A paper on the slavery and discrimination throughout the history of Chinese Immigration in Canada - Essay Example

Slavery in Disguise: A paper on the slavery and discrimination throughout the history of Chinese Immigration in Canada Introduction As such thehistory of Chinese immigration to Canada is a story paved with both slavery and discrimination. Discrimination as to race, age and gender are not only discouraged in Canada, it is considered criminal. The push to eradicate discrimination is so strong that even its citizens have the reputation of being exceedingly politically correct. There are even some who mock them for being 'too friendly' a country. But its surprising that such a tactful country, overly sensitive against discrimination has a dark past. And this is not merely the case of the citizenship oppressing certain minority group. On the contrary, it is the government who committed these act of prejudice as it actually legislated a series of discriminatory laws. But in June 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized at the Parliament for the discriminating policies imposed on Chinese immigrants in the early 20th century. "On behalf of the people and government of Canada, we offer a full apology to Chinese-Canadians for the head tax and express our deepest sorrow for the subsequent exclusion of Chinese immigrants," said Harper. (Xinhua) "We acknowledge the high cost of the head tax meant that many family members were left behind in China, never to be reunited, or that families lived apart and in some cases in extreme poverty for years," he said. (Gunn) It is believed that an estimate of 81,000 people paid this tax. (Xinhua) And on the day of the apology, there are about 35 survivors, 360 of their widows and fewer than 4,000 of their children. (Xinhua) Some of these survivors were present during the apology. Methodology To better understand the abovementioned apology, a research on the factual basis was necessary. Reference to news articles and news archives where made. As well as those to different sector groups. This report aims to present the discrimination suffered by the Chinese when they immigrated to Canada. Hence, after determining the historical facts, analysis of these data would proceed. And a discussion of the discrimination committed against Chinese immigrants in Canada would follow. Historical Background According to my research the following are the historical background of the immigration of Chinese nationals to Canada: The first Chinese immigrants to set foot in Canada were brought from Macao in 1788 by British explorer John Meares. And it was said that they were also the last for the next 70 years. It was thought that they married into native communities on the island and their cultural traces soon lost. (Chinese Immigration) In 1842, Britain and China entered the Treaty of Nanking where in it said that their respective subjects should enjoy full security and protection within the territory of the other. (Con) This included Canada. In the 1850's, due to the gold rush, there was an influx of Chinese immigrants in North America. But when gold was found in Frasier River in British Columbia in around 1858, these Chinese migrants headed north to Frasier Island in British Columbia. In 1860, others began to arrive in British Columbia directly from China. In 1861, a Victoria newspaper welcomed the immigrants by saying: "We have plenty of room for many thousands of Chinamen. There can be no shadow of a doubt but their industry enables them to add very largely to our own revenues." (Chinese Immigration) But they worked as cooks, launderers or as houseboys for wealthy white families. In the 1870's these immigrants were predominantly male. By 1879, the number of Chinese immigrants in the province was estimated to be 6,000. In 1880's the Canadian Pacific Railway was constructed and Chinese workers were brought to help. Between 1881 and 1884, over 15,000 Chinese came to Canada. But Chinese workers were often called on to do the more dangerous jobs. They worked with explosives, carried heavy rocks and stayed in unsafe tents. And pay was really low as compared with the white workers. In 1885, when the railway was completed, Canadians from all walks of life wanted the Chinese to leave. (Not Welcome Anymore) Chinese immigrants where perceived as competition for employment. And thus, a campaign to limit the entry of Chinese immigrants was made. In 1885, the Canadian Federal Government passed the Chinese Immigration Act. This act requires a head tax of $50 dollars to be allowed entry within the Canadian territory. It was increased to $100 in 1900 and $500 in 1903. In 1923, the Chinese Immigration Act was repealed. Instead, Canada passed the Chinese Exclusion Act. This had the effect stopping Chinese immigration to Canada for the next 25 years. The day the Canadian Chinese Exclusion Act came into effect, is known as "humiliation day." (Munroe) Also, Canadians were considered as 'British subjects living in Canada' prior 1947. This does not include the Chinese-Canadians and as a result, Chinese-Canadians are not considered citizens of Canada. Even despite the fact that during the World War II, roughly 500 Chinese-Canadian soldiers fought for Canada, they still are not considered as citizens of Canada. And because they were deprived citizenship, no Chinese-Canadian was allowed to vote. Neither were they allowed to practice profession such as law, medicine and teaching. It was only in 1947 did they have the same rights of citizenship as other Canadians. (Finally Getting the Vote) Also in 1947, the Chinese Exclusion Act was abolished. However, only the wives and children of Canadian citizens were considered eligible for admission to Canada. Only in 1967 did any of the effect of the exclusion act was eliminated and Chinese immigrants where treated similarly with immigrants from other nations. Discussion and Analyis The main factor that prompted Chinese nationals to emigrate out of China was extreme poverty. Hence, with the gold rush happening and the possibility of wealth was just too tempting to resist. And in my opinion, coming from an impoverished