Implement Moratorium on Deportations

For Immediate Release – June 7, 2007

CCNC Marks 50th Anniversary of Douglas Jung Election:
Calls on Conservative Government to Implement Moratorium on Deportations

TORONTO. The Chinese Canadian National Council marked the 50th anniversary of the election of Douglas Jung, the first Chinese Canadian Member of Parliament today by calling on the Conservative Government to implement the motion passed by Parliament yesterday afternoon “to place an immediate moratorium on deportations” of all non-status persons and their families.

CCNC honours the legacy of (late) Douglas Jung who was elected on June 10, 1957 becoming the first Chinese Canadian Member of Parliament. “Douglas Jung received numerous honours for his military and public service including the Order of Canada and the Order of B.C.,” Colleen Hua, CCNC President said today. “Douglas Jung was also instrumental in advocating for changes to the immigration system including the first regularization program: Chinese Adjustment Statement Program, which allowed an estimated 12,000 non-status persons to attain legal status in Canada.”

Douglas Jung served in the British-led Special Operations Executive unit during the Second World War at a time when the Chinese Exclusion Act was in place and Canadian-born Chinese like Mr. Jung had no legal status in Canada. The service of Chinese Canadian veterans gave moral weight to the community lobby for the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act and full citizenship rights which followed in 1947. Mr. Jung became a lawyer and eventually a candidate for the Conservative Party and winning a seat in the 1957 federal election. Today there are 5 elected Chinese Canadian MPs representing 4 political parties: Hon. Raymond Chan, Mr. Inky Mark, Ms. Meili Faille, Hon. Michael Chong and Ms. Olivia Chow and 2 Senators of Chinese descent: Dr. Vivienne Poy and Dr. Lillian Dyck.

Yesterday’s vote on a motion introduced by MP Olivia Chow passed by a margin of 147 for to 115 against. The NDP and BLOC caucuses both supported the motion as did most Liberal MPs. The Conservative caucus however voted against the motion. “Where is the Douglas Jung in this Conservative caucus?” Victor Wong, Executive Director of CCNC said today. "We urge the Government to implement the moratorium and to take this opportunity to properly review the options for a fair and just regularization program,"

“We need to stop this wasteful exercise of hunting down hard-working families in their homes, workplaces or at their children’s schools and removing them from their communities and from jobs for which there is no one
else to take their place.”

CCNC is a community leader for Chinese Canadians in promoting a more just, respectful, and inclusive society. CCNC is a national non-profit organization with 27 chapters across Canada with a mandate to promote the
equality rights and full participation of our community members in all aspects of Canadian society.

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For more information, please contact:
Victor Wong, CCNC Executive Director (416) 977-9871

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