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New Canadian act targets 'Ghost' immigration agents
Government of Canada Helping Internationally Trained Professionals in British Columbia
Image via WikipediaCanada's Economic Action Plan is helping new Canadians get jobs in their fields
VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Dec. 10, 2010) - The Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia are supporting a project that will help internationally trained professionals put their knowledge and skills to work sooner. The Honourable Stockwell Day, President of the Treasury Board, Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Minister Responsible for British Columbia, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, along with the Honourable Ida Chong, Minister of Regional Economic and Skills Development for British Columbia, made the announcement today.
"Attracting and retaining the best international talent to address existing and future labour market challenges is critical to Canada's long-term economic success," said Minister Day. "Through our Economic Action Plan, we are working with partners such as the Province of British Columbia to improve foreign credential recognition so that newcomers can maximize their talents."
The Government of Canada is providing over $4 million in funding to the British Columbia Ministry of Regional Economic and Skills Development. This funding will enable the Province to establish a fair and timely process for recognizing foreign credentials so that skilled newcomers can find jobs in their fields. Internationally trained professionals will also benefit from bridge-to-work and mentorship programs in various occupations.
Additionally, the Province will launch its own version of the Working in Canada online tool, where newcomers can access up-to-date labour market information, before and after arriving in Canada.
"With over a million B.C. job openings forecast by 2019, immigrants will play an important role in ensuring we have the skilled workers needed for our future economy," said Minister Chong. "We appreciate and look forward to working with our federal partners in their efforts to improve the foreign credential recognition process, which will help immigrants connect with relevant employment options, and provide employers with the information they need to hire, train and retain skilled immigrants."
This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.
Backgrounder
The Government of Canada, through its Economic Action Plan, is investing $50 million to work with the provinces and territories and stakeholders to address barriers to foreign credential recognition. This investment directly contributed to the development of the Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.
Under the Framework, foreign credential and experience recognition will be streamlined for key occupations, including some health care professions. This means that foreign-trained professionals who submit an application to be licensed or registered to work in certain fields will be advised within one year whether their credentials and experience will be recognized. Otherwise, they will be advised of additional requirements or be directed to alternative occupations that would benefit from their skills and experience.
The Framework is part of the Government of Canada's strategy to have the best educated, most skilled and most flexible workforce in the world.
With the Economic Action Plan's $50-million investment, the Government will:
The Foreign Credential Recognition Program aims to improve the integration of internationally trained workers into the workforce. The Program provides funding to and works with the provinces and territories and stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, post-secondary institutions, sector councils and employers, to implement projects that facilitate the assessment and recognition of qualifications acquired in other countries.
The Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO) was established in May 2007 to help internationally trained workers receive the information, path-finding and referral services, in Canada and overseas, to have their credentials assessed quickly so they can find work faster in the fields for which they have been trained. The FCRO works with federal, provincial and territorial partners, and foreign credential assessment and recognition bodies, to strengthen foreign credential recognition processes across the country. Internet services for internationally trained workers can be found on the FCRO website at the following address: www.credentials.gc.ca.
"Attracting and retaining the best international talent to address existing and future labour market challenges is critical to Canada's long-term economic success," said Minister Day. "Through our Economic Action Plan, we are working with partners such as the Province of British Columbia to improve foreign credential recognition so that newcomers can maximize their talents."
The Government of Canada is providing over $4 million in funding to the British Columbia Ministry of Regional Economic and Skills Development. This funding will enable the Province to establish a fair and timely process for recognizing foreign credentials so that skilled newcomers can find jobs in their fields. Internationally trained professionals will also benefit from bridge-to-work and mentorship programs in various occupations.
Additionally, the Province will launch its own version of the Working in Canada online tool, where newcomers can access up-to-date labour market information, before and after arriving in Canada.
"With over a million B.C. job openings forecast by 2019, immigrants will play an important role in ensuring we have the skilled workers needed for our future economy," said Minister Chong. "We appreciate and look forward to working with our federal partners in their efforts to improve the foreign credential recognition process, which will help immigrants connect with relevant employment options, and provide employers with the information they need to hire, train and retain skilled immigrants."
This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.
Backgrounder
The Government of Canada, through its Economic Action Plan, is investing $50 million to work with the provinces and territories and stakeholders to address barriers to foreign credential recognition. This investment directly contributed to the development of the Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.
Under the Framework, foreign credential and experience recognition will be streamlined for key occupations, including some health care professions. This means that foreign-trained professionals who submit an application to be licensed or registered to work in certain fields will be advised within one year whether their credentials and experience will be recognized. Otherwise, they will be advised of additional requirements or be directed to alternative occupations that would benefit from their skills and experience.
The Framework is part of the Government of Canada's strategy to have the best educated, most skilled and most flexible workforce in the world.
