BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers: 
"One certificate, one payment is fair"

BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants

For immediate release - Tuesday June 20, 2006

Vancouver, BC - The BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and
Descendants believes the position of "one certificate, one payment" is
principled, fair and inclusive.  We are concerned with the federal
government's unilateral imposition of the upcoming Chinese Head
Tax/Exclusion redress settlement.

"Our request for a meeting to work with the government to discuss the
redress package prior to the June 22 announcement has been turned
down." states Karin Lee, BC Coalition spokesperson and grand-daughter
of head tax payers.  "We are disappointed that the government has not
been open and transparent with redress groups across the country as
well as with head tax families, and are unnecessarily rushing through
the process. "

"When redress started over 20 years ago many head tax payers and
spouses were still alive," states Harvey Lee, a BC Coalition
spokesperson, senior and son of a head tax payer.  "The government
should not be rewarded for their intransigence and failure to act for
the last two decades."

The BC Coalition would like to inform head tax families, the Chinese
community and all Canadians, that on June 22nd, 2006, the federal
government will simulcast Prime Minister Harper's apology for the Head
Tax and Exclusion Act legislation from the House of Commons.  This
public event will take place at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver from noon
to 3pm.

The BC Coalition is arranging transportation for the elderly and those
who need assistance.  Transportation will be provided from 10 am - 11
am, from SUCCESS - 28 West Pender Street, and will return from Hotel
Vancouver to SUCCESS from 3 - 4pm.

Members of the BC Coalition will attend and witness this historical
and, hopefully celebratory occasion in the BC ballroom of the Fairmont
Hotel Vancouver at Burrard and Georgia.

The BC Coalition is a volunteer multi-partisan organization, and works
toward a just redress for the families affected by the head tax and
the Exclusion Act.  We are individuals and families who are head tax
payers, spouses and descendants of our early Chinese Canadian
pioneers.  We at the Coalition also comprise more recent Chinese
immigrants from Hong Kong, China and elsewhere who believe that it is
important for all of us to work together for justice for the victims
of government discrimination.   After all, we are all Canadian and all
Chinese.

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For more information, please contact:

BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants

Grace Schenkeveld English-language spokesperson (604) 506-1703

Harvey Lee English-language spokesperson (778) 883-2606

Karin Lee, English-language spokesperson (778) 773-1088

Gabriel Yiu, Chinese-language spokesperson (604) 889-0696