Canada In The Twentieth Century

865 Words2 Pages

“Canada has been modest in its history. In my estimation, it is only commencing. It is commencing in this century… I think that the twentieth century shall be filled with Canada.” The statement which would define the century, Sir Wilfred Laurier had bold expectations for Canada’s grand endeavors to come. What he did not see, however, was that the twentieth century may indeed be filled by Canada, but for its dark and regrettable decisions which would leave the country in shame. Truly lamentable acts such as the 1911 ban on Black immigrants, Japanese internment during the Second World War, and the horrors of Residential Schooling throughout the entire century were seen as moral, even necessary actions for Canada to enforce. It is exploits like …show more content…

Even in the early 1900’s a strict divide became evident between the white – British and French – Canadians and minority populations. As an extension of this severance, the Canadian government made a proposal in the year 1911 to outlaw all immigrants of African American or “Black” descent for a duration of one year. After experiencing extreme racism and violence while living in the United States, many Black Americans sought out new beginnings over Canadian borders. However, the estimated 1,500 of those which succeeded between the years 1905 and 1912 were again met with prejudice and a demand for their removal. The Order-In-Council P.C. 1324 read that “the Negro race… is deemed unsuitable to the climate and requirements of Canada.” Although approved by Sir Wilfred Laurier himself, the Order was never put into effect. Nevertheless, tremendous efforts were still made to limit the number of Black immigrants coming to Canada; including extensive background and medical exams, the placement of agents in Oklahoma to deter residents from immigrating, as well as the denial of status and certificates entitled to new citizens. Blatant discrimination of this stature are what determined Canada’s reputation for many years and, in turn, sparked ever further racial conflicts in the …show more content…

With a murderous stigma placed upon Japanese people by propaganda at the time, many Canadians were taught to fear the entire race. They were labelled “enemy aliens” and a danger to national security. Only in operation for two years, the camps resulted in the eviction and relocation of over 90 percent of Japanese Canadians; many of which were first and second generation Canadian born citizens. This equates to approximately 120,000 innocent Canadians becoming imprisoned with no reasonable cause, other than their Japanese heritage. Any Japanese Canadians who decided to resist internment were immediately taken to prisoner of war camps. Once impounded, family units had most of their possessions taken into government custody. While any land, homes, or businesses that they owned were repossessed and sold off; the money gained from the prisoners’ estate was then used to fund the camps. Harsh living conditions, manual labor, and a sense similar to that of a caged animal were common themes experienced by prisoners in the camps. Japanese internment camps were neither the first nor last of their kind in Canada’s history. Similar establishments aimed toward German and Slavic Canadians during the First World War set a precedence for these Japanese camps, as well as Italian internment mere years

Open Document