Chinatown isn't just another place to find Chinese food. It is a site for social struggle.Once the Chinese arrived in Vancouver, they faced incredible amounts of discrimination. They needed a place to live, but it became quite clear that the White Vancouverites were not fond of the idea of living with Chinese people.
The solution? Chinatown. |
The problems that the Chinese faced
Due to the colour of their skin, the Chinese dealt with a variety of different issues:
Disenfrancisement: The right to voteThe Chinese were unable to vote in elections, and did not have this right until 1947, when the Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed.
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Fighting for who? Unwelcome in the militaryThe Chinese thought that by serving in the Canadian armed forces, they could show their loyalty. Their loyalty, however, was met with contempt.
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Unequal pay for the same amount of workOut of fear that the Chinese would take away all the domestic jobs, Chinese were typically paid less than their white counterparts.
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A new home? Poor living conditionsChinatown became a ghetto where the Chinese had to remain in order to stay safe. The cramped living quarters were not quite the prosperity that they had in mind.
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Social segretation and discrimination in public lifeThe Chinese typically were not accepted outside of Chinatown, and were typically segregated or not welcome in public spaces such as libraries, parks, schools, among others.
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Unable to hold professional positionsDespite some Chinese being well-educated, trained, and even completing their degrees in Canada, they were unable to hold professional positions in fields such as medicine or law.
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Significance in political life
Race and power
When the Chinese came over to Canada to look for new opportunities, those that were currently living in Vancouver looked down upon them for the very simple reason that they looked different. So began an era of racial intolerance towards those that did not look White, including those of Asian, Aboriginal, and African descent. Racial intolerance resulted in unequal opportunity for non-Whites, and they were forced into a dilapidated neighbourhood, which would become Chinatown and their home. The 1907 race riots, the Head Tax, and the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act are all ways that the federal and provincial government tried to enforce a particular racial ideology and "protect" Canada.
But the Chinese were resilient. They still fought on behalf of Canada during the World Wars, grew their local community and showed that their neighbourhood had staying power. Right: C.E. Louie, “Case for B.C. Chinese,” in Paul Yee, Saltwater city (Vancouver, BC: Douglas & McIntyre, 2006), p. 113, http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ubc/Doc?id=10316120&ppg=119 (Accessed October 26, 2011). |
Political prowess
Chinese and Aboriginal peoples were disenfranchised in 1874. After the Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed in 1947, the Chinese community received the right to vote. It was time for the Chinese to make up for lost time and exercise their new-found rights.
In 1949, the Chinese were able to vote for the very first time in the provincial and federal elections. History was made in 1957, when Douglas Jung, a Chinese-Canadian military veteran, ran in the federal election in the riding of Vancouver-Centre - and won. Under the John Diefenbaker government, Jung was appointed as the Canadian representative to the United Nations. Chinatown was the starting point for many Chinese-Canadians who had dreams and ambition just like their White counterparts. It was in Chinatown that they got their start and worked tirelessly to defend its legacy. |