Is it a cynical ploy to appease Chinese voters or a serious attempt to heal old wounds and move forward?
The provincial government is gathering input from the public on how to properly address an apology to the Chinese community for past injustices.
On Jan. 20, Teresa Wat, B.C. minister of multiculturalism, is hosting a public forum at the Metrotown Hilton to hear from people about what kind of apology should be offered.
It's a topic rife with feelings. How does one apologize for racist legislation that caused hurtful, and in many cases, deadly consequences for Chinese immigrants? Yes, it was decades ago, but for the descendants of those immigrants the legacy of those times still echoes in their families. There were more than 160 pieces of legislation in the 1800s and 1900s, including not allowing the Chinese to vote, own property or even go to a private school. Not to mention the fact that they were used as disposable chattel while building Canada's railroads.
Neighbouring New Westminster took a leadership role on the issue in September 2010 when it became the first municipality in Canada to formally apologize for its discriminatory actions toward Chinese Canadians in past eras.
Burnaby has not issued such an apology - and as far as we know is not contemplating one. We suspect now that the provincial government is leading the charge, Burnaby will steer clear of the whole issue. The city is not known for supporting Liberal-led projects.
That's unfortunate. The public forum's goal is to forge a formal apology - but its ability to trigger a larger conversation and educate citizens on a much-ignored part of B.C. history is critical.
