said in the house.
“We are sorry for the discrimination legislation and racist policies enacted by past governments. We will ensure that this never happens again.”
B.C.’s long-awaited apology covers more than 100 discriminatory laws and policies enacted by the province since it entered into Confederation in 1871. The federal government formally apologized for the head tax in 2006.
Thursday’s formal apology recognized that Chinese people in B.C. were in the past denied basic human rights such as the right to vote, hold public office and own property. They were also subjected to imposed labour, education and employment restrictions, and as well as health and housing segregation.
“These blatant acts of discrimination are shameful,” said Clark. “They are a stain on our history.”
The apology came with a promise to boost public education campaigns, historical sites and “legacy initiatives” to celebrate the place of Chinese-Canadians in B.C.’s history. But it did not include individual compensation for the descendants of those who paid the head tax.
For Lee, now 58 and the chairman of the Kelowna branch of the Chinese Freemason Club, the money wasn’t necessary.
“I lost my dignity and respect,” said Lee. “I (felt) so ashamed of myself. But today, finally, thank you B.C. government to apologize to all the people who work in the CP Railway and the head tax. When I walk out this door today, I feel so proud and I can put my head up and tell everybody I’m proud to be Canadian and proud to be Chinese.”