CANADA HISTORY

Immigration

On May 1, 1947, the government of Mackenzie King introduced a new immigration policy aimed at meeting the labor demands of a booming post-war economy. As Canada experienced rapid industrial expansion and economic growth, the country required a larger workforce to fuel this growth. Immigration was seen as a key tool to achieve this, but the policy introduced was highly selective, reflecting the prevailing societal attitudes of the time. It was based on the idea that immigrants should be "easily assimilated" into Canada’s existing English and French communities, thereby maintaining the country’s established cultural and racial makeup. This policy played a significant role in shaping post-war Canada and its society, and it had lasting impacts on the nation's identity and demographics.

At its core, the 1947 immigration policy was aimed at preserving Canada’s predominantly British and French identity by favoring immigrants from specific regions—namely the United States, Britain, and northwestern Europe. These groups were seen as culturally and ethnically similar to existing Canadians and were expected to integrate smoothly into the fabric of the nation. The policy also reflected a desire to maintain a balance between the English and French-speaking populations, with the understanding that newcomers would adopt one of the two official languages.

One of the primary sources of new immigrants during this period was the Netherlands, a country suffering from severe overcrowding and food shortages in the aftermath of World War II. The Canadian government actively sought out Dutch immigrants through a program known as the Netherland Farm Families Movement, offering them the opportunity to resettle and farm in Canada. The Dutch were particularly welcomed because they were seen as industrious and their agricultural skills were desperately needed in Canada's rural areas.

Another group that was encouraged to immigrate were Germans, despite the fact that Canada had been at war with Germany just a few years earlier. Germans were viewed favorably because of their perceived ethnic similarity to the dominant Anglo-Saxon culture in Canada. Additionally, thousands of British war brides—women who had married Canadian soldiers stationed in Britain during the war—were brought to Canada, further reinforcing ties between Canada and Britain.

However, the immigration policy of 1947 was not open to all. Southern and Eastern Europeans, particularly those from Mediterranean countries such as Italy, Greece, and Spain, faced significant barriers. Applicants from these regions were often rejected because they were viewed as culturally different from Canada's existing population, and there was concern that they would not easily assimilate. Asian immigrants faced even greater discrimination, with very few being admitted. This reflected a broader context of racism in Canadian immigration policy, which was intended to preserve what was seen as a "British" character in Canadian society.

Moreover, this policy extended beyond ethnicity to include political affiliations. At the height of the Cold War, Canada’s immigration screening process was designed to exclude anyone suspected of harboring communist sympathies. This was a reflection of the intense fear of communism that pervaded much of the Western world in the aftermath of World War II. Individuals who had been involved in leftist politics, or who were suspected of supporting Soviet ideology, were deemed undesirable and denied entry into the country. In this way, the policy served not only to maintain Canada’s cultural composition but also to protect it from political influences that were considered dangerous at the time.

The 1947 immigration policy also introduced health screenings, which further limited who could enter Canada. Potential immigrants with significant health issues, disabilities, or contagious diseases were rejected on the grounds that they might become a financial burden on the state. This reflected an era in which the government was focused on ensuring that new immigrants would be productive members of society who could contribute to the growing economy, rather than individuals who might require public assistance.

Despite its discriminatory aspects, the policy was seen by many Canadians as a positive step toward strengthening the economy and securing the country’s future. The war effort had drained much of Canada’s resources, and the post-war era represented a time of rebuilding. Bringing in immigrants who could contribute to the workforce and fill labor shortages in both urban and rural areas was seen as essential to this recovery. The Canadian public largely supported the government's selective approach, believing it would help integrate immigrants into Canadian society without upsetting the country's traditional cultural balance.

Another critical aspect of Canada’s immigration policy in the post-war era was its response to the crisis of Displaced Persons (DPs). Following World War II, millions of people in Europe found themselves without homes or countries to return to. These DPs included Holocaust survivors, former soldiers, and others who had been displaced by the conflict and did not want to return to their war-torn or politically unstable homelands, particularly those in Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe. On July 23, 1946, Canada passed an Order-in-Council that allowed the immigration of displaced persons. The first group to be accepted under this provision were 4,000 Polish soldiers who had fought alongside Canadian and British forces during the war.

The flow of displaced persons into Canada continued throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, with thousands of DPs finding new homes in Canada. These individuals played a key role in the reconstruction and growth of post-war Canada, contributing to various industries and communities across the country. Many of them were skilled workers who helped build Canada's infrastructure and lay the foundations for the economic boom of the 1950s and 60s.

While the arrival of displaced persons represented a more humanitarian aspect of Canada’s post-war immigration policy, it was still marked by significant racial and ethnic bias. Even displaced persons had to meet certain criteria to be admitted, and many were turned away due to health, political, or racial considerations.

In tandem with this immigration policy, Canada also passed the Citizenship Act in 1947, which created the legal status of Canadian citizenship. Before this, Canadians had been classified as British subjects. The Citizenship Act was a major step toward Canadian autonomy and identity, as it allowed Canadians to have their own passports and formalized their national status. This new legal framework for citizenship reflected a broader trend toward independence and nationhood in the post-war era, as Canada began to assert its place on the world stage.

In conclusion, the 1947 immigration policy and the post-war adjustments made by the Canadian government were instrumental in shaping the country's demographic, social, and economic landscape. While the policy was marked by its selectivity, racism, and exclusion, it nonetheless laid the groundwork for Canada's post-war prosperity. It brought in thousands of immigrants who contributed to the country’s growth while also helping to shape the identity of modern Canada. However, it also highlighted the discriminatory practices of the time, as Canada sought to maintain its British and French cultural identity at the expense of other groups. This era in Canadian immigration policy is crucial in understanding the nation’s evolving relationship with race, culture, and identity, and it marked the beginning of Canada's journey toward becoming a multicultural society in the decades that followed.