Chinese Head Tax Payer in Newfoundland Receives Redress
BELL ISLAND, Newfoundland and Labrador, December 8, 2006 - Norman Doyle, Member of Parliament (St. John's East), today presented Jim Yick, a resident of Bell Island who had paid the Chinese Head Tax, with a cheque for $20,000."I am proud that Canada's New Government is continuing to fulfill its commitment to Chinese Head Tax payers by providing these symbolic payments," said Mr. Doyle.
"With the delivery of ex-gratia payments to living Head Tax payers, we are taking one more step toward recognizing past experiences and hardships and to contributing to healing in the Chinese Canadian community," said the Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women.
On October 20, 2006, Minister Oda participated in a ceremony in Vancouver to present the first ex-gratia payments. These payments follow from the official apology to Chinese Canadians for imposition of the Head Tax, made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on June 22, 2006, on behalf of the Government of Canada.
On December 1, Canada's New Government announced that individuals who were in a conjugal relationship with a Head-Tax payer who is now deceased may apply for ex gratia symbolic payments of $20,000.
The Head Tax was imposed on Chinese immigrants entering Canada from 1885 to 1923. A similar tax existed in the Dominion of Newfoundland between 1906 and 1949, before the province entered Confederation.
Information :
Chisholm Pothier
Director of Communication
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women
819 997-7788
Dorothy O'Keefe
Constituency Manager
Office of Norman Doyle,
Member of Parliament
709 772-7171
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