Canada's Immigration Act

• What did the Canadian immigration Act look like, with regards to persons with mental disorders, before 1869?

  The Canadian immigration Act barred persons with mental disorders from entry. The language included: "lunatic, idiot, deaf, dumb, blind, or infirm persons."
• What were provisions added in 1887 to the Canadian Immigration Act?

  The provisions that were added in 1887 allowed for deportation of prohibited classes of those who had already immigrated to Canada.
• What were the revisions that were added to the Canadian Immigration Act in 1902?

  The 1902 revisions included the participation of medical authorities at immigration screen centres. This targeted "feebleminded, idiotic, epileptic, or insane." Additionally, immigrants could be deported within two years if they committed a moral crime, or if they became an inmate of any prison, hospital, or charity.
• By 1910, how many classes of peoples were barred in the Canadian Immigration Act? What did the Act state?

  By 1910, the Canadian Immigration Act barred 20 classes of peoples:

  • Idiots, imbeciles, feebleminded persons, epileptics, insane persons and persons who have been insane at any time previously.
  • Prostitutes, pimps, professional beggars or vagrants, and charity aided immigrants became deportable.
  • By 1919 provisions included literacy requirements and prohibited political dissidents.