Population & Settlement: Population & Settlement: The Contemporary PeriodThe Contemporary Period

Since 1867

Confederation - 1867Confederation - 1867 In 1867, the British North America Act (BNA Act) united

four provinces which created the Dominion of Canada:◦ Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick

The population of Canada (75%) was concentrated in Quebec and Ontario and mostly along the border with the United States

Majority of the population lived in rural areas, but large cities like Montreal and Toronto would soon see their numbers grow rapidly

In 1871, Canada had over 1 million inhabitants (French Canadians represented about 31% of the population)

Early Immigration PoliciesEarly Immigration Policies Immigration policies were to be shared between

provincial and federal governments:◦ Federal Gov. created an immigration policy that was aimed

to settle, secure and develop the territory

In 1869, the first immigration law was created by the Canadian Parliament:◦ Created a quarantine system (to prevent the spread of

contagious diseases)◦ Regulations concerning safety aboard ships◦ But the law did not restrict who or how many immigrants could

come to Canada

The National Policy - 1879The National Policy - 1879An economic crisis in 1873 pushed Sir John A.

Macdonald (Prime Minister) to create the National Policy:◦ There was no market for Canadian goods to be sold to (we

needed a higher population)◦ Major projects like the railroad and other developing industries

required more labourers in order to be successful

Therefore, immigration became essential to stimulate the economy

The National Policy & ImmigrationThe National Policy & Immigration

From 1871-1901, 1.5 million immigrants arrived in Canada:◦ Mostly came from the British Isles, Northern Europe and

the United States◦ Many British, Irish, and Scottish settled in Quebec

(although French remained the majority in Quebec, these new immigrants dominated certain regions such as the Eastern Townships, Outaouais, and Gaspesie) 98% of Quebec’s population were of French or British origin 80% were French Canadians 18% were British

*This new wave of immigration created cultural conflicts

What about the Natives?What about the Natives?

BNA Act deemed the federal government the “legal guardian” of all aboriginal nations and took away all lands inhabited by them

Some native groups, like the Métis, tried to rebel when white colonists were sent to their lands.

Major rebellions in Manitoba and Saskatchewan in 1870 and 1885. Louis Riel was the leader of the Métis rebellions. After the rebellions he was captured and sentenced to be hung.

Some natives emigrated to the United States or further West when colonists arrived in their areas.

Land reserves were created (still owned by the government, but for the sole use of native peoples)

The Indian Act - 1876The Indian Act - 1876

In 1876 the Indian Act was created to assimilate the natives:◦ They were confined to reserves and forced to integrate

into a Western way of life◦ They were gradually losing their identities and culture

After Confederation, native peoples represented only 0.5% of Quebec’s population

Industrialization & Urbanization:Industrialization & Urbanization:1885-19301885-1930 Increased industrialization (development of industry)

resulted in urbanization (the migration of rural populations into the cities)◦ Immigrants, peasants, and farmers who could no longer support

themselves in rural communities were attracted to factory jobs in large cities like Quebec and Montreal

Living conditions in the cities were poor:◦ Houses were overcrowded and sewers and sanitation facilities

were created later on and were often unreliable

Infant mortality was one of the main causes of death (though the natural growth rate remained high)◦ 1 in 4 children died before their first birthday due to diseases like

cholera and smallpox, or poor water quality

Industrialization & Urbanization:Industrialization & Urbanization:1885-19301885-1930

Industrial workers could not afford to live within the walls of the city of Montreal, so suburbs like the Pointe and Griffintown developed where houses were crowded and there was little or no sanitation.

Interestingly enough, many old row houses and factories in these areas have now been turned into luxury condos!

Industrialization & Urbanization:Industrialization & Urbanization:

Industrialization & Urbanization:Industrialization & Urbanization:

Industrialization & Urbanization:Industrialization & Urbanization:

Industrialization & Urbanization:Industrialization & Urbanization:

Emigration to the United StatesEmigration to the United States

By the beginning of the 20th century, emigration rates to the United States were extremely high:◦ The shortage of farmland in the Saint Lawrence Valley prompted

farmers to look elsewhere◦ The railway networks in the Northern USA made travel much

easier◦ The proximity of the American border to the majority of the

Canadian population facilitated movement◦ Wages in large American cities were higher than those offered by

Canadian industries

This migration slowed population growth in Canada

Many French Canadians were also leaving so the Government of Quebec opened up new areas of colonization to encourage people to stay in the province.

Migrations to the WestMigrations to the West People were also moving further West into Manitoba,

Saskatchewan and Alberta

French Canadians though, were less likely to move to the West:◦ They feared domination by the Anglophone majority◦ The hanging of Louis Riel after the Métis rebellions made many

French Canadians feel uncomfortable

Changes for Immigration Changes for Immigration 2020thth century century From 1900-1915, 3 million immigrants settled in Canada

(considering that in 1900, Canada only had about 5 million inhabitants, this is a significant increase!)

