BC History MULTICULTURALISM IN BRITISH COLUMBIA British Columbia

BC History MULTICULTURALISM IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

“British Columbia is the most ethnically diverse province in Canada. Almost 30 percent of British Columbians immigrated to B. C. from another country. Just under one-quarter of the people in B. C. are a visible minority. Another five percent of the population is Aboriginal. ” “Multiculturalism is a way of life in B. C. By law, you have to respect other people’s lifestyles, beliefs, religion and culture and they have to respect yours. ” “When you move to B. C. , you can continue So is everyone multicultural and accepting nowadays? practising your religious beliefs and cultural traditions. As a member of our ethnically diverse communities, you will also be able to experience the cultural heritage of other people from around the world. ” - https: //www. welcomebc. ca/Choose-B-C/Explore. British-Columbia/Multicultural-B-C

Has British Columbia always been a multicultural & accepting province? British Columbia has not always been a multicultural and accepting province.

Multiculturalism or Lack of it • The lack of being an accepting and multicultural province caused a lot of issues for immigrants from all around the world such as the South Asians and the Black Immigrants. • It wasn’t just the immigrants that got affected, even Aboriginals were not treated fairly even though BC was part of their land.

Immigration Act, 1869 (Library and Archives Canada. Statutes of Canada. An Act Respecting Immigration and Immigrants, 1869. Ottawa: SC 32 -33 Victoria, Chapter 10. ) Continues Journey Regulation Act 1908 (Library and Archives Canada. Statutes of Canada. An Act to Amend the Immigration Act, 1908. Ottawa: SC 7 -8 Edward VII, Chapter 33)

The Chinese Immigrants Even their cemeteries would be separated from the others Head Tax put on Chinese immigrants (In a strange land : a pictorial record of the Chinese in Canada, 1788 -1923) Chinese cemetery; Kamloops courtesy of the Kamloops Museum and Archives

Newspaper Article #1 (Port Moody, B. C. 1883 - 1887) Discriminations towards the Chinese Newspaper Article #2 ("No Chinese Wanted Here" from the Whitehorse Star Newspaper Published June 28, 1902)

The Black Immigrants Mifflin Wistar Gibbs

Aboriginals St. Michael’s Indian Residential School in Alert Bay, British Columbia Indian Act 1876

In Conclusion