Righting Canada’s Wrongs: The Chinese Head Tax and Anti-Chinese Immigration Policies in the Twentieth Century
This visual history shows how, after the CPR to Vancouver was finished, Canada imposed racist, anti-Chinese immigration policies that lasted more than 60 years
The first Chinese immigrants arrived in Canada in the mid-1800s searching for gold and a better life. They found jobs in forestry, mining, and other resource industries. But life in Canada was difficult and the immigrants had to face racism and cultural barriers. Thousands were recruited to work building the Canadian Pacific Railway. Once the railway was finished, Canadian governments and many Canadians wanted the Chinese to go away.
The government took measures to stop immigration from China to Canada. Starting in 1885, the government imposed a Head Tax with the goal of stopping immigration from China. In 1923 a ban was imposed that lasted to 1947. Despite this hostility and racism, Chinese-Canadian citizens built lives for themselves and persisted in protesting official discrimination. In June 2006, Prime Minister Harper apologized to Chinese Canadians for the former racist policies of the Canadian government.
Through historical photographs, documents, and first-person narratives from Chinese Canadians who experienced the Head Tax or who were children of Head Tax payers, this book offers a full account of the injustice of this period in Canadian history. It documents how this official racism was confronted and finally acknowledged.
This title is also available in immersion French: La taxe d'entrée chinoise (ISBN - 9781459419681).
About the Author
ARLENE CHAN, a third-generation Chinese Canadian, is a retired librarian and author of non-fiction works for children, young adults, and adults on Chinese festivals and the Chinese in Canada. An avid dragon boat racer and gold-medalist on the Canadian National Women's Dragon Boat Team, she lives, writes, and paddles in Toronto.
Reviews
"The visuals are spectacular and will surely be a drawing card for students at the upper elementary, junior and senior high levels who might be studying this topic in their Canadian social studies programs...I would recommend this title for all schools and public libraries. These are topics our students need to be informed about in order to understand and appreciate our history. Rated E, excellent."
Victoria Pennell,, Resource Links
"Arlene Chan has done a masterjob authoring this book...The Chinese Head Tax is a powerful story. Deeply moving and hugely important are the many recollections offered by eight Chinese Canadian who suffered with their families as a result of the head tax and the 24 years of the Exclusion Act. High school students and teachers of Canadian history and human rights courses will learn much from this book. Sadly, one of the lessons is that Canada has not always been a "just" society. Highly Recommended."
Joanne Peters,, CM: Canadian Review of Materials
"...suitable for young readers of grade five and above.They will get more out of reading this book if they are guided by parents or teachers who can help them better understand and appreciate the complex issues and historical occurences."
The Dealing Review of Children's Literature
Awards
Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens Starred Selection
2015
Resource Links The Year's Best - Non-Fiction Grades 7-12
2015
Subjects (BISAC)
Subjects
Resource Guide
A resource guide for the Righting Canada's Wrongs series that provides lessons in historical thinking.
(more)The Righting Canada’s Wrongs series is devoted to the exploration of racist and discriminatory government policies and actions against various groups through our history, the fight for acknowledgement and justice and the eventual apologies and restitution of subsequent governments. The award-winning books in this series make a valuable addition to any classroom or library looking for kid-friendly and appealing resources on social justice and equal rights in Canada.
The engaging and curriculum-based lessons in this Resource Guide will help students to further understand some of the important events in Canada's history that helped shape our current multicultural society. Educators will find support for teaching about Canada's past treatment of minorities and how to approach the topic of racism and discrimination. As well, students will learn about the important roles that these groups have played in Canadian society.
The third edition of the Resource Guide has been updated to include the most recent books in the Righting Canada’s Wrongs series: Africville, Anti-Semitism and the MS St. Louis and The LGBT Purge.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- A different historical thinking concept is introduced in each lesson.
- Each of the main lessons are directly linked to books in the series. The Resource Guide also provides additional sections related to each book.
- Student Blackline Masters are provided for copying.
- Evaluation rubrics for your assessment of student achievement on each lesson are included.
- Video links throughout the guide will supplement your lesson and add another dimension to student learning.
