NAMES OF CHINESE HEAD TAX PAYERS DELIVERED TO MINISTER OF CANADIAN HERITAGE

TORONTO/VANCOUVER, April 21, 2006 – Chinese Canadians welcome direct consultations with Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Government on an apology and appropriate redress for 62 years of legislated racism under the Head Tax and the Chinese Exclusion Act.

Tonight, Minister of Canadian Heritage Bev Oda will meet with Chinese Canadian families who were affected by the Head Tax and Exclusion Act at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time.

On the West Coast, Parliamentary Secretary on Multiculturalism Jason Kenney will hold a similar meeting at the Gateway Theatre, 6500 Gilbert Road, in Richmond, B.C., from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time.

Several hundred people are expected to attend each event in Toronto and in Richmond where Chinese Canadians will be invited to tell their stories. “There has been a groundswell of support for redress and for these consultations after so many years of injustice and struggle to right this historic wrong,” says Avvy Go, Legal Counsel for the Ontario Coalition of Chinese Head Tax Payers and Families (Ontario Coalition).

“Since the Throne Speech, when the Prime Minister promised a Parliamentary apology for the Head Tax, we have been overwhelmed with calls from surviving Head Tax payers, their spouses and families,” says Victor Wong, Executive Director of the Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC).

“Many holders of Head Tax certificates have left their contact information with us and we will be delivering their contact information to the Government during these cross-country consultations,” Wong added.

Since last fall in Ontario alone, the Ontario Coalition and CCNC national office have received updated information from nearly 400 people who were affected by the Head Tax (1885-1923) and Exclusion Act (1923-1947), including six surviving Head Tax payers – aged 98 to 106 years old – and 59 surviving spouses.

The B.C. Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendents and the Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity (ACCESS) in Vancouver have collected 200 names, including 2 head tax payers and 33 surviving spouses and will also pass the information on to the Government.

“It’s a measure of the Government’s commitment to not only deal with the few surviving Head Tax Payers and spouses on an urgent basis but also hear from all those directly affected by this historic injustice that they are now willing to directly consult with the Chinese Canadian community on appropriate redress,” says Susan Eng, Co-Chair of the Ontario Coalition. “It is also in line with the Framework for Reconciliation proposed by our organizations so we are very hopeful that there will be a resolution by July 1st.”

“We have committed to helping the government reach Head Tax families by immediately delivering all contact information given to us and remind the community that no community organization has any official status to collect or register names. People may contact Canadian Heritage directly.” added Eng. “Once we know the exact government office responsible for receiving this information, we will post it on our web site: www.headtaxredress.org .”