• A Match Made on the North Atlantic
    A young Martin Christensen (left), a young Catherine Christensen (right). We hear innumerable stories about seasickness from our Museum visitors who crossed the Atlantic and first arrived at Pier 21. They all laugh about it now, but frequently add that they haven’t been on a ship since and have no …
  • Un/Wanted? Canada and the Resettlement of Chilean, Indochinese and Somali Refugees
    by Jan Raska, PhD, Historian (Updated October 19, 2020) Introduction After the Second World War, Canada’s response to international refugee crises varied, driven by Cold War ideology, economic self-interest, humanitarian considerations, political necessity, and public opinion. During this period, …
  • Canada’s Oppressed Minority Policy and the Resettlement of Ugandan Asians, 1972-1973
    by Jan Raska, PhD, Historian (Updated October 16, 2020) Introduction In January 1971, the Ugandan government of President Milton Obote was overthrown in a coup d’état by the Ugandan military under the leadership of General Idi Amin . The Asian Ugandan community was initially relieved by Amin’s …
  • Postwar Dutch Immigration through Pier 21
    by Jan Raska, PhD, Historian (Updated October 16, 2020) Introduction After the Second World War, a growing population and an economy devastated by war were leading reasons for many Dutch immigrants to seek economic opportunity in North America. A total of some 500,000 Dutch nationals left their …
  • Who is the Little Boy in this Picture?
    Almost half a million Canadian military personnel departed from Pier 21 to serve overseas during the Second World War. This image depicts one of the first arrivals of a troop ship carrying soldiers back to Canada after World War II. A young Dave Campbell, with his mother, welcomes Canadian troops …
  • More than a Building
    Pier 21 today, as it was in years past, is a building. For visitors past and present, some find this site unmoving. They give little thought to what the walls and their surroundings have seen. For others, the site is precious and represents a new beginning in a country that they love. These …
  • Postwar Immigration through Pier 21
    by Jan Raska, PhD, Historian (Updated October 26, 2020) Introduction V-E (Victory in Europe) Day, May 8, 1945, marked not only the beginning of the return home from Europe for Canadian military personnel, but also a new period in immigration to Canada. During the war, immigration had slowed almost …
  • Eminently Suitable for Our Purposes: Official Commemoration of Immigrant Arrivals in Canada, 1949-1972
    by Jan Raska, PhD, Historian (Updated October 26, 2020) Introduction During the early postwar period, Canadian officials attempted to commemorate immigration milestones. These official commemorations were in response to postwar immigration policies that had opened Canada’s doors to tens of …
  • Children of the Pier: Adolescent Experiences of Arrival and Process
    by Jan Raska, PhD, Historian (Updated September 28, 2020) Introduction: Adolescent Impressions of Immigrating to Canada An often overlooked aspect of Pier 21’s site history is the immigration experience of children. Young newcomers are frequently mentioned in relation to the immigration process and …
  • Customs and the Seizure of Goods at Pier 21
    by Jan Raska, PhD, Historian (Updated October 15, 2020) Introduction: Canadian Customs before and after the Second World War In May 2015, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 opened new exhibitions on the history of the Pier 21 National Historic Site of Canada and the history of …