The Development of the Chinese Community in Saskatoon

This article develops an analytical overview of the development of the Chinese community in Saskatoon based on community-based research. The research involves analysis of two types of data: published statistics and literature, as well as first-hand semi-structured interview data. The discussion mainly explores four aspects of the Chinese community in Saskatoon: the early institutional discrimination and racism experienced by the Chinese community in Saskatoon; the changing demographic trends of the community intertwined with the changes in immigration policy in Canada; the increasing diversity of the community in terms of socioeconomic background; and the development of Chinese organizations in Saskatoon. It is concluded that a special structure and culture have developed in this Chinese community which distinguish it from the ones in larger metropolitan areas and shape a unique identity of the Saskatoon Chinese. Keywords: Chinese immigrant, Canada, Saskatoon, community, ethnic organization Cet article developpe un apercu analytique du developpement de la communaute chinoise a Saskatoon sur la base des recherches communautaires. La recherche implique I'analyse de deux types de donnees : les statistiques et les litteratures publiees ainsi que les donnees des entrevues semi-structurees de premiere main. L'analyse explore principalement quatre aspects de la communaute chinoise a Saskatoon : la discrimination institutionnelle precoce et le racisme vecus par la communaute chinoise a Saskatoon ; les tendances demographiques changeantes de la communaute entrelacee avec les changements dans la politique d'immigration au Canada ; la diversite croissante de la communaute en termes de contexte socio-economique ; et le developpement des organisations chinoises a Saskatoon. II est conclu que la structure et la culture speciales qui se sont developpees au sein de cette communaute chinoise la distingue des grandes regions metro-politaines et constitue une identite unique des Chinois de Saskatoon. Mots cles : Immigrants chinois, Canada, Saskatoon, communaute, organisation ethnique
INTRODUCTION The history of Chinese immigration to Canada started when the first group of Chinese labourers arrived in the West Coast and joined the workers building the Pacific Railway. Initially [...]