1924 - Annual Convention Report

              T E N T H A N N U A L C O N V E N T I ON 29
U n d e r t h i s p l a n persons who have been d u l y n o m i n a t e d for the purpose may
receive a s s i s t a n c e i n t h e f o rm of a l o a n not exceeding t h e t o t a l cost of t r a n s p o r t a t i on
at lowest t h i r d r a t e class f r om port of e m b a r k a t i o n i n the U n i t e d K i n g d o m to r a il
d e s t i n a t i o n i n C a n a d a . In the case of u n m a r r i e d persons the l o a n is to be r e p a id
w i t h i n one y e a r after a r r i v a l i n C a n a d a . M a r r i e d men have three years i n w h i c h to
p a y t h e l o a n . No i n t e r e s t is charged. C h i l d r e n who have not reached their seven­t
e e n t h b i r t h d a y also receive assistance to the extent of t h e i r t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , but
i n t h e i r case the assistance is g i v e n as a n o u t r i g h t grant of w h i c h r e p a y m e n t is not
r e q u i r e d . In b o t h cases assistance is s t r i c t l y l i m i t e d t o those who h a v e been a p p r o v ed
b y the D e p a r t m e n t a n d who engage t o settle on the l a n d.
F e m a l e household workers are also assisted b y means of a l o a n not exceeding
t h e amount of t h e i r t r a n s p o r t a t i o n and t h e y m a y engage t o w o r k o n farms or else­where
i n C a n a d a . As a special inducement to s u p p l y female household labor for
t h e f a rm those who engage i n f a rm w o r k for one year after a r r i v a l i n C a n a d a are
a l l o w e d a r e f u n d of £ 6 each p r o v i d e d t h e y have i n the meantime made s a t i s f a c t o ry
p a y m e n t s on t h e i r loans.
A new and i m p o r t a n t p r o v i s i o n is that nominators of persons to be assisted
under the A s s i s t e d Passage Scheme need not be p e r s o n a l l y k n o w n b y the nominee.
N o m i n a t i o n s m a y be made b y B r i t i s h subjects a l r e a d y resident i n C a n a d a , b y the
D o m i n i o n G o v e r n m e n t or a n y of its Agents, or b y any P r o v i n c i a l Government
i n C a n a d a o r i t s A g e n t s.
T o ensure t h e best service at moderate cost to n e w l y a r r i v e d i m m i g r a n t s the
r e s t a u r a n t i n the I m m i g r a t i o n B u i l d i n g at Quebec is n ow o p e r a t e d b y the D e p a r t ­ment
of I m m i g r a t i o n a n d C o l o n i z a t i o n o n a cost basis a n d as a G o v e r n m e n t under­t
a k i n g . Only t h e best food is s e r v e d a n d p r i n t e d l i s t s a n n o u n c e i n several languages
t h e rates w h i c h m a y be charged.
As a result of r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s b y the D e p a r t m e n t the t r a n s p o r t a t i o n companies
have agreed to a l l ow a rebate of 20 per cent, of ocean fares p a i d b y B r i t i s h e r s em­i
g r a t i n g to C a n a d a . This results in a m a t e r i a l cash s a v i n g to such i m m i g r a n ts
a n d places t h em i n that m u c h b e t t e r p o s i t i o n t o begin t h e i r careers i n C a n a d a.
S p e c i a l endeavor is b e i n g made to p r o m o t e s e t t l e m e n t of f a m i l y u n i t s and also
g r o u p settlement i n the v a r i o u s p r o v i n c e s . These a c t i v i t i e s at present relate to
B r i t i s h e r s carefully selected under the E m p i r e S e t t l e m e n t Scheme but the group
s e t t l e m e n t plan is also b e i n g extended t o w a r d c e r t a i n C o n t i n e n t a l races, h a v i ng
a l w a y s i n v i ew the d e s i r a b i l i t y of b r i n g i n g t h em as q u i c k l y as possible under C a n a ­d
i a n influences.
F o r the more effective c o - o r d i n a t i o n of the D e p a r t m e n t ' s a c t i v i t i e s i n Great
B r i t a i n a n d C e n t r a l E u r o p e a D i r e c t o r of E u r o p e a n E m i g r a t i o n has been appointed
w i t h h e a d q u a r t e r s i n L o n d o n . Under h i m are staffs d e v o t e d to the w o r k i n G r e at
B r i t a i n a n d also to the w o r k of the C o n t i n e n t.
A l l classes, regardless of o c c u p a t i o n , are now eligible for e n t r y from Great
B r i t a i n subject to the usual requirements of g o o d h e a l t h , gcod character, and
freedom f r om l i k e l i h o o d of b e c o m i n g a p u b l i c charge. I m m i g r a t i o n f r om preferred
c o u n t r i e s of N o r t h e r n E u r o p e is a l so b e i n g f a c i l i t a t e d b y a l l p r a c t i c a l means. Other
i m m i g r a n t s are s t i l l r e q u i r e d to be of e i t h e r the a g r i c u l t u r a l or d o m e s t i c class a n d to
be assured of e m p l o y m e n t or s u p p o r t u p o n a r r i v a l.
T o f a c i l i t a t e E u r o p e a n i m m i g r a t i o n a n d prevent h a r d s h i p to i n t e n d i n g i m ­m
i g r a n t s a more thorough c i v i l i n s p e c t i o n and greater a d v i s o r y service f r om the
medical point of v i ew has been established at C o n t i n e n t a l centres.
I n a d d i t i o n t o its a c t i v i t i e s i n G r e a t B r i t a i n a n d E u r o p e the D e p a r t m e n t pays
m u c h a t t e n t i o n to the p o s s i b i l i t i e s of i m m i g r a t i o n f r om the U n i t e d States. In
December, 1923, a special a d v e r t i s i n g c a m p a i g n was l a u n c h e d i n t h e U n i t e d States
w h i c h resulted i n f o u r m o n t h s i n the receipt of 21,344 i n q u i r i e s c o n c e r n i n g C a n a d i an
o p p o r t u n i t i e s . This volume of i n q u i r i e s f r om the U n i t e d States i n d i c a t e s a wide­s
p r e a d interest i n t h a t c o u n t r y i n the p o s s i b i l i t i e s offered by C a n a d a to i n t e n d i ng
s e t t l e r s , a n d there is e v e r y reason to expect t h a t this i n t e r e s t w i l l e v e n t u a l l y result
i n a n increased movement of A m e r i c a n settlers to C a n a d a . In the m e a n t i m e the
m a c h i n e r y of the D e p a r t m e n t in the U n i t e d States is b e i n g r e - o r g a n i z e d a l o n g the
most efficient lines.
T h e a c t i v i t i e s w h i c h have been o u t l i n e d , c o m b i n e d w i t h the great v o l u m e of
p u b l i c i t y w h i c h must accrue to C a n a d a as a result of her successful p a r t i c i p a t i on
i n the B r i t i s h E m p i r e E x h i b i t i o n , creates a hopeful o u t l o o k for i m m i g r a t i o n a c t i v i t i e s .
C a n a d a ' s p r o s p e r i t y depends u p o n the development of her n a t u r a l resources, and
i m m i g r a t i o n policies h a v e been a d o p t e d designed to b r i n g about t h a t development,
T h e D e p a r t m e n t charged w i t h t h i s work has been re- organized a n d consolidated,
a n d a l r e a d y there is a p r o n o u n c e d u p w a r d movement of i m m i g r a t i o n t o C a n a d a,
t h e t o t a l for the year ended M a r c h 31st, 1924, b e i n g 148,560 as against 72,887 for