November

November 7, 1885, the ceremonial 'Last Spike' of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was driven, famously captured in a photograph. Conspicuously absent were the thousands of Chinese labourers whose grueling work was essential to its construction. This exclusion is deeply significant for Chinese Canadians, symbolizing the era's racial discrimination. These workers faced harsh conditions, lower pay, and high mortality rates, yet their vital contribution was unacknowledged. The completion of the CPR, facilitated by their labour, was pivotal for Canada, but was immediately followed by the imposition of the Chinese Head Tax, further underscoring the injustice faced by the very people who helped build the nation.

November 10, 2010, Maclean's magazine published an article in its Guide to Canadian Universities, initially titled 'Too Asian: Some frosh don't want to study at an Asian university.' The article sparked immediate and widespread controversy, with accusations of racism and perpetuating harmful stereotypes about Asian Canadian students. Critics argued the piece implied that the high presence of Asian students was a negative phenomenon and hinted at concerns mirroring U.S. discussions about limiting Asian enrolment in top universities. Maclean's later retitled the article 'Too Asian?' and then 'The enrolment controversy: Worries that efforts in the U.S. to limit enrolment of Asian students in top universities may migrate to Canada.' The incident ignited a national debate about race, multiculturalism, and representation in Canadian higher education, significantly impacting Chinese and other Asian Canadian communities who felt targeted and misrepresented. Following the controversy, Senator Vivienne Poy, in a letter to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, suggested that magazines like Maclean's, which publish offensive content, could be deemed ineligible for federal support. 'It has offended large portions of the Canadian population through its divisive journalism, which is increasingly unprofessional,' she stated. 'As such, given Maclean's propensity for speculation, editorializing and courting controversy for the sake of publicity it should no longer be deemed worthy of public funding by Canadian Heritage.'

November 11, Remembrance Day, honours all who served and sacrificed for Canada. It is also recognized as a day to also specifically commemorate the invaluable contributions and sacrifices of Chinese Canadian veterans. Despite facing systemic discrimination and being denied full citizenship rights for many years (e.g., unable to vote until 1947), Chinese Canadians volunteered in significant numbers in both World Wars and other conflicts, serving with distinction. Their stories of courage, resilience, and patriotism, often in the face of prejudice both at home and on the front lines, are an integral part of Canada's diverse military heritage. Remembering them highlights their fight for Canada and for equality.

Born on November 12, 1866, Sun Yat-sen (孫中山), from Xiangshan (now Zhongshan), is known as the father of Republican China. His aim to establish a republic stemmed from deep disillusionment with the Qing dynasty. The revolution he spearheaded, including the April 27, 1911 Canton uprising, was bloody and genocidal, leading to widespread death and destruction. This violence often targeted the Manchu ruling class and population ethnically, driven by historical resentments against the Qing dynasty. Its impact on the Manchu peoples has been seen many years afterwards. Sun's global revolutionary efforts involved Canada significantly. He first visited in 1897 to further his anti-Qing campaign. In 1892, he established his initial revolutionary group among Cantonese immigrants in Honolulu. Sun actively fundraised and spread revolutionary ideas among Chinese communities in Canada, seeking support for a new uprising in Canton. His greatest success was in Victoria, BC, where a local organization mortgaged its building for $12,000 in February 1911, becoming the largest financial backer for the Canton Uprising. Other Canadian branches followed, collectively providing nearly half the funds. Sun's movement relied heavily on overseas Chinese support, who he reportedly called the "mother of China's revolution" for their vital financial and moral contributions. The Chinese community in Canada, particularly in Victoria, significantly nurtured both China's Republican Revolution of 1911 and its founder.

Nov 16, 2002: The first atypical pneumonia case, later SARS, was reported in China, triggering a global crisis; Toronto became a major outbreak site. The 2002-2003 SARS epidemic, deeply impacted Canada, especially Toronto, the hardest-hit city outside Asia. It fueled widespread public fear and, tragically, significant anti-Chinese discrimination. Chinese Canadians faced unjust stigmatization; their businesses, particularly in Chinatowns, suffered immensely from sharp declines in customers due to misinformation. Individuals reported increased verbal harassment and avoidance.

Nov 17, 1919: A mob of 400 men & boys rampaged Toronto's Elizabeth St Chinatown, smashing windows, stealing money & raiding a cafe owned by Chinese. This violence highlighted severe anti-Chinese sentiment.