How Did Chinese Immigration Change Canada

Over the last century, Canada’s stance on immigration has changed drastically, from the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923, to the changes made to Canada’s immigration policy after the Second World War , to the chain of events that have lead to Canada becoming the multicultural country that it is today.

Immigrant's were not always accepted with open arms, during the war years of 1914 - 1945 the implementation of the Chinese Immigration Act displayed the unwelcoming attitude Canadians had towards immigrants. The Chinese Immigration Act of 1923 prevented the immigration of almost anyone from China and Chinese Canadians did not receive full citizenship rights, only 15 immigrants from China were allowed into Canada between 1923 and 1947. The existing Chinese Immigration Act of 1855

Whenever issues arose in society the blame would simply be put onto the visible minorities such as the poor economic condition of the country. Majority viewed immigrants as outsiders only here to steal the jobs of working men/women and only ruining the integrity of Canadian racial composition. It would take twenty years before Canada would repeal the act, with Canada’s signing of the United Nations’ Charter of Human Rights. Chinese Canadians finally received full citizenship rights but acceptance of chinese immigrants would still be bias until 20 years later in 1967, where they’d be admitted under the same criteria as any other applicant.

As Canada entered the post war period (1946 - 1967), the experiences of the Second World War and its aftermath had dramatically changed the attitudes of Canadians towards foreigners and immigration. Canada began to transform from a nation of closed doors to one that was beginning to open them. For the majority of the war