Not Welcomed to Canada: Head Tax

While the Canadian government was trying to attract certain immigrants to Canada, it was also discouraging others. Blacks from the United States and Asians - India, China and Japan were unwelcomed.

Canadian government statements said that black people were "unsuited to the climate of Canada." And blacks who already lived in Canada faced open discrimination. In Nova Scotia, for example, seperate school for black students were set up in 1918 and in 1921, the Quebec government ruled racial seperation was acceptable.


Chinese Head Tax

Chinese immigrants had been required to pay a Head Tax since 1885, and once in Canada, neither Chinese no Japanese people were allowed to vote. Then, in 1923, Parliment passed the Chinese Immigration Act, which stoped all Chinese immigrants.

This Law meant that Chinese workers already in Canada could not bring wives or children into Canada. As a result, the Chinese community was made up of mostly poor single men. This was so that the Chinese community cannot grow. No Chinese wives means no Chinese children. Fewer than 50 Chinese immigrants were allowed into Canada between 1927-1947.