Why do some people leave their homes and move to a new country? People might move to reunite with family members, attend school, or find work. Others move to improve their lives and live in a safer country. When studying immigration, historians look at pull factors, things that attract immigrants to a particular country, and push factors, things that drive people away from their home countries. From 1896 to 1914, Canada experienced one of the largest immigration booms in the history of the country. In 1896, a little more than 5 million people lived in Canada. By 1914, the population was close to 8 million. The government wanted immigrants to move to the Northwest and use the land for farming, as well as fill needed jobs (pull factors). At the same time, events and conditions in Europe were driving immigration. People wanted to move to Canada for the prosperous opportunities the country offered compared to the limited opportunities in Europe (push factors).

THE NEED FOR FARMERS

In the 1890s, more food, such as wheat, was needed to feed the growing population of Canada. Canadian wheat was also in demand for export to other countries. The Prairie provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta were seen as the perfect place to plant new wheat crops. In 1872, the Canadian government began offering 160 acres (about 65 football fields) of free farmland to settlers in the Northwest. The Canadian Pacific Railway also promoted immigration to help build the railway and to settle the land around it. The Canadian government used immigration posters to attract people from other countries to begin a new life of farming in Canada. Look at the picture below. It's a poster created in 1893 to advertise free land available to immigrants. What elements in this poster might persuade someone to move to Canada?

Sifton wanted to focus on increasing immigration to rural areas and to populate the Prairies with homesteads, or farms. To do this, he wanted experienced farmers from Europe to move to Canada. These farmers would need to know how to survive and farm in the harsher climate and conditions of the Prairies. Before Sifton, the government had primarily focused on attracting immigrants from Britain and the United States. However, Sifton also wanted to attract settlers from eastern and central Europe because of their experience as farmers.

In addition to posters, Sifton used a variety of tactics to attract settlers and promote Canada as a desirable destination. His strategies included building Canadian exhibits at fairs, posting ads in European newspapers, and encouraging settlers to invite friends and family members to join them. He also had pamphlets distributed overseas. The pamphlets often included testimonials from people who had successfully immigrated. Read the quote below, a testimonial from a Canadian immigrant. What does it tell you about the tactics these pamphlets used to attract immigrants to Canada? Do you think this is an accurate portrayal of Canada? Why or why not?

Sifton also hired agents to travel across Europe and give speeches about the great opportunities that Canada offered. These strategies worked, and the population of the Prairies rapidly grew. For example, in 1891, 150 000 people lived in Manitoba. By 1911, the population had reached 450 000.

ESCAPING POVERTY

By offering free land to immigrants, Canada attracted immigrants from a wide variety of countries. During the immigration boom, people from Britain, Ukraine, Hungary, Romania, Germany, Poland, Italy, Iceland, China, Russia, and the United States were moving to Canada.

In 1895, Dr. Joseph Oleskiw, a Ukrainian man, visited Canada. He decided that it would be a good home for Ukrainians, many of whom paid high taxes and lived in poverty on small farms. Oleskiw wrote pamphlets to promote Canadian homesteads and encourage Ukrainians to immigrate to the Prairies. Between 1896 and 1914, about 170 000 Ukrainian immigrants settled in the Prairies. Read the quote below from Mary Somyk, whose family emigrated from Ukraine to Manitoba in 1899. What does this quote tell you about the motivations of immigrants coming to Canada?

FLEEING PERSECUTION

Political and social tensions among different groups were rising in parts of Europe. People were facing violence and discrimination because of their heritage or their religion. Many people believed they had the opportunity for a better life in Canada. The Canadian government promised immigrants that they would be free to practise their own religion and to live where they wanted.

JEWISH IMMIGRANTS

In Europe, there was a growing feeling of anti-Semitism, or prejudice against Jewish people. They were being blamed for some of the problems in European society and were the target of anti-Jewish laws. In 1881, angry mobs began to attack Jewish neighbourhoods in Russia. These anti-Semitic riots, or pogroms, became increasingly violent and resulted in the killing of about 50 people. Read the quote from Jack Myers, a Jewish man from Britain who witnessed anti-Semitic riots in Russia. What reasons does Myers give to explain why some Jewish people wanted to leave Russia?

Some of the Jewish immigrants who sought safety from persecution made their way to the Prairies to attempt lives as farmers. But most settled into the existing Jewish communities in Montréal, Toronto, and Winnipeg. In 1871, there were 1115 Jewish people living in Canada. From 1901 to 1911, more than 52 000 Jewish people immigrated to Canada.

SEEKING A BETTER FUTURE

The journey from Europe to Canada was long. The trip often required taking multiple boats, trains, and wagons over a period of weeks or even months. Examine the picture below, which shows the first Russian farmers called Doukhobors arriving in Canada. How will prepared do you think the people in the photo are for life in Canada?

1. Why did Sifton believe it was necessary to Canada’s success as a country to bring new immigrant groups to Canada at this time?

2. Why would Europeans want to come to Canada at this time? Identify some push and pull factors.

3. How do you think Sifton should be remembered by Canadians today?