Strangers at Our Gates

An exploration of how immigration has shaped Canadian identity, and how modern debates are reshaping our national character. In this history of immigration to Canada, Valerie Knowles explores the kinds of immigrants who have settled in Canada as well as the immigration policies, policymakers, and public figures who have played a part in the story.

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In this new and revised edition, Knowles explores new materials relating to multiculturalism and immigration.


Immigrants and immigration have always been central to Canadians’ perception of themselves as a country and a society. In this crisply written history, Valerie Knowles describes the different kinds of immigrants who have settled in Canada, and the immigration policies that have helped define the character of Canadian immigrants over the centuries. Key policymakers and shapers of public opinion figure prominently in this colourful story, as does the role played by racism.


This new and revised edition features a chapter on the Conservative government’s handling of immigration between 2006 and 2014. Special attention is paid to the role played by the activist minister Jason Kenney and his attempts to develop a faster, more flexible immigration regime. The Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the Interim Federal Health Program are also discussed. The book’s final chapter, “Issues in the Twenty-First Century,” introduces new material relating to multiculturalism and outlines arguments supporting population growth, increased immigration, and decreased immigration.