Taking the High Ground on Head Taxes

Reading the news this morning I was surprised by one editorial. As reported, the Harper government has apologised for the Chinese head tax of sixty some years ago. The head tax was an attempt to limit Chinese immigration to Canada by making them pay $500 per person just to get into the country, the equivalent of two years salary. And once these immigrants got here, often without their families, citizenship was not guaranteed.

Now history vindicates the Chinese immigrants to this country as hard working and civil Canadians, a work force instrumental in building the railway. What the Harper government has done is say sorry for making life hard for them to get here in light of their contributions to Canada. The government has also agreed to pay $20,000 to those still living who paid the tax, essentially reimbursing them, at today’s rates, a portion of the tax they paid.

Maybe the editor’s of the National Post did not think of it this way, but here is what they wrote:

Now, Stephen Harper has stood in the House of Commons and apologized for the Chinese head tax that was established in 1885 under the Conservative government of Sir John A. Macdonald, and last collected 62 years ago under the government of William Lyon Mckenzie King. Mr. Harper also announced the government would pay financial compensation and fund programs totalling $35-million. Sorry for saying so, but Mr. Harper is wrong.

There is no doubt that the head tax was racist, and its use to try to limit Chinese immigration was shameful. It was an unfortunate episode in Canadian history, of which there are many. However, the government of Canada is not so awash in tax dollars that it can begin to pay compensation for all of them. So Mr. Harper has instead opted to pick and choose based on political considerations. It is hardly coincidental that he first announced his plan to redress this particular wrong during the last federal election campaign. We’re sorry, but that too is wrong.

If it is the intention of the Conservative government to apologize and pay out public monies to compensate for historical wrongs, then it should do so for everyone.

Political considerations? How cynical! Of course it was based on political considerations. Everything a government ever does must be justified to those whom they are accountable. And in this case, clearly, the government owed these Chinese immigrants of long ago an apology and reimbursement of some the tax they paid. They did buy themselves a better life, but they have also given much to this country while having a harder go of it—directly because of government policy—than other immigrants. And most importantly, the head tax was simply a slick was of skimming money off Chinese immigrants when the government could have limited Chinese immigration by writ.
I have no problem with the Canadian government making apologies when apologies are owed. It keeps Canadians honest about what their government actually does, reminding politicians that the actions they take today impact the country historically, for subsequent generations. Apologies remind Canadians that they are responsible for their country be it past, present and future; that even countries, not just individuals, must repent and make right.

Finally, apologies should be made on a case by case basis because all agrieved wrongs are not equal, some more or less justified than others.