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Reasons for Population Diffusion
ASIAN DIFFUSION AND
DISCRIMINATION
GEOG 1160
 The Chinese were first lured by the gold rush beginning in 1858.
“Gold Mountain” Many moved from California and others came
directly from China.
 Estimates of 6,000 – 7,000 by the early 1860’s. Many lived in
Barkerville where there was a distinct Chinatown
 While gold was the “pull”, living conditions at the time were
difficult – lack of good agricultural land for many sons of
farmers, rebellions, etc.
 Many Chinese expected to make money and return so they could
purchase land back home in China
 Many sent money home for their families
 Push factors – various conditions (political, economic,
religious, environmental, personal, etc.) that sway or
force people to leave their homeland
 Pull factors – various reasons for attracting people to a
new place (jobs, education, more opportunities, health,
relationships, etc.)
 Many Chinese were discriminated against by the ruling
Europeans. Tended to get blamed when the gold rush waned for
taking jobs from others.
 In order to support themselves, many Chinese took low paying
jobs
 In 1872 the provincial government proposed placing a “head tax”
on all Chinese immigrants.
 In 1878 the provincial government excluded the Chinese from
working on any provincial works
 These measures are known as institutional racism
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 Many Chinese were discriminated against by the ruling
Europeans. Tended to get blamed when the gold rush waned for
taking jobs from others.
 In order to support themselves, many Chinese took low paying
jobs
 In 1872 the provincial government proposed placing a “head tax”
on all Chinese immigrants.
 In 1878 the provincial government excluded the Chinese from
working on any provincial works
 These measures are known as institutional racism
 1885 – Chinese Immigration Act
 BC Government passed a law which restricted Chinese from
voting
 Federal government imposed a $50/person head tax on all
Chinese immigrants
 It was raised to $100 in 1901 and $500 in 1904
 Many Chinese workers were placed in hazardous working
conditions – mines, railway work, canneries, etc.
 Labour strikes and riots occurred by whites over Chinese taking
jobs – “Yellow Peril”
 1907 Labour Day Riot – rioting and vandalism in Chinatown and
Japanese District of Vancouver. The Chinese went on strike after
the riot and the City of Vancouver eventually paid compensation
to the Chinese merchants whose shops were vandalized.

• The Chinese Exclusion Act, 1923 had a dramatic effect in terms

of reducing immigration. Only about 12 people immigrated
between 1924-1946.
• On June 22, 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized in
the House of Commons. The first phrase of the apology was
spoken in Cantonese Chinese, the most frequently spoken
Chinese language among Chinese immigrants. He announced
that the survivors or their spouses will be paid approximately
$20,000 CAD in compensation for the head tax.
• On May 15, 2014, Premier of British Columbia Christy Clark
National apologized in the Legislative Assembly. The apology motion was
Archives of
Canada unanimously passed and aims to make amends for historic
wrongs. Unlike the federal apology, no individual compensation
was provided. However, $1 million was promised to be put into a
legacy fund which would help legacy initiatives.

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 Japanese immigration started much later ~ 1885 onwards
 Japanese were also refused the vote
 More Japanese immigrated following the Japan-Russia war
(1904-05). Many took jobs as labourers in fishing, canneries and
coal mines
 In 1907 BC received over 7,000 Japanese immigrants (many
were from Hawaii who had been refused entrance into mainland
U.S.)
 In the Labour Day Riot of 1907, the Japanese defended
themselves against rioters.
 The Japanese were treated somewhat differently because Britain
had signed an agreement with Japan over their war with Russia.
Japanese immigrants were classed into 4 categories: A - prior
Canadian residents; B – domestic servants for Japanese residents;
C – contract labourers; and D – agricultural labourers. Classes B
and D had limits of 400/year, but none for A and C. Wives were
not affected so there were a lot of “mail order” brides sent over.
 Many Japanese settled in the Powell Street area of Vancouver –
“Little Tokyo” and Steveston and Terra Nova in Richmond.
Many got involved in the fishing industry.

 When Britain’s agreement with Japan expired in 1922, the

restrictions increased on the immigrant numbers.
 With the bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1941 and the occupation
of Hong Kong by the Japanese, there was concern of a Japanese
invasion of North America
 In 1942 all Japanese in B.C. (22,000) were rounded up, their
property and possessions auctioned or sold and were relocated to
internment camps in the interior of B.C. in places like Sandon,
Greenwood, New Denver, Slocan Valley, and Kaslo (all in the
Kootenays). Living conditions were extremely poor. Another
camp was built just east of Hope where people were forced to
work as labourers on the new Hope-Princeton Highway project.
 Italians were also segregated. Many were sent to Ontario to
work in camps.

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 In 1944 the camps were closed but the Japanese were
not allowed to return to the coast. They could move
east of the Rocky Mtns or return to Japan.
 In 1949 they were allowed to return to the coast and
were given the vote
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8TQTuMqM9g
 Komagata Maru incident of 1914. The Japanese ship had 400
Sikhs immigrants. However, due to the continuous passage rule
they were not allowed to dock and were given no water or food
for 8 weeks while legal battles took place. They were given food
and water eventually, but not allowed to dock. The ship was
escorted out of Canadian waters by an armed naval ship.
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 East Indian (Sikh) immigrants started arriving in the
early 1900s mainly for jobs in the lumber industry, at
first along in sawmills along the Fraser River and then
into other lumber areas – Vancouver Island, etc.
 The anti-Asiatic sentiment affecting Chinese and
Japanese was also directed toward the Sikhs.
 Sikhs were also discriminated against. A $200 fee per
person was placed on immigrants and they had to arrive
by “continuous passage” (no stops) which was virtually
impossible in the early 1900s
• By the 1960’s Canada had become more prosperous as a nation
and attitudes began to change. Canada was a signatory to the UN
Charter of Rights and Freedoms, so international pressure as well.
• Doukhobours in the Kootenay’s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwXqAY-7r2w
• Most of the exclusion and anti-racial legislation was repealed.
More Asians started emigrating to Canada right through to present
day. We now have a very culturally diversified society.
• The federal government in the 1970’s promoted the concept of
multi-culturalism as opposed to the American “melting pot”
• Does racism still exist today?
• Both the Federal and Provincial governments recently announced
they were searching through all laws and regulations that were
considered discriminatory and repealing these laws.