Immigrant Settlement in Canada
Immigrant Settlement in Canada – Practitioners made it perfect
This project presents a series of interviews conducted with professionals who helped transform the delivery of settlement services to newly arrived immigrants to Canada. They have worked in various facets of Canada’s immigration system and, in many instances, had to fill a policy void with practical measures to ensure the effective integration of newcomers into the social and economic mainstream.
Over the course of several months, the CIHS engaged with individuals whose experiences, expertise, and personal stories contribute to a deeper understanding of the complexities of immigration policy, support, and settlement processes. These interviews reflect the diversity of roles within Canada’s immigration landscape, capturing perspectives from policy developers, settlement workers, legal advisors, and others who directly influence the lives of immigrants and refugees in Canada.
Through this collection, we aim to highlight the stories of those who have dedicated their careers to shaping Canada’s settlement system, providing a unique lens into the challenges, achievements, and ongoing evolution of immigration practices in the country.
In 1966, the government actually abandoned the provision of services by dedicated settlement staff. They believed that storefront employment services bureaux could meet the needs of newcomers that they could expect to receive from government agencies to get them on their feet. Government was wrong. Just as immigration flows were changing dramatically to bring people from countries whose societies and cultures were vastly different from those they would encounter in Canada—and who needed more help, not less—the Department created a void, leaving new arrivals to fend for themselves.
Without direction from senior management, immigration staff, and civil society—who were on the front line of encounter with these newcomers—had to use their creative energies, their links to the nongovernmental sector, and common sense to respond to human need as they saw it—and, in so doing, filled the void. This project shares the voices of some who dealt with the issue firsthand. Through their stories, we seek to create a more comprehensive public understanding of the human element that shaped the policy and its impacts on both individuals and communities.
These interviews not only serve as a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and advocates, but also offer a rare opportunity to gain insight into the personal and professional experiences of those at the forefront of immigration in Canada. We invite you to explore these interviews and reflect on the significant contributions these individuals have made to one of the most dynamic and important areas of Canadian society.
These are the individuals who participated in this project, along with a brief description of what was covered in the course of their interview. All interview transcripts have been edited for clarity.
Alvin Hamm – Alvin Hamm joined the Department of Manpower and Immigration in 1968 and was with that department and its successors, Employment and Immigration Canada and Citizenship and Immigration Canada, until 2002. He worked briefly on the Ugandan Asian movement in 1972, and with the Southeast Asian refugee movement in the late 1970s. He offers his memories of the evolution of settlement services and the role played by the provincial government.
Bob Parkes – Bob Parkes worked in the settlement division at the Ontario Regional Headquarters of Employment and Immigration from 1978 to 1987. In this interview, he discusses his work during his time in that office.
Brian Bell – Brian Bell is a former Canadian government employee who worked in refugee settlement for the Canadian Employment and Immigration Commission between 1979 and 1981. His work was mainly with the Southeast Asian refugee movement.
Chris Friesen – Chris Friesen has had a long career in the area of immigration settlement, since the mid-1980s, working with a variety of not-for-profit organizations. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer for the Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia (ISSofBC) and spent many years as the co-chair of the National Settlement and Immigration Council. He is also one of the founders and executive members of the Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia (ISSofBC).
In this interview, he speaks about the evolution of the not-for-profit and volunteer sector and its increasing importance in delivering services to refugees and other immigrants.
Irene Bader – Irene Bader worked for Citizenship and Immigration Canada and its predecessor departments, as well as with the federal heritage department, from 1972 to 2007. During that time, she worked in various capacities at the Ontario regional office, eventually leading that office as its director general.
In the 1970s, she worked as a regional resettlement officer and offers some of her memories of her work during that period in this interview.
Lucille LeBlanc
Wilma Jenkins