Avvy Go

Advocacy for immigrants and racialized community

In 1992, Go began work as the clinic director of the Metro Toronto Chinese & Southeast Asian Legal Clinic, a clinic focusing on servicing low-income non-English speakers in the Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian communities in the Greater Toronto Area.^[7]

Go has been cited in the Canadian press for comments on legal issues relating to systemic racism and the racialization of poverty, especially regarding the Chinese Canadian community.^{[8][9][10][11][12][13]}

In 2007, she co-founded the Colour of Poverty Campaign, a campaign to address the increasing racialization of poverty in Ontario and currently serves as a member of its steering committee.^[14][15] She continued in the organization, and was a member of the steering committee in 2017.^[12][16][17]

In 2017, Go appeared before a Canadian Senate hearing to discuss the impact of high fees on immigration for the communities she served in her role at Metro Toronto Chinese & Southeast Asian Legal Clinic.^[8][18][19]

Go was involved in a case involving a Chinese couple who had their rights as parents challenged because their DNA did not match the DNA of their child.^{[20][21][better source needed]}

In 2013, Go described herself as a “loudmouth activist for politicians to contend with.”^[22][23]

Go was elected as a Bencher of Law Society of Upper Canada in 2001, 2006, and 2013.^[24]

Campaign for Chinese head tax reparations

Go played a significant role in Canada’s redress for Chinese Head Tax and the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923, which resulted in a formal apology by the government of Canada in 2006.^[3] Her involvement and her role as a spokesperson commenced when she became the acting executive director of the Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) in 1988 and the president of its Toronto chapter in 1989.^{[citation needed]}

In 2002, Go was co-counsel in a class action lawsuit, Mack v Canada (Attorney General)^[25][26], on behalf of Chinese head tax payers and their descendants against the Government of Canada.^[27] After losing an appeal in this case, Go and CCNC accused an appeal judge of racism, alleging he made inappropriate comments to counsel during the course of argument on an appeal.^[23][28][29] Remarking on the case, The Globe and Mail noted it is extremely rare for lawyers to attribute improper motives to judges.^[29] The complaint was rejected.^[28]

In 2005, she criticized Canadian journalist Jeffrey Simpson for displaying "insensitivity and ignorance by maligning the individuals and groups who are rightly seeking redress for the racist Chinese Head Tax and Exclusion Act."^[30]

On June 22, 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper made an official apology in the House of Commons on behalf of Canada for the Chinese head tax, and announced the payment of reparations for survivors and their spouses.^[31]

Criticism

In a 2026 opinion piece, National Post columnist Jamie Sarkonak argued that Go had made many decisions on immigration cases that harmed Canada's interests.^{[23][neutrality is disputed]}