加拿大历史上的人头税要从加拿大的华人史说起。早在1858年加拿大联邦政府成立之前,就有许多华人到了英属哥伦比亚省开矿。华人备受苦难,但他们提供的廉价劳动力却受企业雇主的欢迎。 1880年,当加拿大动工修筑横穿北美大陆的铁路时,15000多名华工被雇用。他们在修路时,付出了艰辛的劳动。当铁路于1885年完工时,加拿大政府开始对华人征收人头税,凡进入加拿大的华人都要交税,先是30加元,50加元,到1904年竟高达500加元,这相当于当时一个工人两年的工资。有一位84岁的老人在令年5月18日参加集会时说:“我是人头税的纳税者。就目前我知道 Canadian head tax history should start with the history of Chinese in Canada. As early as 1858 before the formation of the Canadian federal government, many Chinese went to British Columbia to mine. The Chinese are suffering, but the cheap labor they provide is welcomed by business employers. In 1880, more than 15,000 Chinese workers were hired as Canada set out to build railroads across the North American continent. When they were repairing roads, they had to work hard. When the railroad was completed in 1885, the Canadian government began to levy a poll tax on Chinese. All Chinese who entered Canada would pay taxes of 30 Canadian dollars and 50 Canadian dollars and up to 500 Canadian dollars in 1904, which is equivalent to one at that time Workers two years salary. An 84-year-old man said in a speech at the rally on May 18: "I am a taxpayer of the poll tax. For now I know