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The 1st Immigration Act
The policy had very few restrictions on people who wished to emigrate. Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie said "No British community should legislate against any class of people." -
The Dominion Lands Act
Piece of legistlation that granted a quarter section of free land to any settler at least 21 years of age, but had to pay a 10 dollar fee.In return the settler had to live on this land for 3 years, cultivate 30 acres, and build a permanent building. -
Frank Oliver Became the Minister of Interior
His first act was to establish a Canadian immigration act known as Immigration Act of 1906.It defined the meaning of term immigration and barred a broad spectrum of immigrants from Canada. It increased the government's power to deport certain classes of individuals and decreased the amount of landing money that each immigrant had. -
Vancouver Riot
It brought about demands from BC for the government to put measures in place to stop the immigration of Asian people. This put Canada in an awkward position with Japan. In attempt to please the businessmen of BC and the government of Japan, Ottawa negotiated in agreement where Japan would only allow 400 people to immigrate to Canada each year. -
The Continous Journey Regulation
This amendment which came into effect in 1908 was known as the continuous journey regulation. Under this regulation all would be immigrants to Canada were required to travel to Canada by continuous passage from their country of origin or citizenship or through ticket purchse in that country, Since no shipping company wouldn't provide a direct service from India to Canada, this amendment effecitvely banned all indian immigration. -
Immigration Act of 1910
This act gave the cabinet the authority to exclude immigrants belonging to any race unsuited to climate or requirements of Canada. It also strengthened the government's power to deport individuals such as anarchists on the grounds of political and moral instability. -
Immigrant Board of Inquiry
The most dramtic challenge occured in Vancouver in May 1914 when 376 East Indians arrived in Vancouver harbour aboard the Komagata Maru a Japanese tramp steamer hired by a wealthy Sikh merchant. -
Chinese Immigration Act
The Chinese provisions were so broad that Chinese immigrants were virtually barred. The date was known as Humilation Day by the Canadian Chinese. This law remained in effect until 1947. The regulation that has restricted the entry of German immigrants and those from countries which had allies of Germany was also lifted in 1923. -
Canadian Citizenship Act of 1947
This law which was introduced to parliament by Paul Martin Sr., came into force on this date. It provided for the conferring of a common Canadaian citizenship on all Canadians, whether or not they had been born in Canada. -
The Immigration Act of 1952
It was enacted by Parliament in 1952. In many ways it was similar to the 1947 Act. It simplified the administration and defined wide ranging powers of the Minister and its officials. it focused on the kinds of people who should be refused admission to Canada and outline mechanisms for controlling the entry or visits of persons who has no legal right to be in the country or who were considered undesirable. -
The Canadian Bill of Rights
It was introduced by John Diefenbaker and rejected any discrimination on the bases of race, colour, national origin, gender or religion. The federal Goverment could no longer justify selecting immigrants on any of these bases. The racsist immigration policy was rescinded in 1962. When the Minister Ellen Fairclough introduced legislation that virtually eliminated the racial dicrimination as a major feature of Canada's immigration policy. -
Immigraton Appeal Board Act of 1967
Anyone who had been ordered deported could appeal to the board, no matter what his/her staus was under the immigration act. This act was amended in 1973 by Bill C- 197 which contains provisons to clear up the boards backlog of cases and to prevent the reoccurance of a simliar crisis. -
The Points System
This was a method designed to eliminate prejudice in the selection of independant immigrants. Under this system, immargraton officers assigned points up to a fixed maximum in each of several catagories, such as education, employment opportunites in Canada, age, the individals person characteristics, and degree of fluency in English or French. This system also eliminated descrimination based on nationality or race. -
The Immigration Act of 1976
It spelled out the fundamental prinicples and objectives of Canada's immigration policy. Included in these are the promotion of Canada's demographic, economic, cultural, social goods, family reunification, the fulfillment of Canada's international obligations in relation to the United Nation's convention.
