Arrival of Refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in Canada National Historic Event
Montréal, Quebec
Refugees board flight CF707 to Canada, 1979
(© Canada.Department of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada | Canada. Ministère de la Défense nationale / Bibliothèque et Archives Canada / e999901766-u)
Address :
Montréal, Quebec
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
2023-07-14
Dates:
-
1975 to 1986
(Significant)
-
1978 to 1978
(Significant)
Other Name(s):
-
Arrival of Refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in Canada National Historic Event
(Designation Name)
-
Arrival of Vietnamese Refugees in Canada
(Other Name)
Research Report Number:
2022-34, 2022-34-A, 2025-CED-SDC-01
Importance:
After the end of the wars in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in 1975, Canada accepted about 209,400 refugees who fled persecution and difficult living conditions
Plaque(s)
Approved Inscription:
After the wars in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos ended in 1975, more than 210,000 refugees came to Canada. They fled persecution, violence, and difficult living conditions and braved significant dangers in their journeys to Canada. The 1978 Hai Hong cargo ship incident increased media coverage of this humanitarian crisis and was a turning point for Canadians. Many individuals and organizations privately sponsored refugees, which was made possible by the new and more open Immigration Act, 1976. Through their own resilience, these refugees have rebuilt their lives, contributed to society, and proudly shared their cultures.