Head Tax | AHA Media

Sid Tan of Head Tax Families Society of Canada speaks with New Tang Dynasty Television in Vancouver

March 5, 2013 ahamedia Leave a comment

AHA MEDIA filmed Sid Tan of Head Tax Families Society of Canada speaks with Coco Shi of New Tang Dynasty Television in Vancouver. Sid spoke about B.C. Multiculturalism Minister John Yap resigning due to the ethnic voting outreach scandal within Christy Clark’s internal office memo.

Categories: AHA Media, April Smith, Community Engagement, Head Tax, Head Tax Families Society of Canada, Sid Tan, Vancouver

CCNC (Chinese Canadian National Council) “Our Stories” Head Tax Education Project dinner at Foo’s Ho Ho in Vancouver Chinatown

July 30, 2012 ahamedia Leave a comment

Sid Tan says :

Here’s new content from the CCNC “Our Stories” Project: http://www.facebook.com/groups/347379135324518/.

Some of the writings may work around a BC Day theme.

There’s a new essay on Yip Sang – written by Elwin Xie. There’s alot of existing content on Yip Sang but this is concise and written with the help of Yip Sang’s descendants.

There’s a new video by Deborah Angrave and Sid Tan: Paper Sons and Daughters, which is about the Chinese who immigrated to Canada as children when Canada limited Chinese immigration: http://vimeo.com/45561805. Canada brought in some new regulations 50 years ago to make it easier under the 1960 Chinese Statement Adjustment Program for the paper sons/daughters to regularize their status.

We will showcase about 40 new youth essays including 2 excellent essays by Naiya Lee Tsang and Sahali Lee Tsang, and poetry by Isaac Louie (see: http://ccncourstories.wordpress.com/our-stories-features/youth-essays/).

Below are videos from CCNC (Chinese Canadian National Council) “Our Stories” Head Tax Education Project dinner at Foo’s Ho Ho in Vancouver Chinatown

Family Stories Told by Head Tax Youth
Monday July 30, 2012

Forty youth from head tax families across Canada were recognized today for their contributions to the CCNC “Our Stories” Head Tax Education Project. These talented young people submitted essays, poems and videos about their family’s experience with the Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act.

Vancouver. Forty youth from head tax families across Canada were recognized today for their contributions to the CCNC “Our Stories” Head Tax Education Project. These talented young people submitted essays, poems and videos about their family’s experience with the Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act (see list below).

“The family stories reveal the real-lived heart-aches that resulted from family separation and the misery and racism caused by the Head Tax,” Victor Wong, CCNC Executive Director said today. “The youth are now more aware of the experiences of their ancestors and older family members, and the essays will help to educate the general public, including the Chinese Canadian community.” CCNC has set up a temporary website to showcase the youth essays: http://ccncourstories.wordpress.com/our-stories-features/youth-essays/.

The youth essays will be a special feature at a new online portal, one which will also include stories from the Head Tax families living on the Prairies and in the North, the Maritime experience, the story of Yip Sang, reflections from redress activists, a new video on the paper sons and daughters, genealogy research and other resources. Earlier this year, CCNC and local partners produced photo-exhibits in Vancouver and Montreal, organized the commemoration of the 65^th anniversary of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, and established a Facebook site to showcase the contents of the website: http://www.facebook.com/groups/347379135324518/.

The CCNC “Our Stories” Head Tax Education Project project is made possible through funding from the Community Historical Recognition Program (CHRP), part of the Citizenship and Multiculturalism Branch. The CHRP program funds community-based commemorative and educational projects that provide recognition of the experiences of ethno-cultural communities affected by historical wartime measures and/or immigration restrictions applied in Canada, and that promote these communities’ contributions to building Canada.

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For more information, please contact:

Victor Wong at national@ccnc.ca or Sid Tan atsidchowtan@gmail.com

List of Youth Participants:

BC:

Christine Chan, Julia Chan, Nicole Chan, Aidan Crowe, Angela Jung, Jordan Lam, Brandon Lam, Naiya Lee Tsang, Sahali Lee Tsang, Jodie Leong, Isaac Louie, Jordana Lowe, Arielle Quan, Katelyn Seto, Melissa Tong, Zuva Turner-Tan, Caroline Wong, Colten Wong, Devon Wong, Shannon Wong, Jordan Yee, Kayla Yee, Lynnea Yee, Mitchell Yee, Alicia Yip, Daniel Yip, Emily Yip, Leslie Yip, Sophia Yip, Vivian Yip

Prairies:

Aimee Gee, Benjamin Gee

Ontario:

Debbie Yam, Eric Yam, Simon Yam, Jonathan Lee, Samantha Jade Gee Hamilton

Quebec:

Kurtis Leung-Ho

Atlantic:

Jessica (Chan) Douglas