CANADIAN IMMIGRATION 1910-1920

Laurier

Last Best West: Clifford Sifton Minister from

Manitoba Charged with filling the nation

under Laurier to ensure Canada’s future

160 acres of free land was offered up to Immigrants willing to work on farms

Immigration agents Preference was for people from

the British Iles, US, France, Scandinavia, Austria-Hungary, Russia

Canadians at this time unanimous Canada to be a white mans country

Waves of immigrants sent to the prairies was also seen as a way to assimilate aboriginals and Metis. Sifton tried to take land out of

the the reserves with out aboriginal approval. When the supreme court shut this down

He tried to convince bands to sell land to get out of their debt.

Frank Oliver, followed Siften and was able to pass laws allowing the government to confiscate sections of reserve land.

European Immigration

Immigration from Europe essentially stopped during ww1 as citizens were required to stay at home to assist with the fight.

Groups who were told NOT TO APPLY included Blacks, Gypsies, Jews, Italians, Greeks and Asians, the feeble-minded, people with tuberculosis and other diseases

Immigration from Germany, Austria, Hungary and the Ukraine was suspended as they were considered enemies.

Racism and Discrimination

In 1886 the first head tax of $50.00 was put on Chinese immigrants in 1904 the head tax was $500.00

In 1913 immigration was 7500 but was almost non existent by 1914

1908 treaty with Japan only allowed 400 people for year.

1918 Japanese prevented from coming as they were seen as enemies

Komagata Maru

Gurdit Singh Sandhu a Singapore business man hired a Japanese trap steam ship to bring immigrants from India to Canada and challenge Canada’s continuous passage legislation.

He was arrested in Hong Kong for selling tickets for an illegal voyage (later released

On April 4 the Komagata maru left Calcutta with 165 passengers

The remaining passengers joined in Shanghai for a total of 376

Arrived in Yokohama April 14th and left on May 3

Continuous passage meant that one would have to leave there country of origin and come straight to Canada without stopping.

The Komagata maru arrived Vancouver on the 23 May 1914 where the immigration officials place it under quarantined as they tried to figure out what to do with it.

The Decision was passed from Premier Richard McBride to Prime minister Borden.

The shore committee raised money to keep the ship in the harbour and launch a test case in BC courts. The courts ruled that Munshi Singh did not have the landing fee or meet the rules set by the governments continuous passage

Battle of Burrard inlet: immigration officals concerned with the increase anger in the Sikh community and information that members from the Ghardar party were on board decided to send the Komagata maru away 18 July 160 armed police and

immigration official took tug the sea lion out in the middle of the night to to force the ship to leave

The passengers were awoken by the noise of the approaching tug and pelted it with coal and bricks almost capsizing it forcing it to flee.

As a result of the violence and loss of the court case the HMS Rainbow was called in to escort the Komagata Maru from Canadian waters and sink her if she tried to return.

In the end only 24 passengers were admitted to Canada

Anger was high in the Sikh community where they responded by attacking police spies

Immigration official William Hopkinson was murdered at a trial in Vancouver and Mewa Singh was executed for the crime.

On return to India the British officials tried to arrest the leaders 19 passengers were killed the rest placed under village arrest for the duration of WW1.

Many had spent 6 months confined on the ship.

Continuous passage stayed in effect until 1967

War brides and dependents By wars end over 54,000 women

and dependents had followed soldiers home from Europe

Many refugees came from war torn Europe to Canada post ww1

To restrict a “free-flow” of immigrants, Canada established a number of more restrictive actions. Between 1918 and 1923, enemy

aliens including Japanese, Germans and Ukrainians were not allowed to enter.

In 1919, immigrants were required to possess $250.00 in landing money.

In June 1919, the entry of Doukhobors, Mennonites and Hutterites was prohibited