Asian Heritage Portal

This Week in History

Parks Canada produces a weekly column entitled This Week in History, which introduces readers to important events that have shaped the course of Canadian history. These texts are short summaries of key events from the past that continue to be significant and have an impact on the Canada we live in today.

The following This Week in History selections are tales of hardship, courage and inspiration related to Canada's Asian communities.

A Time of Tragedy

On February 25, 1942, Prime Minister Mackenzie King announced the expulsion of all Japanese Canadians residing within 100 miles (165 km) of the Pacific Coast. This marked the beginning of one of the most tragic episodes in Canadian history. Read the full story.

Commemorating Chinese Railroad Workers

More than 15,000 Chinese workers were recruited to work on the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. In fact, Prime Minister John A. Macdonald admitted to British Columbia that the railroad it had been promised when the province joined Confederation in 1871 could not be built without Chinese labour. Read the full story.

Legalizing Racism

In 1878, the British Columbia government passed the Chinese Tax Act, forcing all Chinese Canadians to purchase a $10 license every three months. Though this Act was soon repealed, it was followed by a series of “Head Taxes”, introduced by the federal government, which were aimed at discouraging Chinese immigration. Read the full story.

In 2006, the Government of Canada officially apologized for the head tax and announced that symbolic repayments would be made to those who paid the tax.

The official apology, news releases and applications for repayment can be found through the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Chinese Head Tax and Historical Recognition Initiatives.

A Harmony of Cultures: The Gurdwara at Abbotsford, B.C.

In 1912, the Sikh Gurdwara, or temple, opened in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The temple was the result of community effort and it represents Sikh immigrants' commitment to preserving their culture while adapting to Canada. Read the full story.

The Komagata Maru Incident

When the Komagata Maru sailed into Vancouver's harbour in 1914, its nearly 400 Sikh, Hindu and Muslim Indian passengers were not permitted to disembark. It was two months before the courts confirmed that their passage to Canada was illegal, and their ship was then escorted out to sea and sent back to Calcutta. Read the full story.

The Promise

When Prime Minister Brian Mulroney signed a redress agreement with Japanese Canadians who had been interned in Canada during the Second World War, he also promised that “such violations will never again in this country be countenanced or repeated. Read the full story.

Fishy Business

Asian labour was important to the growth of the fishing and canning industry on the Canadian west coast, which numbered about 1000 canneries in its heyday. One of these was the North Pacific Canning Company, which is now a National Historic Site and a museum open to the public. Read the full story.

Toward A Better Future

Some of the earliest Chinese immigration to Canada occurred in the late 1850s, when Chinese miners came from California to search for gold. Chinese immigrants who did not participate directly in the gold rush were instrumental in setting up other businesses, like restaurants and laundries to serve the growing community of miners. Read the full story.