The Canadian Immigration Historical Society La Societe Historique De L'Immigration Canadienne C.P./ P.O. Box 9502. Terminal/Terminus Postalc. Ouawa. Ontario. K IG JV2 ISSUE NO.: 5 C.I.H.S. December, 1988 Page 1 of 6 I.S.B.N. 6UllfTIM S.H.I.C. AN APOLOGY particular attention to the report of the Membership Secretary. For a number of reasons -- illness, a re-think of our publishing priorities in relation to the budget available for the PERSPECTIVES IN CANADIAN IMMIGRATION 1988 - 89 financial year of the Society, SERIES and a change in responsibilities on the Board, -- there has been too long an interval between this Bulletin, and #4 Edited by Bernard Brodie and Gerry Van issued last March. We are sorry not to Kessel, Number One in the series is "A have given members notice of the change of Man of Big Heart", the memoirs of the plan in our publication schedule, but late Maurice Mitchell. By decision of the issuing Bulletin #5 under the same cover as Board of Directors this is being the first in the Society's series of distributed as a free issue to all paid-up Perspectives in Canadian Immigration to members - a "thank-you" for your loyal combine postal costs seemed to make sense support over the months it has taken to as well as providing members with an shepherd the Society from the drawing­ earlier demonstration of the Society's board to a viable entity with a working progress in its publishing program and program. objectives. The Research and Publication Committee *** have already turned their attention and energies to Number 2 in the Series, as yet untitled. One of the founding members, and THE SUPPLEMENTS the first President of the Society, Fenton Crosman, began in Immigration as a male Supplement 'A' is a transcript of the stenographer in 1930. working out of Ottawa remarks of our Honorary President, Jack on Immigration Boards of Inquiry. (In Manion, originally made at the A.G.M. last those days, Immigration was careful not to May. Apart from the interest this will expose delicate female ears to this aspect have for both our current membership, and of their program.) This was the start of a those we hope will renew, or can attract, long and distinguished career in the Mr Manion's contribution will be of service of Immigration, and advancement, particular archival significance, not only rank by rank, both in the Maritime and because of its content but, as well, the Ottawa establishments. With remarkable ideals which he, and many others of the faithfulness, Fenton kept a diary same era, held regarding the importance of throughout this period, covering his daily the immigration program. role and his comments on the events and operations of the posts he was assigned to. Supplement 'B' forms the Annual Report of Fenton's immaculate typescript is several the Society and provides a summary of the hundred pages long, and in its complete business conducted and reports of officers form unquestionably represents a splendid presented at the last A.G.M.; we draw your archival document for later researchers. 71ft' Society has heen issued letters patelll under the Canada Corporatiom Act, ancl is quaftfied as a registered charity under the Income Tax Act. When items in the C.I.IJ.S. BULLETINS. H. I. C. are attributed hy name or initial1· the views expressed are those~( the authors. Page 2 The Research and Publications Committee fascinating document of importance in the is currently preparing an abridged version record of the history of Canadian of the diaries intended to present the immigration. The document owes its origins descriptive highlights of his work in to his pe~sistency, determination and Immigration in Canada over a span of more commitment to his role during his working than forty years. This should be completed life. Many of our members lived through during our present financial year; the equally momentous times, and while you may Board of Directors proposes that this feel unable to create a document of the volume will be offered at cost, a figure length of the Mitchell or Crosman efforts that will probably be somewhere between $8 there are experiences or anecdotes, your and $10. You will find an order form for own or the immigrants you have known, Fenton's book in the en vel ope. If you perhaps documents you have preserved, would return this as soon as possible, which will add to the record. As Bob please, it will reserve your copy and Keyserlingk puts it, 11 You have in your permit us to do the production and cost heads, and your hearts, a wealth of memory estimates. and experience which can never be extracted from official files ... *** THE ARCHIVAL PROGRAM If the Society had not been established, or, a more sobering thought, if either Looking back at previous issues of 11 The Maurice or Fenton had been procastinators, Bulletin 11 we have to conclude that we may their narratives might never have been have fallen into the old Ottawa trap of written. They realized they have been assuming that everything the Ottawa Citizen participants in the singular developments reports about government operations is sure in the history of immigration to Canada to be picked up across the land. The that have occurred in this century. We difficulties National Archives have been hope to imbue all our members with the same experiencing in the last several years are spirit; indeed, our whole program is noted in the report by Bob Keyserlingk to dependent on member involvement. the A.G.M. Dr Keyserlingk, a former Immigration Foreign Service Officer and a For our part, the Board of Directors has Professor of .History at the University of begun to prepare the ground for the Otta~Ja, has been 11 Stroking 11 the people at Society's 1989 - 90 program which, Archives for the last several months. He tentatively, will also involve two has a meeting scheduled with officials of publications. The period to which we have the National Archives for next month to given priority (for obvious reasons because exemplify and discuss the kind of material our membership is aging and we have not yet we hope to be able to deposit. established the administrative and financial structure which permits us really In the meantime, J. Allan Troy, who has big bites at the whole pie) is from 1945 up volunteered to be the curator and interim until the Hungarian movement in 1956. This custodian of the Society's archival should not inhibit any member forwarding material, artifacts, and memorabilia is material from before or after that time sitting at home like the Maytag repairman, since the archival procedures and the waiting for your contributions. publications format we are adopting will permit a time sector approach. What do we want you to provide? When reading the Mitchell memoirs you might bear Within the 1988 - 89 program precedence 11 11 in mind the feat they represent. At the will be given to a third Perspective , a age of seventy-five, and without any treatment in depth of the involvement of training in journalist techniques, not Canadian Immigration, both in Canada and always in good health, our late friend sat abroad, in the acceptance and settlement of down and created entirely from memory a Hungarian refugees, the first demonstration Page 3 by Canada of the acceptance of real been made by the Society since the founding humanitarianism in the selection of meetings of 1986 and I have a genuine immigrants. The other publication will interest in these activities. I understand probably be the first segment of the that in the United States a major 11 Chronicles of Canadian Immigration ... Immigration Museum will soon open on Ellis Island in New York Harbour. Over one and a We are now at the stage where we need your half million people are expected to visit suggestions, support, and participation. this museum annually. In this context your The Society urges all members to begin Society•s role in the commemoration of Pier recording their experiences (all of us can 21 in Halifax as an historic site is identify episodes of lasting human interest exciting. While I recognize that a museum in immigration operations and the movement on the Ellis Island scale is not of immigrants to Canada which live in our necessarily appropriate in this country, memories, no matter our age). This can be your efforts are important in reminding us done in the permanent form of your choice, of the no less vital part which immigration be it in writing or on audio tape. We have has played in the building of Canada. I begun a preliminary oral history venture in would like to encourage you and your the Ottawa area; we would like to hear from associates to continue the good work ... members elsewhere who have the equipment and an interest in this activity. *** Additionally, we hope that all of you will give wide circulation to this Bulletin, and IDENTIFICATION AND DESIGNATION OF the 11 Perspectives 11 of this program year, to HISTORIC IMMIGRATION SITES present or former immigration colleagues, or others interested in preserving One of the members and an associate in the immigration history, including any students production of the 11 Bulletin 11 commented 11 Not of your acquaintance who may be searching Pier 21 again! .. after the last issue. The for a subject. Whether as members or change in the above heading is intended to contributors they should be made to feel put Pier 21 precisely within its proper the Society welcomes them.