Photostory #436: From the Four Corners of the Earth: Helping Forge Canada's Vibrant Future

Photographers
Ted Grant
Maker
National Film Board of Canada
Release Date
February 14, 1967
Collection
CMCP fonds
Credit Line
Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography fonds, National Gallery of Canada Library and Archives
Main Text
Proudly living up to its international reputation as a land of promise and boundless opportunity, Canada continues to welcome a strong flow of immigrants from around the world. During the past year 200,000 newcomers from 150 countries helped swell the nation's population past the 20,000,000 mark. They came from such varied countries as Britain and Greece, Portugal and Australia, bringing with them initial capital of over $150,000,000. These people are Canada's most valuable import. Engineers, doctors, professors, technicians, designers, mechanics, construction workers and a variety of other occupations are joining their ranks. In the last 15 years more than 15,000 have established farms - a vital addition to the nation's agricultural economy - and another 14,000 have started their own businesses, thereby creating employment for about 70,000 others. In adding to the country's population, the incoming flow of immigrants increases the consumer market and adds impetus to the internal manufacturing industries which in turn creates more employment for other Canadians. Their muscle power, boosting the labor force, helps vital development schemes forge ahead so that wilderness regions become alive with power projects, railways and new mining industries. For Canada, looking with anticipation to its second adventurous century of developing a massive, exciting land, the incoming stream of new blood assures adequate energy reserves for the hard work to come. With half a continent and nearly 4,000,000 square miles of territory belonging to a population of but 20,000,000, plus an economy based increasingly on science and technology, the excitement of physically developing this huge country is matched by the fascination of gathering together a new nation of modern people who will share the job and enjoy the future's enviable rewards.