Immigration Essay
by Cassidy Ewart

The majority of Canada’s history has been shaped, composed, and created by immigrants. The first wave of immigrants was the French and British colonizing the east, followed by an influx of people from the “Great Migration”, and lastly with the encouragement of immigrants from around the world. From 1815-1914, Canada, a nation created by immigrants, encouraged and welcomed immigrants from around the world, although each and every immigrants journey to Canada was different.
Firstly, each and every immigrants journey was different, with different obstacles and challenges for the immigrants to overcome. In 1885 Canada imposed a head tax on all Chinese immigrants, yet the amount of new Chinese immigrants kept rising. The tax rose, yet the amount of Chinese immigrants rose as well. Yes, this made it harder for potential Chinese immigrants to come to Canada but they still came (Document 7). The “open door” policy Clifford Sifton introduced in 1896 made many Canadians unhappy because they wanted Canada to remain a white British culture. Many of the new immigrants from Europe, although white, did not have the same culture, language, or religion as the majority British and French populations. Upon entering Canada these new immigrants would be subject to racism because the largely British and French populations wanted to remain the majority and did not want to conform to these newcomers ways of life (Document 9, Document 6). Almost all non British and non French immigrants had restrictions to get through because of their ethnicities, wealth, and skills before they could come to Canada and once there often it was hard for poor immigrants to get food in Canada, but this did not last for their entire time in Canada. Canada did not want immigrants who were going to be a detriment to their society, in the governments view this meant anyone who wasn’t of British of French ancestry. Oftentimes the journey to Canada was the most dangerous part, tens of thousands died on the ship of disease, starvation, and other maladies, and once they arrived in Canada they were often delayed in reaching the shore and faced starvation while just kilometres away from their promised land. Many immigrants came to Canada having lost a daughter, a son, a mother, a father or another close family member on the journey there. Once arrived in Canada there were often struggles to find jobs and lodgings leaving many immigrants destitute. The Canadian government promised good farmland with a home stead already made, they would promise farming goods and cattle to all the new immigrants and often immigrants would arrive to their new homes to find maybe a house made out of mud and wood and almost never was there any farming equipment, for many new immigrants who had never farmed before this may as well have been a death sentence to them (Document 4, Document 3). The aboriginal people were largely assimilated into British Canadian culture, however there were quite a few who refused to do so because they wanted to keep their culture and traditions. Canada wanted to assimilate all the aboriginals into the British culture, to “civilize” them. The Canadian government didn’t leave many options for the aboriginals, in many cases they either had to give up their heritage, culture, language, their way of life to gain help from the government or they would have to risk starving to death. “Work or jump” was an appropriate way to phrase it because the Canadian government would often use the aboriginals as cheap labour much like they used the Chinese (Document 14). All of the immigrants and potential immigrants who had the drive and determination to come to Canada, came here through one way or another
From 1815-1914, Canada, a nation created by immigrants, encouraged and welcomed immigrants from around the world. 1871 to 1911 saw a huge increase in the diversity of immigrants. In 1871 immigrants from Great Britain made up 84% of all immigrants however in 1911 they were only 40% of all immigrants. Immigrants from the United States now made up 31.8% of immigrants and Asian saw an increase as well. New Canadians all banded together in this country to form a diverse productive society (Document 11, Document 12). In 1880 Canada not only encouraged but needed the Chinese immigrants to help build the Canadian Pacific Railway (Document 7). From the beginning of its history Canada has been a nation built by immigrants and to say that many Canadians weren’t welcoming and open to new immigrants is ironic. Almost all Canadians were immigrants themselves or descended from immigrants. Canada is a land of plenty and for the country to truly prosper they needed all the immigrants they could sustain (Document 13). Canada was a land of plenty and many people saw it as a solution to the overpopulation in there countries. A poor family from London could come to Canada and no longer be in poverty. For many people coming to the New World was going to be their saviour and for others it was a life long dream. Canada had jobs, land, and food aplenty (Document 1). There have always been pull factors to come to Canada. Before World War I it was the promise of free land, many resource industries, a familiar culture/language, and the gold rush. Many people came from Europe to be free of the political restrictions, overcrowding, and rigid social system of their home country. The large amount of jobs in resource industries drew many people from Asian countries to come to Canada. Immigrants from the United States came for land because all the good arable land had run out in their own country (Document 3). Fortunately for the Canadians who were unwilling to do the undesirable, dangerous, and difficult jobs, the immigrants were willing to do these. Immigrants helped create new industries and businesses, and in the end it was these new immigrants, who populated sparse lands, developed industries and new business across Canada all of which were necessary to help Canada become the country it is today. It was these that kept this policy open (Document 9, Document 6). Canada was a safe haven, a modern day Eden, but most of all a refuge for the freed or escaped black slaves from the United States. The town of St Catharines promised refuge for the oppressed, for our countrymen from the south, and from the abuse and cruel bondage of slavery. Possibly more important than refuge Canada promised rest. “Rest for the hunted slave! Rest for the travel-soiled and foot-sore fugitive.” reads an article from St Catharines. Canada not only welcomed these black slaves but encouraged them to come (Document 5). Starting from 1000 AD Scandinavians have been coming to what is now Canada and settled in the western provinces. Quite a few immigrants came from Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Austrian, all of which have cultures from Eastern Europe which all widely varies amongst themselves and especially from Western Europe. Canada cannot be described as a “melting pot” like the United States is, Canada allowed and encouraged new immigrants to still practice their religions, traditions and other cultural practices (Document 10) Canada was and is a land of plenty and there was always food, albeit not always the most nutritious, but enough to keep all the new immigrants fed. Transportation with meals included was quite cheap and helped immigrants spread throughout the country, often to new places to settle farms. Once these farms became prosperous these immigrants were truly in a land of plenty (Document 4, Document 3). Canada saw an influx of all immigrants from 1871-1911 and although the majority of these immigrants came from Britain and France, along with these primarily white immigrants there was also an influx of immigrants from China, which saw the number rise from 0 to 27,831 (Document 8, Document 2). Shown in increases in diversity in the society and demographics of Canada, Canada welcomed and encouraged immigrants to come from all around the world.
There were restrictions on who could come to Canada at times, but throughout all those people still came. Without these immigrants Canada would be nowhere near the same country it is today. Canada, a country built, created and composed by immigrants did not turn away those who had given her so much but instead welcomed and encouraged their immigration.