1867-1914: Background / Fitful Growth / Changing Conditions / First Wave / Laurier Boom

Laurier Boom

Clifford Sifton

Economic Takeoff

Demography

Frank Oliver

The immigration legislation in Oliver's period also empowered the federal government to act by order of council to decide specific questions that might arise in relation to immigration. For instance, the new Immigration Act of 1906 introduced medical inspections for the first time and ordered them for all immigrants. It also more clearly specified deportation regulations. The most important clause in the act gave the government, through orders in council, power considered "necessary or expedient" to "prohibit the landing in Canada of any class of immigrants." 15 The Immigration Act of 1910 was more specific in awarding power to immigration boards of inquiry and other government officials. It allowed the governor in council to establish the amount of money

immigrants were required to carry, "which amount may vary according to the race, occupation or destination of such immigrant…" A subsection of the same act allowed the government to prohibit entry "of immigrants belonging to any race deemed unsuited to the climate or requirements of Canada, or of immigrants of any specified class, occupation or character." Section 41 of the 1910 act also gave the government power to deport political enemies of the state who advocated "in Canada the overthrow by force or violence of the government of Great Britain or Canada … or act create or attempt to create riot or public disorder in Canada." 16

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