In late 1958, the United Nations General Assembly declared that 1959–60 would be recognized as World Refugee Year (wry). While this came a decade after the influx of the post-Second World War movement of refugees and displaced persons, it was initiated to deal with a growing worldwide refugee crisis, including a lingering population of refugees in Europe. The Canadian Committee for World Refugee Year was established in 1959 to respond to the un-declared special year. This article surveys the activities of wry in Canada, demonstrating that the engagement of Canadians with wry reveals a reluctant federal government, a broadly democratic national endeavour, and a grassroots movement of civil society actors committed to improve the lot of the world’s stateless and homeless. The attitudes of many Canadians as individuals or, represented by non-governmental agencies, as revealed in concrete action, demonstrate the positive role of civil society in social and political action. While some of the activities of wry reflected a condescending and colonialist mindset towards marginalized peoples, they also pointed to an emerging openness on the part of ordinary Canadians to refugee immigrants from across the globe.
Marlene Epp (Mon,) studied this question.