Post by justinetoews on Nov 30, 2010 16:22:54 GMT -5
In chapter 4 page 83, it says "The CPR had trouble finding people to do such hard and dangerous work, so workers from China-almost 9000 of them-were brought to the Canadian West. They worked long hours for lower wages than did Canadian workers, and they tolerated primitive living conditions in separate camps. Hundreds were killed in rock slides, explosions, and tunnel collapses, and hundreds more died of diseases resulting from filthy camps. Many nearly starved to death from trying to save as much of their meagre wages as possible for their families back home." Why did the Chinese work longer hours for lower wages than Canadian workers? Why would the Chinese come so far for work to be treated so poorly? What was going on in their country at the time to have to work in such poor conitions and be payed so little?
