Canadians nationwide welcomed refugees fleeing dangerous and difficult living conditions after the Vietnam War

GATINEAU, QC, May 9, 2024 /CNW/ - National historic designations can recall moments of greatness and triumph or cause us to contemplate the complex moments that helped define the Canada of today. Commemoration encourages us to acknowledge the full scope of our shared history and help us reflect on how to build a more inclusive society for present and future generations.

Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced the designation of the arrival of Vietnamese refugees in Canada as a national historic event under Parks Canada's National Program of Historical Commemoration.

Following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, refugees facing possible persecution and difficult living conditions fled from Vietnam as well as Cambodia, Laos, and other impacted Southeast Asian areas. Many Vietnamese people braved the dangerous jungle or sea to reach neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Taiwan. There, they were crowded into refugee camps with the hope of finding a new home. Moved by the dramatic images of refugees stranded aboard the cargo ship Hai Hong in 1978, tens of thousands of Canadians and many organizations registered to sponsor refugees.

Between 1975 and the early 1990s, Canada accepted some 200,000 of these refugees thanks to its immigration policies and the support of Canadians. Canadians across the country helped refugees resettle and rebuild their lives through sponsorship programs. Once settled, the Vietnamese people made numerous contributions to Canada's economic prosperity and proudly shared their culture with Canadians.

The Government of Canada, through the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, recognizes significant persons, places, and events that have shaped our country as one way of helping Canadians connect with their past. By sharing these stories with Canadians, we hope to foster understanding and reflection on the diverse histories, cultures, legacies, and realities of Canada's past and present.

The designation process under Parks Canada's National Program of Historical Commemoration is largely driven by public nominations. To date, more than 2,240 designations have been made nationwide. For more information on how to nominate a person, place or event of historic importance, please visit Parks Canada's website: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/culture/clmhc-hsmbc/ncp-pcn/application.

"As we recognize Asian Heritage Month, the designation of the arrival of Vietnamese refugees in Canada as a national historic event marks an important moment in our shared history that continues to resonate with Canadians. The Canadian people welcomed and supported hundred of thousands of Vietnamese refugees and helped them settle across the country where they continue to thrive, making important contributions to communities and being a significant part of Canada's cultural fabric."

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

• The welcoming of Vietnamese refugees reflected the impact of the modernization of Canada's immigration laws, which became more accepting of refugees in the 1960s and 1970s. It also reflected an increasingly receptive and supportive Canadian public opinion toward refugees' struggles.
• Through support programs and their own perseverance, Vietnamese refugees were able to build new lives and form communities across Canada, notably in Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver, but also in smaller cities and towns.
• In recognition of the national effort to welcome Vietnamese refugees, the people of Canada were awarded the United Nations' Nansen Refugee Award in 1986, an honour recognizing outstanding service to the cause of refugees. It was the first and remains the only time that the entire people of a country have been collectively honoured with this award.
• Created in 1919, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada advises the Minister of Environment and Climate Change regarding the national significance of persons, places, and events that have marked Canada's history. Together with Parks Canada, the Board ensures that subjects of national historic significance are recognized under Parks Canada's National Program of Historical Commemoration and these important stories are shared with Canadians.
• Parks Canada is committed to working with Canadians in our efforts to tell broader, more inclusive stories in the places that it manages. In support of this goal, the Framework for History and Commemoration outlines a new, comprehensive, and engaging approach to sharing Canada's history through diverse perspectives, including shedding light on tragic and difficult periods of Canada's past.

• Backgrounder: The Arrival of Vietnamese Refugees in Canada

Parks Canada
Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada
Framework for History and Commemoration

SOURCE Parks Canada (HQ)

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