Immigration and Integration of Immigrants in Canada's Territories

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Immigration and Integration of Immigrants in
Canada's Territories

• by
• Robert Vineberg
• February 17, 2009

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Purpose

• Provide an overview of immigration to Canadas
  three northern territories
• Review the history of immigration to the
  territories
• Examine the current situation
• Suggest future directions for the immigration
  policies of the territories

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A Little Bit of History

• Post-aboriginal migration driven by resources
• Furs
• Metals
• Diamonds
• Oil and Gas
• Impact of Immigration
• Need to ensure distinct character and culture of
  North maintained

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The Hudson Bay Company

• Chartered in 1670
• Grant of Ruperts Land and the North-Western
  Territory
• Administrative Responsibilities
• Initial Migration
• Canadiens
• Selkirk Settlers
• Rivalry with the Northwest Company

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The Great Purchase

• Confederation
• Canadas western aspirations
• Royal Charter to reviewed
• Decline of the fur trade
• HBC ownership more interested in land and land
  development
• 3 way negotiations (Canada, UK and HBC) lead to
  purchase of Ruperts Land and the N-W Territory
  in 1870

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Administration of the NWT

• Capital and Lt. Governor in Winnipeg
• Postage Stamp province of Manitoba carved out
  of NWT
• Manitoba 12,000 in 1871
• NWT 29,000 in 1871
• NWMP established
• Coming of the Railway
• By 1901 almost 500,000 on the Prairies

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Klondike Gold!

• Discovered in1895
• Gold rush reaches peak in 1898
• Dawson City grows to est. 40,000
• NWMP set up border posts
• Separate Yukon Territory created in 1898
• Gold rush ends
• Population of Yukon drops to 8,500
• Territorial status remains

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Today
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The Air Age

• Post-WW1 bush pilots
• Exploration of the north for resources
• Migration largely from the south
• Some overseas migration starting in 70s and 80s
  with growth of territorial administrations in the
  North
• Most working in government and related fields
  (education health care)

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Immigration the Territories Today

• Large aboriginal population
• Relatively small immigrant and Visible Minority
  population

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Immigration the Territories Today

• Most immigration has gone to the three capital
  cities

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Immigration the Territories Today
Canada's Territories - Immigration 1998-2007 Canada's Territories - Immigration 1998-2007 Canada's Territories - Immigration 1998-2007 Canada's Territories - Immigration 1998-2007  
   
         
Year Yukon NWT Nunavut Total
       
1998 62 63 n/a 125
1999 76 58 14 148
2000 59 83 12 154
2001 65 95 13 173
2002 50 60 12 122
2003 59 94 9 162
2004 62 89 8 159
2005 64 84 12 160
2006 64 98 9 171
2007 86 88 19 193

• Source Facts and Figures 2007 Citizenship and
  Immigration Canada

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Immigration the Territories Today

• Source Facts and Figures 2007 Citizenship and
  Immigration Canada

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Immigration the Territories Today

• Primary immigration figures are not sufficient to
  account for the numbers of immigrants in the
  northern population
• The immigrant population of 6,275 in 2006, would
  suggest perhaps 300 immigrants per year over the
  last 20 years
• Relatively large numbers of immigrants,
  originally destined to cities in the southern
  parts of Canada, have been drawn to the north by
  the same factors that draw Canadians

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Federal Territorial Relations

• All 3 territories work closely with CIC
• But all are at different stages of engagement
• To date, only Yukon has a framework agreement and
  a TNP agreement
• First in 2001
• Current agreements signed in May 2008
• GNWT is showing interest in a TNP agreement

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CIC Presence

• One person office in Whitehorse
• Supported by CIC Prince George
• One person office in Yellowknife
• Supported by CIC Edmonton
• Nunavut serviced by CIC Winnipeg
• Assisted by officer in Yellowknife

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Settlement Services

• In Yukon, SPO is the Association Franco-Yukonaise
• 2008-09
• ISAP 93,836
• LINC 85,820
• HOST 34,178
• In NWT the major SPO is Aurora College
• 2008-09
• Comprehensive contract for 156,122
• Also ISAP contract for francophone settlement
  with the Féderation Franco-TéNoise for 60,000
• No settlement services to date in Nunavut

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Enhanced Language Training

• Recently offered in both Yukon and NWT
• In Yukon, SPO is Yukon College
• 2008-09 contract for 111,274 and Government of
  Yukon contributing an additional 26,190
• In NWT, SPO is Aurora College
• Contract to June 2009 for 57,621

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Territorial Organization

• Yukon Department of Education
• NWT Department of Education Culture and
  Employment
• Nunavut Department of Executive and
  Intergovernmental Affairs
• All three members of CICs FPT Planning Table

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Territorial Nominees Program

• Only Yukon has a Nominees Program
• Hit high gear in 2008
• Critical Impact Worker Category created in
  November 2007
• Inception to December 2008
• 299 principal applicants
• 201 of them in the Critical Impact category
• Yukon likely to surpass NWT as major Northern
  Destination
• Yukon also interested in TFW annex

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NGOs

• Francophone Associations in Yukon and NWT as
  noted earlier
• Newcomers Ethno-Cultural Centre in Yellowknife
• Churches
• Islamic Centre of Yellowknife
• Chambers of Commerce supportive of immigration
  but no specific programs in place

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Policy Implications - 1

• NWT and Nunavut only provinces or territories
  without means to select own immigrants
• Costs of the program is a concern
• But cost of not doing so must be considered
• E.g. diamond cutters and polishers
• Propose contracting with another jurisdiction for
  program delivery

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Policy Implications - 2

• Promotion
• Yukon making good use of web site to promote
  immigration and deliver TNP
• NWT and Nunavut need to do the same
• Portal funding available agreements in place
  with Yukon and NWT
• All three territories should recruit immigrants
  from southern Canada
• Québec model

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Policy Implications - 3

• Settlement
• NWT need to press CIC to ensure all available
  settlement funding is spent and spent effectively
• Capacity in more NGOs needs to be developed
• Recommend use of Small Centres Toolbox
• Immigration needs to be regarded as a whole of
  government issue
• Especially housing, schooling, health

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Policy Implications - 4

• Balancing Immigration and needs of the Aboriginal
  Population
• Indigenous population must be provided all the
  advantages offered to immigrants
• Benefits of immigration must be clear to all
  citizens of the territories
• Cooperation
• All three levels of government need to work
  together and all three territories can benefit by
  working together on Immigration issues

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Thank you!
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Credits

• Text Notes
• Please see my paper, Immigration and Integration
  of Immigrants in Canadas Territories
• Illustrations
• Polar Bear Illustrations from First People
  website http//www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Links/
  link2us.html
• Maps
• Territorial Evolution of Canada Maps from the
  Atlas of Canada (Natural Resources Canada) from
  the Library and Archives Canada website
  http//www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/0
  23001-2101-e.html
• Map of the Territories from the Natural Resources
  Canada Website http//atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/engl
  ish/maps/reference/provincesterritories/northern_t
  erritories

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