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From YouTube: MAY 20 2021 Statements Karin Kirkpatrick
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
2nd Session
42nd Parliament
A
Member
for
west
vancouver
capilano-
thank
you,
mr
speaker.
This
sunday
will
mark
107
years
since
the
kamagado
meru
steamship
from
india
arrived
in
vancouver
with
376
passengers,
most
of
which
were
sick,
muslims
and
hindus
of
south
asian
origin,
who
came
like
many
of
our
relatives
did
to
seek
better
lives
here
in
canada
and
in
british
columbia.
A
Sadly,
the
government
of
the
day
denied
entry
to
most
of
the
passengers
simply
due
to
their
ethnicity
and
they
were
forced
to
return
to
india
upon
their
return
to
india.
Many
were
arrested
and
put
in
jail
by
the
british.
This
is
a
stain
on
the
history
of
british
columbia
and
highlights
the
racist
and
discriminatory
era
of
the
immigration
policies
of
the
time.
Now,
we've
come
a
long
way
since
then,
but
there
is
a
lot
more.
That
remains
to
be
done
where
people
of
all
cultures
are
accepted
and
respected.
A
A
Let's
not
forget,
the
south
asian
community
has
also
helped
to
build
british
columbia,
forge
strong
cultural
ties
between
india
and
our
province,
as
well
as
furthering
trade
to
diversify
our
economy
as
the
most
ethnically
diverse
province
in
canada.
British
columbia
is
a
place
where
everyone
deserves
to
feel
safe,
regardless
of
their
ethnic,
racial
or
religious
background.