This report was approved at the Annual General Meeting of October 26. The next edition of our Bulletin will carry reports on the meeting. CIHS Treasurer’s Report 2017 October 26, 2017 The activity surrounding the publication of our book ‘Running on Empty’ significantly affected our finances in 2016/17 and in some respects has transformed the Society placing…
CIHS member Erica Usher presents a copy of Running on Empty to IOM Director General, William Swing at IOM HQ in Geneva where Erica is on assignment as Senior Policy Adviser, Global Compact for Migration.
The CBC website carries two articles stemming from ‘Running on Empty’. In the first, some of the immigration officers involved talk of their experiences. In the second, we read of one of the refugees recognizing a photo of himself taken during his interview for Canada and reflecting, along with his daughter, about that chapter in his life.
CIHS is pleased to promote on-line stories about the reception of Syrian refugees in Ottawa – stories from the immigrants themselves but also from people involved in this refugee movement and who contributed in one way or another. The site is run by the Ottawa organization ‘Refugee613’ that the Society has worked with.
CBC News reported on ‘Running on Empty: Canada and the Indochinese Refugees, 1975-1980’
Radio-Canada a diffusé un reportage sur « Running on Empty: Canada and the Indochinese Refugees, 1975-1980 »
In consultation with Society President Michael Molloy, Historica Canada has produced and released (on World Refugee Day – June 20) a Heritage Minute on the Indochinese ‘boat people’. The story in the Heritage Minute is based on the experiences of CBC Ottawa reporter Judy Trinh who was master of ceremonies at the launch of “Running on Empty:…
The Society marks with sadness the recent passing of the Honourable Ron Atkey, P.C.. Mr. Atkey was the minister responsible for immigration and refugee matters when the government of the Right Honourable Joe Clark significantly increased Canada’s commitment to resettle Indochinese refugees. We are honoured that Mr. Atkey wrote the foreword to our new book…
The Society proudly announces the publication of its book, ‘Running on Empty’, on the Indochinese ‘boat people’ movement under the banner of McGill Queen’s University Press. The book focuses on the work of Canadian public servants in Southeast Asia and Canada to meet an unprecedented commitment to resettle 70,000 of the refugees before the end of 1980….
Our late colleague, John Sheardown, and his wife, Zena, are featured in a column from the ‘Ottawa Citizen’ of January 19. Their role in sheltering US diplomats in Tehran is recounted in a story about the transfer of archival holdings to the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa.
At the October 20 AGM, Treasurer Raph Girard tabled the Society’s financial report:
At the October 20, 2016 Annual General Meeting, Secretary Gail Devlin tabled the membership report for the year, as follows: 2016 Membership Life Annual Corporate Honourary 133 (-2) 79 (-2) 41 (+1) 7 8 (+1)
‘Going under’ – that was what the Indo China refugee task group found themselves facing in Ottawa. There was a ‘collision’ between the resource demands of overseas processing and maintaining the air bridge to Canada and the operational needs of matching private settlement offers in Canada. Canadian private settlement organizations were vocal about the disconnect…
Indochinese refugees families applying to come to Canada completed an IMM8 application form, usually right after they had been interviewed and accepted by a visa officer. Unique to the Indochinese movement, departmental officials also developed and utilized the IMM1314 form to simplify and expedite processing. Completed by hand at interview, the IMM1314 captured the composition…
The achievements of the late Cal Best, a senior executive in the immigration program and Canada’s first federal deputy minister of colour, are the subject of a touring exhibit in Nova Scotia that has been reported on in the Halifax ‘Chronicle Herald’.
Les réalisations du défunt Cal Best, un cadre supérieur du programme d’immigration et le premier sous-ministre fédéral du Canada de couleur, sont l’objet d’une exposition itinérante en Nouvelle-Écosse qui a été rapportée (en anglais) dans le Halifax ‘Chronicle Herald ».
The Prime Minister has released his expectations of his Ministers (mandate letters). The letter to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship can be read here.
The Society’s annual financial report as tabled for approval at its October 22 AGM.
In July 1979, just before announcing Canada would accept 50,000 refugees, Immigration Minister Ron Atkey launched a newsletter to keep Canadian refugee sponsors informed of the latest developments. The newsletters have been skillfully summarized by Martha Nixon, a member of the Indochinese Refugee Task Force. The newsletters were preserved by Rene Pappone who headed the Task Force’s…
Learn more about the 40th anniversary of the Indochinese Refugee Movement. New images, captured by those who were there, are showcased in Indochina photo albums on our site.