Why Canada?

History

The first inhabitants of Canada were Aboriginal peoples, believed to have arrived from Asia thousands of years ago by the way of a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska. Four hundred years ago, travelers from France and Great Britain began to explore the country in earnest.

Permanent settlement by these two nations began in the early 1600’s. Up until World War II, most immigrants came from the British Isles or Eastern Europe. Since 1945, however, Canada’s cultural make-up has been enhanced by increasing numbers of southern Europeans, Asians South Americans and people from the Caribbean Islands, with the greatest numbers of immigrants arriving from countries in the Asia Pacific region. Today, the country is made up of 10 provinces and 3 territories, most of which are populated by Canadians who can trace their ancestry from virtually everywhere in the world.

A recent census showed that over 11 million Canadians, or 42 per cent of the population, reported having an ethnic origin other than British or French.

Immigration isn’t about numbers – it’s about the contributions each of you has made and will continue to make in years ahead. Every year, hundreds of thousands of new comers just like you place their faith in the promise of Canada, and just like you, they don’t come empty handed. “The Honorable Monte Solberg, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, April 2006.