Chinese Exclusion Act in Canada

E882112

The Chinese Exclusion Act in Canada was a 1923 federal law that virtually halted Chinese immigration and entrenched systemic discrimination against Chinese Canadians until its repeal in 1947.

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Canadian federal immigration law
anti-Chinese legislation
discriminatory law
alsoKnownAs Chinese Immigration Act (1923) NERFINISHED
Chinese Immigration Act, 1923 NERFINISHED
appliesToDemographicGroup Chinese Canadians NERFINISHED
Chinese immigrants
commemoratedBy apologies and remembrance events in Canada
commemoratedOn Chinese Immigration Act Repeal Day NERFINISHED
consequence creation of so-called "bachelor societies" in Chinatowns
drastic reduction in Chinese immigration to Canada
entrenchment of systemic discrimination against Chinese Canadians
family separation for Chinese Canadians
political marginalization of Chinese communities in Canada
containsProvision narrow exemptions for merchants, diplomats, students, and special cases
prohibition on most Chinese immigration categories
requirement for Chinese in Canada to register and carry identity certificates
country Canada
dateEnacted 1923-07-01
enactedBy Parliament of Canada NERFINISHED
endTime 1947-05-14
follows Chinese head tax system
historicalContext Canadian anti-Asian racism in the early 20th century
post–First World War nativism in Canada
historicalPeriod interwar period
inspiredBy anti-Chinese sentiment in Canada
jurisdiction federal jurisdiction of Canada
languageOfDocument English
French
legalStatusEffect barred most Chinese immigrants from landing in Canada
severely limited entry of Chinese nationals
mainSubject Chinese immigration to Canada NERFINISHED
opposedBy Chinese Canadian community organizations
civil rights advocates in Canada
positionHeldBySigner Prime Minister of Canada NERFINISHED
purpose to exclude almost all Chinese immigrants from entering Canada
to restrict Chinese immigration to Canada
recognizedAs violation of equality rights by later Canadian governments
relatedTo Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 (United States) NERFINISHED
Chinese Immigration Act, 1885 NERFINISHED
Chinese head tax in Canada NERFINISHED
War Measures and security-era immigration controls NERFINISHED
repealedBy Canadian Citizenship Act, 1946 NERFINISHED
repealedOn 1947-05-14
repealEffect ended formal statutory exclusion of Chinese immigrants
replaced Chinese Immigration Act, 1885 NERFINISHED
shortName Chinese Exclusion Act NERFINISHED
signedBy William Lyon Mackenzie King NERFINISHED
startTime 1923-07-01

Referenced by (1)

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Chinese Canadians facedHistoricalIssue Chinese Exclusion Act in Canada