During May of 1939, the SS St. Louis set sail with 937 Jewish refugees aboard, to Cuba. These refugees were hopeful of being saved from Hilter's coming madness. The many refugees were stateless and unwanted. As they discovered this, they began to rely on the perminent escape of sucide, many tried to plunged overboard and harm their bodies. But, the captain of this ill-fated ship, took a desperate charge towards the shores of Canada, in hope of acceptance of the refugees. When they arrived, the Jewish passengers were refused entry. The director of the immigration branch of the Department of Mines and Resources in Canada, Frederick Blair, states, "none is too many" when it comes to Jewish immigration. Due to past Canadian Government's unhumanitary decisions, many Jewish refugees were unable to settle in Canada, and had to find elsewhere to be accepted. After World War II, Canadian Government's notted their wrongdoings and slowly allowed Jewish immigrants to settle in Canada. Becuase of Canada's wrong doings and uncalled for rejections, this reveals that Canada was discriminative during this time in 1939.
Riley, you have good information and a clear point that Canada was discriminatory at this time. How has Canada improved itself sense this incident?
ReplyDeleteCanada has improved itself since this incident by accepting many immigrants, and not allowing their past discriminatory ways to affect whom they allow to live here. Also we have been perceived as a country who promotes peace and accpetance by showing our kindness.
ReplyDeleteCanada did not want Jews in Canada because we were still in the depression or just starting to get out of it. Canada was afraid that having more people would cause the depression to continue because we already did not have enough jobs to provide to Canadians.
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