The first Chinese man to become a policeman in Canada was Constable Lee Johnson. He was sworn in on December 28, 1906.

Lee who had been a British subject for seven years, described himself as a commercial traveler. He was assigned to pay particular attention to Montreal’s Chinatown as he was familiar with all the Chinese gamblers and the men who ran the opium dens. A British subject for seven years, he spoke Chinese, French and English. He carried a revolver, a baton up his sleeve and a badge to display his authority. His exploits were reported in The Gazette and The Montreal Star.

Constable Lee Johnson died of typhoid fever on November 11, 1909.

This fact was discovered by Robert Wilkins, who helped me with research during the production of my documentary.  If you’re interested in learning about life in Montreal during the Edwardian era, take a look at Robert Wilkin’s books: Grandad’s Montreal 1901, Montreal 1909, and Montreal Recorder’s Court, 1906. You can find them at Paragraph Books and Argo Bookshop.