Guest Author - Caroline Baker
Chinese are one of the seventh largest ethnic groups that exist in Canada. Much like their southern counterparts in the United States, these Chinese have arrived to the America's in several distinct waves. But their history and progress through society are markedly different.
Predating some of their southern counterparts, Chinese-Canadians first arrived on the America coasts in 1788 on board the British Captain John Meare's ship. According to his journals, he took anywhere from fifty to seventy Chinese artisans to help build ships for the fur trade in Nootka Sound of Vancouver. After Captain Meare departed, though, history lost track of these early Chinese.
During the 1800's the Americas were teaming with Gold Rush fever. That excitement spread across the seas and brought many Chinese immigrants to the western coasts of America. But as the gold began to dry up, the United States became concerned and anti-Asian sentiments grew. Threatened by the large influx of Chinese, the United States began to close their doors to the Chinese with the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.
As word that gold could be found up north, many Chinese crossed the borders to British Columbia and followed the trail of gold northward. In the 1860's, these Chinese settled in the first Chinese community in Canada, Hong Sun Tang, which is situated in Barkerville. They made up nearly one-fourth of the total population of prospectors. It was during this time that the first Chinese-Canadians were born.
As the US was closing its doors, Canada welcomed this immigrant population with open arms. When the gold rush failed them, the Chinese-Canadians turned to working on the Canadian Pacific Railroad. This railroad was to connect the east and west coast of Canada, much like its counterpart in the US.
These Chinese provided the cheap labor and worked on the hardest parts of the railroad. The men that worked the rail were mostly from Fujian and Guangdong Providences and workers by trade back in China. Chinese communities began to spring up along the way to support these workers, providing food, a place to rest, and places for their relatives to reside. Over the course of the project, some reports claim over 600 Chinese died while contributing to the railroad. And when the work was completed and the last spike nailed, the Chinese were unceremoniously laid off and unlike their counterparts, were given no land or thanks for their dedication.
Though the railroad was completed, the influx of Chinese had not stopped. To close out this century in 1885, Canada placed a "head tax" on each new Chinese immigrant. If the Chinese who traveled to Canada did not arrive with the necessary tax money, they were jailed and not allowed into the country. While harsh, this still allowed Chinese to enter the country, unlike what was happening in the United States and what would happen in the next century.
Part 2 – 1900's century
Part 3 - The 20th Century
