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The End of World War II
Immigration policies remained restricted post war but there was a pressure for them to be changed due to the economic boom and demand for labour. Immigrants were now needed o fill jobs. -
Canadian Citizenship Act Came into Effect
Came into effect under the government of Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. This separated British and Canadian citizens. It also allowed residents of Canada to get citizenship regardless of the country they came from. -
Italians Removed from "Enemy Aliens" Category
Due to political pressure and the need for skilled workers, Italians were removed from the category of "enemy aliens". This resulted in a large wave of Italian immigrants. -
Start of Displaced Person Movement
Over 180,000 displaced persons came to Canada from 1947-1952. These people were refugees coming to Canada from Europe after WWII. -
Chinese Immigrattion Act of 1923 Revoked
The Chinese Immigration Act of 1923 banned all Chinese immigrants, except diplomats and foreign students. After World War II Canada joined the UN and this act didn't abide by it's charter, so it was revoked by the Parliament. -
Hungarians Came to Canada
Between 1948 and 1952 nearly 12,000 Hungarians migrated to Canada. After the collapse of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, around 37,000 Hungarians refugees came to Canada. -
Germans Removed from Category "Enemy Aliens"
"Enemy Aliens" referred to citizens from states that were at war with Canada, who stayed in Canada during the war. Germans were removed from this category in 1950, which resulted in a wave of German immigrants. -
Order-in-Council Changed Measures on Immigration Selection
Order-in-Council allowed entry of any European with skills needed in Canada. This was due to the demand of labor in Canada. Preferred immigrants were British, Irish, U.S, or French immigrants. -
New Immigration Act was Created
In 1952, a new immigration act was created. This was the first new Immigration act since 1910, but it did not make many changes to the Immigration policy. Instead, it gave the minister and officials power over who was selected, admitted, and deported. -
Hungarian Refugees Come to Canada
After the Hungarian revolution in 1956, over 30,000 Hungarians fled to Canada where they were accepted as refugees without quotas. The Canadian government covered their travel costs and supported the Hungarian revolutions refugees. -
Period: to
World Refugee Year
World refugee year was officially launched on June 28th 1959. It was created by the United Nations who started a program to clear refugee camps in Europe. The Canadian Anglicans donated $25,000 to the United Nations Refugee Camp Clearance Program, which helped close 12 refugee camps in Europe. Canada also admitted 300 refugees with chronic illnesses. -
Caribbean Immigration to Canada
During the period of the Canadian Immigration Act, Canada had accepted 64,000 Caribbean people to Canada. Most of them came from Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad, and Bermuda. Thousands of them were skilled workers who came to work in areas of education, health services, and office work. -
Bill of Rights was Introduced
Bill of Rights was a set of policies made to protect people's beliefs including:
-The right of the individual to life, liberty, security of the person and enjoyment of property, and the right not to be deprived thereof except by due process law
-The right of the individual to equality before the law and the protection of the law
-Freedom of religion
-Freedom of speech
-Freedom of assembly and association
-Freedom of press -
1967: Point System was Established
Immigrants were allocated a certain number of points for factors including:
-Education
-Experience
-Occupational Demand
-Arranged employment or Designated Occupation
-Location
-Age
-Knowledge of English and French
-Personal Stability -
Canada Accepted the Refugee Convention
In 1951, the United Nations multilateral treaty commonly known as the Refugee Convention was introduced. This treaty defined who a refugee was and their rights, though the Canadian Cabinet did not sign the convention. This was because, they were concerned that they wouldn’t be able to deport people, whom they considered were a security risk. Canada finally signed this treaty, after years of not doing so. -
1970: Syria became a dictatorship by the Assad regime
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Canada Adopted a Multiculturalism Policy
Announced by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, the multiculturalism policy was meant to preserve the cultural freedom of individuals. This ensures that all citizens keep their identities. Canada was the first country in the world to adopt multiculturalism as an official policy. -
1975: Vietnamese Boat people Migrated to Canada
The Vietnamese boat people were fleeing the communist regime in Vietnam.They traveled by boats and Canada sponsored their journey. -
Immigration Act Of Canada was Passed
Recoginzed refugees as special class immigrants. It was the first immigration act to clearly outline the fundamental objectives of Canadian immigration policy -
Government Creates Ways To Help Immigrants and Refugees
Government created ESL classes to help immigrants and refugees expand their knowledge and create a greater understanding for Canada, increasing their chances of getting a job. Also, heritage lanugage classes were set up in Toronto -
Canada was awarded the Nansen Medal by the UN High Commissioner
Canada was awarded the Nansen Medal by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for their contribution to refugee protection. Canada is a leading contributor to international humanitarian and refugee aid programmes.Canada has, from the beginning, supported international efforts on behalf of refugees. It has one of the best records for resettlement of refugees and is a leading UNHCR donor. -
White Paper Was Released
A White Paper, Building on a Strong Foundation for the 21st Century, was released. The Minister again said she planned to table legislation by the end of the year. The White Paper proposals were more modest than the "Trempe report" recommendations, but would nonetheless significantly change Canada's immigration legislation. -
A Boat with Chinese Passangers Arrived In Canada
A boat with 123 Chinese passengers arrived off the West Coast - the first of 4 such boats to arrive over the summer. The public response was virulently hostile. Most of the Chinese were kept in long-term detention and some were irregularly prevented from making refugee claims - problems highlighted by the Canadian Council for Refugees. -
Start Of Syrian War
Syrian war lead to thousands of Syrian refugees coming into Canada.
