Canadian Race Relations Foundation

The main purpose of this report, written by the Advisory Committee on Immigration and Refugee Issues of Toronto, is to critically assess the status of immigration and refugee services in the Toronto Area. Specifically, the report aims to pinpoint problems in the status quo and design methods for improving the provision of immigration and refugee services, by establishing new relationships and developing concrete strategies on how to better serve the immigrant and refugee population. This process also requires that the committee respond to the challenges which result from a constantly changing political environment. In entering this process the committee addressed the areas of public perceptions, public health, education, employment, culture, funding and legislative change. Also included in the study is an extensive statistical analysis of Ethno-Racial inequality in Toronto.

Canada's history with immigration has been two-faced. When it needed people to build and develop its infrastructure and economy it had what was then described as a 'liberal' policy in accepting immigrants- but immigrants of a special type. They were from designated 'preferred' origins. On the other side it also has a less than stellar record of its treatment of the Aboriginal and minority populations. It has been one of racism, pure and simple. (p.50)