Speech #890119533

Mr. Speaker. four Presidents of the United States have urged changes in our immigration and naturalization procedures. They and the greater number of American citizens have demanded the elimination of the discriminatory national origins system. Many have pointed out the irrationalities of the preference priorities within the existing system. Still others have brought attention to the need for an immigration policy which seizes the opportunity of finding new skills from foreignborn citizens. All these issues. and many more. can be resolved by our swift passage of H.R. done much to discredit this country in the eyes of the world. and particularly in the eyes of those abroad whose wish is to take up American citizenship. Immigrants to Canada. 195761. by former country of residence in order of numerical importance in 1961 Country 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 Italy ---------------------------------------------- 27.740 27. 043 25.655 20.681 14.161 British Isles -------------------------------- 108.989 24. 777 18.222 19. 81 11.870 United States ----------------------------------- 11.008 10.846 11.338 11. 247 11.516 Germany ------------------------------------------ 28.430 13.88 10.423 10.77$ 6.231 Other Commonwealth ----------------------------- 6.919 6.677 6.237 5.446 4.601 Greece -------- z ----------------------------------- 5.460 8.190 4.867 4.856 3.766 Portugal ------------ ---------------------------- 4.423 1.938 4.080 .023 2.76? Poland -------------------------------------------- 690 2.292 3.470 2.668 2.391 France- ................................ ..5. 869 2.727 2.153 2.944 2.330 Netheland ............. =.......................... I93 7.40 524 .29 .78 Netherlnd------------------------------------ 1.:934 7.420 6.213 85.429 1.787 South America I ----------------------------------- 2.189 1.980 1.565 1.666 1.138 Austria ---------------------------------------------- S.714 4.544 1.510 2.038 1. 131 Belgium ------------------------------------------- 3. 909 1.776 1.471 1.282 1.013 Yugoslavia ---------------------------------------- 1.048 984 958 881 852 Africa 12 ------------------------------------------ 2.330 3.066 695 657 838 Other Europe I -----------------------------------. 956 609 598 930 806 Switzerland ---------------------------------------- 1.800 1.024 855 1.048 805 Israel ---------------------------------------------- 482 531 1.490 1. 532 652 Other Middle East I ------------------------------- 989 683 733 583 548 Denmark ------------------------------------------ 7.6S3 1. 746 1.369 . 115 475 Ireland -------------------------------------------- 5.358 1.226 815 799 415 Finland ------------------------------------------- 2.684 1.177 845 964 339 Other Scandinavian ------------------------------- 2.492 978 766 711 329 RIungary ------------------------------------------ 31.643 2.362 589 507 287 Asia I --------------------------------------- 1.119 1.15 779 395 270 Other North America I ------------------- ---- 243 235 255 273 263 Other --------------------------------------------- 64 74 57 77 113 Total ---------------------------------- 282.164 124.851 106.928 104.111 71.689 I Excluding Commonwealth countries. 2Including Republlc of South Africa.