By March 31, 2008, the Government of Canada had identified 785 surviving head tax payers and their spouses and paid them each $20,000 as compensation. Prime Minister Stephen Harper makes an official apology in the House of Commons to Chinese Canadians for more than six decades of legislated racism against them through the <i>Head Tax and Exclusion Act</i>. Ontario Superior Court justice dismisses a class action asking for compensation for the <i>Head Tax and Exclusion Act</i>, but also states that the Government of Canada has a moral obligation to redress Chinese Canadians. The Chinese Canadian National Council surveys the Chinese Canadian community and registers more than 4,000 head tax payers, their spouses and descendants and launches a campaign for an apology and redress. Two elderly Chinese head tax payers, Dak Leon Mark and Shack Yee, meet with MP Margaret Mitchell (Vancouver East) and ask for help in getting a refund and redress for the $500 head tax they both paid to enter Canada. With the proclamation of the <i>Charter of Rights</i> and Freedoms, the fundamental rights of all people in Canada are entrenched in our Constitution. Two elderly Chinese head tax payers, Dak Leon Mark and Shack Yee, meet with MP Margaret Mitchell (Vancouver East) and ask for help in getting a refund and redress for the $500 head tax they both paid to enter Canada. The Chinese Canadian National Council forms as part of the community's response to gross misrepresentation in a national news report. Chinese Canadian lawyer Kew Dock Yip teams up with Jewish civil rights lawyer Irving Himel to repeal the <i>Chinese Exclusion Act</i>. Kew Dock Yip, a son of Vancouver merchant Yip Sang, is called to the Ontario Bar, becoming the first Chinese Canadian lawyer. The <i>Chinese Exclusion Act</i> comes into force on Dominion Day in 1923. The <i>Chinese Exclusion Act</i> comes into force on Dominion Day in 1923. Further amendments to the <i>Chinese Immigration Act</i> quintuple the head tax on Chinese to $500 to discourage individual and family settlement in Canada. Amendments to the <i>Chinese Immigration Act</i> double the head tax on Chinese immigrants to $100. The federal government assigns the Royal Commission on Chinese Immigration and later levies a $50 head tax on all Chinese immigrants. The federal government assigns the Royal Commission on Chinese Immigration and later levies a $50 head tax on all Chinese immigrants. Further amendments to the <i>Chinese Immigration Act</i> quintuple the head tax on Chinese to $500 to discourage individual and family settlement in Canada. The driving of the 'last spike' into a railway tie at Craigellachie, B.C., marks the completion of the mainline of the CPR and connects Canada to British Columbia. Thousands of Chinese are recruited by the Canadian Pacific Railway to build the western section of the transcontinental railroad through the Rocky Mountains. Thousands of Chinese are recruited by the Canadian Pacific Railway to build the western section of the transcontinental railroad through the Rocky Mountains. The Fraser Valley Gold Rush in British Columbia attracts the first major migration of Chinese to lands that later become Canada. Kew Dock Yip, a son of Vancouver merchant Yip Sang, is called to the Ontario Bar, becoming the first Chinese Canadian lawyer. Amendments to the <i>Chinese Immigration Act</i> double the head tax on Chinese immigrants to $100. The driving of the 'last spike' into a railway tie at Craigellachie, B.C., marks the completion of the mainline of the CPR and connects Canada to British Columbia. The Fraser Valley Gold Rush in British Columbia attracts the first major migration of Chinese to lands that later become Canada. Chinese Canadian lawyer Kew Dock Yip teams up with Jewish civil rights lawyer Irving Himel to repeal the <i>Chinese Exclusion Act</i>. The Chinese Canadian National Council forms as part of the community's response to gross misrepresentation in a national news report. Prime Minister Stephen Harper makes an official apology in the House of Commons to Chinese Canadians for more than six decades of legislated racism against them through the <i>Head Tax and Exclusion Act</i>.
Interview with Pierre Berton


Interview with Justice Linda Lee Oland

Justice Oland was born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  She obtained her B.A. in 1971 and […]



Interview with Walter Tom

Walter specializes in immigration and business law in Montreal and is a coordinator of a university legal […]



Interview with Tommy Tao

Tommy graduated from the UBC Law School in 1981. He has been practising law in Vancouver since […]



Interview with Mary Eberts

Mary Eberts received her BA and LL.B. from the University of Western Ontario, and her LL.M. from […]



Interview with Susan Eng

Susan Eng was one of the key strategists behind the successful campaign for Head Tax Redress, especially […]



Interview with James Feng

James Feng came to Canada in 1958 to attend McGill University on a scholarship.  Two years later, […]



Interview with Gretta Wong Grant

In 1946, Gretta Wong Grant became the first woman of Chinese descent to join the profession of […]



Interview with Gary Yee

Gary Yee was the National President of the Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) who spearheaded the Chinese […]



Interview with Dora Nipp

Dora Nipp comes from a family that helped to build the Canadian Pacific Railway and paid the […]



Interview with David Chong

David graduated from University of British Columbia in 1954 and was called to the Bar of British […]



Interview with sons of Dock Yip

Kew Dock Yip (1906-2001) Kew Dock Yip (Dock) was born in Vancouver’s Chinatown in 1906.  He moved […]



Interview with Brad Lee

Bradley Lee is a journalist with 20 years’ experience covering stories in Asia and Canada.  Lee lent […]



Interview with Bill Chu

Bill Chu emigrated from Hong Kong 36 years ago and began a career as a Professional Engineer.  […]



Interview with Avvy Go

Avvy Go is the Clinic Director of Metro Toronto Chinese & Southeast Asian Legal Clinic.  Avvy was […]



Interview with Amy Go

Amy Go is the Executive Director of Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care in Markham where she […]



Redress Express