Speeches – 2007

The Honourable Beverley J. Oda

An Event to Recognize Chinese Head Tax Payments for Persons in Conjugal Relationships

Toronto, Ontario
April 11, 2007

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Good afternoon, everyone. Let me begin by saying what an honour it is for me to be with you, and to thank you for being here.

I am particularly pleased to be here today taking one more step in a long and important journey: recognizing the past hardships experienced by Chinese Canadians.

It is important to remember the past and to learn from it, and I hope that today' s ceremony will contribute to the healing process this community is undergoing.

As everyone in this room knows only too well, for years, Canadians of Chinese origin who had been forced to pay the Head Tax were ignored.

In an effort to address this situation, as soon as our Government took office, we made a commitment to apologize for the Chinese Head Tax in the 2006 Speech from the Throne.

Shortly after this– on June 22, to be precise– Prime Minister Harper rose in the House of Commons and stated: "On behalf of all Canadians and the Government of Canada, we offer a full apology to Chinese Canadians for the Head Tax and express our deepest sorrow for the subsequent exclusion of Chinese immigrants."

That was a historic day for Canada, and it was a very proud day for me.

Following the Prime Minister' s apology, I announced in August that living Head Tax payers and conjugal partners of deceased Head Tax payers could now apply for ex gratia symbolic payments of $20,000. A short time later, I attended ceremonies in Vancouver and in Toronto to present the first cheques to Head Tax payers.

As of April 5, 2007, 42 symbolic payments have been made to Head Tax payers.

On December 1, 2006, I announced that individuals who were in a conjugal relationship with a Head Tax payer who is now deceased could apply for a symbolic ex gratia payment.

And that brings me to the reason we are here today.

As of April 5, the Department of Canadian Heritage has received 512 applications for payments to conjugal partners of Head Tax payers who are deceased.

I am pleased to say that, also as of April 5, 38 payments have been sent to conjugal partners and they will continue to be sent out.

We are processing the applications as quickly as possible because we know that each cheque represents one more step in fulfilling our government' s commitment to your community.

Our Government is determined to recognize past wrongs and to help with the Chinese-Canadian community' s process of healing.

Thank you.