The Last Best West (1896 - 1914)

Immigration Act, 1906

Un Acte concernant l'immigration et les immigrants, 1906

Document Summary:

Some important sections:

11: Sets ratio of passengers allowed into Canada to the size of a vessel.

12 - 16: Define obligations of captains in bringing immigrants to Canada.

21 - 25: Deal with medical inspections.

26: Sets the prohibited classes of immigrants, which includes:
? mentally disabled and epileptic persons;
? diseased persons;
? paupers and beggars;
? criminals and prostitutes.

30: Allows the government to set prohibitions on any class of immigrants that it sees fit.

32 - 33: Outline rules for deporting prohibited immigrants, and immigrants who commit crimes in Canada.

38: Immigrants are not to be solicited for business purposes except by licensed persons.

43: Sexual intercourse between a ship's crew and its female immigrant passengers is disallowed. See also sections 59 - 62, dealing with related penalties for captains and crewmen.

45 - 53: Deal with penalties for ship captains who break any of these regulations.

54 - 63: Deal with penalties towards those trying to solicit services from immigrants.

65 - 72: Define procedures for prosecution under this act.