February
18, 2007

Happy end to
head tax

Chinese
Canadian gets $20,000

Canada's New Government Provides Ex gratia Payments

TORONTO, February 17, 2007 – On behalf of the Honourable Beverley
J. Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, the Honourable Jason Kenney, Secretary of State,
Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity, today presented a redress payment of
$20,000 to Mr. Norman Tom in Toronto .

“I am proud that Canada 's
New Government continues to fulfill its commitment to Chinese Head Tax payers
by providing this symbolic payment,” said Minister Oda. “With the
delivery of ex gratia payments to living Head Tax payers, we are taking
recognizing past hardships and contributing to healing in the Chinese
Canadian community.”

In presenting the cheque, Mr. Kenney said, ”
Canada 's New
Government is moving quickly on making the ex gratia symbolic payments
because we are committed to strengthening the sense of inclusion of Chinese
Canadians and their full participation in Canadian society.”

An official apology to Chinese Canadians for the Head Tax was made by Prime
Minister Stephen Harper on June 22, 2006, on behalf of the Government of
Canada. To date, applications from 44 Head Tax payers have been received by
the Department of Canadian Heritage and payments have been made to 37 of
them.

The application process for ex gratia symbolic payments for individuals who
were in a conjugal relationship with a Head Tax payer who is now deceased was
launched on December 1, 2006. To date, 380 applications have been received by
the Department and are at various stages of the assessment process. It is
expected that eligible applicants will begin to receive their cheques in the near future.

The Head Tax was imposed on Chinese immigrants entering
Canada from
1885 to 1923. A similar tax existed in the Dominion of Newfoundland between
1906 and 1949, before the province entered Confederation.

Information:

Donald Boulanger
A/Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819 994-9101