Migration:  People on the Move

 

Canada’s identity has been formed by the movement of people.  When people move from country to country, region to region within a country, they take their way of life and ideas with them.

 

First Nations & Inuit

There are a number of theories about the origins of the first inhabitants if Canada.  The “first inhabitants” were the First Nation Peoples and the Inuit.

            Theory #1: Land Bridge Theory

·        Between 50 000 and 13 500 years ago the first people in the Americas migrated here

·        Traveled over a land bridge that already existed between Asia and North America, the present location of the Bering Strait ( this bridge was not built, it occurred naturally)

·        These first people than made their way south along an ice free corridor on the western coast of the continent to South America, their final destination.  Not all made it to South America but spread out along the way, developing many civilizations later discovered by the Europeans.

 

Theory #2:  Archeological Discoveries

·        Challenges the land bridge theory

·        Says first inhabitants crossed Pacific Ocean to the west coast of the Americas

·        Came from Asia, Siberia or Australia

·        Spread north  and east

 

Theory #3: 

·         First People arrived in America by crossing the Atlantic Ocean from Europe

 

            Theory #4:

·        Many Inuit and First Nations say their civilizations began on the North American continent

·        Have always lived here – “time immemorial”

 

Why Do People Move?

 

Push Factors – cause people to want to leave their current location

Common push factors include:

  • Lack of political freedom
  • Lack of religious freedom
  • War
  • Famine
  • Poverty
  • Climate changes
  • Natural disasters
  • Unemployment

 

Pull Factors – attract people to a new location

Common pull factors include:

  • Greater economic opportunities
  • Availability of land
  • Reunion of families
  • Advantages of mild climate
  • Discovery and development of resources
  • Access to technology
  • Democratic political system

 

Changing Immigration Patterns

 

  • Government policy controls immigration, this means that the government decides who and how many people can come to Canada.
  • The Immigration Policy reflects economic, social and political attitudes of the time
  • Canada identifies itself with peace, justice, human rights and multiculturalism
  • Multiculturalism is the official policy that recognizes and supports the identities and traditions of the many cultural groups in Canada
  • Canada has  not always supported multiculturalism, Canada was at one time ethnocentric
  • Ethnocentric is the belief that their way of life was superior, there was no respect for different cultures
  • The government policy was based on prejudice, the belief that not all people have equal value
  • Government policies became based on race, language, religion and culture, especially those people from Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa
  • Immigrants experienced discrimination and fewer were allowed into Canada
  • The more different the culture of a country was from  the Canadian culture the more discrimination they experienced:

Examples – Africa – Americans farmers in the early 1900’s

                    Chinese Immigrants Act 1923

                    Jewish Refugees fleeing Nazi Germany (1930’s) put in prison camps or refused entry

 

Before 1945

 

The peak of Canadian Immigration came before World War One. Possible reasons are as follows:

·        After Confederation First Nations of the West were put on reserves

o       Government wanted to populate these deserted farm lands with Europeans; they advertised and offered free land

o       By 1920’s most of the open land on the Prairies was settled and the migrants moved to cities for industrial jobs, railway and mines

o       The Great Depression of the 1930’s caused high unemployment so most Canadians opposed immigration because there were not enough jobs for Canadians, never mind anyone else

 

After 1945

 

·        War made Canadians more sensitive to the suffering of others (refugees)

·        Refugees are people who are displaced, either from their home country or from their  homes within their country and are seeking refuge(shelter, protection and safety) elsewhere

·        Canada needed workers for a post-war boom in industry, so the government started to take in refugees as part of this newly required “work force”

 

Immigration Today

 

The Immigration Policy ended discrimination based on race, colour, and religion for those applying for admission to Canada.  This procedure began in the 1960’s.

The Immigration Policy is divided into three classes:

1.  Family Class – close relatives living in Canada can sponsor family members to        move to Canada

2.  Humanitarian or Refugee Class – immigrant fleeing “great personal danger” in his/her homeland are allowed entry into Canada

3.  Independent Class – Applicants must meet a point system to show that their move to Canada will be positive for Canada as well as for the applicant.  Qualification points include: Speaking English/French

              Education/training

              Work Experience

              Entrepreneurs who are willing to invest in Canadian business

 

Today, the migration of people to Canada as immigrants or refugees is a topic of great debate.  Some people feel these “new people” strengthen Canada, while others feel it may lead to social problems and higher unemployment rates.