With the Economic Action Plan's $50-million investment, the Government will:
- develop the principles that will guide the process of foreign credential recognition;
- establish standards for the timely handling of requests;
- identify key occupations that will be the priority for developing recognition standards; and
- help people who want to come to Canada understand what they need to know before they arrive.
The Foreign Credential Recognition Program aims to improve the integration of internationally trained workers into the workforce. The Program provides funding to and works with the provinces and territories and stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, post-secondary institutions, sector councils and employers, to implement projects that facilitate the assessment and recognition of qualifications acquired in other countries.
The Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO) was established in May 2007 to help internationally trained workers receive the information, path-finding and referral services, in Canada and overseas, to have their credentials assessed quickly so they can find work faster in the fields for which they have been trained. The FCRO works with federal, provincial and territorial partners, and foreign credential assessment and recognition bodies, to strengthen foreign credential recognition processes across the country. Internet services for internationally trained workers can be found on the FCRO website at the following address: www.credentials.gc.ca.
N.S. faces uphill battle on immigration
Image via WikipediaFeds don’t want to raise cap on numbers of newcomers
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Since 2006, Ottawa has increased funding for immigrant settlement in Nova Scotia to $7.1 million from $2.1 million, and also boosted the number of skilled workers brought in under the provincial nominee program to 833 in 2009 from 326 in 2005.
"I think it’s admirable that Nova Scotia is focused on growing its population," said Immigration Minister Jason Kenney in an interview Wednesday. "Immigration is part of the solution to the challenge of shrinking population in general and in Atlantic Canada in particular."
But the province may not be able to continue increasing its intake of skilled immigrants as quickly as it would like. In 2009, 2,424 immigrants moved to Nova Scotia. The province would like to have 7,200 arrive every year by 2020. But in order for that to happen, Nova Scotia needs the federal government to lift the cap on the number who can arrive under the provincial nominee program, which is set at 500.
After a meeting in Pictou two weeks ago, the Atlantic premiers called on Ottawa to do more.
"As a first step, the Atlantic premiers call on the federal government to remove the cap on their provincial nominee programs," they said in a statement.
On Wednesday, Kenney said that may not be realistic.
"In general it’s a positive goal, but every province needs to remember we need to work together in the federation," he said. "We can’t have 10 provinces arbitrarily setting their own goals, because ultimately there’s one pipeline for immigration, if you will, and that runs through the government of Canada, through my ministry."
Ottawa plans to let 265,000 immigrants in next year, a number the government doesn’t want to increase. So if more go through provincial nominee programs, Ottawa would have to reduce the number of people who arrive under the much bigger federal economic-immigrant program, or cut back on refugees or family reunification, Kenney said.
He said he must balance competing interests.
"Ontario is pushing us for increases in the skilled worker program but Nova Scotia and other provinces are pushing us for increases in the nominee program.
"The refugee lobby is pushing for increases in the number of refugees. Many immigrants are pushing for increases in family class. And we just can’t meet everyone’s objectives at the same time."
NDP MP Megan Leslie, who represents Halifax, the riding where most immigrants to Nova Scotia settle, said the answer may be to raise the overall number.
"Provinces know what they need," she said. "If they say they need more skilled workers, we should be following their advice. Minister Kenney says it’s tricky. It is, but it’s not unsolvable."
Kings-Hants MP Scott Brison, a Liberal, said the federal government needs to respond to Nova Scotia’s demographic problems.
"The federal government needs to recognize the dire situation Nova Scotia is in with zero population growth, teetering on population decline," he said.
A poll released Wednesday by Abacus Data found that about 49 per cent of Canadians believe there are too many immigrants allowed in yearly. Only 42 per cent of Atlantic Canadians agreed, the lowest level in the country.
Kenney said there is no reason for anybody to oppose the provincial nominee program since it’s designed to provide immigrants to take jobs that are going unfilled by Canadians.
"My message would be that the provincial nominee program ensures that we’re not taking jobs away from Canadians or Nova Scotians."
Canadian education among best in the world: OECD
Image via WikipediaCTV.ca News Staff Canada is a world leader when it comes to education, according to a new study from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The report, released Tuesday, says Canada is especially unique because its immigrant students perform well and socio-economic background seems to have little effect on performance.
The study was based on scores from testing in 2009 through the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment.
"Canada stands out not just because of its high overall performance but also because the impact of socio-economic background on educational outcomes is much less pronounced than in most Western nations," said Andreas Schleicher, of the OECD, in a video posted on the organization's website.
"An example is the extraordinary performance of Canada's immigrant children."
When studying Canada's education system and the results from each province, Schleicher said he was struck by the high expectations that immigrant families have for their children "and even more by the fact those expectations are by and large held by educators as well."
On reading, science and mathematics, Canada finished in fifth place behind Shanghai-China, Korea, Finland, Hong Kong-China and Singapore.
Scores in all three categories were well above the OECD average.
The U.S., by contrast, was 17th overall.
When broken down by region, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia tied with four other jurisdictions for second place in reading, following Shanghai-China.
