Through education, advocacy & special projects, CCNC has been involved with ongoing issues that include:

Race relations, human rights, political participation, media monitoring, access to services, education & employment, economic participation, diversity & identity, art & culture.

The following are issues of current interest:

• Head Tax Redress Campaign
• Immigrant and Refugee
• Anti-Racism

Please contact national@ccnc.ca or call 416.977.9871 to get involved.

Head Tax Redress Campaign

The history of immigration in Canada has been a history of injustice and racism, especially towards immigrants from the Far East. Among the many pieces of legislation, the most deplorable was the head tax of 1885-1923 which was levied only on Chinese immigrants. Furthermore, between 1923 and 1947, Chinese immigrants were simply prohibited from immigrating to Canada. These 62 years of legislated racism led to inhumane separation of families and profound negative impacts on the community's development.

Since 1984, there has been greater awareness and sensitivity from the Chinese Canadian community in demanding for redress and apology from the government for these wrongs. CCNC is playing a leading role in bringing this issue to the public and the government for a settlement. However, it will be of tremendous importance to let younger generations of Canadians know and under-stand this part of Canadian history. In the process of seeking redress, CCNC has put great efforts on public and community education about Chinese Canadian history.

The following are information about The Redress Campaign. Click on the Redress Campaign Website for addtional information.

Redress Background Information
Redress Questions and Answers

Immigrant and Refugee

CCNC believes in the importance of family reunification and refugee and immigrant resettlement, and have grave concerns about the recent changes to the immigration policy. The changes to the immigration policy will result in further discrimination against Chinese Canadians and other new immigrants who are separated from their families in their home countries.

Read the attached briefs for more information on CCNC’s position on changes to Canada’s Immigration & Refugee policies.

CCNC Immigration and Refugee Policy Committee Report 2001-2002

CCNC Submission on Bill C-18 Citizenship Act (Feb 2003)
CCNC Submission on Settlement Programs (Feb 2003)
Submission on C-11 Regulations (Feb 2002)
CCNC Immigration & Refugee Policy Committee Report (2001-02)

Anti-Racism

United Nations Special Rapporteur on Racism 2003

Asian Canadian community organizations released their community reports on the state of racism in Canada. The organizations presented their reports on the afternoon of September 25th to U.N. Special Rapporteur on Racism, Mr. Doudou Diène.

One of the topics raised was the longstanding issue of redress for the Chinese Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act. The Chinese Canadian National Council will be seeking an intervention by the UN Special Rapporteur in this longstanding issue. Other issues raised will include the racialization of SARS, systemic racism in the context of education, poverty, homelessness, labour and settlement, and the plight of the non-status residents in Canada.

UNSR submission (draft 3)