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Immigration Act
Immigration Act in 1869 dealt primarily diseases from entering Canada. It was ensuring the safety of passengers on immigrant ships and they were also placing limits on the number of passengers on non-cargo ships. There were few restrictions on those who could come to Canada but anyone who was blind, deaf, etc. were to be recorded by the passenger lists. These ammendments prohibited criminals and poor people from coming to Canada. -
Chinese Head Tax
Some 15,000 labourers were brought from China to do construction work on the Canadian Pacific Railway and they were only paid a third or half less than their co-workers. The federal government passed an act restricting Chinese immigration to Canada. It guaranteed that every Chinese immigrant entering Canada must pay a fixed fee and also known as a head tax. This was meant to discourage Chinese people and this was one of several laws that restricted immigration from Asia. -
Internment of Ukranian Canadians
At the beginning of World War I, Canada arrested people of Ukrainian and German descent because of their identity. Canada was at war with Germany and Ukraine was within enemy territory. Under the War Measures Act, the government seized the homes and possesions of those arrested. They were forced to work at Internment Camps and they did not receive any wages. After the war ended, they made people stay in the camps and continue to work as labourers without pay. -
Komagata Maru Incident
Komagata Maru was the Japanese ship that arrived in Vancouver. At the time, Canada's government allowed people from India to enter Canada only if they sailed directly without stopping anywhere. Since no shipping line offered this service, Canada's policy excluded immigrants from India and the Canadian officials did not let the passengers off the ship. -
Ms St. Louis Incident
Ms St. Louis was a German ocean liner for a single voyage in 1939. The captain of the ship tried to find homes for Jewish refugees after they were denied in Cuba so they redirected their route to Halifax. When they arrived, Canada denied the ship's entry, stating that the Jews would not make good settlers. They were sent home and most of the refugees died in Nazi concentration camps. -
Internment of Italian Canadians
Canada used the War Measures Act to arrest people of Italian descent and send them to camps. Canada seized the property of some of those arrested and affected about 700 people. -
Internment of Japanese Canadians
During World War II, Japan attacked Peal Harbour. Japanese Canadians found themselves treated with suspicion or hatred. Canada's government moved all people of Japanese origin away from the west coast. They were forced to leave their communities and they were loaded unto trains and moved inland. They were also not permitted to leave the camps without permission. The government promised to safeguard their properties but in 1943, it sold of their homes, etc. -
Point System
Immigrants were assigned points on a scale 0 to 10 (or 15) and if they reached a certain level of points, they were allowed to go into the country. There were no restrictions who could immigrate as long as successful immigrants passed the points system test. Canada began to receive more immigrants from different countries. However, this sudden rush of non-white immigration took the white community in Canada's major cities by surprise and racism began to spread during this period. -
Creation of Immigration Categories
An Immigration act was passed. The act removed the restrictions placed on immigration of people with handicaps. The immigrants to Canada were seperated into three classes: family class (relatives or any family members who are already living in Canada), economic immigrants (skilled workers and business people), others (people who got accepted for humanitarian and other reasons) -
Singh Decision
Singh came to Canada seeking for a refugee statues but due to Canada's Immigration Act in 1967, the government rejected his case. He argued that it violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom. The supreme court of Canada used the Charter of rights and freedoms as the basis of their decision. It gave rights to refugees in Canada to receive a hearing despite of not being an actual citizens. -
Immigration and refugee Protection Act
This act emphasized the importance of immigration to improve the Canadian society and creating a diverse nation. It also states that goernments commitment to reunite families in Canada, integrating immigrants and protect the safety of all Canadians. This plans to fulfill Canada's obligation and give fair consideration to all people being persecuted. -
Refugees being added as an immigration category
Canada made refugees as one of the categories of immigration in the year 2002. Now, the immigration is now seperated into four classes now that refugees is being added. This also meant that Canada accepted reguees steadily instead of crisis by crisis. In previous years, Canada only offered refugees shelter when there were specific world crises.
