For those of us who came of age in the 1960’s, it wasn’t uncommon to meet new friends who’d just arrived in Canada.
And I’m not talking about those who’d arrived as regular immigrants. That had been the norm in Canada for decades, I was one too. No, I’m talking a different kind of immigrant and not a refugee, but a draft dodger. There were thousands over ten years, 40 thousand by some counts, of young Americans who fled the United States because they didn’t want to, or didn’t believe they should, fight for their country in Vietnam.
Initially, Canada wouldn’t let them past the border, refusing entry if they couldn’t prove they’d been discharged from the US military. That changed when Pierre Trudeau became prime minister in 1968 – at that point, Canada ruled immigration officers could not ask about past military service, only whether they were seeking permanent residence in Canada. At that point, the gates opened.
Eventually, the United States pardoned many of those who had evaded the draft by fleeing to Canada. Jimmy Carter did that as President in 1977. Some headed home but many others stayed, having adjusted to a Canadian way of life and many by finding some pretty good jobs.
The draft dodgers were just a part of those Americans who moved to Canada because of their opposition to the Southeast Asia war. So not just those with a military background but many others who simply felt their country’s position was wrong. In total it’s estimated up to 125 thousand made the change in their home address.
So why am I telling you all this? Two words: Donald Trump. According to Paul Starobin in Business Insider, Americans fearing a Trump reboot are planning to flee their homeland in droves, and guess where their main target for a new home is?
