Our Past Still Shapes Us Today

Catherine Clement

Major anniversaries offer opportunities for history lovers. They give us a chance to look back; to rediscover stories at risk of being lost or forgotten; and ponder how our past still shapes us today. The year 2023 will mark a sad milestone in Canada: 100 years since the passing of the 1923 Chinese Immigration Act (more commonly known as the Chinese Exclusion Act). This unprecedented and hostile piece of legislation launched the darkest period for Chinese in Canada. Dubbed the “Cruelty Act” by the Chinese community, the despair and misery it caused lasted for almost a quarter century and affected tens of thousands of lives. The ripple effects continued long after the Act was repealed in 1947. Today, the details of this period are largely forgotten, even among Chinese Canadians whose families…

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

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