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Chinese Immigration in Canada

1850-1900

Why did they Leave China, and Why did they Choose Canada?

Push/Pull Factors

China, at the time, had extreme economic chaos due to the new british control and dominance, so many citizens were eager to escape. There were also other difficulties in China, such as corruption, starvation, war in mainland China, and lots of growing Poverty. When the workforce and economy was low, people had to find work elsewhere, and Canada had the demand for labor to build the Canadian Pacific Railway.

In late 1850, thousands of Chinese immigrants and laborers were brought to Canada to build the

CPR. They wanted to escape the Economic Chaos back home, and also wanted to try and get gold in the gold rush at the Fraser River in BC. Most Chinese thought of only staying

until they made enough profit for their families still living

in China, but later got employed in other places, like

the gold fields, as cooks, laundrymen, domestic

servants, and merchants.

Contributions in Developing Canada

Contributions to

Canada

The chinese immigrants contributed a lot to Canada, and some of the major ways include:

  • Economic industry (Business/Salesmen)
  • Participating in the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway
  • Volunteering for the Military
  • Developing China towns

Most of the contribution the Chinese had taken time on and put a lot of effort in to was the Canadian Pacific Railway. They started building the Railway in 1881 and finished this project in 1884.

Western Sales/Businessmen and Military

Sales / Businessmen and Military

The chinese were also great western sales/business men, and they made lots of profits by convincing people to join Canada from promoting the jobs and life opportunities.

Many chinese immigrants had volunteered to join the military to gain complete safety over Canada, despite the racial hate. To take this much of a risk for Canada was a huge contribution that later payed off and helped not only western Canada, but it worked in a way so this contribution could keep all Canadian citizens safe.

Chinatown

China Town

White people thought of China towns as "overcrowded ghettos," but to the chinese communities that developed in the 19th and 20th centuries were significant places for new businesses, shopkeepers, and families. China towns became the heart and soul for Chinese Canadians, as they were like places they could escape from the racist environment around them. Vancouver's Chinatown, Victoria's Chinatown, and Montreal's Chinatown were flourishing, and for many Chinese Canadians, China towns would be their homes on the west coast.

Hardships/Difficulties/Discrimination

Hardships and

Difficulties

When they were building the railway, the chinese had to work very hard with lots of pain and agony on a regular basis, because multiple times a day, there were "daily disasters" such as:

  • Scurvy spreading
  • People dying from falling off ropes
  • landslides
  • People dying from explosions
  • Malnutrition
  • Accidents

This happened because the quality of the tools and the safety supplies they received to work with was very low

Difficulties

They also could not vote or be hired for public work projects, like road building, because British Columbia's legislature passed laws against the Chinese.

Alongside struggling to find work, they also were continuously fighting for their lives. During just their first few months of living in Canada going on for the next few decades, they had to defend themselves from violent, racist attacks and murders. These seem completely shocking and unbelievable today, but the Chinese had to endure these difficulties regularly.

Even when they did eventually find work, they had to work in extremely dangerous, life-threatening conditions

Discrimination

Chinese labor was characterized by low wages, and they received less than half of the earnings Caucasian workers were payed for the same, or easier work, even though the work the Chinese did was much more difficult.

As soon as the Canadian Pacific Railway was built, the "Chinese immigration Act," which today is known as the chinese exclution act, was passed, which banned most chinese immigrants from entering Canada. The only exceptions were for merchants, diplomats, and foreign students. Even if the person was Chinese, but had british identity, they couldn't come to Canada.

And, CPR director, Donald Alexander Smith, took a photo of him putting in the last nail of the CPR with all of his workers in the background, but only Caucasians were present, and the chinese people who put in most of the work and risks weren't involved.

Contemporary Communities

Community

Barker-ville was the first Chinese community established in Canada. The Fraser river gold rush was increasing in popularity, but most of the gold reserves were in the Caribou Region, which is still in British Columbia. It was formed after the discovery of significant gold deposits in the Caribou Gold Fields in 1862. Some immigrants worked as laborers in the mines here, but others opened up general stores and other booming businesses. Due to the Chinese Efforts, Barker-ville became known as the prosperous regions of "Golden town"

Past

Today

Recognition and Celebration

Recognition Today

Every year, hundreds of chinese people, and even other races, parade through Chinatown with lion and dragon dances, multicultural preformances, New Year banquets, and other street fairs. Over 20,000 people live in only Vancouver's Chinatown, and there are hundreds of tourists who come and visit every year. Chinatown is known for its buzzing food, traditional Asain bakeries, dimsum resturants, and cocktail bars. In Chinatown, there are also popular shops, family friendly activies, and other historical sites.

Chinese New Year in Canada Today

Chinese New Year

Chinese new year lasts and is celebrated for many days, each day including traditional festivities. Some of the events occuring here are; Street parades, dancing, lunar costumes, fireworks, food stalls, and arts and crafts.

Reflection

Without the chinese culture we have in Canada today, we wouldn't have the Canadian Pacific Railway, which is still opperational and in use present day, but was mostly important in the vital development of Canada in 1850. Without it, the growing population of Canada made up of new French and Eastern European immigrants wouldn't be able to disperse and cover all Canadian land, including the land of the west.

If the Chinese didn't build the Canadian Pacific Railway, then not just new immigrants, but other groups of people living in eastern Canada already would be able to settle in the west as easily. The efforts chinese people put in and the sacrifices they took to build it were evidently for a good cause in the end.

The Chinatowns they established wouldn't exist, and then the popular tourist hot-spots couldnt attract people to Canada today. Not only that, but the Chinatowns help us educate ourselves about the differnt cultures. When we are able to be informed about everybody, we could know how to better communicate and interact with others.

The chinese added a bountiful supply of diversity to the developing Canadain Culture, and without their help in creating Canada, the place we live wouldn't be the same today.

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