The Problems of Russian Emigrants in Canada

These were peasants and farmers who dreamed offound many jobs and bright opportunities available to
new beginnings and greater things for the futurethem here in this industrial growing sector.
over the seas. So, millions set out on the seas to theWhat juridical and psychological problems do Russian
United States and Canada. Later on through theemigrants face in Canada? Russian emigrants face
years, the emigrants also were running from civilthe same problems almost every other emigrant has.
wars which were breaking out throughout Russia inThe red tape of trying to become a citizen of
fear of their family's safety.another Country, learning the foreign language of
Once the Russian emigrants made a safe voyage totheir new home lands, getting used to our customs
Canada and the United States, they would joinas they differ from what they are used too, the
together and form communities small in nature andRussian citizenship provisions are in the Citizenship Act
would take any kind of work wherever andof the 28th November, 1990 which was amended on
whenever it could be found to support their family or17th June, 1993 and on 6th February, 1995.
themselves. Many emigrants found themselvesThe Russian emigrants have many difficulties upon
working in the industries which were flourishing at thetheir emigration into Canada or the United States.
time, sweat shops, mines and mills.Sometimes they become singled out by their new
Some of the Russian emigrants only wanted tooneighbors into a minority because they speak and
stay until they had saved enough money for theirlook differently than those around them. They
families and go back to their home of Russia.struggle to maintain positions of equality in this new
Who are the Russian emigrants? Defectors fromplace. Younger Russian emigrants have an easier time
Russia in the 1970's included Joseph Brodsky, theblending in and learning the new language and
poet who won a Nobel Prize, Mikhail Baryshnikov,customs a lot better than the older Russian
talented well known dancer and Alexanderemigrants do. Some people look at them as aliens to
Solzhenitsyn, who endured years of being a politicaltheir Country or intruders, when all they are trying to
Soviet prisoner, he was a critical, tell it like it isdo is make a better life for themselves and their
novelist.family.
Why do the Russian emigrants go to Canada? It allCanada has seen an increase in Russian emigrants
started after World War 1, communities of smallmaking this their new home in the past years. No
Russian emigrants settled and started developing inmatter where your neighbors are from, remember to
Timmins, Victoria, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Montreal,greet them warmly and genuinely welcome them into
Sydney, Windsor and Toronto Canada. Thesetheir new home town. You probably have no idea of
emigrants were mostly of the peasant farmers whothe hardships they went through just to get to this
had emigrated from Russia, because they stronglybetter future for them and their children.
opposed the regime of the Czarists. In Canada, they