Appendix 1), mostly from Western Europe and Great Britain (Grindstaff, 1998:435). The number of immigrants admitted into Canada is regulated by Canadian Immigration Act and its policies, which are, in turn, regulated by federal and provincial governments (Jackson & Jackson, 1998: 86).

Historically, early Canadian immigration policies were largely discriminative; thus immigration policies and regulations have changed, mostly to eliminate explicit

discrimination on the basis of race or nationality.

The first Immigration Act was established in 1869, when the British North American Act gave the responsibility of immigration to federal and provincial governments. This immigration act did not have any specific rules and regulations about who can or who cannot enter and live in Canada. Thus, between the years of 1869 to 1895 1.5 million people immigrated to Canada (Kubat, 1993:25). These new settlers were mostly British labourers, eastern European peasants, and American farmers (Jackson & Jackson, 1898: 86). However, between the years of 1881 and

immigrants had to pay a $50 head tax in order to be allowed to enter Canada. Yet, "the whites" from British Columbia were not satisfied with $50, and so the tax was raised to $100 per person of Chinese origin entering Canada in 1900, and later to $500 in 1903 (Knowles, 1997: 51). Moreover, between the years of 1906 and 1907 about 7,000 new immigrants entered British Columbia, mostly of Japanese and east Indian origin. This new wave of "non-white" immigrants created a great deal of unrest in British Columbia's "white" residents. As a result of this dissatisfaction, Vancouver residents started to rebel against the admission of the Japanese into British Columbia, due to their fear of "a Japanese invasion" (Knowles, 1997:92). Hence, the federal government of

large unwanted wave of immigrants from India (Hawkins,1989: 39). In the year of 1967 all the race criteria in the Immigration Act were replaced with " a Point System" regulations (see Appendix 2). By this new system, the would-be immigrants had to gain at least 50 out of 100 possible points on the basis of ten factors, such as age, job experience, knowledge of English or French, training experience, and relationship with persons already in Canada. This new system was mostly directed to attract wealthy businessmen and such people into Canada, regardless of their race (Dirks, 1995:11). However, even this new immigration regulation was not flawless. Because the Act allowed visitors to apply for landed immigrant status while visiting in Canada, increasing numbers of people from the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and other countries made Canada their destination (see Appendix 3). This created a large blockage of cases before the Immigration Appeal Board. The situation became crucial, the federal government was forced to take action, and the Immigration Act of 1976 was being planned (Knowles, 1997:160) The Immigration Act of 1976 has been described as "a beautiful piece of work-logical, well-constructed, liberal, and workable" (Hawkins, 1989:70). This Act recognizes three categories of persons, who could be eligible for landed immigrant status. First, the family category, which includes theimmediate family, such as husbands, wives, parents, grandparents, and dependent children. Second, the refugee category, which include convention refugees or members of a specially designated class of refugees.

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Some topics in this essay:
Immigration Act, Ries Wagner, British Columbia, Immigration Regulations, English French, George Davidson, Citizenship Act, White Identity, Immigration Acts, Canada Chinese, immigration act, federal government, british columbia, canadian immigration, immigration policies, enter canada, hawkins 1989, immigration policy, independent category, entered canada, immigration act 1976, landed immigrant status, federal government canada, canada regardless race, head ries wagner,