The report said Canada proved to be an exception to at least one rule.
Canada is the only country in the developed world with no federal office or education department, the report states. Instead, education is a provincial and territorial responsibility. But surprisingly, the report said, the system seems to be working just fine.
"Canada demonstrates, rather surprisingly, that success can be achieved without a national strategy," the report states.
"This observation runs counter to the instincts of many of those who sit in policy seats and seek to effect change, but the fact is that Canada has achieved success on PISA across its provinces despite a limited to non-existent federal role."
However, the study also points out that some Canadian leaders, including Liberal MP and former Ontario education minister Gerard Kennedy, "are now trying to mount a more national strategy, arguing that education is too important to be left entirely to the provinces."
The study is compiled from results of tests administered to 15-year-old students in about 70 countries, every three years in math, science and reading.
About 22,000 Canadian students took the test, and about 470,000 worldwide.
The Manitoba miracle
Image via WikipediaSix years ago, Rylan Hart, a contractor from Winnipeg, packed up his tool box and headed west. While Manitoba’s economy was expected to continue plodding along, British Columbia was on the cusp of a housing boom, and as a skilled tradesman he was perfectly positioned for the windfall when it came. But Hart had been warned by veterans of B.C.’s “roller coaster” construction sector not to expect the good times to last, and they didn’t. The combination of recession, an Olympic hangover and the new harmonized sales tax sent shivers through his industry. “Everything just tanked,” says Hart, 35. So in July he did what a lot of others in the Manitoban diaspora have done over the last year—he packed up and headed back to the Prairies.But if the Winnipeg that Hart left was dull but stable—it’s often said Manitoba doesn’t suffer economic slumps because it never enjoys boom times in the first place—the Winnipeg he returned to, with its luxury condo projects, massive housing developments and stunningly low unemployment, is scarcely recognizable. “From the moment I got back I’ve been going full tilt,” he says. “I keep having to tell [potential clients], ‘No, I’m too busy.’ I’ve already got work until at least next spring lined up.”
By many measures, Manitoba has emerged as the shining star of Canada’s recession and subsequent recovery. True, economic growth fell to zero last year, but that meant it was the only province that didn’t shrink. And with the recovery in full swing, Manitoba enjoys the lowest unemployment rate in the country, at 5.2 per cent, compared to a national average of 7.9 per cent and 8.6 per cent in Ontario. The housing market is going strong, and Manitobans are outspending their countrymen at the mall and at car dealerships. “The mood is very optimistic here,” says Dave Angus, president of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. “Psychologically, our ability to weather the economic storm has been huge.”
There are several reasons for all this. The one economists typically point to first is the diversity of its economy. No other province has as eclectic a mix of businesses and services at its core. There are Manitoba’s vast fields of wheat and other crops, of course, which in a similar way helped American states like North and South Dakota and Nebraska survive the recession easily. But crop production makes up just five per cent of the Manitoba economy. Far more important are sectors like manufacturing, with its focus on aerospace and buses, as well as financial services, transportation, and mining and petroleum production. “Manitoba is the most diverse of all the provinces,” says Paul Ferley, assistant chief economist for the Royal Bank of Canada. “In booming times you don’t see Manitoba at the top end, but in periods of economic weakness it usually doesn’t show the extreme declines.”
But that doesn’t tell the full story of how the province dodged the Great Recession bullet. Even before infrastructure became the buzzword of the global recovery, Manitoba had a number of high-profile projects on the go that helped shield it from the downturn, such as the $800-million expansion of the Red River floodway, a $585-million project to expand Winnipeg’s airport, and the construction of the 23-storey Manitoba Hydro tower in downtown Winnipeg. While construction on those projects has largely wrapped up, work is under way on the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, and the province appears intent on building a new stadium for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, even though the price tag has soared 40 per cent to $160 million.
There’s an obvious theme to many of those projects—they wouldn’t be happening without massive spending by all levels of government. Critics argue that government spending is crowding out private investment and inflicting long-term damage to the economy. Manitoba has the highest net provincial debt as a share of its economy of any of the western provinces, at 24.4 per cent, though that’s still far below the Canadian provincial average of 37.6 per cent. And, ironically, as a have-not economy Manitoba relies heavily on the generosity of Ontario taxpayers as well as Alberta through federal-provincial transfers. It’s led Peter Holle, president of the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, to label Manitoba a “zombie economy.”
But those concerns have taken a back seat as the job market and consumer confidence have heated up. Retail sales in the province climbed 6.6 per cent in August from the year before, while the country as a whole managed an increase of just 3.5 per cent.
