Don’t Take the Boats

January 9, 2026January 29, 2026

Former immigration foreign service officer René Bersma offers his comprehensive recollections of the early part of his career, with particular emphasis on his experiences in south-east Asia (1978-1982).

Read René’s article

Foreign operations

Interview – Jack Mitchinson
November 27, 2023January 31, 2026

Jack Mitchinson, featured in Bulletin 107, was interviewed at his 1990 retirement party about his two years (1986-1988) of auditing overseas visa offices. Jack had earlier worked in several immigration offices across Ontario from 1952.

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Refugees

Journey to Freedom Day
June 3, 2022January 31, 2026

The Library Services section of the Research and Data Branch, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada recently issued this bilingual inventory of material to mark ‘Journey to Freedom Day’.

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Refugees | Southeast Asians

Comprehensive Plan of Action for Indochinese Refugees
June 4, 2021January 31, 2026

This article, by W.C. Robinson, explores the ‘Comprehensive Plan of Action for Indochinese Refugees, 1989-1997’. It (CPA) has been hailed as a model of international solidarity and burden-sharing, and criticized as an example of international buck-passing and questionable compromises. In the early years of the Indochinese movement there was an understanding that the reign of…

Read More Comprehensive Plan of Action for Indochinese Refugees
Immigration | Special movements | Ugandan Asians

Perspectives on the Ugandan Asian movement to Canada in 1972
November 27, 2023January 31, 2026

Marking the 50th anniversary of the 1972 arrival in Canada of Ugandan Asian refugees, Jody Bucholtz, head of the Renfrew-Lanark County Local Immigration Partnership, organized a podcast with Ms Noreen Nasim and Ms Bharti Dhir, whose families had been resettled in Britain, and Mike Molloy, who played a key role in the processing of the…

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Immigration | Refugees

Ukraine
June 9, 2022January 31, 2026

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has displaced millions of Ukrainians. Many have found refuge in neighboring European countries. Large numbers of Ukrainians will be seeking refuge in Canada. This will not be the first time Canada has helped Ukrainians displaced by war. The following links lead to three articles in the CIHS Bulletin (issues 96, 97,…

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Refugees

From the Archives: 1986 – the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award is awarded to “the people of Canada”
January 21, 2026February 3, 2026

In 1986, the people of Canada were the recipients of a prestigious award for their work on behalf of refugees. The Nansen Refugee Award, first presented in 1954, is named after Fridtjof Nansen, who was the first High Commissioner for Refugees at the League of Nations. He led the development of a travel document for…

Read More From the Archives: 1986 – the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award is awarded to “the people of Canada”

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