Perspective: Chinese Labourers

Only with the railway near completion did the federal government acquiesce to local demands for restriction. In 1885, it disenfranchised the Asian population and passed the "Chinese Immigration Act," which imposed a "head tax" of $50 upon each male entering Canada. With migrant workers continuing to enter B.C.'s economy, provincial and municipal governments continued to pass discriminatory legislation. "No Chinese" clauses could be found in many municipal bylaws and local work contracts. Victoria, by 1893, banned Chinese labourers from construction crews working on city projects. Probably the most extensive

legislation passed by the provincial government was the B.C. Immigration Act of 1901, which the federal government disallowed eight months after its passage. In its period of operation, the act allowed Vancouver and Victoria immigration agents to apply a "Natal" test to Chinese and Japanese newcomers, requiring them to demonstrate a proficiency in reading and writing English, which many failed. By 1903, following additional public pressure, the federal government raised the Chinese Head Tax to $500, which significantly reduced Chinese immigration.

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