While America is gearing up for co-ordinated protests across the country over the mess of immigration laws that the Republicans have managed to create for themselves, in Canada we’re getting a chance to make amends for our own sometimes rocky immigration history with Stephen Harper’s promise to formally apologize for the head tax that the government charged Chinese immigrants between 1885 and 1923 [cbc].

From the CBC:

“Chinese-Canadians have made … an invaluable contribution to Canada and your community deserves nothing less than a full apology for this past wrong,” Harper said.

“Our government will always be mindful of the integral role played by Chinese-Canadians in Canadian society and in turn will always afford this community the respect to which it is entitled.”

The Conservatives’ throne speech on April 4 included a promise to formally apologize for the head tax imposed on nearly 81,000 Chinese immigrants between 1885 and 1923.

It’s nice to know that even with a right wing Conservative government Canada can be the kinder gentler mirror image of America. That’s not to say we still don’t have our own immigration troubles, but at least we’re not suggesting we round everyone up in trucks and ship them back to Bellingham or where ever they snuck across the border from.