Overview of Chinese Canadian History

1850s
1858

Chinese immigration to Canada begins. Most Chinese people who come to Canada in the nineteeth century are from Guangdong province in southern China.
The first Chinese gold miners land in Victoria. Chinese miners join thousands of other prospectors in the trek northward in the trek northward along the Fraser River.

1860s
1860

Mrs. Kwong Lee reaches Victoria from San Francisco, the first Chinese woman to arrive in Canada.

1861

Won Alexander Cumyow is born in Victoria, the first Chinese baby to be born in Canada.

Won Alexander Cumyow

1870s
1872

The British Columbia Qualifications of Voters Act denies the Chinese and First Nations peoples the right to vote.

1878

A British Columbia law is passed making it illegal for Chinese People to be employed on construction projects paid for by the provincial government.

1880s
1880-85

The Construction of the western section of the Canadian Pacific Railway employs thousands of Chinese workers.

1884

The federal government sets up a Royal Commission to look into Chinese immigration.

1885

The Act to Restrict and Regulate Chinese immigration into Canada requires that all Chinese entering Canada pay a head tax of $50 per person.

1886

Withe the completion of the CPR, some Chinese people start small service- oriented business. Many move east to centres such as Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal in search of job opportunities and less discrimination.

1890s
1897

Haw Chow Shee's son and daughter are the first Chinese Canadians born east of the Rockies.

1900s
1900

The federal government raises the head tax to $100, to take effect in 1902.

1902

Another Royal Commission looks into Chinese and Japanese immigration.

1903

The federal government raises the head tax to $500.

1907

An anti-Asian riot in Vancouver wrecks Chinese and Japanese business. The federal government pays the Chinese community $26,990 and the Japanese community $9175 for damage to their property.

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1940s
1945

British Columbia passes a law giving he vote to Asians who are Canadian citizens and fought in World War II.

1947

The Exclusion Act is repealed as a result of pressure from lobbying groups in Canada, as well as from the international community. But the Chinese are placed under the same limits on immigration as other Asians.
Chinese Canadians are given the right to vote in federal elections.

1949

British Columbia gives all Chinese Canadians the right to vote in provincial elections.

1950s
1957

A lobbying group goes to Ottawa to appeal to Diefenbaker to change immigration law to improve family reunification.

1960s
1967

The Immigration Act gives the Chinese the same immigration rights as other groups. Chinese immigration to Canada starts to increase with people coming from many different locations including Hong Kong, mainland China, Australia, Vietnam, and Jamaica.

1970s
1979

Chinese Canadians organize nationally to protest the racist depiction of Chinese Canadians in a story called "Campus Giveaway" on CTV's nationally televised W5. The protest results in the creation of the Chinese Canadian National Council.

1980s

Hong Kong becomes one of Canada's major sources of immigration.backdrop.gifïDP;ÚèÿÿÿüGIFf8BIMÿÿÿÿ¯ŸKB´NòÔÿúôACKDROPGIFchinesecollage.gifP;ÚèÿÿÿüGIFf8BIMÿÿÿÿ±j´NòÕÿúóHINES~1GIFchineseoverview.gif;Ú;Û ;ÚGIFfStMlÿÿÿÿ¯ƒ{n´NòÖÿúòHINES~2GIFchinese_origins.gif;Ú;Û ;ÚGIFf8BIMhÀ¯ƒ_¿´NòÖÿúñHINES~3GIFCretien.jpgþïDP;Úèÿÿ

*1850s*	1858 Chinese immigration to Canada begins. Most Chinese people who come to Canada in the nineteeth century are from Guangdong province in southern China. The first Chinese gold miners land in Victoria. Chinese miners join thousands of other prospectors in the trek northward in the trek northward along the Fraser River.
*1860s*	1860 Mrs. Kwong Lee reaches Victoria from San Francisco, the first Chinese woman to arrive in Canada. 1861 Won Alexander Cumyow is born in Victoria, the first Chinese baby to be born in Canada.	Won Alexander Cumyow
*1870s*	1872 The British Columbia Qualifications of Voters Act denies the Chinese and First Nations peoples the right to vote. 1878 A British Columbia law is passed making it illegal for Chinese People to be employed on construction projects paid for by the provincial government.
*1880s*	1880-85 The Construction of the western section of the Canadian Pacific Railway employs thousands of Chinese workers. 1884 The federal government sets up a Royal Commission to look into Chinese immigration. 1885 The Act to Restrict and Regulate Chinese immigration into Canada requires that all Chinese entering Canada pay a head tax of $50 per person. 1886 Withe the completion of the CPR, some Chinese people start small service- oriented business. Many move east to centres such as Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal in search of job opportunities and less discrimination.
*1890s*	1897 Haw Chow Shee's son and daughter are the first Chinese Canadians born east of the Rockies.
*1900s*	1900 The federal government raises the head tax to $100, to take effect in 1902. 1902 Another Royal Commission looks into Chinese and Japanese immigration. 1903 The federal government raises the head tax to $500. 1907 An anti-Asian riot in Vancouver wrecks Chinese and Japanese business. The federal government pays the Chinese community $26,990 and the Japanese community $9175 for damage to their property.	påart.gäifÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿåOccupäation_chåCCUPA~1GIF Än¦"Pj'0÷åW5.jpÙgÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿå5 JPG K/—"Pj'û?<Íp,xhÿ÷@Y;Û!vo{o{o{o{Y;¬8Cx”!4o{o{Y¤=”=p^UìY;Úcn=p=¨=–¨Y;ü\|=–¨o{o{YF¤=„0jpÿÿY<°~Àú=–¨c¨ÀY<@=–¨=–¨=>x=–¨Y
*1940s*	1945 British Columbia passes a law giving he vote to Asians who are Canadian citizens and fought in World War II. 1947 The Exclusion Act is repealed as a result of pressure from lobbying groups in Canada, as well as from the international community. But the Chinese are placed under the same limits on immigration as other Asians. Chinese Canadians are given the right to vote in federal elections. 1949 British Columbia gives all Chinese Canadians the right to vote in provincial elections.
*1950s*	1957 A lobbying group goes to Ottawa to appeal to Diefenbaker to change immigration law to improve family reunification.
*1960s*	1967 The Immigration Act gives the Chinese the same immigration rights as other groups. Chinese immigration to Canada starts to increase with people coming from many different locations including Hong Kong, mainland China, Australia, Vietnam, and Jamaica.
*1970s*	1979 Chinese Canadians organize nationally to protest the racist depiction of Chinese Canadians in a story called "Campus Giveaway" on CTV's nationally televised W5. The protest results in the creation of the Chinese Canadian National Council.
*1980s*	Hong Kong becomes one of Canada's major sources of immigration.backdrop.gifïDP;ÚèÿÿÿüGIFf8BIMÿÿÿÿ¯ŸKB´NòÔÿúôACKDROPGIFchinesecollage.gifP;ÚèÿÿÿüGIFf8BIMÿÿÿÿ±j´NòÕÿúóHINES~1GIFchineseoverview.gif;Ú;Û ;ÚGIFfStMlÿÿÿÿ¯ƒ{n´NòÖÿúòHINES~2GIFchinese_origins.gif;Ú;Û ;ÚGIFf8BIMhÀ¯ƒ_¿´NòÖÿúñHINES~3GIFCretien.jpgþïDP;Úèÿÿ