h of i

1. History of Immigration
Canada’s history, post-colonization by the French
and the British, is one of continuous immigration.

2. Canada: A History of Immigration
Continued
• In the 1880’s The Canadian Pacific Railway, high
world wheat prices were, and the promise of free
land drew many immigrants.
• Beginning in 1896 Clifford Sifton (minister of the
interior in Laurier’s government) launched an
aggressive campaign to encourage immigration to
Canada.
His efforts attracted large numbers of European farmers
including Ukrainians, Scandinavians, Poles, Germans and
Dutch
Sifton’s policy excluded: Africans, Jews, Asians, East Indians and
Southern Europeans.

5. History of Immigration Continued
• The Immigration Act of 1910 gave the federal cabinet the
power to regulate immigration and to establish the
qualifications necessary to immigrate to Canada.
• The policy established was governed by 2 main factors: the
country’s economic need and what the government called the
“fundamental character” of Canadian society. For many years
Canada’s immigration policy attempted to control the racial
composition of the Canadian population.
• The Immigration Act of 1946 defined acceptable immigrants
as British subjects from Britain, Ireland, Newfoundland (not a
part of Canada until 1949,) Australia, New Zealand, and South
Africa (excluding non-whites); US citizens; and the wife and
unmarried children under 18, or the fiancé, of a legal resident
of Canada.

6. History of Immigration Continued
• The Act also created 3 special categories of
immigrants: Polish ex-servicemen, Dutch farm
workers and qualified residents from Malta.
• Also, in 1946 King introduced emergency
measures that would bring some of the
refugees of WWII to Canada. Between 1947-
52 almost 170 000 refugees were resettled in
Canada

7. History of Immigration Continued
(race related policies)
• However, while almost 380 000 immigrants came to
Canada between 1945 and 1950, the admission of
Asians was limited to the wife, husband and
unmarried children under the age of 21 of Canadian
citizens living in Canada.
• The annual quotas for all Asian immigrants were
seriously restricted.
• For Example: 150 from India, 100 from Pakistan, and
50 from Sri Lanka.

8. The response of Canada to Immigration
(race related policies)
Canada utilised Chinese immigration for the construction of the trans-continental
railway
• Once the railway was finished the white Canadians felt a need to
limit and eventually abolish all Asian immigration to Canada.
Racist groups begin to form in Canada, including; the Anti-Asiatic
league, which urged the government to end Asian immigration
completely
1885: First head tax (starts at $50 but goes up to $500)
1923: Virtually all Chinese immigration restricted (Exclusion Act)
1947: Chinese Canadians regain the vote and some of the immigration
restrictions are lifted
1967: Restrictions on Chinese immigration are removed entirely
• These racist sentiments led to a riot in Vancouver on September 7,
1907, and would lead to laws which made it virtually impossible for
anyone from Asia to immigrate to Canada (including people of
Japanese, Indian and Chinese origin)

10. An Example of a Canadian response to immigration, a case
study: The Komagata Maru
• The amended Immigration Act of 1906 required that Indian
Immigrants sail on a direct passage from India to Canada. This was
nearly impossible.
• Indian business man hired a ship called the Komagata Maru to do
just that. After 7 weeks at sea on May 21, 1914, the ship arrived at
Victoria’s quarantine station, carrying 375 passengers including
women and children.
• The Sikh community was being heavily persecuted by Muslims and
Hindus in India at this time and wanted to start new lives in Canada.
• Two days later the ship pulled into Vancouver, but the government
denied them entry. The Sikh passengers became prisoners on the
ship.
• Vancouver's Sikh community launched a court challenge. The
Komagata Maru had followed all of the immigration laws applicable
for Indian immigrants. A month went by, the ship was not allowed
to take on food or water.

11. An Example of a Canadian response to immigration, a
case study: The Komagata Maru
• Immigration officials then served passengers
deportation papers and ordered the captain to leave.
However the Sikhs refused.
• Finally the government called on the Navy to escort
the Komagata Maru out of Canadian waters.
• The message from the government was clear, East
Indians were not welcome in Canada, and the
government of Canada would break its own laws to
keep them out.

