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Overview of the History of Canada‟s Immigration Policy

Researched by Janet Dench (CCR) and Ana Rico (FCJ Refugee Centre)

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People have been coming to Canada for many years ………….

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Canada‟s immigration policies (or lack thereof) have always had significant impacts on the people who were allowed to come

Early „policy‟ was

very simple…..

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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.

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1906

Immigration Act passed to stop

„undesirable immigrants‟

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This Act

Expanded the list of „prohibited immigrants‟

Allowed deportation of immigrants within 2 (then 3 then 5) years of landing for….

Becoming a public charge

Insanity

Disease

Handicap

Becoming an

inmate of a

prison or

hospital

Infirmity

Committing

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

State the purpose of the discussion

Identify yourself

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1908 - 1910 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

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 Scheme

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CENSUS 1911: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 origin

29% French origin

75,681 Jews

27,774 Chinese,

9,021 Japanese

3,342 „Hindus”

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War Initiatives - Terror suspects???

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Special Measures….

War Measures Act ..

Increased govt‟spower 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 labourshortages…..

Wartime

Elections Act

(1917)

Disenfranchised

all persons from

„enemy alien‟

countries who

had been

naturalized since

1902

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And for women…. (No – not these women)

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And for the women…… 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.

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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1921 Census Population 8,787,949

97.5% European origin

22% immigrants

44% immigrants female

58% of foreign-born naturalized citizens

55% pop British origins

33% French origins

126,196 Hebrews

39,347 Chinese

23,342 Japanese

18, 291 „Negroes‟

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Chinese Immigrants Under Attack

Several

restrictive

laws come

into effect

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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….

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Overt Targeting Of Identified Populations Characterized this period. …

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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A time of terror….

Communist party made

illegal – grounds for

deportation (‟31)

Deportation of

unemployed

‟31 political

deportations legalized

‟32 Red Raid

In ‟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 Cttee on

Refugees and Victims

of Persecution formed

Cttee focused on

individual cases, as

unsuccessful in

affecting policy

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Reluctant moves on refugee issues…..

‟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

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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Census „41 Population 11,506,6755

98% pop of European origin

18% immigrants

45% of these female

71% of immigrants naturalized

50% population of British origin

30% French origin

170,241 Jews

34,627 Chinese

22,174 Africans

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The End of WW II – Some Change

Gov‟t resistance to pressure for a more open immigration policy began to give way in the mid ‟40;s with:

Sponsorships

Identity documents

Citizenship Act

Emergency measures for refugees (economic considerations)

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However… the ‟52 Immigration Act still …

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

Population 18,238,247

96.8% population European

15% immigrants

63% of these were citizens

44% population of British origin

30% French origin

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‟60‟s Brought Significant Changes …..

‟62 – removal of much racial discrimination with new immigration regulations;

Assisted loan program extended to Caribbean

‟66 White paper promoting a balance btwn economic interest and family relationship

‟67 – Points system

1969 Canada finally signs Refugee Convention & Protocol

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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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1981 Census

Population 24,083,500

86% had single European origin

16% immigrants

47% of these female

69% immigrants were citizens

40% population British origin

27% French

Greater variety in countries of origin

of immigrants

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THE 1986 „ADMIN REVIEW‟

The ‟86 Administrative Review …

MADE MANY PEOPLE HAPPY

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

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‟91 Census….. (domestic worker program, special measures for Salvadorans, CSIS, Singh, ‟86 administrative review to clear up backlog, creation of IRB for oral hearings)

Population 26,994,045

66% single European origin

16% population were immigrants

81% of these were citizens

51% immigrants female

1990s 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

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

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Canada Post 9/11

IRPA: Enacted in June 2002.

Safe Third Country Agreement: Enacted December 2004 made most claims at the U.S Canada

Border ineligible by declaring the U.S a safe country.

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

parliament reduce the Canadian citizenship.

Anti-Terrorism Act.

Bill C-50 (to reduce the overseas

backlog)

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Which policies and challenges are affecting today‟s refugees and immigrants?

IRPA

lack of a Refugee Appeal Division

Reuniting families and sponsorship Quebec changes for sponsorship

Imposition of visas for Mexicans and Czech Republic

Safe Third Country Agreement

Cancel moratorium country list

Immigration programs based on employment:

Provincial nominee programs

Temporary workers

Refugee Reform

Economic Immigration Policy Shifts

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

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

TFWs not eligible for services

Services delayed for those who qualify for Canadian Experience Class

TFWs with “closed” work permits being exploited

Policy shift occurring without debate