Fear of Job Loss

As we have seen, many people also believed that the Chinese would take their jobs. Some did work in mining, fishing and forestry. But many others opened laundries and restaurants. In fact, the Chinese often made new jobs. Sometimes they even made jobs for white Newfoundlanders.

Assimilation

To assimilate means to become part of. Many Newfoundlanders thought that the Chinese, because of their culture, religion and language, would always be "outsiders." They wanted immigrants who would fit in more easily-people from Britain or Ireland. They thought the Chinese would always be separate.

Today, many people think that different cultures add richness and colour to life. People from different countries often help to make their new country successful—even when they keep their own culture. At the turn of the century—and even today—some people did not believe this. They thought that all the citizens of a country should be the same. The Unites States follows this idea more closely than does Canada. It is sometimes said that the United States has a "melting pot" culture. This means that, when new immigrants come to the United States, they are encouraged to leave their old ways behind and become "American." This is one of the main differences between Canada and the United States. But even today not all Canadians agree with multiculturalism. In the early 1900s in Newfoundland, nobody did.

The Sojourner

Some people also believed that the Chinese did not intend to stay in Newfoundland and become citizens. It was said that they came here only to make as much money as they could. Then they would leave. People who do this are called "sojourners." Some citizens of a country do not like this because they think that sojourners take from a country and give nothing back. These people do not see why they should treat immigrants well if they are not even going to stay.