On a recent Saturday, a cold wind failed to keep car buyers away from Birchwood BMW on the western edge of Winnipeg. Francis Fang, an accountant, strolled between shiny black Bimmers on the hunt for a sports coupe to go with the Mercedes C-Class he recently bought. “I’ve travelled to Calgary and Vancouver and you could just feel things were more depressed,” he says. “We’d watch the recession on the news, but you didn’t feel it through your work or your jobs.” It’s been a similar story at the Gauthier Cadillac Buick GMC dealership in the city’s north end. “We’re seeing it from the front line,” says vice-president Jason Cross. GMC truck sales have doubled over the last year. Not surprisingly, national retail chains have taken note. Ikea has announced plans to open its first store in the city, possibly in 2012.
Low unemployment in Manitoba isn’t necessarily a new phenomenon, but in the past it’s been driven by the fact so many people leave the province to look for work elsewhere. Manitoba still suffers from negative net interprovincial migration, but that has slowed down and is more than made up for by a healthier inflow of foreign immigrants. (Over the last year, the province saw its highest population growth since 1982.) Manitoba has been the most aggressive of all the provinces at using the Provincial Nominee Program to lure skilled immigrants, says Mario Lefebvre, director of the Centre for Municipal Studies at the Conference Board of Canada. Manitoba now attracts roughly 13,000 immigrants a year, which, given the size of the province’s population, is a rate on par with Toronto’s. Manitoba’s immigration strategy got a shout-out from the New York Times recently, when the paper hailed Winnipeg as “a hub of parka-clad diversity.” It’s helped drive the local housing market—even amid the recession, housing starts came in at around 4,200 last year, one of the highest levels since the 1980s.
Can Manitoba keep it going? Ferley at RBC believes economic growth in Manitoba will actually come in below the national average this year, partly because grain production is down 25 per cent due to poor weather, and because other provinces that saw their economies hit hard are enjoying a strong rebound. But Ferley expects growth in Manitoba to pull ahead again next year, hitting 3.7 per cent, a full percentage point above the national average.
Problems persist, of course. Incomes in Manitoba still lag far behind those in other western provinces. Downtown Winnipeg continues to suffer from poverty and high crime rates. And one of the big lures for former residents boomeranging back to Manitoba has been affordable house prices and a lower cost of living—both of which are at risk as a result of the housing boom. But for now, Manitoba’s fortunes appear to finally be moving in the right direction. “This is a great place to be right now,” says Hart, the contractor who returned this past summer. “I’m very happy with the way things are going, and I don’t plan on leaving any time soon.”
Source: http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/12/06/the-manitoba-miracle/
Ukrainian Immigration to Alberta
Image via WikipediaSource: Edukit.ca Despite being known as the breadbasket of the Soviet Union and claiming large deposits of coal and iron, Ukraine is a nation whose history has been dominated by poverty. Foreign rulers, whether Mongols, Latvians, Poles, or Russians, have controlled or divided Ukraine among themselves for the past 100 years. These rulers have ensured that many Ukrainians remain poverty-stricken peasants. In 1891, having learned of Canada’s untapped potential, the first Ukrainian immigrants sold their meagre landholdings and headed west.
; "Dancers at the Ukrainian
Pavilion")
Ukraine’s immigration history to Canada can be broken into four waves, each growing progressively smaller and less important to Ukrainian-Canadian society.The first wave began in 1891 when two peasants, Ivan Pylypiw and Wasyl Eleniak, established the community of Edna-Star east of Edmonton. Soon after, other immigrants followed in their footsteps. These pioneers came from two major regions: Galicia, part of Poland, and Bukovyna, part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Their reasons for leaving were many and included a growing population’ quickly running out of land, malnutrition which resulted not only from overpopulation but also from the primitive farming techniques applied at the time, and social problems such as illiteracy, drunkenness, and heavy debt loads.
These immigrants were encouraged by Canada and then-Minister of the Interior Clifford Sifton. At the time, Canada was eager to settle the untamed wilds of the prairie provinces and in exchange for only a $10 registration fee, was offering 160 acres of land each to willing farmers. For many Ukrainians who owned only a couple of acres in Europe, this was an enticing offer. In all, 170,000 Ukrainians arrived in Canada between 1891 and 1914. The majority of these immigrants were farmers who established small farming communities in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
Although their immigration was encouraged by the Canadian government, many of the existing Anglo-Saxon elite held mixed opinions about the new arrivals. Some worried that the concentrated settlement in the area east of Edmonton would lead to a stretch of Ukrainian land that would resist the adoption of Canadian values and ideals. As such, in 1896, the Canadian government helped to establish several, smaller Ukrainian settlements across the prairies.
Ukrainians, along with other Eastern Europeans, faced increased discrimination after the start of World War I. The war not only brought a halt to immigration, but it also placed restrictions on Ukrainians living in Canada. Since Ukraine was partly under the control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with which Canada was at war, Ukrainians were designated as foreign aliens. They were told to register and report often to the nearest government office, and as a result of the Wartime Elections Act, those who entered Canada after 1902 were disenfranchised. Those who did not follow the new restrictions and some unemployed men were placed in wartime internment camps.
