The Officials’ Statements
-
The language used by the officials at the time not only cloaked discriminatory attitudes with a veneer of politeness but also revealed a strikingly detached and impersonal perspective. Immigrants were described in terms that distanced them from Canadian society, framed as fundamentally "unsuited" for life in the country. This detachment allowed officials to rationalize exclusion as a matter of practicality, rather than an expression of prejudice. By emphasizing the "difference" of immigrants, they subtly conveyed their inferiority while avoiding the appearance of overt racism. Their language implied that these individuals were not being excluded because they were lesser, but because their "customs, traditions, and habits" made them incompatible with Canada's social and economic fabric.
This detached tone served to further justify exclusion by making it seem inevitable and even charitable. As the article mentions, officials argued that preventing immigration was in the best interest of the immigrants themselves, who were "ill-suited" to Canada's harsh climate and social environment. This rhetorical strategy effectively dehumanized the immigrants, reducing them to mere subjects of policy rather than individuals with rights and aspirations. By framing exclusion as a pragmatic and benevolent decision, the language obscured the deep racial hierarchies and fears of cultural dilution that were driving these policies.