History of Immigration to

Canada

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FCJ REFUGEE CENTREWalking with Uprooted People

Supported by:

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People have been coming to Canada for many years…

Early ‘policy’ was very simple…

Canada’s immigration policies (or lack thereof) have always had significant impacts on the people

who were allowed to come

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1896 - 1905“I think that a stalwart peasant in a sheepskin coat, born to the soil, with

a stout wife and a half dozen children, is good quality”

- Clifford Sifton, Ministry of Interior

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1901 Census Population 5,371,315 96% of European origin

13% population were immigrants

55% foreign-born were citizens

4% Chinese were citizens

43% immigrants female 41% pop of British

origin 31% French 22,050 Chinese 17, 347 Blacks 16,131 Jews

In 1901 the Chinese Head tax doubled from the 1885 level of $50 to $100.

Immigration Act passed to stop ‘undesirable immigrants’

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1906

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This ActExpanded the list of ‘prohibited immigrants’Allowed deportation of immigrants within 2

(then 3 then 5) years of landing for ….Becoming a public chargeInsanityDiseaseHandicapBecoming an inmate of a prison or

hospitalInfirmityCommitting crimes of ‘moral turpitude’

Deportations increased dramatically!

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Arrival of Sikhs in BC in 1906-07 resulted in an “anti-Asiatic” parade which ended in a riot

Chinese Immigration Act amended to increase those under the head tax and expand list of prohibited persons

Border inspection service created at US-Canada border

Continuous journey rule imposed

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1908 - 1910

New Act allowed Canada to prohibit immigrants belonging to any race deemed unsuitable and expanded deportation grounds to include immorality and political offences.

New Act introduced concept of ‘domicile’

First Caribbean Domestic Scheme10

1908 – 1910 (cont…)

Population: 7,206,643

97% population of European origin

22% population immigrants

47% of these naturalized (9% Chinese, 22% Japanese)

39% of immigrants were women

Population: 54% British origin29% French origin75,681 Jews27,774 Chinese9,021 Japanese3,342 “Hindus”

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1911 Census

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War Initiatives - Terror suspects???

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Special Measures

War Measures Act

Increased govt’s power to arrest, detain and deport

‘Enemy aliens’ forced to register themselves and subjected to many restrictions

8,000 – 9,000 ‘enemy aliens’ interned.

...released in response to labour shortages.

Wartime Elections Act (1917)

Disenfranchised all persons from ‘enemy alien’ countries who had been naturalized since 1902

Women's division created in 1919 within Immigration Dept to ‘care’ for single women immigrants

1919, Immigration Act amended to add new grounds for denying entry and deportation – alcoholism, illiteracy.

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And for the women…

Classes of immigrants could be denied entry because of unsuitability, peculiar habits, modes of life or holding property

British-born subject to deportation on political grounds (Winnipeg general strike)

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And for the women…

Population: 8,787,94997.5% European

origin22% immigrants44% immigrants

female58% of foreign-born

naturalized citizens55% pop British

origins33% French origins126,196 Hebrews39,347 Chinese23,342 Japanese18, 291 ‘Negroes’

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1921 Census

Chinese Immigrants Under Attack

Several restrictive laws

come into effect17

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1920’s Attacks on Chinese Immigrants

Opium and Narcotic Drug Act led to deportations: 35% of all the deportations in ’23-’24 in Pacific Division

1923 Order issued excluding ‘any immigrant of any Asiatic race’ – except agriculturalists, farm labourers, female domestic servants, and wife and children of persons legally in Canada

Chinese Immigration Act – more prohibitions. Humiliation Day

Doors opened to British citizens, Americans and citizens of ‘preferred countries’. Limitations placed on immigrants from Austria, Hungary, Poland, etc.

1930, Order further prohibited the landing of ‘any immigrant of any Asiatic race’ except wives and minor children of Cdn citizens

Order requiring Chinese and Japanese to renounce their former citizenship before becoming citizens; impact on Japanese.

Deportations on grounds of becoming public charge increased – from 1930 to ’34 the deportations on this ground increased 6x.

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Overt Targeting Of Identified Populations Characterized this period.

A time of terror.Communist party

made illegal – grounds for deportation (’31)

Deportation of unemployed

’31 political deportations legalized

’32 Red RaidIn ’34 94% of

applications for naturalization refused

Political deportations

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Faith communities join with others

To advocate for Jewish refugees (’38)

Opposed by many anti-Semitic groups

Cdn National Committee on Refugees and Victims of Persecution formed

Committee focused on individual cases, as unsuccessful in affecting policy

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’38 Canada reluctantly participated in Evian Conference on refugees with ‘NO’ mandate.

Canada’s immigration department was anti-Semitic (“None is too many”)

Canada takes some German refugees, but insists on higher payment from Britain

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Reluctant Moves on Refugee Issues

In response to ’38 refugee crisis, Canada insisted it would accept only those who met categories for admissible immigrants

2,500 “potentially dangerous enemy aliens” brought to Canada from Britain and interned (in fact many were Jews)

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Reluctant Moves on Refugee Issues

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1941 CensusPopulation: 11,506,675598% of European origin18% immigrants45% of these female71% of immigrants

naturalized50% population of

British origin30% French origin170,241 Jews34,627 Chinese22,174 Africans

The End of WWII – Some Change Gov’t resistance to pressure for a more open

immigration policy began to give way in the mid ’40s with:

SponsorshipsIdentity documentsCitizenship ActEmergency measures

for refugees(economic considerations)

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Gave the Minister and officials significant powers over selection, admission and deportation.

