1. Immigration
Migration is the movement of people from one place to another
Migration can occur as result of push and pull factors

2. Immigration Push factors are factors that force a person to move.
They can include famine, war, disease, lack of jobs, over population and drought

3. Immigration
Pull factors are factors that encourage a person to come to a new place.
They can include freedom, family, technology, better jobs, better education.

4. Immigration Canada accepts 4 types of immigrants
Economic Immigrants – skilled workers and business immigrants
Family Immigrants – spouses, children, parents, grandparents and sometimes siblings
Refugees – people who fear cruel treatment or death in their home country
Other- Basically individual refuges

5. Historical Immigration Patterns
Canadian Immigration Patterns

6. Historical Immigration Patterns
Immigration to Canada has had periods of boom and bust. These were caused by events that occurred both in Canada and in other countries.
When?
What Happened?
Why?
1840s
Arrival of thousands of Irish settlers
Irish potato crop fails; facing starvation, many Irish move to Canada and other countries
Massive immigration from Eastern Europe to the Canadian West
Canadian Government wanted to settle the Prairies; offered free land and other incentives to immigrants

7. Historical Immigration Patterns
When?
What Happened?
Why?
Little immigration
World War I and worldwide influenza epidemic
1930 – 1945
Worldwide economic depression and World War II
Many Italians come to Canada
World War II devastated Italy; Italians searched for economic opportunities in Canada

8. Historical Immigration Patterns
When?
What Happened?
Why?
1956
Many Hungarians come to Canada
Hungarian revolt against the Russians failed; refugees fled to Canada to avoid punishment
1980 – 1997
Arrival of thousands of Hong Kong Chinese
Residents of Hong Kong sought political stability before China took control of Hong Kong in 1997
Many people from Afghanistan come to Canada
Immigrants seek a safe haven from conflicts that engulfed their country

9. Historical Immigration Patterns
The percentage, by location, of the population that is made up of immigrants. YT NT

10. Immigration Province to Province
While Canada address immigrants at a federal level, many individual provinces have unique needs for immigration. Which has allowed individual provinces to dictate which kind of immigrant they will receive.

11. Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program
Alberta can “nominate” immigrants with particular skill sets.
This allows Alberta to fill specific job needs such as: Construction
Health care (mainly doctors)
Transportation (mainly long haul truck drivers)
and
Agriculture tend to be some of the most consistent areas of need.
More are listed on page 190 *Note they are outdated a tad.

12. Canada-Quebec Accord
Immigrants who settle in Quebec must go to French-Language schools
Seek out immigrants with French as first language – middle east, Africa
They still let in other immigrants, but are able to give French speaking ones priority status

13. Remember!!
Refugees and Immigrants come to Canada under vastly different “regulations”
Refugee
Immigrant
Need to come to Canada
Lives would be in danger if they were not accepted to a new place
Very likely they have little to no education
Become a subject of the government (provided with basic necessities for living)
Still often add to Canada in a positive way, but this takes time and is not expected of them upon entry to Canada
More Canadians see them as a burden
Generally more of a “want” to come to Canada
Come here to advance skills they may already have, like education
Held to a high level of standards to be accepted
Long process to get in to country
Must be able to support for themselves
Add to Canada in a positive way
Generally left to go it “on their own”

14. Singh Decision 1985
Known as the Singh decision, this Supreme Court decision declared that refugee claimants are entitled to basic standards of rights protection.
1988 Immigration and Refugee Board to created to hear refugee claims.
April 4, date of Singh decision, is annually commemorated by Canadian refugee supporters as “Refugee Rights Day”.

15. Singh Decision in “Layman's terms”
This means anyone who can get to Canadian soil, can have their case heard. Increasing the chances of them getting into Canada under Refugee status and not having to apply as an immigrant.
Some Canadians oppose this:
Feel it is too easy to gain sorrow from the committee in person
Feel it is not Canada’s burden to take these people in
It neglects the fact that refugee acceptance, albeit sad, is more about political advancement and not about helping people… If this is the case, then we loose this when it is done on a small scale that goes unnoticed globally.
*Consider the positives to this act