加拿大就华人“人头税”道歉

Background:Asweknow,Chinausedtobeaveryweakcountryabout100yearsago.Atthattime,manyChinesewentabroadtolookforbetterjobsinordertosupporttheirfamilies.Butwhatwastheirliveslike?Inthefollowing5ormoreminutes,wewilllistentoaspeechcomingfromtheformerpresidentofCanada.Listencarefully,andthinkaboutthereasonsthatcontributetothechangeoftheirattitudetoChineseCanadians.ThespeechHarper:Ispeak,ofcourse,oftheHeadTaxthatwasimposedtoChineseimmigrantstothiscountryaswellastheotherrestrictivemeasuresthatfollowed.TheseChineseimmigrantsmadethedifficultdecisiontoleavetheirfamiliesbehindinordertopursueopportunitiesinacountryhalfwayaroundtheworldtheycalled,“GoldMountain”.Beginningin1881,over15,000oftheseChinesepioneersbecameinvolvedinthemostimportantnation-buildingenterpriseinCanadianhistory,theconstructionoftheCanadianPacificRailway.Theconditions,underwhichthesemenworked,wereatbestharshand,attimesimpossible.Tragically,some1,000ChineselaborersdiedduringthebuildingoftheCPR.But,inspiteofitall,theseChineseimmigrantsperseveredand,indoingso,helpedtoensurethefutureofthecountry.Butfromthemomenttherailwaywascompleted,Canadaturneditsbackonthesemen.BeginningwiththeChineseimmigrantsactof1885.aheadtaxof$50.00wasimposedonChinesenewcomersinanattempttodeterimmigration.ThegovernmentofCanadarecognizesthestigmaofexclusion(排挤)experiencedbytheChineseasaresult.WeacknowledgethehighcostoftheHeadTaxmeantthatmanyfamilymemberswereleftbehindinChina,nevertobereunitedorthatfamilieslivedapart,insomecasesinextremepovertyforyears.WealsorecognizethatourfailuretotrulyacknowledgethesehistoricalinjusticeshaspreventedmanyinthecommunityfromseeingthemselvesasfullyCanadian.OnbehalfofthepeopleandgovernmentofCanada,weofferfullapologytoChineseCanadiansfortheHeadTaxandexpressourdeepestsorrowforthesubsequentexclusionofChineseimmigrants.“garnardaidoeheem(加拿大道歉)”.Mr.speaker(议长)，thisapologyisnotaboutliability(倾向)today.Itisaboutreconciliation(和谐)withthosewhoenduredsuchhardshipandthebroaderChineseCanadiancommunity,onethatcontinuestomakesuchaninvaluablecontributiontothisgreatcountry.Mr.Speaker,inclosing,letmeassuretheHousethatGovernmentwillcontinuallystrivetoensurethatsimilarunjustpracticesareneverallowedtohappenagain.Wehavethecollectiveresponsibilitytobuildacountrybasedfirmlyonthenotionofequalityofopportunity,regardlessofone’sraceorethnicorigin.SorrowovertheracistactionsofourpastwillnurtureanunwaveringcommitmenttobuildingabetterlifeforCanadians.Mercibeaucoup.Thankyou.And,whileCanadiancourtshaveruledthattheHeadTaxandimmigrationprohibitionwerelegallyauthorizedatthetime,wefullyacceptthemoralresponsibilitytoacknowledgetheshamefulpolicesofourpast.