How many points do I have?
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In 1967, the Order-in-Council PC, more commonly known as the "points system" was established in Canada. This system assigned points to specific categories and based prospective immigrants' scores depending on how many criteria they fit. The points system formally deracialized Canada's immigration policy, supporting 2.25 million immigrants from countries such as Hong Kong, the Philippines, Jamaica, Trinidad, and India. However, the categories within the points system emphasized education which lead to discrimination against applicants from the developing world. Canada did not recognize many foreign credentials or work experience which could lower an applicants score in the education or occupational skills categories. Although Trudeau's humanitarian exception allowed Ugandan Asian expellees into Canada, Canada's lack of recognition of many foreign credentials resulted in many Indian and East African immigrants being overqualified for their jobs.
The Canadian public's response to Ugandan Asian immigrants was negative. Many believed that the money being spent (charity) on these immigrants should have been used for Canadian citizens and their livelihoods, that Canada's national identity was already struggling between its French, English, and Indigenous identities, and these immigrants would burden the healthcare system. One individual said that these Ugandan Asian expellees "were only interested in money and a comfortable living. They exploited the native population in every possible way... how is it possible for the [Canadian] government to turn completely around and bring in people who were expelled because they refused to support their own [Ugandan] government on the same principle?" (85)