Canadian Genealogy · Canadian laws · Chinese Genealogy · How To Videos · Womens History

Coffee Chat Series: Canadian voters lists for Asians and other disenfranchised folks

In this post I'd like to talk about navigating a "common record" set - voters lists - when the population was disenfranchised. There's an assumption in genealogy of "common records." Voters Lists fall in this category, along with censuses, vital records, and city directories. Chinese, Japanese, South Asians, and Indigenous were disenfranchised for decades, meaning that entire record sets that would generally be available for others have gaps for these groups. Knowing when this does and does not apply is important work for a genealogist.

Canadian Genealogy · Canadian laws · Chinese Genealogy

True crime, the Wing Sang Co., and police records: A trip to the City of Vancouver Archives

Once you're on site, my best tip for getting the most out of an archives visit is asking for a quick tour. Most times the archivist will ask you what area, subject, or time frame you're researching. They will also show you how to fill out a record retrieval slip and while I am an experienced researcher, I always appreciate the reminders. Every archive follows archival best practises, which means...

Canadian Genealogy · Canadian laws · Chinese Genealogy

Do you have a Chinese Immigration certificate?

[Updated 6 May 2023] When I was young, I found my father's Chinese Immigration certificate in his desk. I was confused: I knew he was born in Vancouver, BC, Canada, but the document said Department of Immigration and Colonization. Was he an immigrant? Why was he an immigrant? For pity's sake, my grandfather was born… Continue reading Do you have a Chinese Immigration certificate?

Canadian Genealogy · Canadian laws · Chinese Genealogy · How To Videos

Webinar: Exploring Chinese genealogy on Ancestry

Ancestry Canada invited me to give a webinar on Chinese genealogy on April 21, 2020 on Facebook Live. For those who may have missed it, or for those who had trouble accessing the site, here you are. I can't think of a better way to kick off Asian Heritage Month. In this webinar, you will… Continue reading Webinar: Exploring Chinese genealogy on Ancestry