Canada now has a National Immigration Museum

July 1st is Canada Day, a calendar day for all of Canada’s citizens and Permanent Residents to enjoy the benefits and prospects impart up them as Canadians. Identifying the assistance made by immigrants and the significance of immigration to the country’s history, the Government of Canada has now given national museum rank to Canada’s Immigration Museum.

July 1, 2009 marks the 142nd anniversary of the confederacy Canada, whereby the British North American provinces were merged in the federation of Canada. Now generally known as Canada Day, Canadians celebrated the official founding of the country since 1867.

Retrospectively in history, immigration has played a vital role in the growth and evolution of the country.

Pier 21, self-described as Canada’s Immigration Museum, has been celebrating and generating consciousness about immigration to Canada for the past 10 years. Situated in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the museum is housed in a red-brick construction that once operated as an authorized Canadian immigration gateway for those coming by sea. Over 1 million émigré passed throughout Pier 21 between 1928 and 1971.

In celebration of its 10th centenary, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has bestowed national museum status to Pier 21, awarding it the official title of “Canada’s National Immigration Museum.” It is currently one of six national museums in Canada, and only the second one outside of the nation’s capital to be given this title.

Prime Minister Harper said that Pier 21 symbolizes who we are - a nation of novices, newcomers bonded mutually by a common expedition for liberty, democracy and opportunity. No country in the world has helped more than Canada from free and open immigration.

At present, exhibits at Pier 21 focus mostly on the historical period when the building was prepared as an immigration office. At the present, the museum intends to increase the scope of its display to cover immigration to Canada from its beginnings, up to the present.

Bob Moody, CEO of Pier 21 said that If you tell the bigger story of immigration, with the Pier 21 years as the kind of crown jewel, then you’re going to request to all Canadians, not just the one in five we declare have a direct connection to Pier 21.

In doing so, the museum will demonstrate the past progress and failures of Canadian immigration procedure and actions.

The museum plans to intend a full agenda of thematic exhibitions, organize more traveling exhibitions, and expand and upgrade its permanent ones.

The federal government has promised $10 million to guarantee that Pier 21’s exhibitions stand for its new national mandate. Up to $5 million more will be set towards operations.

The Prime Minister said that new national museum will notify the story, not only of the Europeans who passed through Pier 21, but of those who came afterward from Asia, Africa, and America and of those who will arrive tomorrow, since newcomers will be as much an element of Canada’s prospect as they have been of our past.

Pier 21 is also working with the Nova Scotia’s Office of Immigration and Department of Community Services, offering beginners a six-month work term at the museum. These internships grant workplace and language training and facilitate place newcomers in jobs all through the community.