The Settlement of Indochinese Refugees: A Preliminary Analysis based on Interviews with Officials of the Canada Employment and Immigration Commission

This 1981 report by Meyer Burstein, led the late Kirk Bell, then Immigration Director General of Policy at Employment and Immigration Canada, to call Meyer in for a chat. This work was Meyer’s introduction to immigration matters. Nevertheless, Bell offered Meyer a job as Director of Data Analysis and Forecasts.  Meyer had a staff of three including Ludwig Meduna (an economist, who taught Meyer a lot), a statistical clerk and a secretary.  A far cry from today’s research and analysis division at IRCC. Meyer reflects that the group had significant influence on the program and while he wouldn’t now stand by all the recommendations he still thinks the report was perceptive.

Meyer puts it that the work transformed his public service career and he now works with many organizations just coming into being when he conducted the evaluation.

Note that while the report’s introduction refers to a list of offices Meyer visited, that list is no longer part of this copy of the report.