아시아계라는 이유만으로 투표조차 할 수 없었던 그때…

“BC주정부 과거 인종차별 정책에 대해 공식 사과”

 
BC주정부가 중국 커뮤니티에 공식 사과했다. 100여 년 전 중국계 이민자를 대상으로 각종 차별 정책이 실시됐는데, 이에 대해 주정부가 머리를 숙인 것이다.

잘못된 “과거사”를 바로 잡기 위한 주정부의 움직임은 올해 초부터 본격화됐다. 당시 주정부 발표에 따르면, 1800년대 후반부터 1900년대 중반까지 중국계를 포함 아시아계 이민자를 차별하는 정책이 무려 160여 개나 쏟아졌다. 아시아로부터 건너온 이민자들은 피부색이 다르다는 이유 하나 만으로 투표권을 행사할 수 없었으며, 인두세라는 불합리한 세금제도에 시달려야 했다. 뿐만 아니라 중국계의 캐나다 이민을 막는 정책도 도입됐다.

크리스티 클락(Clark) BC 주수상은 “주정부는 인두세법을 지지한 것은 물론이거니와 이와 관련 세금 징수까지 나섰다”는 발언으로 지난 정부의 과오를 정리했다. 클락 주수상은 “중국 커뮤니티가 주정부의 사과를 얻어내기까지 100여 년전의 시간이 걸렸다”며 “BC주 정치권의 여야를 떠나 초당적 사과가 이루어진 것을 기쁘게 생각한다”고 덧붙였다.

한편 보상 문제에 대해서는 아직까지 정해진 것은 단 하나도 없는 것으로 알려졌다. 참고로 지난 2006년 캐나다 정부는 중국계 차별 문제와 관련해 보상 작업을 진행한 바 있다. 지난 시절 인두세를 강제 납부해야 했던 중국계 이민자 생존자들은 2006년 당시 연방정부로부터 2만달러 보상을 제안받았다.
문용준 기자 myj@vanchosun.com

Chinese community gets apology from B.C. for historical wrongs.
Premier Christy Clark says apology issued in B.C. legislature has widespread support.

The Chinese community in B.C. received a formal apology today from the provincial government for historical policies that once targeted immigrants and residents.

The apology, which was introduced by Premier Christy Clark on Thursday morning, aims to recognize and make amends for 160 historical racist and discriminatory policies imposed in B.C., such as denying Chinese immigrants the right to vote and charging them a head tax to immigrate.

This portrait of Chinese men and women in Vancouver is part of the UBC archives collection. On Thursday, the B.C. government will apologize to the Chinese community in B.C. for past policies that once targeted immigrants and residents. (UBC)

Clark said the B.C. government supported the head tax and even took payments, so time has been set aside on Thursday for MLAs to debate and pass a motion officially apologizing for those measures.

"While the governments which passed these laws and policies acted in a manner that [was] lawful at the time, today this racist discrimination is seen by British Columbians — represented by all members of the legislative assembly — as unacceptable and intolerable," Clark told the legislature.

"We believe this formal apology is required to ensure that closure can be reached on this dark period in our province's history."

"The entire legislative assembly acknowledges the perseverance of Chinese Canadians that was demonstrated with grace and dignity throughout our history while being oppressed by unfair and discriminatory historical laws.

"Moreover, we acknowledge the overwhelming contribution by Chinese Canadians to British Columbia's culture, history and economic prosperity.

No compensation offered

There was no individual compensation offered as part for the apology, but Clark did announce the government would put $1 million into a legacy fund that would be used to fund educational initiatives.

Clark said the apology was formulated after nearly a year of hearings on the issue, which included debate on whether compensation should be offered.

"I think overall there wasn't as big an appetite for that, as there was for a genuine apology addressing the long list of wrongs that government over the last century have done," said Clark on Wednesday.

"Nothing is ever perfect. I don't think you can ever do something that everyone agrees with, but I really do think there's a really broad level of support for this apology and it is about time.

