DISCOVERING THE PAPER TRAIL TO THE 1923 CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT

Catherine Clement

I stumbled upon the paper trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act1 quite by accident. Over a decade ago, I volunteered to interview some of the remaining Chinese Canadian Second World War veterans. The service of these soldiers was particularly remarkable due to their second-class status in Canada at the time. I’d begin each interview with the question: “Where were you born?” Invariably, the answer was Vancouver, Victoria, Cumberland, etc., all places in Canada. Later in the interview, as the veterans opened their photo albums and boxes, many would show me a small, beige card labelled “C.I.45.” I was drawn immediately to the photo on the front of the card, showing the veteran as a young child or even an infant. Some photos were of a wide-eyed kid sitting or…

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British Columbia History (Digital) - 1 Issue, 55.4 Winter 2022

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