setting, they were already content to accept cheap wages. Based on the continued influx of Chinese immigrants, these cheap wages are even higher than what they could receive back in China. And since slavery was abolished, resort to pooling these cheap laborers where made instead. According to the article in CBC News, though there were those who went to Canada freely, others were kidnapped. (Chinese Immigration) Imagine the suffering of those who leave China in the hopes of finding prosperity in Canada and then finding themselves enslaved by white families. They were disappointed for sure. The hoped for wealth and they found slavery. How much more for those that were taken against their will They did not want to leave China in the first place. And this is only the start of the atrocities committed against them. The extremely cheap labor was appreciated by Canadians. As mentioned earlier, they welcomed Chinese nationals in Canada. And there was even a treaty ensuring equal treatment among Chinese and Canadian nationals. Of course, this so-called treatment was merely illusory. I could only assume that these Chinese immigrants are only ordinary people not knowledgeable of diplomatic interactions and treaties. Because of such ignorance, they did not know the existence of the Treaty of Nanking. As a result they did not demand the equal treatment promised by said treaty. They accepted jobs as home servants, cooking and cleaning for white families. In the construction of Canadian Pacific Railway, both whites and Chinese are made to work. However, despite the fact that employment was equally available to whites and Chinese, there was severe discrimination with regards to the task assigned, work conditions and wages. The Chinese got the heavier and more dangerous kinds of work. Their living conditions in the work place and their accommodations where very inferior. And their wages are extremely low compared to the whites. In the end, even though they do not do house work for white families, they can still be considered slaves. Though slavery was abolished, it took a new form. It was disguised as cheap labor. While Chinese were initially welcomed and appreciated for cheap labor, the popular view on the Chinese immigrants is extremely prejudicial and racist. They were viewed as dirty, susceptible to disease, dishonest, immoral and whose mere presence caused the degradation of the standard of living. This view on the Chinese immigrants prove one thing: Canadians did not see them as equal. They were seen as inferior. And since they were inferior, they deserve to be slaves, to do housework, dangerous rail road and mining tasks - all the work that the whites are too superior to be working on. The Chinese immigrants significantly helped in the construction of the railway. However, not every one was happy. Some think that these Chinese immigrants are taking away their source of employment. It is true that a considerable amount of Chinese immigrated to Canada due to the construction of the railway. They were tolerated during the construction because, as I've mentioned, they did the work that whites are not willing to do. But when the construction was finished, there was nothing demeaning left to do. All that was left were the jobs that the whites considered as worthy of them. As such the Chinese immigrants were regarded as competition to the 'good' jobs. Because of this, different sectors push that Chinese immigration be limited. To do that, a head tax was imposed on those entering Canadian territory. The head tax started from $50 dollars and reached up to $500. Even to this day, these amounts are considerable. As discussed earlier, Chinese migrate to Canada to escape poverty in China. In imposing a very expensive head tax, logically, it had the effect of only allowing wealthy Chinese men to immigrate. But if one is already wealthy in China, why do they have to leave Another logical effect is that, those not wealthy, upon arrival to Canada would borrow money for the tax. So they set foot in Canada, already debt laden. To pay for it, they would be willing to work despite low wages or inhuman work conditions. $500 dollars is a very big amount to pay. To some, it may take their entire life just to pay it. All these circumstances would promote in certain ways, a form of slavery. Also, regardless of how they get the money to pay said tax, the bottom line is it is too expensive to immigrate. It made it difficult for Chinese families to immigrate together. For a family of five, it would cost them $2,500. As a logical result, families are separated. As to how long they get separated, depends on how soon they come up with the funds to pay the tax. It may take a while. But it may take forever, too. The head tax was eventually abolished. But that didn't make things better for Chinese immigration. On the contrary, it made it worse, because for the abolishment of the head tax, a total ban was imposed. For the next 25 years, there were no Chinese immigrants coming in Canada. The enactment of the Chinese Exclusion Act had a strongly discriminatory message: Chinese are not welcome. For all that the Chinese immigrants went through: dangerous working environment, low wages, demeaning housework, shameful perception of society and expensive head tax, this was the icing in the oppression cake. In a way, I think that's why they call the said act was legislated, the Humiliation Day. So there were no Chinese immigrants coming in. This doesn't mean that those already within Canadian borders are well off. No. They were still considered second class inhabitants. Because of their race, they were deprived of citizenship. Without citizenship, they cannot practice any profession such as business, law, medicine or teaching. They were limited to those ordinary jobs like factory workers, farmers and the like. These jobs don't offer prosperity. They are stuck to the lowly status without any chance of advancement. In effect, the system trapped them in slavery. They also had no right to vote since they weren't citizens. I could see how unfair this was to the Chinese-Canadian community. After having spent blood, sweat