Letter of Denial

Letter issued by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration denying Chin Ng’s sponsorship of his two sons, Chin Park Chue and Chin Park Jue, from China to Canada under family reunification. The application was denied because the two sons were older than the eligible age limit that was set at 18 at the time.

The Chinese Exclusion Act (formally the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923) banned all Chinese immigration except for a few narrowly-defined categories. The Act was repealed in 1947, but race-based immigration restrictions were in place until 1967 when Canada’s immigration policies moved to a points system. Following repeal, Chinese people in Canada were eligible to apply for family reunification. They had to first apply for Canadian citizenship; family members were limited to spouses and unmarried children under the age of 18. Through advocacy of the Chinese Canadian community, this age limit would be raised to 21.

The letter reads: Dear Sir: This refers to your application for the admission to Canada of your two sons, Chin Park Chue and Chin Park Jue, presently residing at 305 Des Voeux Road, C., Hong Kong. In this connection, I would advise that the only persons of Asiatic race eligible for admission to Canada under existing Immigration Regulations, are the wife and unmarried children under 18 years of age of any Canadian citizen legally admitted to and resident in this country, who is in a position to receive and care for his dependants. It is evident, therefore, that your sons, who are 20 and 19 years of age respectively, do not come within the admissible classes. In the circumstances, I am sorry to say that favourable consideration cannot be extended your application and no encouragement can be offered for the admission of the above named proposed immigrants to this country, at this time.