They settled mainly in the Prairies

Because of this drastic increase, new immigration policies were created that considered certain groups “undesirable” because of their origin, culture, state of health, political opinions, or level of wealth (favoured immigrants from the British Isles)◦ These laws also allowed people to be deported on the basis of the

same criteria

Cultural Diversity in QuebecCultural Diversity in Quebec

From 1901 to 1931, Quebec received 700,000 immigrants:

◦ About 80% of the population was French Canadian and would remain that way for the period

◦ Quebecers of British origin would drop from about 20% to 15%

◦ German, Jewish and Italian communities also developed: By 1931, 35% of the population was of Jewish origin, 14%

Italian and 6% German

World War I & ImmigrationWorld War I & Immigration1914-19181914-1918The War caused a decrease in immigration for

Canada:◦ Government had little time to devote to encouraging

immigration◦ Political tensions made immigration difficult◦ Immigrants arriving from enemy countries (Germany,

Austria, Turkey, Bulgaria...) were seen as a threat and were refused Even those who already lived here had their rights restricted

and some were sent to labour camps They also lost the right to vote

World War II & ImmigrationWorld War II & Immigration1939-19451939-1945Canada accepted very few immigrants and closed

its borders to thousands of Europeans seeking political asylum, including Jews who were persecuted

Again, people from enemy countries (in this case, Germans, Italians and Japanese) were put into labour camps and mistreated

The Baby Boom The Baby Boom

After WWII, the return of the troops and the prosperous economy contributed to the growth of the population (increase of marriages and births)

The fertility index rose to 3.84 children per woman Mortality rate was also very low:

◦ Plunged from 120 per 1000 in 1931 to 32 per 1000 in 1961 More women gave birth in hospitals:

94% in 1960, as compared to 16% in 1940

The average age of the population thus decreased which forced the government to invest in the creation of schools and hospitals to meet the needs of the population

The end of the Baby Boom – 1960s The end of the Baby Boom – 1960s After the baby boom, the birth rate declined and Quebec

experienced some major changes:

◦ The Quiet Revolution and the modernization of Quebec (traditional religious Catholic society becomes more modern)

◦ Women no longer wanted to have as many children – they were not required to stay home and could join the workforce or go to University

◦ The birth control pill was introduced

◦ Most families now only had 1 or 2 children

◦ Marriage decreased and divorces increased

Evolution of Immigration policiesEvolution of Immigration policies1950s & 1960s1950s & 1960s In 1950, the federal government created the Ministry of

Citizenship and Immigration to establish criteria for those wishing to enter the country:◦ British, French, Americans and Asians with family in Canada were

the priority◦ Asians without family in Canada, Indians, Pakistanis, and Sri

Lankans were excluded

In the 1960s, these policies were changes and all criteria that were racially discriminatory were removed:◦ It instead gave priority to individual merit such as professional

qualifications, knowledge of French or English, and level of education

◦ Refugees were also allowed

The Immigration Act - 1975The Immigration Act - 1975 The objectives of the Immigration Act were:

◦ Encourage population growth◦ Enrich cultural heritage◦ Facilitate family reunions◦ Facilitate the adaption of new residents to our society◦ Conduct candidate selection with non-discriminatory criteria◦ Maintain a humanitarian attitude towards refugees

This change in attitude allowed for a more diversified population including immigrants from Portugal, the Philippines, Jamaica, India, Greece, Yugoslavia, and China

Immigration and QuebecImmigration and Quebec Many Francophone Quebecers feared that most immigrants

were becoming anglicized and that this would threaten French culture

◦ In 1976, the PQ adopted the Charter of the French Language or BILL 101 which forced the children of immigrants to attend French school

◦ Immigration was also encouraged by citizens from traditionally French speaking countries such as Lebanon, Egypt, and North Africa

Migration & Occupation of QuebecMigration & Occupation of Quebec Development of resource regions (forestry, mining, and

hydroelectric projects) in the Cote-Nord

Urbanization continued because of job opportunities

This resulted in urban sprawl (city centers become overpopulated so the boundaries increase – for Montreal, suburbs are created since the boundaries were limited)◦ Families found the suburbs to be more accommodating – they could live in

single family homes with a yard, perceived to be more safe while still close to the city

Population of Quebec – 1980s onwardPopulation of Quebec – 1980s onward

Since the 1980s the population of Quebec has faced several challenges:

• Low birth rate (especially among French Canadians)• Daycare programs, tax exemptions, maternity and paternity leave...

• An aging population• requires better health care, pension plans...• also causes problems for the workforce (less experienced workers)• no longer required to retire at 65

What about the natives today?What about the natives today? Between 1996 and 2006, the native population has

increased by 45% (6 times greater than the growth rate of non-aboriginal populations during the same period)

Over 90% of aboriginal couples have children and aboriginal populations have twice as many children