; "Homestead of Zahara family")
One positive outcome of the war was that the increase in the price of wheat allowed many Ukrainian-Albertan farmers to enjoy new-found prosperity. Some were even able to increase the size of their farms as a result.Ukrain's independence following World War I was shortlived; the nation was soon carved up between Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, and Russia. Immigration resumed shortly after the war’s end. Most Ukrainians continued to arrive from the regions of Galicia and Bukovyna. Although they encountered some political oppression on the part of the Polish government, most Ukrainians chose to emigrate for economic reasons similar to those that existed before the war. In all, 68,000 Ukrainians came to Canada in the period betwen the World Wars. They were welcomed by the existing Ukrainian population, although many settled in new areas because land was scarce where communities already existed. Alberta’s Ukrainian population rose to 71,868, still less than the totals for Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
For its part, the Canadian government was no longer as eager to support Ukrainian immigration. In 1923, the government, concerned over the rising numbers of non-British immigrants, classified different nationalities as being either “preferred” or “non-preferred.” Ukrainians fell into the latter group and as such, they could only gain entrance to Canada if they had family members already living in the country or as farmers, farm labourers, or domestic help.
; "Ukrainian thatched houses north of Vegreville, Alberta")
During the Great Depression, immigration all but stopped. Only those who could prove they had enough money to start a farm were allowed to immigrate: Canada had closed its borders in an attempt to reverse the economic slide. By the late 1930s, immigration had, to some degree at last, resumed. Many Ukrainians left their homelands fearing another war.Just as World War I had done, World War II cut off immigration. The third wave of Ukrainian immigration resumed after the end of the conflict and consisted of displaced persons (DPs) left homeless by the war. While some Ukrainians were repatriated back to their homelands, others did not return, not wanting to move to the now Soviet-controlled Ukraine.
Between 1947 and 1953, more than 34,000 displaced persons of Ukrainian descent came to Canada. These newcomers differed from earlier immigrants in several ways: first, they tended to be better educated or have more extensive training. An inabiltiy to communicate in English, however, led to problems finding work. What's more, they came from all across Ukraine and not just from a couple of regions. Finally, they chose Ontario and Toronto in particular over Western Canada.
The fourth and final wave of Ukrainian immigration took place in the 1970s and 1980s. It was a small trickle of 10,000 or so who managed to escape communist Poland and the Soviet Union. During this time, Alberta’s Ukrainian population was bolstered not only by immigrants but also by Ukrainians’ moving from Saskatchewan and Manitoba. By 1981, Alberta, with 136,710 claiming Ukrainian heritage, boasted the highest Ukrainian population of any Canadian province. This population was mostly Canadian-born, urban, and assimilated.
In 2001, Ontario was home to Canada’s largest Ukrainian population: Ontario boasted 290,925 Ukrainians compared to Alberta’s 285,725. However, while this only accounted for 2.6 per cent of Ontario’ population, it accounted for almost 10 percent of Alberta’s. Edmonton retains the largest Ukrainain population of any Canadian city with 125,720 while Ukrainians and their descendants make up the eighth largest ethnic group in Canada with a little over a million people.
Dutch Immigration to Alberta
Source: Edukit.ca
The Netherlands sits on the North Sea, sandwiched between Germany and Belgium. Its geography, small and low-lying and relying on a series of dykes to prevent it from flooding, has played an important role in its history. Although many Dutch have not wished to leave their homeland, a lack of land and at times a lack of food have forced them to seek new homes overseas. Most Dutch immigrants have left in search of a sounder economic future rather than as a result of political factors.
The first Dutch immigrants sought a better way of life and sailed primarily for the United States, founding New Amsterdam (now New York) in 1625. It wasn’t until the late 1700s that Dutch immigrants began trickling into Canada. The first Dutch to call Canada home came primarily for two reasons: (1) land was cheaper in Canada and (2) the Dutch were Loyalists who had fought with the British against the Americans in the American War of Independence.
It would be another 100 years beofre the Dutch, during the 1890s, began arriving in any large numbers. Most of these people came as farmers looking for land. Much of the land in the United States had already been claimed, driving up prices. By comparison, however, land in Canada was inexpensive or free because the Canadian government had promoted settlement of the Canadian West.
At this time, Dutch immigrants arriving in Alberta came from two areas: the United States and the Netherlands. Those coming from the Netherlands came reluctantly, not wanting to desert their homeland. They were forced into moving by several factors, including:
The Canadian government viewed the Dutch as ideal immigrants: they were seen as good farmers likely to stay on the land; they were of Nordic descent; and their Protestantism meant they would quickly adapt to Canadian society.
This last assertion proved correct as, unlike many other immigrant groups, the Dutch spread across the country, establishing only a few notable Dutch settlements. In Alberta, Dutch settlements included Neerlandia near Edmonton and Strathmore near Calgary. Many Dutch made it a point to assimilate quickly. Many were Protestant or Catholic so religion was not a barrier to their adaptation. Those who did not know English learned it quickly. The strongholds of Dutch culture and language were those communities founded around the Christian Reformed Church.