and tears to contribute to the construction of significant infrastructures, they are not given a voice on the direction of the very country they helped build. And worse, even after fighting for Canada in the World War, they are not given a say in the governance of the very country in whose freedom they fought to protect. Conclusion Although slavery was officially abolished, the elements of slavery were still present all throughout the history of Chinese immigration in Canada. Guised as employment, the attendance of hazardous work, dangerous living conditions provided, extremely low wages and disgraceful status made it into the modern day slavery. And there was no move to stop this kind of slavery. In fact, the government through its laws preserved such system. The head tax made it extremely difficult for the Chinese immigrants to prosper. Thus, this even sunk them deeper into slavery. The deprivation of citizenship also had the same effect. The opportunity to practice a certain profession was denied to them. Thus, the head tax and deprivation of citizenship only reinforced the system of slavery. It ensured that the Chinese-Canadians stay in their place: below the whites. The reparation for these injustices and inequality has been moving on for years. But it was only made after a century has passed since such slavery began. And though both Canada and Chinese community made amends already and an official apology for the discriminatory laws have been said, it does not erase the fact that for years, the Canadian community has enslaved the Chinese immigrants. Bibliography "Asian Immigration." Canada in the Making. Early Canadiana Online. 5 March 2008 The site Canada in the Making is about the history of Canada built from the Government documents of Early Canadiana Online. To ensure the veracity of its' content, all historical content in Canada in the Making has been reviewed and approved by chief historical consultant, Dr. Jean-Claude Robert who is a distinguished professor of history at the University of Qubec in Montreal (UQAM). "Chinese Immigration." CBC News, In Depth: China. 10 June 2004. Canadian Broadcasting Centre. 5 March 2008 . CBC or Canadian Broadcasting Center is Canada's national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. It is fully committed to the accuracy of its reports. CBCnews.ca is a site where in access to news are available. CBC News, In Depth consist of featured stories of various topics. "Chinese Immigration in Canada". History. Chinese Canadian National Council. 5 March 2008 . Chinese Canadian National Council is an organization mandated to promote the rights and welfare of Chinese Canadians. The article provides a detailed history on Chinese immigration in Canada especially the Chinese Head Tax and Exclusionary Tax. Wickberg, Edgar with Harry Con Ronald J. Con, Graham Johnson, and William E. Willmott. From China to Canada. McClelland and Stewart Ltd. 1982. Edgar Wickberg is a professor of history in UCB when this book was written together with four other authors. His main research interests are about history and current relationships of Chinese outside china. This book also presented a detail discussion of the experiences and history of Chinese immigration. Dench, Janet. "A chronology focusing on refugees and discrimination" A hundred years of immigration to Canada. Canadian Council for Refugees. 6 March 2008 . The author is the executive director of the Canadian Council for Refugees. The Canadian Council for Refugees is a non-profit organization committed to the right and protection of refugees and immigrants in Canada. This article shows the important events with respect to immigration in Canada, presented according to year it happened. "Finally Getting the Vote." CBC Archives. Canadian Broadcasting Centre. 5 March 2008 . CBC or Canadian Broadcasting Center is Canada's national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. It is fully committed to the accuracy of its reports. CBCnews.ca is a site where in access to news are available. CBC News, In Depth consist featured stories of various topics. This article is about the start of the end of discrimination against Chinese immigrants. Gunn, Ian. "Canada apology to China migrant." BBC News. 23 June 2006. 5 March 2008 . This article is contributed by the author for BBC News. It is part of their world news regarding the apology made the Canadian Prime Minister. The BBC is one of the largest broadcasting corporations in the world. Hum, Derek. "Aspects of the Chinese Head Tax." Current Research. 5 March 2008 Hum is a Professor of Economics, Faculty of Arts, University of Manitoba. He has received various rewards for Outstanding Contributions to Scholarship and Research in the Social Sciences Category. This article discussed the effect of the head tax imposed on Chinese immigrants. Munroe, Susan. "Discrimination in Chinese Immigration to Canada 1885-1947." Canada Online. 6 March 2008 . The author is a Canadian public affairs and communications professional for 30 years now. She has a BA in Political Science from Carleton University in Ottawa. The article includes dates and events in the history of Chinese immigration. Canada Online is a sight with access to information on subjects that contribute to the Canadian history, music, art, science and the Canadian government. "Not Welcome Anymore" CBC Archives. Canadian Broadcasting Centre. 5 March 2008 . CBC or Canadian Broadcasting Center is Canada's national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. It is fully committed to the accuracy of its reports. CBCnews.ca is a site where in access to news are available. CBC News, In Depth consisted of featured stories of various topics. This article is apart of a series of articles regarding history of immigration in Canada. Xinhua. "Canada repents on racism on Chinese." China Daily. 23 June 2006. 5 March 2008 . China Daily is the only national newspaper written in English. It is aimed to inform the world about China and help its countrymen in its integration to the international world. The article is about the public apology given by the Prime Minister of Canada. Read More