Introduction
Canada held racist views on immigration policy until the second half of the 60s of the 20th century. Only white people from the United States, European countries, and the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as relatives of residents of Canada, could become new citizens.
However, everything changed dramatically in 1967 with the introduction of the Points System. According to Paquet (2018), “merit-based” immigration systems are based on the principle of selecting newcomers according to their skills, education, adaptability, language proficiency, and overall human capital” (para. 6). Similar drastic liberal changes were characteristic of many Western countries in the post-war era. This work will identify and discuss the social, economic, and political prerequisites of the Canadian Points System immigration policy.
Social Reasoning of Points System
The process of British decolonization had a tremendous social impact not only on the liberated countries but also on the states of Western civilization. Canadians began to feel like a bilingual and multi-cultural community consisting of British, French, and Canadian people. US media has also helped shape Canadian citizens’ perceptions of universal equality through broadcasts discussing minority civil rights movements (Belshaw, 2016). The result was the rise of many countercultural and socialist movements among campus students in the late 50s and early 60s, united under the common term “the New Left.” The new generation denied racial prejudice, welcomed various ethnic groups, and was ready to change the country’s policy.
Economic Reasoning of Points System
From a financial perspective, Canada’s population growth has not kept pace with its economy. According to Saunders (2017), “the fast-growing economy was creating vast labor shortages, and the lack of sufficient consumers and taxpayers…” (para. 43).
Also, over the entire 20-year period after the Second World War, Canada was switching from a manufacturing to a service economic model, which required more people involved. Residents of developed Western countries did not want to immigrate to Canada; in 1961, there was even a decline in population growth (Saunders, 2017). These socioeconomic prerequisites became the driver for a decisive political step towards the adoption of the Points System.
Political Reasoning of Points System
A change in immigration policy is the direct result of the process of Canada’s self-determination, which began long before 1967. In the early 60s, the Canadian authorities already debated about the national anthem and flag, which resulted in changes in the national symbol in 1965 and the country’s theme in the 1980s (Saunders, 2017). Political independence also implied a gradual withdrawal from Great Britain and an understanding of oneself as a North American state. Canada began to establish trade and political relations with the USA by abolishing tariffs and creating friendlier border legislation. This policy also affected other countries, which also required the introduction of a fair immigration policy for all.
Conclusion
This paper discusses the main reasons for the Canadian immigration Points System introduction, which during the study were divided into social, economic, and political. From a social perspective, the reason was the primacy of the principles of racial and gender equality among the population. A fast-growing and changing economy required new labor resources, which served as an economic premise. The public and industrial demand entailed decisions by the Canadian government that came to the self-determination of Canada as a politically independent state, and not part of the British possessions. The desire for independence can be distinguished as the main factor and a common feature of all the above reasons.
References
Belshaw, J. D. (2016). Canadian history: Post-confederation. Web.
Paquet, M. (2018). Canada’s merit-based immigration system is no ‘magic bullet’. The Conversation. Web.
Saunders, D. (2017). In 1967, change in Canada could no longer be stopped. The Canadian Press. Web.