THRAC campaign to remove inappropriate names for Taiwan on Provincial Registry sites.
In October 2023 we were made aware of a problem with names for Taiwan on 5 provincial birth/marriage registry sites. In the online drop-down menu for "place of birth" (or parents place of birth) in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, and British Columbia , several choices were given for Taiwan, including "Taiwan, Province of China", Taiwan, Republic of China" , "Taiwan", or "Formosa".
THRAC has written to these provinces explaining the problem with these ascriptions, and urging them to simply use "Taiwan", or follow the practice of the 7 other Provinces and Territries, and have a box which the applicant can fill in. To date (August 30, 2024) Nova Scota and New Brunswick have began a discussion with us. Ontario has not replied any of several multiple approaches.
At the Taiwanese Canadian Association national convention in Toronto on June 23, THRAC presented a motion which was passed unanimously:
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宗旨：
敦促五個省政府從戶口網站刪除不當，對加拿大台灣人侮辱，的
“Taiwan, China” 等名稱
Taiwanese
Canadian Association National Convention
June 23, 2014
Calls on
5 provinces to end offensive names for Taiwan on provincial registry websites
The
Taiwanese Canadian Association (TCA) meeting in Toronto on June 23, 2024, calls
on the governments of Nova Scotia; Prince Edward Island; New Brunswick;
Ontario; and British Columbia, to remove the hurtful, offensive and legally
baseless labeling of Taiwan as “Taiwan, Province of China” ; Taiwan, China” and
“Taiwan, Republic of China” in the
drop-down menus for “place of birth” on your provincial registration websites.
We suggest
that you could easily adopt the usage all other provinces and territories, and
allow applicants to fill out “place of birth”, as is also the practice of the
Government of Canada , in passport applications for example.
Like almost
every country in the world, Taiwan has seen different regimes and rulers, but unlike
many countries who have been called different names (which do not appear on your drop down list) ,
TAIWAN never has been legally called anything other than “Taiwan” ,
whether under the Qing Empire (before 1894) , Japan (1895-1945) or the Republic
of China (1945 – present). The name “Formosa” which also appears on your drop
down menus, was never a legal name for Taiwan, rather just a colonial name used
by foreigners.
In Canada,
since 1970, Taiwan has always been called Taiwan in all government usage. Canada
consciously avoided recognizing the Chinese Communist Party’s claims to Taiwan when we established diplomatic
relations with them. This is why no Canadian government document ever uses
“Taiwan, Province of China”. It is
shocking that a Canadian province would implicitly
condone handing the people of Taiwan over to Chinese Communist rule, by having
such an illegal and hurtful label on your websites.
While
“Republic of China” is the official name of the state in Taiwan, this is not
recognized by Canada, nor almost of all of the world. Canada has always avoided
using “The Republic of China”, and requires that Taiwan’s representatives in
Canada also refrain from using that
name.
We condemn
without reservation your imposition of a Chinese identity on Taiwanese
Canadians, and urge you to remove these references without delay or excuse.
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