History of Eugenics and Immigration in Canada

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This research examines how 'mental defectiveness' was treated in Canada from the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries, covering eugenics and mental health ideas by various groups, such as the Canadian National Committee for Mental Hygiene and the Eugenics Society of Canada, which led to the introduction of sterilization laws both in Alberta (enacted in 1928 for the first time in the British Empire, modified in 1938 and 1942, and repealed in 1972) and British Columbia (enacted in 1933 and repealed in 1973), and took great initiative in the abortive but strong demand for the legislation of sterilization in Ontario around the 1930's. It finds that 'mental defectives' posed a threat to 'pure white' Canada. They were regarded as being situated between 'normal' and 'sane' and their presence and relationship with others in 'normal' communities was thought to be dangerous in that it might bring a filthiness that would contaminate 'whiteness' and shake 'white' supremacy. Especially in the early twentieth century, concerns about 'mental defectiveness' loomed large with an increasing number of 'insane' immigrants. It also points out that ruling Canadians were concerned about not only 'non-white' 'mental defectives' but rather 'white' ones-which means 'mental defectives' were considered to be 'inbetween peoples' among the 'whites'- who were thought to be a symptom of Anglo-Saxon 'racial suicide'.