Item 6 - Interview of Joyce Chin

90.4 MB (1 file) : mp3 ; 0 hr., 39 min., 30 sec.

Audio recording of interview with Joyce Chin conducted by Vivienne Poy in Victoria, B.C. Interview conducted in Cantonese.

From Transcripts [Extended notes] compiled by Vivienne Poy:

Joyce Chin (paper daughter), immigrated in 1952, interviewed in Victoria.

• Born in Toi Shan in 1931, the youngest of three children. Attended school in Canton (Guangzhou) when Japan invaded China. She had 3 years of secondary school. When the communists arrived in Canton, there was a lot of upheaval, her mother told her to return to the village.
• In 1949, some of the Nationalist troops retreated to Toi Shan, and there was no peace in the countryside. Retreating soldiers and spies were kidnapping villagers for ransom. Mrs. Chin’s older brother was kidnapped. Mrs. Chin took a trip to Canton (Guangzhou) to get money that was wired by her father to get her brother back. Soon after his release, her mother took him and left for Hong Kong. Mrs. Chin went to Hong Kong a little later.
• When Mrs. Chin arrived in Hong Kong, she attended an English school for 2 years.
• Mrs. Chin’s grandfather originally went to the U.S. on a student visa. Since there were many relatives living in Victoria, he was asked to join them. His English was very good, so he was often asked to work as a translator. He died while working in Toronto. He also had a business in Victoria, which was left to the care of hired help.
• Grandmother brought her son (Mrs. Chin’s father) and daughters to Victoria. After grandfather died, Grandmother took her younger daughter with her to return to China. Mrs. Chin’s father, like most overseas Chinese men, went back to China to marry Mrs. Chin’s mother. He then returned to Canada.
• When Sun Yatsan was in Canada raising money for the revolution, Mrs. Chin’s grandfather travelled with him for the cause. Grandfather also smoked opium, $2 a day, which was a lot of money in those days. Grandmother wanted him to give it up, but he couldn’t. When people gave him gifts, it was often opium. The production of opium was allowed in Canada. They existed in [Chinatown].
• At the end of the 2nd World War, Canadian Immigration allowed ethnic Chinese to become citizens, and to bring their family members to Canada.
• When Mrs. Chin was born, her father reported the birth of a son instead of a daughter, so that the certificate could be used for a boy. When Canada allowed Chinese to immigrate again, Mrs. Chin’s older brother used her certificate and reported as being younger than he was. He was, at that time, over age to be allowed to immigrate as a dependent. He immigrated in 1950 with his mother.
• Mrs. Chin’s father owned green houses in Victoria, growing flowers and vegetables. His flowers were so nice that he supplied Government House on a regular basis for their floral arrangements. The green houses were located fairly close to the Government House. He was using liquid chemicals or fertilizers, and gained the name of “scientist.”
• Mrs. Chin immigrated to Canada in 1952. Her father bought her a birth certificate from someone (whose father had reported the birth of a daughter to the Canadian government) whose age approximated hers. It cost $800.00. Buying paper to come to Canada became a very frightening experience. The person who sold the paper slipped up when questioned, during the time he was also bringing other members of his family to Canada. Mrs. Chin was also questioned. She decided that she was going to tell immigration, and to get back her own name (she was under an assumed name). Canadian government realized what was happening with false papers in immigration, and in 1963 declared an amnesty to all those who would come forward. Mrs. Chin received an official letter from the government with her real identity in July, 1963. At the same time, her older brother got back his own age instead of being 7 years younger (Mrs. Chin’s age.)
• Mrs. Chin reflected on the condition in China, and concluded that Canada is a nice country, and that it is a free society. Their neighbours were always nice to them. She commented that everyone called her mother “Ma.”
• She attended the Central High school, but didn’t learn much. She blamed it on the fact that she was already 22, and was in a class with teenagers, and she couldn’t catch up.
• Mrs. Chin met Mr. Chin (who immigrated to Canada in 1950) in Victoria, and they married in 1956. The parents knew each other.
• Mr. Chin owned a grocery for ten years, and Mrs. Chin helped. The hours were from 9am to 9pm, which was very hard. After, he got a job with the Ferry service between the islands.
• Mrs. Chin didn’t work outside of her home, and she attributed that as the reason she never had the reason to learn much English. But now, she does help seniors and new immigrants as a volunteer, in filling tax forms etc., which means she had to know enough English.
• Their son is a chiropractor and their daughter works in computers. They are very satisfied with life here.
• They are [Christians], and follow religious teachings. They first became exposed to Christianity by bringing their children to Sunday school. Mrs. Chin believe that children who go to church are better children.
• “The reporting of the birth of children to the Canadian government was not at the time of birth, but at the time when the father wanted to bring his family members to Canada. The Canadian immigration only had the record of the time the person travelled to China, and the length of his stay. That’s why some actually reported having 2 children if they stayed more than a year. It was anybody’s guess whether any children was born at all.” These papers were sold to make money. The price for a boy was as high as $3-5 thousand dollars. Mrs. Chin’s was only $800.00 because [hers] was for a girl.
• Mrs. Chin’s view on the head tax is that, if those who wanted to pay to come to this country, it was up to them. Their [descendants] have benefitted from being in Canada, living in a free country. The head tax was a very small price to pay.