Overview

Since 9/11, Canada's reputation as an inclusive country that takes in immigrants and refugees has been clouded by restrictive immigration policies, increased interdiction, and the detention of asylum seekers. Moreover, public debate over the arrival of non-citizens -- especially those seeking entry through unofficial channels -- is now often framed within a security discourse that is used to justify a more restrictive approach. These developments are not surprising in the current context, but as Anderson illustrates, they are also nothing new. Canadian Liberalism and the Politics of Border Control sheds light on the long and complex history of Canada's efforts to control its borders. Framing pivotal moments within a long-standing but often overlooked debate over the rights of non-citizens, Anderson demonstrates that today's more restrictive approach reflects traditions deeply embedded within liberal democracies. His insights into Canadian immigration and refugee history offer valuable lessons for understanding the nature of contemporary liberal-democratic control policies.

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Anderson's work adds to the complexity within immigration history. There are several factors including the economy, public opinion, race, class, gender, and political discourse relating to Liberal Nationalism and Liberal Internationalism that shape immigration and refugee law in Canada. An inclusion of how other forms of migrant labour fit within the political debate would provide a more holistic perspective on border control policy in Canada. Ultimately, Anderson's work expertly deconstructs the myth of restrictive rights in Canada being a purely contemporary phenomenon. - Shezan Muhammedi, Western University (British Journal of Canadian Studies, Vol. 29 No. 1, Spring 2016)

This insightful history of Canadian border control policy shows that the desire to attract valued immigrants and to attend to international obligations to displaced persons has always played havoc with efforts to maintain entry controls. Restrictive policies tend to boomerang, fostering assertions of individual rights and further debate over means and ends. Anderson's engaging saga of evolving enforcement policy thus helps to contextualize current debates about immigration and the national interest. -- Doris Marie Provine, author of Unequal under Law: Race in the War on Drugs

Anderson's work adds to the complexity within immigration history. There are several factors including the economy, public opinion, race, class, gender, and political discourse relating to Liberal Nationalism and Liberal Internationalism that shape immigration and refugee law in Canada. An inclusion of how other forms of migrant labour fit within the political debate would provide a more holistic perspective on border control policy in Canada. Ultimately, Anderson's work expertly deconstructs the myth of restrictive rights in Canada being a purely contemporary phenomenon. -- Shezan Muhammedi, Western University * British Journal of Canadian Studies, Vol. 29 No. 1, Spring 2016 *

Author Information

Christopher G. Anderson is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University.

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