World War I halted the flow of immigrants arriving in Canada, but the end of the Great War brought about a second wave of Dutch to Canada. Again, many were forced to leave due to their own country's being overcrowded. Unable to gain access to the United States due to America's restrictive immigration measures, many Dutch ended up in Canada — mostly in Ontario. The Great Depression once again brought a halt to immigration: this stoppage lasted until the end of World War II.
The number of Dutch arriving in Canada following World War II was the largest yet. Once again, the Netherlands’ small size forced immigrants to leave the country. Other, secondary reasons, caused many Dutch to immigrate: the fear of a Third World War, severe flooding in 1953, and a dissatisfaction with Dutch government policies.
In the years following World War II, the Dutch were the third largest group to immigrate to Canada (after the British and Germans). Over 20,000 Dutch arrived in Alberta during this time, representing 15 percent of the total number of Dutch immigrants. The arrival of the Dutch during this time was made possible by both the Canadian and Dutch governments. The Dutch government was eager to ease the overpopulation problem while the Canadian government still viewed Dutch immigration favourably. The two governments reached an agreement that saw Canada allow progressively larger numbers of immigrants to enter Canada; these increased numbers were based on labour shortages.
Dutch immigrants were primarily farmers and workers with low levels of education. They arrived in family groups and were often sponsored by family members or assisted by church groups. These links allowed Dutch immigrants to assimilate more easily though some encountered difficulties due to their lack of English.
The number of Dutch immigrants arriving in Canada remained high until 1961 when numbers dropped off considerably due to the improving Dutch economy.
Today, Alberta is home to roughly 149,000 Dutch-Canadians — 16 percent of the Canada’s total Dutch population. Calgary and Edmonton are home to almost equal numbers of Dutch with 40,000 and 41,000 thousand respectively.
The Netherlands sits on the North Sea, sandwiched between Germany and Belgium. Its geography, small and low-lying and relying on a series of dykes to prevent it from flooding, has played an important role in its history. Although many Dutch have not wished to leave their homeland, a lack of land and at times a lack of food have forced them to seek new homes overseas. Most Dutch immigrants have left in search of a sounder economic future rather than as a result of political factors.
The first Dutch immigrants sought a better way of life and sailed primarily for the United States, founding New Amsterdam (now New York) in 1625. It wasn’t until the late 1700s that Dutch immigrants began trickling into Canada. The first Dutch to call Canada home came primarily for two reasons: (1) land was cheaper in Canada and (2) the Dutch were Loyalists who had fought with the British against the Americans in the American War of Independence.
It would be another 100 years beofre the Dutch, during the 1890s, began arriving in any large numbers. Most of these people came as farmers looking for land. Much of the land in the United States had already been claimed, driving up prices. By comparison, however, land in Canada was inexpensive or free because the Canadian government had promoted settlement of the Canadian West.
At this time, Dutch immigrants arriving in Alberta came from two areas: the United States and the Netherlands. Those coming from the Netherlands came reluctantly, not wanting to desert their homeland. They were forced into moving by several factors, including:
- The country’s small size couldn’t accommodate the large population.
- The Netherlands’ neighbours were restricting imports of agricultural products.
- Competition from North American goods was driving Dutch prices down.
The Canadian government viewed the Dutch as ideal immigrants: they were seen as good farmers likely to stay on the land; they were of Nordic descent; and their Protestantism meant they would quickly adapt to Canadian society.
This last assertion proved correct as, unlike many other immigrant groups, the Dutch spread across the country, establishing only a few notable Dutch settlements. In Alberta, Dutch settlements included Neerlandia near Edmonton and Strathmore near Calgary. Many Dutch made it a point to assimilate quickly. Many were Protestant or Catholic so religion was not a barrier to their adaptation. Those who did not know English learned it quickly. The strongholds of Dutch culture and language were those communities founded around the Christian Reformed Church.
World War I halted the flow of immigrants arriving in Canada, but the end of the Great War brought about a second wave of Dutch to Canada. Again, many were forced to leave due to their own country's being overcrowded. Unable to gain access to the United States due to America's restrictive immigration measures, many Dutch ended up in Canada — mostly in Ontario. The Great Depression once again brought a halt to immigration: this stoppage lasted until the end of World War II.
The number of Dutch arriving in Canada following World War II was the largest yet. Once again, the Netherlands’ small size forced immigrants to leave the country. Other, secondary reasons, caused many Dutch to immigrate: the fear of a Third World War, severe flooding in 1953, and a dissatisfaction with Dutch government policies.
