By M.Buie (FSWC Education)

A1.3 Analyse some of the contributions that various settler/newcomer groups have made to Canadian identities (e.g., the contributions of French and English communities to the development of Canada as a bilingual country, of the British to the Canadian parliamentary system, of Chinese labourers to the construction of the transcontinental railway, of Irish and Italian workers to the development of canal systems on the Great Lakes, of various communities to Canada’s multicultural identity).

Canada has a profound multicultural identity. According to Statistics Canada, there are more than 450 ethnic and cultural origins, 100 religions and 450 languages present in Canada as of 2021. Historical achievements made by Canadians come from people of all backgrounds, religions and cultures, despite social, economic and political barriers facing many who have sought to build a life here. We can find many points throughout the year to highlight individual communities and the obstacles and accomplishments that have shaped our country’s evolution.

The month of May is a time of recognition and celebration of Asian Canadian and Jewish Canadian heritage respectively. Recognized by the federal government for many years, these commemorative periods coincide with each other and a time of the year marked by renewal and transition.

As the school year begins to wind down, May is a great month for students to use their cumulative knowledge of historical figures and events they learned over the previous months. Encourage students to dive deeper into at least one of the following historical topics related to both Asian heritage and Jewish heritage in Canada. Highlight at least one example from each community. Some examples might be:
‍

Points of Significance for Asian Heritage in Canada

• 1788: Fifty Chinese artisans arrived with a British Captain at Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island and constructed a trading post.

• 1880s: The construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway

• 1914: Komagata Maru Incident

• 1920:  Establishment of the Montreal Chinese Hospital

• 1942:  The internment of Japanese Canadians

• 1940s: The protest of the treatment of prisoners in Japanese internment camps

• 1948: Repealing of the Dominion Elections Act (granting voting rights to Asian Canadians, previously excluded based on race).

• 1970s-80s: Resettlement of Southeast Asian communities in Canada (mostly people from Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos)

• 1978:  Hai Hong incident

• 1988:  Federal apology for Internment of Japanese Canadians during Second World War

• 2016:  Federal apology for Komagata Maru incident
‍

Points of Significance for Jewish Heritage in Canada

• 1738: Esther Brandeau, a Jewish woman posing as a man, arrives in New France

• 1760:  Aron Hart, considered the “founder of Canadian Jewry,” arrives in Montreal with British troops during the conquest of New France

• 1768: Founding of Shearith Israel, Canada’s first synagogue, in Montreal

• 1807:  Ezkiel Hart elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada (Trois-Rivières, Québec), the first Jew elected in the British Empire

• 1860s: Roughly 100 Jews settled in Victoria, British Columbia to open shops to supply prospectors during the Gold Rush of the 1860s

• 1880 to 1930:  Thousands of Jews fleeing violence in Eastern Europe immigrated to Canada

• 1927: Jews restricted from immigrating to Canada

• 1933: Christie Pitts antisemitic riot in Toronto

• 1939: MS St. Louis with nearly 1,000 Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazis not allowed to land in Canada

• 1945-1949:  Roughly 40,000 Holocaust survivors immigrate to Canada
‍

These are but a small selection of highlights that reminds us that diversity and resilience are central aspects of our collective heritage as a country. These themes can be presented in creative ways in the classroom, from a simple poster display to singing a song, artistic representations, or even videos. By engaging directly with these stories, students will always remember that Canada was made into what it is today by the diversity present within the country.

To learn more about Asian Canadian Heritage:

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/asian-heritage-month/important-events.html

https://www.montrealchinesehospital.ca/history.html

To learn more about Jewish Canadian Heritage:

https://jewishheritage.ca/jewish-canada/

https://www.canada.ca/en/library-archives/corporate/updates/2023/jewish-heritage-month.html