Over 100 people including community groups and descendents of those impacted by the historical policies were at the legislature to witness the event.     

"The Chinese community has been waiting 100 years to hear these words in our legislature, and it's about time they heard it," said Clark.

Clark said the apology has been endorsed by the governing Liberals, the Official Opposition New Democrats, the Green Party and Independent members of the legislature.

"I've always thought that this needs to be a bipartisan apology from the very, very beginning. I'm glad we've finally gotten here."

Last year, the so-called ethnic vote scandal revealed the Liberals' plans to win votes from ethnic communities in the provincial election with "quick wins," including apologizing for historic wrongs. The leaked documents led one cabinet minister to step down and two top aides to resign, and Clark to apologize in the legislature.

• Read more about the 'quick wins' scandal

Feds apologized with compensation

In 2006, the federal government did offer compensation to surviving members of the Chinese-Canadian community who were forced to pay the head tax, saying the restitution allows Canada to move forward from the shadows of past wrongs.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper formally apologized in the House of Commons and offered the symbolic payment of $20,000 to roughly 400 survivors or their widows.

The federal government imposed a $50 head tax on Chinese immigrants in 1885 after Chinese workers were no longer needed to work on the Canadian Pacific Railway.

The first immigrants from China to B.C. arrived in Victoria in the 1850s to join the Fraser Valley Gold Rush. By 1872, they were prohibited from voting. The prohibition wasn't lifted until 1949 in B.C.

By the 1880s, construction of the CP Railway was employing thousands of Chinese immigrants. But after the railway was completed, to discourage further immigration, a $50 head tax was imposed in 1885, and by 1903 it was raised to $500.

It's estimated about 82,000 Chinese paid the tax until the Exclusion Act came into effect in 1923, effectively banning further immigration from China until 1947. Restrictions on Chinese immigration remained in place until 1967.

Full text of motion

"Be it resolved that this Legislature apologizes for more than a hundred laws, regulations, and policies that were imposed by past provincial governments that discriminated against people of Chinese descent since 1871, when British Columbia joined Confederation, to 1947.

"These laws and policies denied British Columbia's Chinese communities' basic human rights, including but not limited to, the right to vote, hold public office, or own property; imposed labour, educational and employment restrictions; subjected them to health and housing segregation, and prevented them from fully participating in society.

"The House deeply regrets that these Canadians were discriminated against simply because they were of Chinese descent. All members of this House acknowledge that we all aspire to be a fair and just society where people of all nations and cultures are welcomed, accepted and respected.

"Be it further resolved that the House acknowledge that the Chinese Canadian Community endured untold hardships and persevered with grace and dignity.

"We acknowledge that despite being subjected to discriminatory laws, policies and practices, the Chinese community has made, and continues to make, substantial contributions to the culture, history and economic prosperity in our province."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/leaked-documents-reveal-liberals-plan-to-win-ethnic-vote-1.1325543

Leaked documents reveal Liberals' plan to win ethnic vote
Document outlines "quick wins" such as making apologies for historical wrongs.

The NDP has uncovered documents that reveal how senior officials in Premier Christy Clark's office plan to win ethnic votes in the upcoming provincial election.

The documents, released Wednesday by the New Democrats, were sent from the personal e-mail account of Kim Haakstad, the premier’s Deputy Chief of Staff in January last year.

The "Multicultural Strategy" detailed a proposed ethnic outreach plan involving the premier's office, the Multiculturalism Ministry, the government caucus and the B.C. Liberal Party.

It also outlined "quick wins" for the Liberals, such as making apologies in the Legislature for historical wrongs and specifically mentioned the 1914 Komagata Maru incident, which saw a ship carrying 356 passengers forced to return to India after a two-month stand-off in Vancouver Harbour.

Premier Gordon Campbell already issued an official apology regarding the Komagata Maru incident in 2008.

NDP House Leader John Horgan said the leaked documents appear to show that election-related planning was conducted with the use of government resources.

But the Liberals insist the documents were purely for planning purposes and the "multicultural strategy" was never implemented.