EMIGRATION

So what is it that would posess a man to uproot his family and travel overseas to a land never before seen- to abandon a home held by generations before? Bukovina, then under rule of the Austro Hungarian Empire, seemed to be in a constant state of flux, with political boundaries shifting constantly with each separate incursion by her neighbours. Land had long been the domain of feudal landlords who would glean most of the efforts of the peasantry for their coffers. Those few who did hold land held very little for the most part and as families grew there was less and less to divide amongst their children. Across the ocean the Canadian government was looking for someone to settle the west. From Ontario to British Columbia lay a vast land of great plains, now linked by the national railway but for the most part inhabited only by the indigenous Indian tribes and the odd misionary settlement. The selection of people of good European peasant farmer stock was well thought out, as there were hardships to be endured that only the heartiest of people would survive. In order to entice these people the Canadian government needed to get the message across to the people and, in the process, make it worth their while.

To this end Clifford Sifton- the minister responsible for immigration - set out to sell the Canadian dream.

"When I speak of quality I have in mind something that is quite different from what is in the mind of the average writer or speaker upon the question of immigration. I think that a stalwart peasant in a sheepskin coat, born on the soil, whose forefathers have been farmers for ten generations, with a stout wife and a half- dozen children is good quality"

- Clifford Sifton, Canadian Minister Responsible For Immigration

Clifford Sifton entered into agreement with the major trans-continental shipping lines of the day. Agents would sell the idea to the people and the shipping company would profit from the mass transportation fees charged- a much greater profit than could be realized from cargo. Amongst these were the Cunard Shipping Line and the Hamburg- Amerika Shipping Line. Posters soon appeared across the country side promising free land in 160 acre parcels to any settler willing to make the journey, alongside with posters from the various shipping lines offering their services in getting them there.

Poster Used to Advertise in Bukovina & Area

Translation: 200 million acres of free land available in Canada in 160 acre plots

Hamburg- Amerika Shipping Company Advertisement

Hamburg- Amerika Shipping Company Advertisement

"Free Farms For The Millions" Poster ( Source: National Archives of Canada )

"Last Best West" Poster ( Source: National Archives of Canada )

Last Best West Poster ( Source: National Archives of Canada )

For many this was more land then they could ever dream of owning, however the idea was met with some skepticism and a high level of opposition from local feudal landlords The skepticism was dealt with by "testing the waters". The plan was a simple one- sponsor the trip for a few brave souls and have them report back with the news. At first this was of no great consequence- after all the loss of a few people was mostly unnoticed - so the journey was made. Upon arriving in Canada these explorers found that everything promised was true and with great excitement they wrote back encouraging others to follow, however when they themselves returned to gather up their own families they found themselves imprisoned for creating dissention amongst the locals. The fuedal landlords had exerted their politcal influence in an effort to save their livelihoods- after all if there was no one to work the land there would be no value in owning it- but the floodgates had already been opened. In droves the people sold off whatever they could, mainly to cover the cost of transportation, packed up what meager belongings they could carry and began the long journey across land to the ports of departure- mainly Hamburg and Bremen in Germany. Surviving the first leg of the journey was their first test. Crowded in rail cars they were subected to a number of border checks- any one of which could have forced them back- and to the locals along the way who would often steal whatever they could. Arriving at their ports of departure a final inspection was conducted and, ultimately they were allowed to board ship in preparation for the journey overseas.

Cunard Shipping Lines Poster (Courtesy of Bjorn Larsson Collection )

The ships had been retrofitted for passengers instead of cargo and the idea was to maximize the number of people that could be carried- in short these were not luxury liners. Many found themselves crowded in lower decks in conditions more suitable to livestock, with poor sanitary conditions and overcrowding which led to the spread of illness. For the poor few that had survived the journey thus far only to succumb to illness on the last leg- the children and the elderly being most succeptable- the dream died upon the waters. For the majority the shores of North America were greeted with cheers and excitement- for some Ellis Island in the United States and for the vast majority the Canadian ports of Quebec City or Halifax. Immigration officers processed people in droves and it is here that many a name was changed. Not speaking the language or clearly understanding writing they would approximate the names as spoken and the new version became the official one. From these ports the standard was to board the immigrants aboard colonial rail cars bound for Winnipeg, Manitoba. The conditions aboard the colonial cars were by most accounts quite improved from the previous journey. Arriving in Winnipeg the new pioneers would find that different provinces were each competing for their share of settlers and while many remained in Manitoba others set out westward for Saskatchewan and Alberta by train, wagon or on foot. Some had relatives already waiting to greet them and help them in settling. This lucky group collectively set out to their pre-determined destination while others left their families in Manitoba to go forth and stake claim to a parcel of land, after which they would return and gather up wives, children and posessions and take them to their new home. Seeing their new plot of land emotions must have ranged from initial euphoria to the realization that there was much work to be done before they could call it a home. Thus the pioneer years began.

Province of Alberta Ad Competing for Settlers

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