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Another Immigration to Canada?

by Ken Reddig

Are we witnessing what may become yet another immigration of Mennonites to North America? In September of 1997 the first families of Mennonite immigrants from Germany began arriving in southern Manitoba, specifically to the Winkler area. These immigrants, often referred to as Umsiedler or Aussiedler (labels they do not like) first emigrated from Russia to Germany in the early 1970s via family reunification programs. Now, some 20 years later, some are moving once again. Prompting this move are issues and concerns often loosely defined as freedom.

Presently they come to the Winkler area, because of the preparatory work of a local resident, Adele Dyck. Adele is also an immigrant to Canada. She and her family (husband and seven children) emigrated from Paraguay in 1985. Soon after coming to Canada, Adele began her own real estate business, Star-7, the “7” referring to her seven children.

As a business woman in Winkler, Adele was elected to the Executive of the local Chamber of Commerce. It was there that she began to hear the concerns of local manufacturers and businesses regarding the shortage of skilled workers. It was proving to be difficult to attract sufficient labour for the many burgeoning companies in the area.

On a trip to Europe Adele came into contact with Mennonite immigrants in Germany and heard them express their wish to come to North America. As she researched immigration possibilities she discovered that Manitoba rarely gets its share of the yearly Canadian immigrant quota, most wish to settle in BC or the larger eastern cities. This has proven to be a frustrating problem for Manitoba employers, especially in rural areas. While Manitoba is supposed to receive approximately 8,000 immigrants each year, it averages only about 3,000.

Adele’s research revealed that under the Manitoba Nominee Program of the Canadian Immigration Branch, if potential immigrants can prove they can bring sufficient cash for initial living expenses, $10,000 per applicant and $2,000 per dependent, they can apply for immigration to Canada provided they have a job offer. In addition, each immigrant must also pay the Canadian immigration and processing fees.

Working with employers in the Winkler area, Adele began securing job offers and matching them with potential immigrants. She facilitates and completes the necessary applications for immigration status.

As of the end of January 1999, over 500 potential Mennonite immigrants have visited the Winkler area to check out immigration possibilities. Already some 150 people have immigrated and many more are scheduled to immigrate this spring and summer when their children finish the current German school term. Adele says there will be a large group of Mennonite immigrants to the Winkler area between April and July of 1999.

In a sense it is too early to tell how these immigrants will fare in Manitoba because this immigration is still small and only in its early stages. Most express their satisfaction with Canada – though there are some exceptions. Adele reports that they like rural areas, appreciate the wide open spaces and some express their love for winter – something Adele cannot understand as a former Paraguayan. They do miss the comprehensive social services they received in Germany, and find they must be more self-reliant here in Canada. While the Winkler Chamber of Commerce arranges for a host family to assist them in adjusting to their new life in Canada, no financial assistance is provided.

On the other hand they express their appreciation for the freedom they have in Canada. This is especially the case with the Manitoba school system. In Germany they felt that parents had no input in the schooling of their children. In Canada there are parent committees, independent schools, and a much closer connection between public schools and parents. They also appreciate the less unionized atmosphere of southern Manitoba companies. But undoubtedly the biggest stimulus is the opportunity to fulfill a dream. For many it was the dream of their grandparents and parents in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution to come to North America. Now, some 75 years later, they are finally realizing this long-cherished dream.

But why Winkler? First of all, Winkler has recently averaged zero unemployment so employment opportunities abound. Many of these immigrants acquired a house in Germany with government assistance. They are able to sell their house for a significant profit and purchase one of equal value at a much lower cost in Winkler. At the same time, while the hourly wage is less in Canada than in Germany, living costs are lower. For these immigrants the positives outweigh the negatives and the overall opportunities seem to be greater.

Some have also noted social concerns as a stimulus for immigration. In Russia they were considered Germans, in Germany they were considered to be Russians, they hope that in Canada, especially in Winkler where many local residents speak German and Low German, they will fit in more easily and not be tagged with unwanted labels.

The efforts of Adele are not without some controversy. Since she is a real estate agent, some suggest she is assisting these families to come to Canada so they will feel obligated to purchase housing through the services of her company. Where good entrepreneurship ends and conflict of interest begins is open to question. There is also the local concern that since many of these immigrants have sufficient funds to purchase immediately houses, they are stretching the availability of housing in the Winkler area and as a result are driving up prices.

Adele does charge for her services, though initially she did not. One of her employees noted that in order to complete one application it takes a full day’s work, if all the information is readily available, which it rarely is. Does she gain fiom this immigration? Most likely. But then so do the other merchants and manufacturers in the Winkler area. Besides, as some argue, who else is willing to go to the trouble of assisting potential immigrants with the application process?

Will this small beginning turn into a major tide of immigration? It is too early to tell. But Adele certainly thinks it will. She notes that there are thousands of Mennonite immigrants in Germany willing to make the move to Canada. And while southern Manitoba has received the first trickle, other Mennonite communities throughout Canada will certainly be recipients of many more of these immigrants in years to come.

This article is used by the permission of Rhubarb magazine.

Ken Reddig is the Director of the Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg.

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Last modified October 31, 2000.

© 2000 Mennonite Heritage Centre and the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies.
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