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Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, whose grandfather was a German refugee of the Napoleonic Wars, introduced Canada’s first Bill of Rights.
The 1960 Canadian Bill of Rights was the country's first federal law to protect human rights and fundamental freedom. Considered groundbreaking at the time, it was eventually superseded by the 1982 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. -
1960s: Chinese refugees fled the Communist violence of the Cultural Revolution.
In 1962, the frst Chinese refugees settled in Canada and then later on in the 1960s and 1970s many ethnic Chinese in Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America came to Canada to escape political turmoil. -
Canada signed the United Nations Convention
This is Relating to the Status of Refugees, and its Protocol, agreeing not to return a person to their country of origin if that person had grounds to fear persecution. -
1971: After decades of being denied adequate political representation in the central Pakistani government, thousands of Bengali Muslims came to Canada at the outbreak of the Bangladesh Liberation War.
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Vietnamese boat people 1975-1976
Canada admitted 5,608 Vietnamese immigrants. In 1979 and 1980, another 50,000 people from Vietnam, refugees who later became known as the "Boat People," settled in Canada. They also arrived during a period of economic downturn in Canada. These factors led to a struggle to integrate in Canada and to achieve economic independence. They also settled in many places in Canada where there was previously no Vietnamese communit -
1979: Iranian refugees fled Iran following the overthrow of the Shah and the imposition of an Islamic Fundamentalist regime.
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Canada was awarded the coveted Nansen medal by the UNHCR
In 1986, as a recognition of its generous policies. The people of Canada were awarded the Nansen medal by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in “recognition of their major and sustained contribution to the cause of refugees” -
Canadian government introduced tough legislation
Ironically, within a year of being awarded the coveted Nansen medal by the UNHCR, because of a public outcry against the admission of increasing numbers of refugees like Sri Lankans, East Indians and especially Central Americans concerned over abuses of the system by bogus claimants, the Canadian government introduced tough legislation to restrict the flow of refugees into the country. -
5,000 Bosnian Muslims were admitted to Canada to escape the ethnic cleansing in the Yugoslav Civil War.
A large majority of Bosnian Canadians emigrated to Canada during and after the Bosnian War which lasted from 1992-1995 -
97% of roma refugees (Hungarians) claims withdrawn and abandoned
Canada had recieved 11,000 claims and most of which were ignored. Government had viewed the people as bogus refugees and thieves who were seeking to take advantage of our welfare system. This was viewed as a discrimination act in others eyes. -
Canada opens door to 13,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees
Canada is opening the door to 13,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees, answering an appeal by the United Nations to help victims displaced by war and Islamic extremists in the region.
