City of Vancouver formally apologizes to Chinese community for past discrimination

The City of Vancouver formally apologized to Chinese Canadians on Sunday for past legislation, regulations and policies that discriminated against them.

“This is an important day for council and all Vancouverites to come together and recognize historical wrongdoings committed against Chinese people and to build a better future together,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson in a written statement.

An audience of 500 people witnessed the ceremony at the Chinese Cultural Centre, which was also broadcast on a screen along Keefer Street in the city’s Chinatown.

Robertson said the formal apology reaffirms Vancouver as a city “in which diverse communities can share and learn from the past, collectively address current challenges and plan for a better future for all.”

The apology was read in English, Cantonese and Sze Yup dialect.