More than 50 seniors attended the AGM of the Head Tax Families Society of Canada, held Saturday April 20 at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver. Many spoke in Cantonese, as they are the surviving sons and daughters of the original head tax payers who came to Canada before the Chinese Exclusion Act banned immigration.  Some were born in Canada, but many had been born in China, and were separated by the Exclusion Act until after 1947, when the Act was repealed, and families could be reunited.  Several of the seniors came up to me to say hello, commenting they hadn’t seen me for awhile.

Standing with my friends for a just and honourable redress. I am a descendant of 3 generations of head tax payers: My maternal great grandfather Ernest Lee, my grandfather Sunny Mar, and my paternal grandmother Wong Sze.