Radical Policies

by Vadim Kukushkin, University of Alberta

Introduction | Directives | Debates | Dreams | References

Source

Introduction

In October 1929, the world stock market crash ended the era of prosperity and optimism, and began a period of economic depression, unemployment and social unrest. The open-door immigration policy of the mid- and late 1920s soon clashed with the new economic reality. In March 1931, the new Conservative government of R.B. Bennett passed an order-in-council (P.C. 695), which limited admissible classes of immigrants to certain categories: agriculturalists with means; wives and children of Canadian residents; and British subjects or American citizens with sufficient capital to sustain themselves until employment could be secured. Combined with several other admissions restrictions, this effectively sealed off Canadian borders for the majority of prospective immigrants. After 1930, immigration to Canada was virtually brought to a halt. In 1936, only about 11,000 immigrants entered the country -- fewer than in any previous year of the Dominion's history.