01 July 2004 Ride for Redress

82 year old WW II veteran leads
Ride for Redress

Webcast from the July 1 Ride for Redress, leaving Vancouver on Canada Day 2004. Some Chinese Canadians call July 1 "Humiliation Day"

Gim Wong riding his motorcylce on the Ride for Redress

For Immediate Release: June 30, 2004

EIGHTY-TWO YEAR OLD LEADS RIDE FOR REDRESS

CALLS FOR JUSTICE NOW WHILE HEAD TAXPAYERS STILL ALIVE

Eighty-two year-old Gim Wong, a World War II Air Force veteran and Canadian-born son of two Chinese head taxpayers, will set off on a cross-Canada motorcycle ride on July 1, 2004. Mr. Wong is riding his motorcycle across Canada to call upon the federal government to redress the Chinese Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act, sixty-two years of legislated racism endured by the Chinese in Canada from 1885 to 1947.

"The Canadian government has unjustly taken money from my parents and from the Chinese who paid the head tax to enter Canada," Mr. Wong said. "I want this money refunded to the surviving head tax payers and their families."

Canada Day marks a significant anniversary for Chinese Canadians. It was on July 1, 1923 that the Canadian Government enacted the Chinese Exclusion Act and until it was repealed in 1947, the Lo Wah Kiu (old overseas Chinese) referred to it as 'Humiliation Day.'

Joining Mr. Wong on the first leg of his journey across Canada will be former BC Chief Human Rights Commissioner Ms. Mary-Woo Sims, also a motorcyclist enthusiast and about 20 members of the BC Coalition of Motorcyclists. "Gim and I are both proud Canadians but we are also sad and angry Canadians. We're sad and angered because successive Canadian governments have failed to honourably and justly redress this racist part of Canadian history," Ms. Sims said. "All we are seeking is a just and honourable resolution and we hope this ride will bring attention to this longstanding issue".

For more information, please contact:
[email protected] (604) 464-5668
[email protected], President, Vancouver Association of Chinese Canadians (604) 433-6169
[email protected], Chinese Canadian National Council (416) 977-9871

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Click on the links below for webcasts:

Ride for Redress RT: 4:18

Gim Wong and Mary-Woo Sims at traffic light

Song "Head Tax Blues" by Sean Gunn and Quloyyda ShineE - courtesy of ICTV, Independent Community Television

TOP

Webcast from the July 1 Ride for Redress, leaving Vancouver on Canada Day 2004. Some Chinese Canadians call July 1 "Humiliation Day"

EIGHTY-TWO YEAR OLD LEADS RIDE FOR REDRESS CALLS FOR JUSTICE NOW WHILE HEAD TAXPAYERS STILL ALIVE

Click on the links below for webcasts:

Ride for Redress RT: 4:18

Song "Head Tax Blues" by Sean Gunn and Quloyyda ShineE - courtesy of ICTV, Independent Community Television

TOP

EIGHTY-TWO YEAR OLD LEADS RIDE FOR REDRESS

CALLS FOR JUSTICE NOW WHILE HEAD TAXPAYERS STILL ALIVE