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Loyalist Refugees.
In means of escaping America, while remaining loyal to Britain, a group of ‘Loyalists’ emigrated from America. During this time 35,000 Loyalists following the American Revolution come north, primarily to what is now, Nova Scotia. -
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Canadian Immigration, 1776-1914
This is a timeline tracking the immigration patterns to Canada in the late 1700s to the early 1900s. -
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Great Migration of Canada
Over 800 000 immigrants came to Canada in this timepan, making this known as the "Great Migration". -
Underground Railroad Immigrants.
1840-1860 is the timespan of black immigrants into Canada through what was called an ‘Underground Railroad’. It was a path coloured men/women took to immigrate into Canada in search of freedom. Harriet Tubman was considered the leader of the black slaves searching for liberty in Canada. Though searching for such freedom, coloured men and women weren’t treated as well as anticipated. To the point where Canadians wished for an end to black immigration. -
Irish Migrators: The Potato Famine.
Irish people emigrated from Ireland to Canada because the Potato Famine wiped out around 1 million Irish people. The survivors of the famine and disease were forced to emigrate during this time. -
Grosse-Isle Quarantine.
Before the famished immigrants from Ireland could officially come to Canada, they made a stop at Grosse-Isle quarantine. The purpose of this was to inspect the living for disease and rid the deceased/dying people before allowing the emigrants onto the shores of Canada. -
Gold Mountain.
Gold Mountain resided in British Columbia. Thousands of poor Chinese men came here with visions of a superior life away from China. Others came as workers who were required to construct the Canadian Pacific Railway for minimal wages. -
CPR Construction.
Chinese immigrants who came to Canada to Gold Mountain in search of a better life became employed by means of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The working conditions were dreadfully hazardous for these Chinese men. One Chinese worker died for every mile of track between Vancouver and the Rockies. Many Chinese described it as hell and were not grateful to be working in such conditions, but were desperately settling with the low wages they were offered. -
Head Tax.
The Chinese Head Tax was created in Canada, setting a $50 (which later increased to $500) charge of entry to any additional Chinese immigrants after their work was complete building the C.P.R. This was made to discourage any more Chinese settlers to come to Canada. -
Continental Europe Immigration
Europeans during this time were deprived of sufficient land and had high taxes to be paid. So coming to Canada, a place whose prairies greatly resembled their former land, was a common choice. Canada had a high availability of farm land and the increasing value of wheat attracted many European farmers. -
Open Door Policy.
Settlements in Canada at this time were in need of expansion. The Open Door Policy was created to attract immigrant settlers, primarily from Britain, US, Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. Any other immigrants from other areas at this time were discouraged. This lasted until the early 1900s. -
‘Last, Best West’ Campaign.
Led by Wilfrid Laurier, this campaign (with similar intentions to the Open Door Poilcy) attracted immigrants into Canada. If these settlers were of 'acceptable' descent, they could claim up to 160 acres of free land in the West. -
Chinese Discrimination.
Chinese immigrants were treated poorly and rudely judged by Canadians. Many Canadians wished to stop Chinese immigration because they were deemed to be of no use after constructing the railway. -
Continuous Passage Act.
This particular act specified that Indians would have to come to Canada by means of the direct passage from India. These terms, to the average Indian, were unreasonable to the point of minimal consideration and evident discrimination on Canadas part. -
Banned Chinese Immigration.
In the mid-1920s Chinese immigration was completely banned. -
Dominion Day/ Humiliation Day.
The exclusion of Chinese people in Canada becomes a law in 1923 known as ‘Dominion Day’ to Canadians, but Humiliation Day to the Chinese. -
Chinese Permitted to become Canadian Citizens.
In 1949 Chinese people were finally permitted to become Canadian citizens.
