Canada’s Immigration Policy from 1914 to 2000
Canada’s immigration policy has got fairer from the middle of the century on to the end of the century. At the start of the century, Canada’s immigration policy, Canada’s immigration policy wasn’t fair but as the century comes to an end, Canada’s immigration policy became entirely different. There were a lot of racism in the first half of the century but most of this racism in the immigration policy disappeared from 1967 and on. As the years go by, Canada’s immigration policy gets a lot reasonable.
The period of 1914 to 1939, Canada’s immigration policy got very unfair. Changes were made to the Immigration Act in 1914 that allowed the rejection of anyone from any race that was deemed unsuitable for Canada’s requirements. Also, in that same year, the Komagata Maru came to the coast of Vancouver. It was a ship that carried many from Punjab, India. The ship wasn’t allowed to dock and passengers weren’t allowed to disembark off the ship. The ship hadn’t sailed directly to B.C. from India so only 24 passengers were allowed to disembark; most of them were doctors or Canadian citizens already. Another act to keep out unwanted immigrants from Canada was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923. This act came into effect on July 1st, 1923. It banned all Chinese immigrants from entering Canada, except merchants, diplomats and foreign students. Before the Chinese Exclusion Act was put into place, the Chinese had to pay a head tax of $500 just to get into the country. The numbers of Japanese immigrants were also restricted. The Canadian government restricted only 150 Japanese immigrants to come to Canada in a year. In 1925, the government relaxed restrictions on immigrants coming from many countrie...
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...a’s immigration policy becoming fairer. From 1991-1997, 607 Rwandan refugees were allowed into Canada. From 1992-1997, close to 13,000 thousand Bosnian refugees were allowed into Canada. The acceptance of these refugees from Bosnia and Rwanda show how much Canada’s immigration policy has changed since 1914, when many immigrants and refugees trying to enter Canada were rejected.
Canada’s immigration wasn’t fair at the start of the century. Immigrants and refugees weren’t allowed in Canada. Many restrictions were placed to prevent immigrants to come to Canada. Starting from when the immigration policy of Canada was made “colour-blind” in 1967, Canada’s immigrants started to come from all over the world, especially from Asia. The allowance of more immigrants as a result of the change of immigration policy in 1967 caused Canada’s immigration policy to get fairer.
Historically, Canada has held a world renowned reputation as nation with a magnanimous ideological approach to providing asylum to those individuals subjected to marginalization and persecution in their homeland – regardless of their nation of origin (Ismaili, 2011, p.89 & 92). Indeed, providing sanctuary to refugees who would otherwise experience significant hardships ranging from blatant discrimination and racism to torture and genocide, has very much become an institutionalized aspect of Canadian society. However, recent changes to Canada’s immigration policy delineated in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Bill C-31 may have perhaps put this ideology in peril (Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, 2001).
Canada did accept Jewish refugees, but before the war and they only took in 4000 Jews. Canadians were very hostile towards Jews. Anti-Semitism existed in Canada back in the 1920s-30s. There were no Jewish lawyers, teachers and professors. Many Jews hid their identities in order to get a job. Signs saying no Jews allowed were hung outside of resorts and clubs. In 1930s Canada’s immigration policy was very restrictive, only British and American immigrants were preferred. So it didn’t allow Jews to enter Canada that wanted to flee Europe. 937 Jewish passengers on the M.S. St. Louis were refused to enter Canada. Because of Canada’s wartime policies nearly 2,300 men were interned as enemy aliens in camps across Canada in between 1940-1943.Canadians did think that Jews needed help, but they thought that they should be sent to Asia or Africa. Canada thought Jews would not make good settlers. Mackenzie King also had negative views on Jews, and he also believed in Jewish stereotypes.
The fear of Japan invading Canada in World War Two cause racism to arise in Canada. After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941 (Bolotta et al, 2000), Canadian citizens feared the Japanese immigrants living in Canada may aid Japan in attacking. Worried about its citizens and problems that may arise, the Canadian government prevented the problem by interning Japanese Canadians. The issue with this solution was the Canadian Government was not justified in interning the Japanese Canadians. The Canadian government had no reason to intern the Japanese Canadians; it was unreasonable, unnecessary and discriminatory.
Labour leaders in Canada in the late 1800s and early 1900s were strongly opposed to the idea of Asians immigrating to Canada. In “Constructing the Great Menace” by David Goutor, it outlines the oppression of Asians by labour leaders which does not conclude that labour leaders hated all immigration and had a prejudice against all racialized groups. The unionists’ main argument for this opposition is based on the stereotype that Asians were claimed to have “accepted low wages and degraded working conditions” thus proving that they will diminish the standard of living for Canadian workers. These Labour Leaders were prejudice to Asians in an effort to supposedly protect Canadian workers and their jobs. However, it is not fair to say that labour
Systemic discrimination has been a part of Canada’s past. Women, racial and ethnic minorities as well as First Nations people have all faced discrimination in Canada. Policies such as, Charter of Rights and Freedoms, provincial and federal Human Rights Codes, as well has various employment equity programs have been placed in Canada’s constitution to fight and address discrimination issues. Despite these key documents placed for universal rights and freedoms Aboriginal and other minority populations in Canada continue to be discriminated against. Many believe there is no discrimination in Canada, and suggest any lack of success of these groups is a result of personal decisions and not systemic discrimination. While others feel that the legislation and equality policies have yet resulted in an equal society for all minorities. Racism is immersed in Canadian society; this is clearly shown by stories of racial profiling in law enforcement.
