A DEEPER DIVE
Head Taxes and Exclusion Act
Late in the 19th and early 20th century it was not uncommon in British Columbia for white settlers to write about the “oriental problem”. For white settlers the arrival of immigrants from China, Japan and India presented a problem. To restrict immigration, Canada passed its first law based on ethnicity. In 1885, a head tax of $50 was introduced and continued in increasing amounts until 1923. The head tax was replaced by the Chinese Immigration Act, commonly known as the Chinese Exclusion Act. It required all Chinese persons living in Canada, including native born to register with the government or risk fines, detainment or deportation. During the 24 years it was in effect, Canada allowed between 12 and 50 Chinese persons in any given year.
The 1907 Vancouver Riot
The 1907 Vancouver riot was the second act of anti-Asian violence in the history of Vancouver; the first incident took place in the area of Coal Harbour, in 1887. Lead by the Asiatic Exclusion League, who held signs such as “Keep Canada White” and “Stop the Yellow Peril,” swarms of mobs smashed windows and damaged properties owned by Chinese and Japanese immigrants in the Powell Street area. The attacks cost Asian businesses thousands of dollars in damage and lost revenue. The Canadian government compensated the communities for their financial losses but made no effort to root out the racist fervour. Instead, it worked to prevent further Asian immigration by enacting the “continuous journey law and negotiating with Japan the “Gentlemen’s Agreement.”
Did You Know?
British Columbia’s attempts to stop immigration and restrict employment were occasionally frustrated by Ottawa when the provincial government overstepped it’s constitutional authority. The federal government, not the provincial, had the constitutional authority to restrict immigration. The Treaty of Commerce and Navigation signed in 1894 allowed subjects of each country “full liberty to enter, travel or reside any part of the dominions and possessions of the other”. Britains alliance with Japan made it difficult for the federal government to enact specific measures restricting immigration from Japan.
The Gentlemen’s Agreement
The Hayashi-Lemieux Accord (1908), often referred to as the ‘Gentlemen’s Agreement’ saved Japan the humiliation of an official policy targeting Japanese immigrants. It also saved Canada the complications of contradicting a British treaty. At this time Britain and Japan were allies and Canada followed Britain’s foreign policies. No more than 400 Japanese passports were to be issued to people travelling to Canada each year with some exemptions:
- Those returning to Canada as well as the wives, children, and parents of those in Canada.
- Those working as domestic or agricultural employees of Japanese people in Canada. Labourers approved by the Canadian government.
In 1928, further restrictions limited the total entry of Japanese immigrants to 150.
The ‘Continuous Journey’
The “continuous journey regulation” was introduced in 1908 to prevent immigrants from landing in Canada unless they travel directly from their country of origin. Without specifying exclusion based on race, it excluded immigrants from India since the main immigration routes from those countries did not offer direct passage to Canada.
This regulation was challenged in 1914 when the Komagata Maru sailed into Vancouver and remained for two months until the Supreme Court of BC upheld the legislation and it was escorted out of the harbour. Only 112 Indian immigrants gained entry into Canada between 1910 and 1920.
Immigration Reform
Reforms to immigration law in the 1960s significantly changed the standards of Canadian immigration. These changes deemphasized the preference for European (white) immigrants and led to the globalization of Canadian immigration we are familiar with today.