Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - April 2007
Following the full apology offered by the Prime Minister on June 2006 to Chinese Canadians for the Head Tax, a tax that was imposed on Chinese immigrants entering Canada from 1885 to 1923, ex-gratia payments of $20,000 are now being issued to eligible conjugal partners of Head Tax payers who are now deceased.
The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, who was presiding the symbolic ceremony held to commence the initiation of the ex-gratia payments, noted that the ex-gratia payments acknowledge the stigma and hardship associated with having paid a tax that, while legal at the time, was race-based and inconsistent with the values Canadians hold today.
Minister Oda equally stated that the gesture was also made in recognition of past immigration restrictions and to tribute the contributions made by Chinese immigrants and to recognize their essential role in the building of Canada.
Source:
http://www.news.gc.ca/cfmx/view/en/index.jsp?articleid=291569
