A large granite monument was unveiled today in Kelowna to recognize contributions of Chinese-Canadians to B.C.’s heritage and honour the suffering many faced at the hands of the provincial government.
The distinctive, blue-roofed pavilion sits atop a raised platform in a peaceful corner of the pioneer section of the Memorial Park Cemetery.
Celebrating unveiling of 1st #BC monument acknowledging past wrongs to Chinese. #kelowna #… https://t.co/GhzGrFmfhq pic.twitter.com/ukcQoPqKlr
— Norm Letnick (@NormLetnick) December 3, 2016
It is the first of 15 markers that will be established across the province in the next few months, as an extension of the official apology the provincial government gave B.C.’s Chinese community in 2014.
"This event is in recognition of the Chinese-Canadian pioneers who helped to shape Kelowna, even though during the building of the railway and for years afterward they were subjected to unacceptable racist policies,” said Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick.
“Today, this monument ensures that everyone who sees it and reads the inscription knows that racism and discrimination will not be tolerated in B.C. and more so, that Kelowna recognizes and values its Chinese Canadian Community."
Along with the Chinese-Canadian pioneers who lived and worked in the area while building the Canadian Pacific Railway, many also worked in Kelowna's agriculture industry on farms and in orchards, and some of their descendants still live here.
Shui Lee, the chair of the Kelowna Freemasons and a member of the provincial Legacy Initiatives Advisory Council, which works with the government to implement provincial Legacy projects.
The Kelowna monument was created partly through consultation with community members here, with the cooperation of the council.
"Many of the Chinese-Canadians being remembered today were victims of racist laws and policies that permanently separated them from their families in China - my great grandfather was one of them. This monument honours their memories and their sacrifices and stands as a permanent
reminder of their contributions to Kelowna and to B.C,” she said.
Today, more than 460,000 Chinese-Canadians call B.C. home, encompassing 11 per cent of the province’s population.
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