The recent wave of immigrants from Hong Kong to VancouverThis article focuses on the recent wave of immigrants from Hong Kong to Vancouver. The stage is set for this discussion by first explaining the context of Canadian immigration policy and then discussing the history of Chinese immigrants in Vancouver. These discussions tell us that Canadian immigration policy was historically ethnocentric and only began to change in the late 1960s. This is when we see a more multicultural people enter our country. The history of Chinese immigration to Vancouver, and indeed Canada, is not positive. Experiences and biases developed over 100 years ago still influence how we perceive each other. Hong Kong's recent wave of immigration began in the 1970s. This group is different from most other groups that preceded it due to its size and the fact that they are generally wealthy and well-off people. well educated. The result of their immigration to Vancouver was a booming economy and social tensions. With better understanding and awareness on both sides, we can ease social tensions. Introduction There is a school in Vancouver that offers a four-year immersion program for its students. This in itself is not very unusual in our bilingual nation, what is unusual is that the language of choice for the immersion program is not French, but Mandarin. The program was voted for by parents who believed that the Mandarin language was more important to their children's future in Vancouver than French. This situation shows quite well the transition taking place in Canada's third largest city. Vancouver is a city that is increasingly looking to Pacific countries, particularly Hong Kong, for economic and social ties. Vancouver is the most Asian Canadian city in terms of outlook. At $1.3 billion, British Columbia represents the largest Asian investment of any province. As the province's urban center, Vancouver is the destination for most of this capital. With an Asian population of over 18%, it is perhaps not so surprising that so much Asian capital is invested in the city. There are many reasons why Vancouver is attractive to Asians, including safety, the ability to do business in Asia, and a welcoming feeling. The result is that the city is completely rebuilt with Asian money. As a result of this influx, all is not well and tensions have recently surfaced within the city. However, before beginning this discussion, it is important to understand the context of immigration to Canada as well as the history of Asian immigration.