A Chinese mother faces deportation

Tuesday, 10 November 2009 00:00

November 10, 1930. "Don't be a damn fool," the Vancouver Province advises immigration officials in Ottawa who are debating whether or not to deport a Chinese wife and mother who had illegally entered Canada as a 13-year-old because of a fraud by a man who owned her. Published in the Saint John Telegraph Journal.

A year or two ago, a Japanese woman boarded a steamer at Yokohama for the United States. She had her passport. Arrangements had been made for her admission. Everything was in order. But, before the steamship reached the Golden Gate, the woman became a mother. No arrangements had been made for the child's admission and the immigration agent at San Francisco wired Washington asking what he should do. Back at once came the reply, "Don't be a damn fool."

Six years ago, a Chinese resident of British Columbia, Wong Chung Fong, visited China. While in his home land he bought for $100 a girl of 13 and, on re-entering Canada, passed the child off as his own daughter, born in this province. In time, the girl, Gee Shu Moy, much to the disgust of her foster-father, married a British Columbian-born Chinese, Lim Fat Chung, and now there is a little son—a Canadian and the son of a Canadian, though of the Chinese race.

Meanwhile, the immigration officials have become aware that Wong Chung Fong played a trick on them in 1924, and have arranged for the deportation to China of the victim of Wong's trickery, the wife of one Canadian, the mother of another. The immigration officials are not unsympathetic, but are bound by the letter of the law.

The case has gone to Ottawa and the heads of the department there have decided that as Gee Shu Moy entered Canada illegally—what does a Chinese girl of 13 know of legality?—she must be deported.
The case has been reviewed by Mr. Justice Gregory, and the learned judge, while realizing that a grave injustice was being done, regrets that, under the law, he can do nothing to prevent it. He has directed, however, that further presentations shall be made to Ottawa and has made sure that Gee Shu Moy shall not be deported until Ottawa has again given the order.

Under the circumstances, we should like to draw the attention of the immigration department to the message sent from Washington to the immigration agent at San Francisco. It applies.