历史的转弯:1923年加拿大华人移民法再思考

Turning Point:Rethinking of the Chinese Immigration Act,1923

论文以北京政府外交部、加拿大移民局等档案资料为基础,梳理了加拿大人头税法案的衰微以及《中加移民条约》提出的过程;分析了中国南北政局对中加订约交涉、排华法案制定的影响以及中国领事的订约努力与华社反对排华法案的抗争。加政府率先提出两国订约,却在1923年选择全面排华,这一历史转弯是加拿大朝野长期种族歧视、主张“白色加拿大”的必然,而中国南北对峙的局势又为其提供了外在藉端。《中加移民条约》是双边平等协商解决加拿大华人移民问题的正途之一。订约交涉虽以失利告终,但北京政府外交部与驻加拿大的中国领事们为维护国家尊严,坚持平等订约、维护华侨权益的努力值得缅怀。

Using archival material,this paper looks into the diminishing influence of the previous Chinese Immigration Act and the making of China-Canada Immigration Agreement.The latter involved negotiations between the Canadian Federal Government and the Chinese Governments in both Beijing and Guangzhou.The negotiation was initiated by the Canadian Government,which however switched to fully restrict Chinese immigration from 1923.Ottawa's change,on the one hand,may be because of constant racial prejudice prevailing in the society of “white Canada”.On the other hand,the conflict between two rival Chinese governments may have contributed an additional factor leading the Canadian Government to reverse.To date,research on negotiations concerning the China-Canada Immigration Agreement is still scant.The present study is a revisit to Chinese Canadian history especially focusing on Chinese diplomats of the Beiyang Government.Their endeavor to defend China's national interest and overseas Chinese rights deserve to be remembered.