Historical Overview of Immigration to Canada

Conclusion

The amendment of the Immigration Act in 1978 and 1987, together with the powers given by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982 to all permanent residents and people who wanted immigrant status, greatly tilted the balance in favour of applicants over people who wanted to curtail immigration, especially from the Third World.

Other federal initiatives, the Multiculturalism Act of 1988 and the creation of the Department of Canadian Heritage in the 1990s, placed huge amounts of money in the hands of advocacy groups, and immigration consultants or lawyers who were well versed in using or manipulating the merit point system to the applicants' advantage. Still, as the population ages, Canadians recognize the historical need they have had for newcomers and how critical a steady inflow will be in the future, should the country want to maintain its standards and way of life.