Predjudice and Liberty

Essay by WopUniversity, Bachelor'sB, October 2004

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Prejudice and Liberty

Throughout Canadian history there have been some bleak circumstances in which harm has been done, whether physical or emotional, unto certain habitants based on inequitable laws within the constitution. In particular, the "white women's labour laws" and Bill C-36 have persuaded prejudices to occur within communities. These predispositions have been based primarily on ethnic backgrounds and to some extent on gender. The cause of such inequity can generally be found in the results of acts of war or terrorism. As a result unjustified persecution could ensue.

The white women's labour laws were put in place to prohibit the hiring of white women in restaurants, laundries or any other Oriental owned business. The law was designed to support public morality by protecting white women from the advances of chinamen. In short, the law excludes Asian males from success within the community and labels them as a distinct group of distorted offenders.

The first victim of the law was Quong Wing, a Chinese-Canadian restaurant owner in Moose Jaw. He was charged with employing three white women as waitresses. The defense in this case argued that the term "Chinese" was to broad to know to whom exactly it applied. Loosing his case without much of a chance, Quong Wing appealed. He now argued that the law should not apply to a Canadian citizen, as he is, or that the provincial government of Saskatchewan should have the power to make laws that apply only to immigrants. Faced with another loss, he appealed to the Supreme Court. Four out of Five judges argued that the law should stand, believing that Quong Wing cannot be a Canadian because he is still from China, and that the law applies to him because of his Chinese origin. By reviewing such a case it is obvious...