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Call for C.I. Certificates: Canada-wide Community Scanning for "The Paper Trail"

Until June 30, 2024
View "The Paper Trail" digital archive
Call for C.I. Certificates: Canada-wide Community Scanning for "The Paper Trail"

Do you or your family hold Chinese Immigration (C.I.) certificates? Visit one of our partner organizations across Canada to scan and submit them to "The Paper Trail" archive now!

2023 marks a sad milestone: 100 years since the passing of the 1923 Chinese Immigration Act in Canada (more commonly known as the Chinese Exclusion Act). This unique piece of immigration law launched the darkest and most despairing period in Chinese Canadian history. It also was the only time in Canadian history that one group was barred from entry based solely on their country of origin.

Almost all the individuals who were directly affected by this exclusion legislation, or the head taxes that preceded it, are no longer with us. However, many left behind to their families precious, fragile pieces of paper: C.I. certificates that today serve as the last piece of visual evidence of this story. Through these aging, fragile pieces of paper we can learn the story of the individual who owned it; the struggles of an early immigrant community; and the story of a dark period in Canadian history.

Sadly, there are only a smattering of these C.I. certificates available in public archives. Thousands have been lost, destroyed or thrown out, either mistakenly or purposely. The vast majority of surviving C.I. certificates are squirrelled away in family boxes, albums and drawers.

From the hundreds of scanned C.I. Certificates the curator Catherine Clement and her team have collected from across Canada, we have created the first of its kind community archival collection, The Paper Trail Collection. Housed as a special collection at the University of British Columbia Library, the records are an accessible, online archive that allows historians, researchers, students and family members to study these historical documents for educational purposes.

The Paper Trail Project will continue to add more C.I. certificates to this digital archive until June 30, 2024. Scanning support is provided by the following community partners across Canada.

Alberta (Calgary) | Gerry Yee

  • Dates: May 31-June 30, 2024; by appointment only

  • Scanning Contact: Gerry Yee (yeegl88@gmail.com)

Alberta (Edmonton) | The Mah Society of Edmonton

  • Location: Mah Society of Edmonton (9643 101A Ave, Edmonton, AB T5H 0C8)

  • Dates: May 5, 19, 24, 25, 2024 (June dates TBD) and by appointment

  • Times: 11:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. MDT

  • Scanning Contact: Sue Mah and Andrea Maru (journeyofthehorse@gmail.com)

  • More Details: https://journeyofthehorseyeg.wixsite.com/home/special-project

British Columbia (Vancouver) | Chinese Canadian Museum

British Columbia (Victoria) | Chinese Canadian Museum

Ontario (Toronto) | Long Time No See Collective

  • Location: Cecil Community Centre (58 Cecil St, Toronto, ON M5T 1N6)

  • Dates: June 8 and 9, 2024 and by appointment

  • Times: 12:00-4:00 P.M. EDT

  • Scanning Contact: Long Time No See Collective (longtimenosee.chinatownto@gmail.com)

  • More Details: https://ltnschinatown.com/

Newfoundland (St. John's) | Chinese Association of Newfoundland and Labrador & Heritage NL

  • Location: A.C. Hunter Public Library 3F Reference (Arts & Culture Centre, 125 Allandale Rd, St. John's, NL A1B 3A3)

  • Dates: June 8, 2024

  • Times: 11:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M. NDT

  • Scanning Contact: Gordon Jin (gjin@mun.ca)

Quebec (Montreal) | JIA Foundation

  • Location: 1088 Rue Clark St, Montreal, QC H2Z 1C1

  • Dates: By appointment only

  • Scanning Contact: JIA Foundation (info@jiafoundationmtl.org)

  • More Details: https://jiafoundationmtl.org/

Saskatchewan (Saskatoon) | Linda Yip Genealogy

  • Location: Suite 156, 318 21 Street East, Saskatoon SK, S7K 6C8

  • Dates: By appointment only

  • Scanning Contact: Linda Yip (PaperTrailSK@gmail.com)

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