Chinese Canadian Issues

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Chinese Canadian Issues Senator Lillian Eva
Quan Dyck, Ph D, D Litt Banquet speech to
the CCNC, September 27, 2007
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Outline

• My ancestry
• My father
• Discriminatory Legislation
• My work on Chinese Canadian issues

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Xmas, Saskatoon, 1954?
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the Regal (Chinese) café, Killam, Alberta
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Moms Tombstone in Killam, Alberta
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Pretend youre just Chinese
Moms message to Winston and me
Dont go back to the reserve.
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This young man was our dad!
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Dad had a wife in China too!
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Dads Chinese family Quan Sue Hoe children
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Dads trips to and from China

• 1912 arrival in Victoria on the Chicago (a
  Japanese boat).
• 1914-1917 back to China - married in 1915
• 1924-1926 back to China
• 1928-1930 back to China

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Discriminatory Legislation

• The Head tax was applied specially to Chinese
  (1885-1923).
• The Chinese Immigration (exclusion) Act
  (1923-1947).

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Other Discriminatory Laws
Chinese men were not allowed to hire white women
to work for them. (SK the Female Employment
Act, 1912 1969)
Chinese-Canadians did not the vote until 1947.
Status Indians did not get the vote until 1960.
Indian women lost their status by marriage to
non-Indians until 1985.
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The number 1 son

• Quan Dick
• Family dispersed by war with the Japanese and
  Quan Sue Hoe died in 1941.
• 1952 contact made and wanted to come to Canada
  to reunite.

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Dads Tombstone in Swift Current
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Visiting Beijing, China March 2004
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Being sworn in as a Senator, April 2005
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What have I done to help?

• Statement on Redress Nov 22, 2005.
• Attended press conference in TO on Redress, Jan
  2006.
• Statement on the repeal of the Exclusion act
  May, 2007.
• Met with members of the CCNC in my office.

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What other things will I do?

• Write letters to the Minister of Heritage to
  support community efforts.
• Work with other community groups, such as the
  Barkerville Society.
• Continue to make statements and attend events.

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June 22, 2006 announcements to follow up

• a 24-million Community Historical Recognition
  Program to provide grant and contribution funding
  for community projects linked to wartime measures
  and immigration restrictions
• a 10-million National Historical Recognition
  Program to fund federal initiatives, developed in
  partnership with other stakeholders