In a historic move, Burnaby has officially apologized for systemic racism targeting Chinese Canadians that persisted for over half a century. The Canadian city took a bold step this week, acknowledging discriminatory policies that barred people of Chinese descent from voting, owning land, and working municipal jobs between 1892 and 1947.
Mayor Mike Hurley delivered the emotional apology during a council meeting, stating: "Our actions made life harder for them… For that, we are deeply sorry today." The city also repealed three outdated bylaws that symbolically upheld exclusionary practices.
From Pain to Progress
The apology followed a two-year review involving multilingual community consultations (English, Cantonese, Mandarin). Beyond words, Burnaby pledged concrete actions:
📚 Educational programs highlighting Chinese Canadian contributions
💼 Cultural training for city staff
🌱 Ongoing dialogue with affected families
Hurley emphasized the community's resilience: "[They] ran successful businesses, helped build railways, and established farms that fed our region." The move has sparked hope for healing, with many calling it a model for other cities addressing historical injustices.