12. Komagata Maru

13. Citizens from the Komagata Maru

14. Racist immigration policies, a case study:
The St Louis
• Immigration director Fred Blair’s
infamous quote regarding Jewish
refugees from Nazi Germany “None
is too many” pretty much sums up
Canada’s acceptance of Jewish
refugees during WWII
• In 1939 when the Ocean Liner the
St. Louis, with over 900 Jewish
refugees on board appeared off the
east coast of Canada, it was
refused permission to dock.
• The ship was forced to return to
Europe, where many of the
passengers died in concentration
camps

16. History of Immigration Cont.
Canadian citizenship
• Until 1947, there was no such thing as a Canadian citizen.
Canadians were British subjects.
• The Canadian Citizenship Act established Canadians as citizens of
Canada rather than subjects of Britain.
• Under this Act all those born in Canada or who had become
naturalized British subjects automatically became Canadian
citizens.
• New immigrants could gain citizenship if they had legally entered
the country and had lived in Canada for 4 of the last 6 years, had a
good knowledge of French or English and were of “good character”
• Children who were born to a Canadian father living outside Canada
were citizens, however if the mother was a Canadian citizen and
the father was not, the child was not considered a citizen. This
would not change until the new Citizenship Act of 1976.

17. New Immigration Policies
• The Immigration Act in 1952 allowed Cabinet to control
immigration, so they could admit, limit or prohibit
immigration for almost any reason they wanted. This led to a
significant amount of racial discrimination regarding new
immigrants to Canada.
• Public opinion regarding race was changing in the 50’s and
60’s and the portions of Canada’s population began to protest
the discriminatory nature of Canada’s immigration policies.
• The idea that Canada should be a “cultural mosaic” began to
gain popularity.
• In 1962 a new set of immigration regulations was suggested
in Parliament. However, it still set different criteria for those
people trying to immigrate from Asian and African countries.
• In the late 60’s a point system was introduced in an attempt
to create a more color blind system.
• In 1978 a new Immigration Act was introduced that outlined
the new goals of Canada’s immigration policy

18. Mosaic or Melting Pot?
• Canada prides itself at home and abroad as a country
made up of a cultural mosaic.
• The mosaic is based on our belief that Canada as a
whole becomes stronger by having immigrants bring
with them their cultural diversity for all Canadians to
learn from.
• The cultural melting pot, as adopted in the United
States, tells immigrants that no matter who they
have been in the past, upon landing on American
shores, they are Americans and are expected to
adopt and follow the American way.

19. New Immigration Policies Continued
• The focus of the Department of Immigration is supposed to
be attracting immigrants to Canada who have the education,
training and skills to become contributing members of the
labor force, or who have the financial resources to establish
their own business in Canada.
• Now immigration officers could award a number of points for
such factors as education, training and experience,
occupational demand, perceived adaptability of the
immigrant, age and knowledge of French or English. If the
points awarded to the immigrant added up to 50 or more, the
individual was eligible for admission.

21. New Policies in Immigration
A shift in Policy
• Because of its wealth and stability, Canada is an attractive destination for
immigrants
• The federal government, under Pierre Trudeau, declared that Canada
would adopt multicultural policy in 1971. Canada would recognize and
respect its society included diversity in languages, customs, religions, and
so on. In 1982 multiculturalism was recognized by section 27 of the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Official multiculturalism
• Each year, there are more people applying to immigrate to Canada than
we are able to accept, therefore in the 1970’s the government set up
guidelines based on three broad objectives: Humanitarian to unite
families and provide a safe haven for those who are persecuted,
Economic to provide skilled labor for Canada and encourage economic
growth and investment, Demographic considerations to maintain steady
population growth.
• The Canadian government no longer gives preference to people from
specific countries. Instead, it has established criteria that all applicants
have to meet, regardless of their country of origin.

23. Questions
1. What is the difference between a melting pot and a cultural
mosaic?
2. Why did the government forbid the Sikhs on board the
Komagata Maru to talk to other members of the Sikh
community in Vancouver?
3. What do you think the strengths and drawbacks of the new
immigration system are?
4. Do you think countries such as Canada have an obligation to
accept refugees, regardless of their countries of origin?
Explain
5. What do you think the government meant by “fundamental
character?”
6. Why would some Canadians feel threatened by shifting
patterns of immigration? Do you believe this fear is well-founded
or misguided? Why?