Open Access"It's Our Patriotic Duty to Help Them': the Socio-Cultural and Economic Impact of the 'Solidarity wave' on Canadian and Polish-Canadian Society in the Early 1980s
Author(s) -
Michal Mlynarz
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
crossing boundaries
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1718-4487
pISSN - 1711-053X
DOI - 10.21971/p7mw2m
Subject(s) - solidarity , immigration , duty , refugee , political science , economic history , history , law , politics
This paper examines the economic, social, and cultural impact made on Canadian and Polish-Canadian society as a result of the mass influx of refugees from the People’s Republic of Poland to Canada in the early to mid 1980s. Although a brief overview and examination of Polish immigration history to Canada over the last few centuries is provided, the paper focuses upon the significant effect caused by the arrival of a new wave of Polish immigrants, largely consisting of highly educated and politically vocal individuals, into the country.