Introduction    
     

 Chineses Boat People: Human Cargo

   
                                           
       

In the summer of 1999 haunting images appeared in the media of “ghost ships” that had deposited or attempted to deposit illegal Chinese migrants off the shores of British Columbia. The subsequent public debate over the arrival of the migrants was controversial and evoked a wide range of opinions and emotions among Canadians. It was also a debate that has particular relevance in terms of the history of this nation.


In July and August, three ships were spotted and subsequently intercepted by Canadian authorities off Canadian shores. The weary passengers were taken into custody and transferred to a Canadian Forces base for processing. On July 23, 123 migrants came ashore after reportedly spending 39 days at sea. On August 11, 131 migrants were left on shore near the Queen Charlotte Islands after 58 days at sea—the ship was later intercepted—and on August 31, 190 migrants arrived after 72 days at sea. A fourth ship was reported to have arrived earlier in the summer, off-loaded its passengers and then sunk during the return voyage. Canadian officials who boarded the ships reported that conditions on the vessels were horrible. The upper decks were filthy, and below decks it was even worse. There was no lighting, buckets were used for toilets, and drinking water had become contaminated. Remarkably, the passengers from each ship were in reasonably good physical health.
The public response to the landings was unequivocal although mixed. Some Canadians were angered at the arrival of the migrants and demanded that they be sent back. For them, three ships arriving unexpectedly in just under six weeks was a provocation not to be ignored. Expressing overt hostility, some saw these arrivals as a threat, that of being “overrun” by illegal arrivals from poorer nations. Other Canadians called for understanding and compassion. Still others advocated a detached, reasoned approach, referring to established refugee procedures. Government officials appealed for calm. The migrants, meanwhile, were taken into custody at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, outside Victoria. There they were fed, given shelter, and questioned by authorities. Of the 123 people on the first ship, for example, 37 were charged with human smuggling offences and the rest, having claimed refugee status, became part of a legal process that eventually determines who is or who is not a genuine refugee and therefore is allowed to remain in Canada and eventually be eligible for full Canadian citizenship. Despite the fact that there has been a commonly held belief that it is easy to enter Canada by claiming refugee status, the reality is that around 60 per cent of all refugee claims are rejected in immigration hearings each year.
The arrival of the migrants, primarily from Fujian province in China, has caused many Canadians to reflect on some of our fundamental social and historical principles. For a nation built by people escaping harsh conditions in search of a better life, what is our obligation to those who wish to come to Canada for the same reasons? In terms of accepting refugees—immigrants applying through existing channels is another matter—Canada’s history is not unblemished; we have accepted some and not others. It is important to note the passengers on these ships were illegal migrants. The central issue of the story is how we sort out or balance legal considerations, humanitarian concerns, and the practical ramifications of illegal migration. The issue of trafficking in human lives adds another disturbing dimension to the story.

Introduction
Droit d’asile
In Search of a New Life
An International Concern
The “System”
A Response From China
Chinese-Canadians
Discussion, Research, and Essay Questions

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Comprehensive News in Review Study Modules
 
     

Using both the print and non-print material from various issues of News in Review, teachers and students can create comprehensive, thematic modules that are excellent for research purposes, independent assignments, and small group study. We recommend the stories indicated below for the universal issues they represent and for the archival and historic material they contain.

“The Kurds: Another Displaced People,” May 1991
“Refugees: Getting Through the Door,” March 1994

 

 

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