Allowed refusal on grounds of nationality, ethnic group, area of origin, peculiar customs, unsuitability re: climate, rate of assimilation, sexual orientation, etc.

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However, the ’52 Immigration Act still …

Gov’t allowed 4 groups to select and process immigrants in ’53

Oops! Conflict arose because the groups (churches) selected the people most in need!

’54 Bar Assn criticized the arbitrary exercise of power by immigration officials and called for a quasi-judiciary Immigration Appeals Board

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Population 18,238,24796.8% population European15% immigrants63% of these were citizens44% population of British origin30% French origin

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’61 Census followed restriction of admission of family members (temporary) & ’60 Bill of Rights …

’62 – removal of much racial discrimination with new immigration regulations.

Assisted loan program extended to Caribbean.

’66 White paper promoting a balance between economic interest and family relationship.

’67 – Points system’69 Canada finally signs Refugee

Convention & Protocol.29

’60’s Brought Significant hanges…

Opening the doors

’71 Multiculturalism policy announced

Many immigrants and refugees from new source countries

’74 – Creation of ISAP program

’78 New Immigration Act which identified 4 categories

Refugee sponsorship program

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Population 24,083,50086% had single European origin16% immigrants47% of these female69% immigrants were citizens40% population British origin27% FrenchGreater variety in countries of origin of

immigrants

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1981 Census

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Charter of Rights & Freedoms 1982

Everyone in Canada is to be treated equally. It is no longer possible to pass a law that discriminates on the basis of race, sexual orientation or disability.

Immigration policy now based on someone’s economic and educational background.

A change from being resistant to other cultures to being openly welcoming.

73% of immigrants are from non-white minorities in the 1990s, up from 52% in 1970s (Source: Heritage Community Foundation)

BUT, now new thinking needed to control migration rates. Higher focus on highly skilled, rich migrants away from overtly racially motivated policies.

1985 – increase in business immigration program

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Multiculturalism’s Impact

The ’86 Administrative Review,

MADE MANY PEOPLE HAPPY

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Bill C-55Completely revised the refugee

determination system creating IRB.

Proposed two stage process with exception for refugees passing a safe third country which received opposition from refugee advocates.

Eventually came into effect in 1989.

Population: 26,994,04566% single European origin16% population were

immigrants81% of these were citizens51% of immigrants female

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1991 Census(domestic worker program, special

measures for Salvadorans, CSIS, Singh, ’86 administrative review to clear up

backlog, creation of IRB for oral hearings)

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1990’s Overview1990: East European Self-Exiled

Class eliminated with fall of iron curtain

1993: Bill C-86 proposed restrictive revisions to the refugee determination system

1995: Right of Landing Fee modern version of the head tax - $975/person

Bill C-44 restricted right to appeal for permanent residents

1999: In July 123 Chinese arrived off the West Coast- the first of 4 such boats that summer

Population 29,639,030Not possible to calculate European

origin. 18% immigrants52% of these female69% immigrants were citizens10% of total population use a language

other than French or English at home

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2001 Census

IRPA: Enacted in June 2002. Safe Third Country Agreement: Enacted December 2004 made most claims at the

U.S CanadaBorder ineligible by declaring the U.S a safe

country. New Citizenship Bill: First introduced in 2002 and just recently passed

throughparliament reduce the Canadian citizenship. Anti-Terrorism Act.Bill C-50 (to reduce the overseas backlog)

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Canada Post 9/11

Which policies and challenges are affecting today’s

refugees and immigrants? IRPA

lack of a Refugee Appeal DivisionReuniting families and sponsorshipQuebec changes for sponsorship Imposition of visas for Mexicans

and Czech RepublicSafe Third Country Agreement

Cancel moratorium country list40

Which policies and challenges are affecting today’s

refugees and immigrants? Cont…

Immigration programs based on employment:Provincial nominee programs Temporary workers

Refugee Reform

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Skilled Worker program reduced from 50% of all immigrants in 2005 to less than 40% in 2009

Applications restricted to 38 occupations in 2009

Temporary Foreign Workers increased by over 70% between 2004 and 2009

Economic Immigration Policy Shifts

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Most of growth in TFW program is result of Low Skill Pilot Project – not eligible for permanent residence

TFWs not eligible for services

Economic Immigration Policy Shifts (cont…)

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Services delayed for those who qualify for Canadian Experience Class

TFWs with “closed” work permits being exploited

Policy shift occurring without debate

Economic Immigration Policy Shifts (cont…)

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Population: 34,241,030

Not possible to calculate European origin.

20% immigrants, 52% female

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2006 Census

73% immigrants were citizens

13% of total population use a language (over 180 languages in Toronto) other than French or English at home

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2006 Census (cont…)

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FCJ Refugee Centre