Encouraging Immigration

1881 – Population  were aboriginal The west had a very low population. What did Laurier need to solve this problem? 2 things: 1. People 2. Workers for growing industries

Laurier was able to attract more people to Canada, but how?  He doubled the amount of railway track to make travel to the West easier Canada began to advertise overseas and offered potential immigrants special treatment, but who was involved in the effort? 1. The government 2. Private companies 3. Church groups 4. Railway companies All of these groups stood to gain if more people immigrated to Canada. For example, the CPR was given a large amount of land, about square km, in exchange for building the new railway to accommodate for immigrants coming in.

Laurier got the word out by: 1. Putting out millions of pamphlets and posters 2. The government brought in foreign journalists 3. Speakers were sent around the world But who were they specifically targeting?  The U.S.: They had been farming prairie land for years, and good land was hard to come by in the U.S.  Great Britain: Many Canadians were British and wanted to see more of their countrymen join them.  Eastern Europe: They had experience farming, they could put up with the hardships, and perhaps assimilate into English culture.

Farmland was scarce in the East, yet the advertisement of free land and a better life was never advertised in Quebec. Why Not? The government had a vision for an English Canada, however, Confederation had made Canada officially bilingual, thus betraying Confederation. However, life wasn’t exactly favourable for the immigrants in the West either. The advertisements were a “Trap”; life was much harder than advertised.

Push Factor: When newcomers are PUSHED to leave their home. Ex: Population Growth : Not enough land or jobs Religious Persecution: Treated badly for religious beliefs Political Persecution: Treated badly for political beliefs Natural Disaster: Famine, volcanic eruption Affordable Travel: Steamships made voyages shorter and cheaper than ever before. Pull Factor: What PULLS newcomers to choose a particular country. Ex: Free Land: plentiful, inexpensive Jobs: teachers, coal miners, sales Completed Railway: move wheat Better machinery: more crops Improved Farming techniques: new wheat Growing Demand for Wheat: wheat prices were rising, profitable $$ Religious and Political Freedom: Canada allowed different beliefs Friends and Family: relatives here

Churches took a special interest in religious groups as Canada was offering people religious freedom. Ex:The Doukhobors and Hutterites were PACIFISTS and didn’t believe in fighting wars. During the war, people became suspicious of Hutterites; they spoke German, the language of the enemy. However, people knew that they wouldn’t take up arms being pacifists, so they began stealing the Hutterites sheep and cattle. This is an example of DISCRIMINATION

Anglican Church leaders helped many people come to Canada. One such leader was Canadian born Isaac Barr.  Barr placed an add in a British paper offering to help English Anglicans immigrate to Canada.  Barr acquired a large chunk of land on the border of AB and SK, and began leading over 2600 people to the land.  Barr planned the trip terribly had to squeeze onto a boat that fit 900, train travel was never organized, most luggage was lost, and the city slickers had to drive oxen to reach the land.  The trip was such a disaster that many gave up.

 The colonists eventually forced Barr to resign and appointed George Lloyd to help them the rest of the way. Lloyd was experienced in the West and was able to help them every step of the way.  They were so grateful that they named their town after him; Lloydminster.

Francophones have been living in the West for a long time, but how did they put their mark on the West?  By naming lakes, rivers, and regions: such as, Batoche, Bellegarde, Beaumont, Morinville, Lac La Biche. Canada was encouraging immigration, but did they encourage internal migration?  Initially the Canadiens thought so, they believed they were welcomed in other parts of Canada.  Internal migration is the process of relocating within the same country, but soon they learned that Canada would prefer an Anglophone West.

Francophones worried they were going to become a minority, so they decided to fight back, but internal migration wasn’t enough.  The Catholic Church took on the job of attracting more people to the West  Settlement in the West became easier for Francophones with the development of French settlements like TROCHU. Trochu was named the French army Colonel, Armand Trochu, who led settlers to the area.

By 1911, 80% of the people living in western Canada had been born somewhere else. They struggled, travelled, and endured great hardship for years, but they managed to bring in wheat every growing season. This is no different than hardships in other places in the world, so what about Canada was special?  People were working alongside others from many different places in the world. They got along and helped eachother, despite their differences and language barriers.  This is an indication of the development of a pluralistic society.

Homesteaders had something in common: Nearly everyone was farming WHEAT Kinds of Wheat: 1. RED FIFE WHEAT: made excellent flour, but ripened late in the season. An early frost could wipe out an entire crop. 2. MARQUIS WHEAT: William Saunders and his son Charles produced a new type of wheat that ripened early in the season. This made it possible to open vast new areas of the west for farming. It was called the “discovery of the century”.

Laurier needed what two things for WESTERN Canadian expansion – people/workers Most important thing Laurier did to increase immigration – doubled railway Who was most eager to bring in immigrant – Gov., Churches, Businesses, Railroad These groups profited from Immigration – ex: CPR receives square km of land How was Canada advertised – foreign journalists, pamphlets/posters, sending people to talk about it How was Canada a trap – nothing like what was advertised Prairie homes were often built from what – sod, until they could afford better List the PUSH factors - Population Growth, Religious/Political Persecution, Natural Disaster, Affordable Travel. List the PULL factors: Free Land, Jobs, Completed Railway, Better machinery, Improved Farming techniques, Growing Demand for Wheat, Religious and Political Freedom, Friends and Family Lloydminster was started by – Issac Barr, even though he was a terrible leader The Doukhabors and Hutterites left where, because they were what? – Russia/Pacifists This is an example of - discrimination Pacifists don’t belive in - violence The MOST obvious signs of Francophones in the West today is – names/towns, lakes How did the French fight back against the Anglican – Had Catholic Church attract more French Life in the West became easier for the French with the creation of – Settlements like TROCHU A pluralistic society is - A society consisting of people born outside of that country/people of many backgrounds living working near one another. Why is wheat important – most used crop, new types developed, new machinery developed as a result Two types of wheat – Red Fife which ripens slowly, Marquis “development of the century” ripens quickly Moving countries is called – Immigration, Moving from one area in a country to another – internal migration