Introduction
In the 1960s and 1970s, the United States witnessed profound social and political change. Involvement in the Vietnam War divided the country, and some individuals chose to come to Canada. Men who were drafted and did not want to participate in a war they did not believe in came to Canada, with or without the support of family and friends. Others came for different reasons, but were influenced by the overall climate of the war, as well as the Civil Rights Movement.
In this online gallery, you will meet ten people who came to Canada from the United States. They will talk about life in the United States during this time, and the decision to leave their country – and start new lives in Canada. In addition to listening or watching an excerpt from an oral history interview, for some of the people you can look at accompanying photographs and documents.
Learning about how individuals and families experience citizenship, war, and human rights, helps us personalize and understand these larger movements of history.
These audio clips are available in English. Transcripts for each clip are available in French and have been translated from English.
Life in the United States: Civil Rights, The Vietnam War, The Draft
Peter Seixas
Frank Scarfino
Diane Kristensen
Tom Corcoran
Len Sirois
Leaving the United States
Richard Allon
Frank Scarfino
Bruce Bolin
Robert Porter
Cathy Wirick
Life in Canada
Bruce Bolin
Tom Corcoran
Peter Seixas
Christopher Rigg
Meet the People
Five of the oral histories featured here were conducted by the Western University's MA Public History Program students. Included in this partnership are Underground Railroad, the Gold Rush, and the New England Planters.