Press Releases 2006

October 4, 2006

For Immediate Release

Klees: Canada Must Redress Historic Injustices

Against Chinese Canadians

( Queens ' Park) Oak Ridges MPP Frank Klees, the PC Critic for Education and Citizenship & Immigration today made the following statement in the Ontario Legislature:

"Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the motion before the House to declare June 22 as 'Chinese Canadian Head Tax Redress Day.'

"This day would truly serve to honour the Head Tax families, the Chinese Canadian National Council, the Ontario Coalition of Chinese Head Tax Payers and Families and the entire Chinese Canadian community, especially in support of their ongoing efforts to rectify the injustices that resulted from the Head Tax and the Chinese Exclusion Act. It would also serve to gratefully acknowledge the many ongoing contributions of the Chinese Canadian Community to Ontario .

"We dedicate ourselves to working with the survivors of the Head Tax families and the Chinese Canadian Community as a whole to help the process of public healing and public education about this regrettable and unacceptable chapter of the history of Canadian citizenship and immigration.

"In so doing, we will discover anew the richness and vibrancy of the ongoing contributions to Canada of our Chinese Canadian Community and our nation-wide appreciation of and gratitude to our fellow Chinese Canadian citizens!"

(Complete Text Attached)

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For further information

Frank Klees, MPP

416-325-7316