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Responding to Immigrants’ Settlement Needs -The Canadian Experience

Responding to Immigrants’ Settlement Needs -The Canadian Experience. Robert Vineberg PMC Conference, November 4, 2011. Contents. Pre-Confederation Post-Confederation to 1914 The Interwar Period Post World War II to 1974 Creation of the Settlement Program Settlement Renewal and Devolution

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Responding to Immigrants’ Settlement Needs -The Canadian Experience

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  1. Responding to Immigrants’ Settlement Needs -The Canadian Experience Robert Vineberg PMC Conference, November 4, 2011

  2. Contents • Pre-Confederation • Post-Confederation to 1914 • The Interwar Period • Post World War II to 1974 • Creation of the Settlement Program • Settlement Renewal and Devolution • Funding Issues • Modern Settlement Programming

  3. The Two Way Street • I can scarcely imagine any obligation which it is more incumbent on Government to fulfill, than that of … securing to … persons disposed to emigrate every possible facility and assistance, from the moment of their intending to leave … to that of their comfortable establishment… •  Lord Durham, 1839

  4. Pre-Confederation • Early Legislation • Protect the emigrant, protect yourself • Quarantine Acts • NS – 1761; Lower Canada - 1795 • Legislation for a landing fee – 1832 • All provinces raised money for the sick and destitute • Emigrant Aid Societies • 1858 Province of Canada Legislation • First legislation to specifically concerned with immigrants own welfare

  5. Grosse Ile Quarantine Station Second Class Hotel

  6. Post-Confederation – To WW I • Sorting Out Jurisdictions • Dominion-Provincial Conference 1868 • Dominion takes control of quarantine stations • Dominion undertakes to prepare national legislation: immigrants not emigrants • Looking After Immigrants • Port of Entry Facilities • Immigration Halls • Dominion Lands Act • Grants to many immigrant aid organizations

  7. Quebec Port of Entry c.1890

  8. Immigration Hall Winnipeg c. 1890

  9. Post-Confederation – Interwar Period • The 1920s • Emphasis on Colonization • Homesteading continues • Railways Agreements • “After Care” • Empire Settlement Agreement • Immigration Halls • continue in large-scale use • Depression and War • Immigration comes to a halt • Many immigration halls used for unemployed and then as army barracks during WW II

  10. Immigration Hall No. 1Winnipeg – 1906-1969

  11. Post World War II to 1974 • Settlement Service established 1949 • focused on employment and matching immigrants overseas to jobs in Canada • Citizenship Branch • funds language training and joint co-ordinating committees in many cities • 1966: Manpower & Immigration • Settlement Service disbanded and programs transferred to Manpower division & Secretary of State • Language training only for workers

  12. The Settlement Program - 1 • 1974 – Cabinet realises mistake of 1966 and creates “Settlement Program” • M&I assumes funding for settlement NGOs. • 1974 - ISAP program $810,000 • Indochinese Refugee Movement: • Inspires government to rethink settlement • Vastly increased need for NGOs and funding • 1984 - HOST program • 1986 - Settlement Language Training Program (SLTP) • for adults not destined to labour market

  13. The Settlement Program - 2 • 1992 – Settlement “comes home” • Settlement moved to Immigration Division • Occupational language merged with SLTP to create LINC • 1991-1999 – Some provinces assume responsibility for settlement • 1991 Quebec • 1999 BC and Manitoba • New Programming

  14. The Settlement Program - 3 • 2004-07 New Programming • Canadian Orientation Abroad - 1998 • Enhanced Language Training – 2004 • Anti-Racism - 2005 • Foreign Credential Referral Office- 2007 • Canadian Immigrant Integration Program - 2007 • 2005-08 – Vastly increased funding • Canada-Ontario Agreement • Expectations in other provinces • first denied but then met • 2008 – New Terms and Conditions • unified Settlement program

  15. A Few Conclusions • Settlement Services • Initiated to protect the resident Canadians • Then transformed into efforts to retain immigrants coming to Canada • Integration is a two-way street • The best settlement program will fail in the absence of a welcoming community. • This is a lesson that Canada has learned, and then forgotten, only to rediscover again, several times through its history. • Settlement and integration are ‘whole of government’ activities • NGOs are essential to program delivery

  16. Former Immigration Hall Edmonton 2010

  17. Photo Credits • Cover: Old Immigration Hall, Edmonton, Library and Archives of Canada (LAC) – C042729 • Slide 5: Grosse Isle 2nd Class Hospital c1905 – LAC - c079029 • Slide 7: Immigration Sheds at Port of Quebec– LAC – a021357 • Slide 8: Winnipeg Immigration Hall c1890 – LAC – c2334 • Slide 10: Immigration Hall No. 1 Winnipeg, (Dominion Immigration Hall), Archives of Manitoba - N21668 • Slide 16: Edmonton Immigration Hall 1931-1971, Frank Dumont – CIC Edmonton

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