Dear Editor:
Since I missed the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown meeting for public input on offering an apology to the Chinese for the head tax of long ago, I'd like to offer my input now.
The first question raised to me was, since when does our B.C. Liberal government adopt an idea put forth by a defeated NDP opposition leader? The answer, obviously, is only when it looks good for votes. In fact I'll bet Adrian Dix is kicking himself around the block right now that he didn't think of that apology idea during the election last May. Or maybe his whole party is kicking him for missing that "quick win" strategy. Surely he could have swept Vancouver where 19 out of the 20 most common names are now Chinese according to Canada 411.
Apologies are meaningless to present generations of Chinese unless there's money attached, although they set precedents for financial compensation.
And if there's money then the door is opened to racial discrimination complaints from other ethnic or special interest groups who feel that they should also be able to hop on the gravy train. But first of course, they have to represent enough votes for any politician or political party to speak up for them.
No one is going to lay a guilt trip on me as a white Anglo-Saxon about apologies, especially when I'm now a member of the new minority race. And that may be what our forefathers wanted to prevent in the first place.
Jim Ervin, Burnaby