Canada has continuously served as a home to immigrants and refugees from decade to decade harbouring people from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The first set of immigrants to settle in the country came from Britain, the United States and from other nationalities mostly including immigrants from Europe who were either desperate to escape from religious or political turmoil or were simply attracted to Canada’s economic promise. Soon after the Canadian confederation in 1867, immigrants from Irish and Chinese backgrounds who occupied most of the country were used as workers and the demand for labourers to develop the country increased rapidly as more Chinese descents were imported to build the Canadian Pacific Railway. Although, Canada opened its doors to immigrants, but the country also intended to gain human resources for work in the farms, in the forests, factories and mines but not everyone was equally welcomed in Canada.
The Chinese immigrant experience has traveled through times of hardships, under the English man. They have struggled to keep themselves alive through racism, work, and acceptance. Although many have come to Canada for their lives’ and their children’s to be successful, and safe. It could not be just given until adversity gave them the life they hoped to one day life for. In the starting time of 1858, the Chinese community had started coming to different parts of Canada considering the push and pull factors that had led them here. Because of the lack of workers in the British Columbia region, the Chinese were able to receive jobs in gold mining. Most Chinese were told to build roads, clear areas, and construct highways, but were paid little because of racism. The Chinese today are considered one of the most successful races in Canada because of the push and pull factors that they had come across, the racism that declined them and the community of the Chinese at the present time.
Every year, over 250,000 people make Canada their new home. Attracted by its education system, economy and universal healthcare system, there are few other places in the world like it. All Canadians are guaranteed equality before the law and equality of opportunity, regardless of where they are from. However, some might argue that Canadian policy has not been put into practice as well as it should be. Is the concept of true equality a far-fetched idea? It seems that Canada has taken great measures to promote the integration of immigrants socially, but can the same be said for their integration economically? Politically? To judge whether or not Canada has been successful at promoting the integration of immigrants in these realms, a deeper understanding of Canadian policy must be considered.
The Canadian Constitution, is the supreme law of the land, has evolved countless of times throughout history. Within this paper, I will focus on two vital dates: The Constitution Act of 1867 and 1982. Canada’s Constitution Act is made up of written laws (statutes), conventions and Canadian court decisions (Mcconnell, W. H. 2015). The Constitution Act of 1867, was formerly known as the British North American Act (NBA), together with amendments made to it since enacted, became the Constitution Act of 1982. Immigration is one of the few areas covered in the Constitution that gives both federal legislators and provincial legislators to enact laws.
The article uses the word ‘obligation’ which tells the reasons that Canada is responsible for the global community. This benefits our society because we able to integrate more people from different parts of the world to add to our multiculturalism. Additionally, humanitarian obligations are primarily where we see the 25 000 Syrian refugees being a part of that allowed them to come to Canada. It is no surprise that Syria is in a bad state right now and million have fled. Canada opened its doors as a sanction to the Syrian people to offer them a place of safety away from all the war and destruction. Additionally, the immigration policy goes beyond just allowing the Syrian newcomers across borders, they set up various resources for them to ensure that their transition into this new country is smooth and as easy as possible. Of course, naturally there are still many challenges that come along the
Secondly, on the equality side immigration has impacted a bit of Canada. Everyone is treated the same. Each person has the same equal amount of rights, freedom, and privileges. Any individual is always welcome to even the smallest things like the gurdwara,
Morton (1998) shows that Canada is not built by just Canadians, he shows that what Canada is made today is because of the help of immigrants and strengthens Canada as a whole in his essay “Introduction: I”. Morton (1998) says immigrants to come to Canada because of many reasons, such as job opportunities, want to get rich, or to be more realistic, escape poverty (Morton, 1998). Furthermore, Morton (1998) shows reasons how immigrants reshaped and enhanced Canada. First, he says that “To get rich, men and women trekked inland, hunting, for fresh supplies of fur, better trade routes, deeper forests, and more good land.” (Morton, 1998, p. xiii). This quote shows the struggles of male and female immigrants had to go through to achieve their dream.
Canada's immigration policies changed many times after the end of WWII. Before WWII the immigration policies were "picky" on the people who wanted to come to Canada, but after, it was fair and equal to everyone. Canada's immigration policies changed drastically from being discriminative to being fair and equal to everyone, every country and race after WWII. This act to eliminating discrimination was successful because of; the introduction of the Point System, the introduction of New Immigration acts/policies, and finally the changes made in accepting Refugees. These action completely changed the immigration policies.
The history of immigration law in Canada began in 1828 when the great migration to Canada occurred. The first legislative passed by Britain was accountable for the safety and well being of immigrants leaving the United Kingdom and coming to Canada. This act limited the number of passengers who could be carried on a ship, control the amount of space given to the passengers, and the ship must provide the passengers with adequate supplies. These were ignored by the powerful transportation companies and many deaths occurred. In addition, landowners wanting to get rid of sick tenants as quickly as possible. They resisted the reform fearing it would increase the price of the voyage.
In the past Chinese immigrants were first only seen as a form of cheap labour to create the Canadian Pacific Railway. They were given small sums of money for their work, “Although Chinese played a key role in building the western stretch of the railway, they earned between $1 and $2.50 per day” (The University of British Columbia, n.d.). The government saw the Chinese as nothing more than dogs—so far beneath them that they were not worthy to receive the same amount of pay or recognition as “real” Canadians did. Additionally, Chinese men had to face dangerous and often times fatal conditions because the railway stretched sea to sea, and the terrain that it was built over was hazardous. Their lives were seen as unimportant so the “Chinese workers were delegated the most dangerous construction jobs, such as working with explosives” (The University of British Columbia). They worked all year round, and were unequipped for the cold climate and lack of food; almost as many men died from hypothermia as they did from falling off cliffs or from dynamite blasts. Lastly, even with the highly inadequate pay, many men were still trying to save enough money to one day be able to bring their families over to Canada. This dream was crushed however, when many Canadians demanded Oriental immigration be stopped. Unfortunately, the government conformed to the population’s demands, and after the Canadian