In the years following World War II, the Dutch were the third largest group to immigrate to Canada (after the British and Germans). Over 20,000 Dutch arrived in Alberta during this time, representing 15 percent of the total number of Dutch immigrants. The arrival of the Dutch during this time was made possible by both the Canadian and Dutch governments. The Dutch government was eager to ease the overpopulation problem while the Canadian government still viewed Dutch immigration favourably. The two governments reached an agreement that saw Canada allow progressively larger numbers of immigrants to enter Canada; these increased numbers were based on labour shortages.
Dutch immigrants were primarily farmers and workers with low levels of education. They arrived in family groups and were often sponsored by family members or assisted by church groups. These links allowed Dutch immigrants to assimilate more easily though some encountered difficulties due to their lack of English.
The number of Dutch immigrants arriving in Canada remained high until 1961 when numbers dropped off considerably due to the improving Dutch economy.
Today, Alberta is home to roughly 149,000 Dutch-Canadians — 16 percent of the Canada’s total Dutch population. Calgary and Edmonton are home to almost equal numbers of Dutch with 40,000 and 41,000 thousand respectively.
Caribbean (West Indian) Immigration to Alberta
The Immigration Act of 1910 gave the Canadian government great power over selecting who could immigrate. A list of clauses, one of which indicating that “any race deemed unsuited to the climate or requirements of Canada, or of immigrants of any specified class, occupation or character.” (African-American Canadians, 69) allowed the federal government to selectively determine who would be allowed to immigrate to Canada. Provisions such as these allowed the government to accept immigrants from one country while barring them from another.
During the first half of the 20th century, this immigration policy allowed Europeans to immigrate to Canada at the exclusion of virtually every other ethnic group. It also meant that people from different Caribbean nations were all treated the same way: the diversity of Caribbean cultures was disregarded. Although people from the Caribbean represent diverse cultures and heritage, this section will deal with the Caribbean nations as a group, as their immigration history to Canada is much the same.
Although provisions tended to exclude all but those of European descent from immigrating to Canada, there was one exception to the rule. During labour shortages, it was possible to hire people of other ethnicities to perform certain jobs. It was through this exception that many early immigrants from Caribbean nations such as Jamaica and Barbados arrived in Canada. During the First World War, for example, Caribbean immigrants arrived in Nova Scotia to work in the coal mines near Sydney or in the shipyards of Halifax. Over the years, other West Indians immigrated to serve as domestic help. Many used such labour demand exemptions to gain a foothold in Canada. After serving as labourers for a few years, they were free to pursue careers in other fields (e.g., nursing or teaching) and to move to larger centres like Montreal and Toronto.
In the 1960s, Canada’s policies began to change. While many Canadians thought that West Indian immigrants, because of their inability to adapt to the Canadian climate or to overcome language barriers, would not fit into Canada, international opinion was beginning to shift. During the Cold War, Canada hoped to play a role as a broker between the superpowers and the rest of the world. Many in the Canadian government felt that its blatantly racist immigration policies were preventing Canada from achieving this goal. At the same time, there were growing pressures from within Canada as immigrant groups lobbied for fairer regulations.
A major change came in 1967 with the introduction of the point system. This system abolished the previous method which allowed for judgements based on race or class in favour of one that was now “colour-blind.” The new system awarded potential immigrants points based on education, work experience, and proficiency in one of the official languages. If people earned enough points, they could apply to immigrate. In the same year, immigration offices were opened in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. These changes led to a large increase in the number of West Indians immigrating to Canada.
People from Caribbean nations have chosen to immigrate to Canada because they view immigration as a way to establish a better future for themselves and their families. There are two main reasons immigrants choose Canada: Canada is know (1) for its political and civil freedom and stability and (2) for a healthier economy that promises not only jobs, but also the possibility of advancement.
Haiti is one example of a country whose people have left to seek out political freedoms not enjoyed at home. Since declaring its independence in 1804, Haiti has seen history marred by a succession of exploitive dictators and rulers. It has experienced coups d’etat, foreign occupation, and widespread human rights abuses as leaders attempted to root out opposition. Therefore, when Canada changed its immigration policies in 1967, many Haitians left their country. The immigrants to Canada were largely made up of not only professionals such as health workers and teachers, but also of political dissidents. As French speakers, Haitians settled predominantly in Québec.
Since 1972, Haitians have continued to arrive in Canada. However, many of these immigrants have entered Canada as refugees. As such, their tendency to speak Creole rather than French, compounded with their lower levels of education, has meant that Haitian refugees have had a harder time adapting to Canada. Still, these immigrants have settled in Québec — predominantly in Montréal. In 2001, there were 74,465 people of Haitian extraction living in Québec, and of those, 69,945 lived in Montréal, thereby making Haitians the largest visible minority in that city.
Jamaica has not suffered the political hardships experienced by Haitians; nevertheless, large numbers of Jamaicans immigrate to Canada. In this case, however, they do so for economic rather than for political reasons. Jamaicans find work in farming, mining, and tourism — industries dominated by international corporations. This has led to high levels of unemployment.
