Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

On July 16 approximately 325 PSAC-UTE members from across the country gathered in Vancouver at the Union of Taxation Employees National Convention. UTE members debated the budget and resoutions, heard presentations from speakers - including John Gordon who spoke about the “Make Poverty History” campaign and the campaign to introduce a national drug card - and conducted elections. Betty Bannon was re-elected as UTE National President, Pamela Abbot was re-elected Regional Vice President - Pacific, and Robert Hume as Alternate RVP - Pacific.

• Visit ute-sei.org for more on the UTE National Convention.

On July 23rd, the 2008 Komagata Maru Reconciliation Dinner was held at the Bombay Palace in Surrey. PSAC BC, lead by Regional Council Racially Visible Coordinator, Sargy Chima, and other members of the racially  visible and human rights caucuses participated in this event, which marked the 100th anniversary of the Continuous Journey Act - a shameful part of Canada’s history which lead to the infamous Komagata Maru incident in Vancouver.

In May 1914, the Komagata Maru sailed into English Bay from Hong Kong with 376 passengers aboard - 340 Sikhs, 12 Hindus, and 24 Muslims. In 1908, the Canadian Government had passed the Continuous Journey Act, which stipulated that immigrants could only enter Canada directly from their country of birth and with $200 on their person. This was impossible for immigrants from India, as the Government had forced Canadian Pacific to stop its steamship service between Vancouver and Calcutta. After sitting in port for two months, the ship was forced to leave Vancouver Harbour as the Canadian Government adamantly refused passengers the right to land in Canada.

• Visit wikipedia.org for more about the Komagata Maru.
• Visit anniversaries07.ca for more about the anniversaries of change project.

Continue reading for some photos of both events …

Cheers to Jennie Chu, AGR 20044 / BC Human Rights Committee, for the banquet photos!