January

January 1, 1942: Canada and China became formal wartime allies as Original Signatories of the Declaration by United Nations in Washington, uniting 26 nations against the Axis powers. This alliance occurred while Chinese Canadians were subjected to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923, which banned nearly all Chinese immigration and mandated discriminatory identity certificates. The stark irony of fighting alongside China while restricting and discriminating against Chinese people in Canada contributed to growing awareness of this injustice. This awareness, coupled with advocacy, helped build support for the repeal of the Exclusion Act in May 1947, a crucial step towards granting rights to Chinese Canadians.

The Canadian Citizenship Act came into force on January 1, 1947, a landmark piece of legislation that created a Canadian citizenship distinct from British subject status. For Chinese Canadians, this Act was profoundly significant. Enacted in the same year the discriminatory Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed, it symbolized a crucial step towards inclusion. While the path to full equality was still long, this Act allowed individuals, including those of Chinese descent who had endured decades of legislated discrimination, to be recognized solely as Canadians. The Act granted Chinese Canadians the right to vote in federal and provincial elections. This fostered a new sense of belonging and laid groundwork for fairer immigration policies, contributing to the dismantling of racist anti-Asian measures and the eventual development of Canadian multiculturalism, profoundly impacting the Chinese Canadian community's growth and integration.

January 14, 1976, marked a historic milestone as Peter Wing (吳榮添) and Jean B. Lumb (林黃彩珍) became the first Chinese Canadians to be awarded the Order of Canada. The Order of Canada is the country's highest civilian honour, recognizing outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation. This prestigious honour recognized their exceptional contributions: Wing as Canada's first Chinese Canadian mayor (Kamloops, BC) and Lumb as a tireless community advocate who fought discriminatory laws and campaigned to save Toronto's Chinatown. Their joint investiture symbolized a significant step in national recognition for the Chinese Canadian community's achievements and impact on Canada.