Social Studies 9
Chapter 5: How well do Canada’s immigration laws and policies respond to immigration issues?
Issues for Canadians: Pages 162-193
Chapter 5 Review Notes
● The families of many Canadians originated in other parts of the world immigrated
to Canada
● Immigration:
● Immigration is an important part of Canada’s legislative framework because it
affects the quality of life of Canadians and of people who seek to build a home in
Canada
● Immigration poses opportunities and challenges for citizenship for building a
society in which all Canadians-existing and new-belong
Focus Questions for Chapter 5:
1. What criteria does Canada use when accepting immigrants and refugees?
2. How do the individual and collective rights of Canadians influence immigration
laws and policies?
3. How do provinces influence immigration laws and policies?
What Criteria Does Canada Use When Accepting Immigrants and Refugees?
What is the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act?
● The immigration and Refugee Protection Act dates from 2002
● It establishes categories of who can come to Canada from other countries to make
permanent homes here
● It lays out the objectives of those categories
Immigration Categories:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Label two of the objectives of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. (pg.167)
1.
2.
How does immigration aim to meet Canada’s workforce needs?
Demographic:
Labour Force Growth:
What is the Point System for accepting immigrants?
● The point system is part of the criteria Canada uses to decide who to accept as
immigrants
● Dates from 1967
● It applies only to economic immigrants (skilled workers and professionals)
● Refugee and family class immigrants do not have to qualify under the point
system
How does health factor into qualifying as an immigrant?
● Every potential economic immigrant to Canada must provide proof that they are
in good health
● A person may be refused entry into Canada if:
1.
2.
3.
● None of these health requirements apply to people entering Canada as refugee or
as family class immigrants
How are Canada’s immigration laws today different than in the past?
● No one today is excluded from Canada because of their race or country of origin
● The point system evaluates people based on their skills and education
● In the past, Canada favored immigrants from British ancestry and restricted
immigration from Asian countries, such as China and India
What is Canada’s policy towards refugees?
● Refugee: a person who seeks refuge in another country because of danger or
persecution in their home country
● Name three objectives of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, 2002.
(pg.177)
1.
2.
3.
How Do The Individuals and Collective Rights of Canadians Influence Immigration
laws and Policies?
What is the Singh decision?
● In Canada, April 4 is known as Refugee Rights Day, following 1985 Supreme
Court decision known as the Singh decision
● Satnam Singh came to Canada from India seeking refugee status
● Canada’s government rejected his case under the Immigration Act, 1976
● This violated section 7 of the Charter of rights and freedoms
● The Supreme Court of Canada said everyone in the Charter means everyone-
every person physically present in Canada
● Result: right to hearing, establishment of the Immigration and Refugee Board,
provided people seeking status with life necessities while they wait
How does immigration involve the collective rights of Aboriginal peoples?
How Do Provinces Influence Immigration Laws and Policies?
How does immigration affect Canada’s cities and regions?
● Provinces control some aspects of immigration, in an attempt to make sure
immigration fits and meets their needs
● Under the Provincial Nomination Program, provinces can “nominate” a
percentage of the immigrants Canada selects each year
● This means, for example, that Alberta can specify that it needs immigrants with
particular skills
● It also allows provinces to set up their own immigration offices in foreign
countries
● The Provincial Nomination Program increases the likelihood that immigrants will
settle in the province whose labour needs match their skills
Canada-Quebec Accord
● Accord: a formal agreement
● The Canada-Quebec Accord is a specific agreement with Quebec
● Under the accord, Quebec can nominate the percentage of immigrants to Canada
that corresponds to its population within Canada
● It also allows Quebec to require immigrants who settle in Quebec to send their
children to French-Language schools
● Quebec seeks immigrants whose first language is French