Road to Justice, the new trilingual website created to serve as “an account of the historical use of law by governments in Canada as a tool to exclude, restrict or otherwise control the lives of people of Chinese descent,” contains a wealth of resources presented in a compelling, interactive format.
The site, launched yesterday with a panel discussion co-hosted by the Law Society, is the work of the Metro Toronto Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic. It was supported by the federal government’s Community Historical Recognition Program.
The website does not mince words about how its funding source has impacted the lives of Chinese Canadians, though: its articles, resources, videos and interactive timeline take Ottawa to task for policies like the Chinese head tax (its institution, ramp-up, slow repeal and equally slow redress) and legislation such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923. Other federal acts (as well as key provincial and municipal laws) are also included, as are key court cases, biographies of trailblazing Chinese lawyers and information about the redress campaign.
What takes Road to Justice from merely informative to truly compelling, though, is its collection of videos.
They’re around five minutes apiece, and each provides insights from one of a well-chosen group of commentators from the legal world and beyond — including Susan Eng, Avvy Go, Pierre Berton, Mary Eberts and Justice Linda Lee Oland.
The MTCSALC should also be commended for the website’s timeline, which provides a highly visual layout out the history of the injustices suffered by Chinese Canadians, with links to additional information.
Check it out at roadtojustice.ca.