Most Jamaicans coming to Canada have settled in the Toronto region. In 2001, there were 150,840 Jamaicans living in Toronto and another 30,000 living in Ontario in cities such as Ottawa and Kitchener. An additional 30,000 Jamaicans were scattered throughout the rest of Canada.
Although West Indians have been immigrating to Canada for hundreds of years, they have not immigrated to all parts of Canada in equal numbers. The earliest immigrants arrived in the Maritimes and subsequently moved to Québec and Ontario where more recent immigration has been concentrated.
Québec has seen large numbers of Haitian immigrants because of their fluency in French.
Ontario has received the largest number of West Indians: they settled there first. The local population grew through two ways:
During the first half of the 20th century, this immigration policy allowed Europeans to immigrate to Canada at the exclusion of virtually every other ethnic group. It also meant that people from different Caribbean nations were all treated the same way: the diversity of Caribbean cultures was disregarded. Although people from the Caribbean represent diverse cultures and heritage, this section will deal with the Caribbean nations as a group, as their immigration history to Canada is much the same.
Although provisions tended to exclude all but those of European descent from immigrating to Canada, there was one exception to the rule. During labour shortages, it was possible to hire people of other ethnicities to perform certain jobs. It was through this exception that many early immigrants from Caribbean nations such as Jamaica and Barbados arrived in Canada. During the First World War, for example, Caribbean immigrants arrived in Nova Scotia to work in the coal mines near Sydney or in the shipyards of Halifax. Over the years, other West Indians immigrated to serve as domestic help. Many used such labour demand exemptions to gain a foothold in Canada. After serving as labourers for a few years, they were free to pursue careers in other fields (e.g., nursing or teaching) and to move to larger centres like Montreal and Toronto.
In the 1960s, Canada’s policies began to change. While many Canadians thought that West Indian immigrants, because of their inability to adapt to the Canadian climate or to overcome language barriers, would not fit into Canada, international opinion was beginning to shift. During the Cold War, Canada hoped to play a role as a broker between the superpowers and the rest of the world. Many in the Canadian government felt that its blatantly racist immigration policies were preventing Canada from achieving this goal. At the same time, there were growing pressures from within Canada as immigrant groups lobbied for fairer regulations.
A major change came in 1967 with the introduction of the point system. This system abolished the previous method which allowed for judgements based on race or class in favour of one that was now “colour-blind.” The new system awarded potential immigrants points based on education, work experience, and proficiency in one of the official languages. If people earned enough points, they could apply to immigrate. In the same year, immigration offices were opened in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. These changes led to a large increase in the number of West Indians immigrating to Canada.
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People from Caribbean nations have chosen to immigrate to Canada because they view immigration as a way to establish a better future for themselves and their families. There are two main reasons immigrants choose Canada: Canada is know (1) for its political and civil freedom and stability and (2) for a healthier economy that promises not only jobs, but also the possibility of advancement.Haiti is one example of a country whose people have left to seek out political freedoms not enjoyed at home. Since declaring its independence in 1804, Haiti has seen history marred by a succession of exploitive dictators and rulers. It has experienced coups d’etat, foreign occupation, and widespread human rights abuses as leaders attempted to root out opposition. Therefore, when Canada changed its immigration policies in 1967, many Haitians left their country. The immigrants to Canada were largely made up of not only professionals such as health workers and teachers, but also of political dissidents. As French speakers, Haitians settled predominantly in Québec.
Since 1972, Haitians have continued to arrive in Canada. However, many of these immigrants have entered Canada as refugees. As such, their tendency to speak Creole rather than French, compounded with their lower levels of education, has meant that Haitian refugees have had a harder time adapting to Canada. Still, these immigrants have settled in Québec — predominantly in Montréal. In 2001, there were 74,465 people of Haitian extraction living in Québec, and of those, 69,945 lived in Montréal, thereby making Haitians the largest visible minority in that city.
Jamaica has not suffered the political hardships experienced by Haitians; nevertheless, large numbers of Jamaicans immigrate to Canada. In this case, however, they do so for economic rather than for political reasons. Jamaicans find work in farming, mining, and tourism — industries dominated by international corporations. This has led to high levels of unemployment.
Most Jamaicans coming to Canada have settled in the Toronto region. In 2001, there were 150,840 Jamaicans living in Toronto and another 30,000 living in Ontario in cities such as Ottawa and Kitchener. An additional 30,000 Jamaicans were scattered throughout the rest of Canada.
Although West Indians have been immigrating to Canada for hundreds of years, they have not immigrated to all parts of Canada in equal numbers. The earliest immigrants arrived in the Maritimes and subsequently moved to Québec and Ontario where more recent immigration has been concentrated.
Québec has seen large numbers of Haitian immigrants because of their fluency in French.
Ontario has received the largest number of West Indians: they settled there first. The local population grew through two ways:
- Families immigrating to Canada would join their already established relatives in the Toronto area.
- West Indians were attracted to the area to join in the community already established.
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