Burnaby to apologize to Chinese-Canadians
Posted February 28, 2023 9:03 am.
The City of Burnaby is looking to take steps toward reconciliation with the Chinese-Canadian community.
On Monday, city council approved a process to “review, acknowledge and apologize for historic discrimination” by the municipal government against people of Chinese descent.
Further, the city is putting together an advisory committee that will seek to outline specific recommendations to address discrimination.
It will culminate with a formal apology to the community.
“For far too long, Chinese Canadians were subjected to systemic and targeted discrimination from all levels of government in Canada, and the effects of those discriminatory policies continue to be felt in our community today,” said Mayor Mike Hurley.
“We cannot hide from our past – but we can commit to spending the time and effort to better understand the struggles this community faced and how we might move forward together.”
According to a city staff report, there were a number of regulations and policies in Burnaby between 1892 and 1947 that targeted people of Chinese descent. They include restricting voting rights, advocating for discrimination, and restricting access to land, among others.
Meanwhile, city staff will carry out “proactive outreach” to community groups in the city, including open houses and conversations with community stakeholders. Those conversations will be delivered in Chinese languages as well as English, the city says.
