TORONTO, April 11, 2007 - The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, announced today in a symbolic ceremony that ex-gratia payments of $20,000 are now being issued to eligible conjugal partners of Head Tax payers who are now deceased.
"We are delivering on our commitment to recognize the effects of past immigration restrictions on the conjugal partners of Chinese Head Tax payers," said Minister Oda. "These are individuals who suffered hardship and separation, and yet contributed so much to our society. Today, we pay tribute to their contributions and recognize their essential role in the building of Canada."
The ex-gratia symbolic payments to the conjugal partners of Chinese Head Tax payers who are now deceased follow on previous payments to Head Tax payers and on Prime Minister Harper's statement in the House of Commons. On June 22, 2006, the Prime Minister offered a full apology to Chinese Canadians for the Head Tax and expressed deep sorrow for the subsequent exclusion of Chinese immigrants.
The Prime Minister's apology and the ex-gratia payments that have followed 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.
On December 1, 2006, the application process for ex-gratia payments to conjugal partners was launched. To date, over 500 applications have been received by the Department of Canadian Heritage and are at various stages of the assessment process. Several payments have already been sent to the recipients whose applications have been fully processed.
The Head Tax was imposed on Chinese immigrants entering Canada from 1885 to 1923. A similar tax existed in the Dominion of Newfoundland between 1906 and 1949, before the province entered Confederation.
Information:
Véronique Bruneau
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian
Heritage and Status of Women
819 997-7788
Donald Boulanger
A/Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819 994-9101
