Subjective Factors
1. Groups and individuals who claimed there was a social problem that needed to be addressed or resolved
In the summer of 1884, a group of Chinese living in Victoria, B.C. formed the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in order to help their fellow countrymen and in response to anti-Chinese racism. As the Canadian Pacific Railway grew close to finishing, more and more workers, most of them Chinese, were getting fired. Due to their one dollar of pay being used to buy meals and clothing while working on the railroad, most Chinese were unable to afford a boat ride back to China and return home. This association helped them return home.
The winter of 1885-1886 was particularly hard on the Chinese community in Canada. As the railroad was now finished, many Chinese were unemployed. The federal and provincial governments refused to help, and so, Chinese merchants and organizations stepped in to help.
The main function of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association was stated in its constitution as:
In the summer of 1884, a group of Chinese living in Victoria, B.C. formed the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in order to help their fellow countrymen and in response to anti-Chinese racism. As the Canadian Pacific Railway grew close to finishing, more and more workers, most of them Chinese, were getting fired. Due to their one dollar of pay being used to buy meals and clothing while working on the railroad, most Chinese were unable to afford a boat ride back to China and return home. This association helped them return home.
The winter of 1885-1886 was particularly hard on the Chinese community in Canada. As the railroad was now finished, many Chinese were unemployed. The federal and provincial governments refused to help, and so, Chinese merchants and organizations stepped in to help.
The main function of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association was stated in its constitution as:
This association has been established in order to express our feelings of unity, to undertake social welfare, to settle disputes, to aid the poor and the sick, to eliminate evils within the community, and to defend the community against external threat.
The CCBA was created to protect Chinese community in Victoria, and to care for the poor and sick. Those over sixty years old without money would be provided with a trip back to China. They also ran a home for the sick and poor, which eventually became a Chinese hospital.
2. How the social problem was described by the groups and individuals involved
This was a choice that Chinese communities back in China made; to send men over to Canada to work and send money back home. They thought that even though they had to send money for the head tax, the men at Canada would make a lot of money to send back. However, they thought that the head tax was racist, but had no way to protest against it.
John A. Macdonald knew that the Legislature of Canada could simply say that they didn't want any more immigrants from China, and could simply shut down the gate. He thought that when they finally did so, the Chinese in the country would disappear. He called the Chinese a 'mongrel race'. He made moves to ban the Chinese from voting rights.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier thought that raising the then fifty dollar head tax to a hundred dollars was not enough because the Chinese were taking over jobs originally owned by whites.
3. Individuals or groups who were held responsible for the social problem
Out of the provinces, the population of white British Columbians hated the Chinese the most. They said that the Chinese worked for lower wages and took jobs away from white people. They thought that the Chinese were not settlers and therefore slowed the pace of economic growth. They accused the Chinese of carrying diseases. They believed them to be a bad moral influence on young people. In the first meeting of British Columbia's provincial assembly in 1871, even before the railroad, one member wanted two laws, one of which was an annual tax of $50 for each Chinese in British Columbia, and to ban the use of Chinese workers on government funded public works.
In 1907, a mob of white men and boys vandalized the Chinatown in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 1919, several hundred civilians and soldiers rampaged through downtown Halifax, breaking into Chinese-run cafes, destroying the furniture, looting the cash register and stealing goods.
This was a choice that Chinese communities back in China made; to send men over to Canada to work and send money back home. They thought that even though they had to send money for the head tax, the men at Canada would make a lot of money to send back. However, they thought that the head tax was racist, but had no way to protest against it.
John A. Macdonald knew that the Legislature of Canada could simply say that they didn't want any more immigrants from China, and could simply shut down the gate. He thought that when they finally did so, the Chinese in the country would disappear. He called the Chinese a 'mongrel race'. He made moves to ban the Chinese from voting rights.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier thought that raising the then fifty dollar head tax to a hundred dollars was not enough because the Chinese were taking over jobs originally owned by whites.
3. Individuals or groups who were held responsible for the social problem
Out of the provinces, the population of white British Columbians hated the Chinese the most. They said that the Chinese worked for lower wages and took jobs away from white people. They thought that the Chinese were not settlers and therefore slowed the pace of economic growth. They accused the Chinese of carrying diseases. They believed them to be a bad moral influence on young people. In the first meeting of British Columbia's provincial assembly in 1871, even before the railroad, one member wanted two laws, one of which was an annual tax of $50 for each Chinese in British Columbia, and to ban the use of Chinese workers on government funded public works.
In 1907, a mob of white men and boys vandalized the Chinatown in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 1919, several hundred civilians and soldiers rampaged through downtown Halifax, breaking into Chinese-run cafes, destroying the furniture, looting the cash register and stealing goods.
John A. Macdonald
At any moment when the Legislature of Canada chooses, it can shut down the gate and say, no more immigrants shall come here from China; and then no more immigrants will come, and those in the country at the time will rapidly disappear ... and therefore there is no fear of a permanent degradation of the country by a mongrel race.
This was said by the first Prime Minster of Canada, John A. Macdonald in the House of Commons on April 30, 1883. He also made moves to ban the Chinese from voting, in the Electoral Franchise Act of 1885.
Wilfrid Laurier
In my opinion there is not much room for the Chinaman in Canada. He displaces a good Canadian, or a good British subject. Increase of the tax from $50 to $100 will be totally inadequate...not only are they monopolizing the laundry business and the growing of vegetables in British Columbia, but they are driving skilled miners out of employment in the coal mines.
This was said by the seventh Prime Minister of Canada, Sir Wilfrid Laurier.