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Lily Chow has provided a missing link in the Canadian history in her writing. The narrative of the early Chinese and their contributions to the building of this country will certainly diminish the arrogant self-righteousness of the Canadian majority, especially those in the past. The Chinese came to Canada for reasons not too dissimilar to other settlers, yet they have often been suspected, historically, on other unfounded grounds. The description of the Klondike saga is indeed incredible. It exposed the injustice of an elected municipal Government, for a democracy without justice is worse than benevolent authoritarianism.
Lily does justice not only to the history of Chinese in British Columbia but also to the greater context of the history of the oppressed people. Her writing represents a lonely voice crying out for justice and denouncing hypocrisy. She writes with depth of research and lucidity of language the epic of early Chinese in the northwest of British Columbia.
This book is morally challenging and thought provoking to anyone concerned with minority immigration to Canada. It is an indelible part of Canadian history.
-Dr. W. C. Tan
President, Canadian College for Chinese Studies
Victoria, BC