Becoming an acceptable migrant
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As Asal explains, the Canadian government’s immigrant criteria were rooted in a desire to maintain the nation’s "racial" and cultural homogeneity, prioritizing immigrants of European descent who were supposedly more easily assimilable. A desirable and admissible immigrant was expected to integrate smoothly into Canadian society, adopt its values, and contribute economically without becoming a burden on the state. This criteria included whiteness (in skin colour), Christianity and a certain socio-economic status. When classified as "Asiatic," groups such as Syrians and Armenians were deemed too culturally different to assimilate naturally in Canadian society. However, after making legal cases to be classified as White, claiming status as the original caucasians etc., they were "white and free".
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To add on to your discussion post, I found Asal’s explanation of the immigrant criteria very similar to France and their views of assimilation rather than acceptance largely due to their concept of “laicite”
Additionally, the three barriers to Syrian migration identified by Asal were the “continuous journey” policy of 1908 which required that immigrants arrive in Canada directly without stopovers from their country of origin. Second the PC 926 of 1910 which required immigrants to possess $200 on arrival to Canada. And third, PC 2115 of 1930 which prohibited entry to all migrants of “asiatic race” except the wives and minor children of Canadian citizens who could support them financially. My previous education about immigration barriers to minority groups had only been centered around Chinese immigrants so I found this read on Canadian border to nationalism enlightening.
To your point about “asiatic”, Asal directly poses the question “what is an asiatic race if such race exists” I thought this was very interesting because much like America and the Guialderi reading, without a clear definition, every judge is free to interpret the law as they wish. Also because “Asiatic” is so broad it directly necessitates comparison to what it means to be white. The white race being the standard and the other, which is broad, and defined as “asiatic” in this case.