Immigration in Canada from 1946-on. Impact of Returning Soldiers & War Brides 1.War Brides – coming to different country, culture, living conditions 2.Some.

Immigration Immigration in Canada in Canada

from 1946-onfrom 1946-on

Impact of Returning Soldiers Impact of Returning Soldiers & War Brides& War Brides

1.1. War Brides War Brides – coming to different – coming to different country, culture, living conditionscountry, culture, living conditions

2.2. Some Soldiers /Veterans Some Soldiers /Veterans (people who served actively in (people who served actively in army, navy, or air force)army, navy, or air force)

no training or work experience except no training or work experience except military; military;

were unemployed during Depression were unemployed during Depression so no job to return toso no job to return to

After WW2 – difficult transition for manyAfter WW2 – difficult transition for many

Government AssistanceGovernment AssistanceCanadian Government LegislationCanadian Government Legislation - Adaptations to help - Adaptations to help

transition:transition: 1.1. veterans who wanted old jobs back got themveterans who wanted old jobs back got them2.2. veterans and war widows given hiring preference for veterans and war widows given hiring preference for

government jobsgovernment jobs

3.3. those wishing to those wishing to attend trade school attend trade school or university given or university given free tuition and living free tuition and living allowancesallowances

4.4. Veterans’ Land Act Veterans’ Land Act passed – enabled passed – enabled veterans to obtain veterans to obtain mortgages at mortgages at preferential ratespreferential rates

Changing Immigration PolicyChanging Immigration Policy1.1. Displaced Persons – Impact on Displaced Persons – Impact on

CanadaCanada Millions of refugees had no homes after the war – no Millions of refugees had no homes after the war – no

homes, possessions, or hope for the futurehomes, possessions, or hope for the future UN called these refugees UN called these refugees displaced persons displaced persons (DPs) – (DPs) –

people forced from their homelands due to the war or due people forced from their homelands due to the war or due to Soviet expansion after the warto Soviet expansion after the war

included included concentration concentration camp camp survivors and survivors and others others uprooted by uprooted by warwar

165,000 165,000 immigrated to immigrated to Canada Canada

Displaced Persons – cont’Displaced Persons – cont’ Challenges for Challenges for

Displaced Persons Displaced Persons (DPs)(DPs)

could not speak could not speak EnglishEnglish

unable to practice their unable to practice their former trades and former trades and professions professions

PositivesPositives Children often Children often

absorbed English absorbed English quickly at schoolquickly at school

often any job opened often any job opened up new opportunitiesup new opportunities

Immigration Act of 1952Immigration Act of 1952 1948 – PM Louis St. Laurent set up Department 1948 – PM Louis St. Laurent set up Department

of Citizenship and Immigrationof Citizenship and Immigration Immigration Act of 1952Immigration Act of 1952 – gave extensive – gave extensive

powers to Minister of Immigrationpowers to Minister of Immigration Decided that practice of Decided that practice of

barring immigrants from barring immigrants from entering Canada based entering Canada based on ethnic origin would on ethnic origin would continue - gave this continue - gave this power to immigration power to immigration agentsagents

One way around this: One way around this: sponsorship of relativessponsorship of relatives

Until 1957 non-white, Until 1957 non-white, non-European non-European immigrants composed immigrants composed only about 5 per cent of only about 5 per cent of immigrants.immigrants.

Immigration - GeneralImmigration - General

By the mid-late 1950s – demand for immigrant labour By the mid-late 1950s – demand for immigrant labour was so high that Canada’s doors swung wide open to was so high that Canada’s doors swung wide open to accept new immigrants (“Brawn over brains”)accept new immigrants (“Brawn over brains”)

Between 1945-1967 - 2.5 million other immigrants Between 1945-1967 - 2.5 million other immigrants moved to Canadamoved to Canada often - exhausted by war, looking for a new lifeoften - exhausted by war, looking for a new life most immigrants settled in cities of central Canada (as opposed most immigrants settled in cities of central Canada (as opposed

to immigrants after WWI who settled on farms in Western to immigrants after WWI who settled on farms in Western Canada)Canada)

cultures, viewpoints, hard work enriched Canada in many wayscultures, viewpoints, hard work enriched Canada in many ways older areas of cities – vacated as veterans & families moved to older areas of cities – vacated as veterans & families moved to

the the suburbssuburbs

1967 - 1967 - The Immigration ActThe Immigration Act removed the racial discrimination found in removed the racial discrimination found in

previous legislationprevious legislation introduced a introduced a ‘points’ system’‘points’ system’ for rating applicants for rating applicants

– a system still in use today. – a system still in use today. (“colour-blind”)(“colour-blind”) gave preference to immigrants who, among gave preference to immigrants who, among

other things:other things: knew English or Frenchknew English or French were not too old/too young to take regular jobswere not too old/too young to take regular jobs had arranged employment in Canadahad arranged employment in Canada had a relative or family member in Canadahad a relative or family member in Canada had proper education and traininghad proper education and training were immigrating to a region of high employmentwere immigrating to a region of high employment

Citizenship Act of 1976Citizenship Act of 1976

Trudeau implemented the Citizenship Act Trudeau implemented the Citizenship Act of 1976, which:of 1976, which: Eliminated gender discriminationEliminated gender discrimination Granted citizenship to children of overseas Granted citizenship to children of overseas

marriages when mother Canadian (previously marriages when mother Canadian (previously only if father Canadian)only if father Canadian)

Required adequate knowledge of one of 2 Required adequate knowledge of one of 2 official languages before could become a official languages before could become a citizencitizen

Immigration Act of 1978Immigration Act of 1978

New Immigration Act which:New Immigration Act which: Reduced barriers to immigration Reduced barriers to immigration Gave provinces a new role in immigrationGave provinces a new role in immigration

Quebec now had the ability to ensure that new Quebec now had the ability to ensure that new immigrants would be able to adapt to francophone immigrants would be able to adapt to francophone cultureculture

3 categories of immigrants created:3 categories of immigrants created: Family (relatives sponsor)Family (relatives sponsor) RefugeesRefugees independentsindependents

MulticulturalismMulticulturalism

With changes to immigration policy came With changes to immigration policy came changes to the composition of Canadian societychanges to the composition of Canadian society

1971 – Trudeau adopted a 1971 – Trudeau adopted a policy of policy of multiculturalismmulticulturalism

Helped schools set up new coursesHelped schools set up new courses Promited multicultural eventsPromited multicultural events Set up a council to study issuesSet up a council to study issues Multiculturalism became law with the Multiculturalism became law with the

Multicultural Act of 1988Multicultural Act of 1988

Immigration in 1980s-90sImmigration in 1980s-90s By 1999 – more than half of all Canadian immigrants By 1999 – more than half of all Canadian immigrants

from Asia and Pacific Regionfrom Asia and Pacific Region Immigrant poverty – in 2001 – 35% of immigrants lived Immigrant poverty – in 2001 – 35% of immigrants lived

below the poverty linebelow the poverty line Other difficulties: Other difficulties:

Mulroney made an error by increasing the immigration rate in the Mulroney made an error by increasing the immigration rate in the middle of a recession (economic downturn)middle of a recession (economic downturn)

Usually – immigration increased when business cycle at its peak Usually – immigration increased when business cycle at its peak and decreased during recessionsand decreased during recessions

Immigrants often forced into poor economic situations that lasted Immigrants often forced into poor economic situations that lasted longer than recessionlonger than recession

Also – difficulty in having foreign credentials and education Also – difficulty in having foreign credentials and education recognized in Canada – eg. Cab drivers with a PhD recognized in Canada – eg. Cab drivers with a PhD