Canada's parliamentarians: Their identities and their beliefs
by Maurice Y. Michaud (he/him)
When Canada was created in 1867, it was far from being the diverse country that it is today. At that time, those who were not born here had come principally from the British Isles, whereas those who spoke French, for the most part, had been born here. Both anglophones and francophones were Christians — in fact, almost entirely Roman Catholic among the francophones. It was a time when "sexual diversity" was unheard of — or, when it was, was promptly outlawed. And, as much as the arrival of the European settlers had been a disaster for the First Nations people, it only got worse for them in the decades that followed, with the process of reconciliation and healing barely beginning in the 21st century.
Three great waves of immigration have occurred since the beginning of Confederation.
The first, from roughly 1890 to 1920, saw a large influx of people from Eastern and Southern Europe, many of whom settled in the West. Immigration from China was tightly controlled during that time, and the rights of East Asians, including the right to vote, were severely limited until the late 1940s.
The second wave came after World War II, this time from all over Europe, but with British subjects being favoured.
The current and third wave began in the 1970s, and opened the possibility of immigration into Canada to the entire world. The revision of the Immigration Act, which occurred at that time, implemented a point system based on a wide range of categories, including education, professional skills, relatives in Canada, knowledge of English or French, and "personal characteristics."
So, as demographers would point out, despite its declining birth rate and a marked aging of its population, Canada has gone, in 55 years, from having about 20 million people in 1968 to almost 40 million. The diversity that has resulted is alarming to some for various reasons, but accepted and often celebrated by most. This search engine allows you to find the people of so-called "non-traditional" backgrounds who have been elected to Parliament or the provincial or territorial legislatures.
When Canada was created in 1867, it was far from being the diverse country that it is today. At that time, those who were not born here had come principally from the British Isles, whereas those who spoke French, for the most part, had been born here. Both anglophones and francophones were Christians — in fact, almost entirely Roman Catholic among the francophones. It was a time when "sexual diversity" was unheard of — or, when it was, was promptly outlawed. And, as much as the arrival of the European settlers had been a disaster for the First Nations people, it only got worse for them in the decades that followed, with the process of reconciliation and healing barely beginning in the 21st century.