"Solving the 'Oriental Problem'" Canadian Illustrated News, April 26, 1879.
In 1875 the legislature of the new province of British Columbia passed a Qualification and Registration of Voters Act which denied Chinese and native Indians the franchise. In 1879 Amor de Cosmos, depicted as the scourge of the Chinese, in this cartoon from the Canadian Illustrated News of that year, presented a petition to the House of Commons signed by 1500 British Columbians demanding an end to the employment of Chinese on the Pacific railway project. A committee was appointed with de Cosmos as chairman, but their principal recommendations were rejected by the Macdonald government which felt the use of Chinese navvies essential to the completion of the railroad.
Courtesy: with acknowledgement to Dr. Margaret Ormsby.
