The Northern Route: An Ethnography of Refugee Experiences

Joseph Garcea is an assistant professor of Poli-tical Studies at the
University of Saskatchewan.

Anyone seeking a clearly written overview of the refugee migration,
determination, and selection processes from a Canadian perspective
should read this book. Gilad provides an excellent account of refugee
movements from six countries of origin (El Salvador, Iran, Vietnam,
Cuba, Czechoslovakia, and Poland) into Canada via Gander,
Newfoundland—referred to in refugee circles as “the Northern
Route.”

In addition to the introductory and concluding chapters (which explain
the objective, methodology, and major findings of the study), the book
comprises four interrelated sections.

The first section deals with the initial stages of the refugee process.
Chapter 2 (“Becoming a Refugee”) examines the factors that lead
individuals to become refugees. Chapter 3 (“The Exit”) examines the
factors that determine how people will escape from their countries of
origin. Chapter 4 (“The Wait”) examines the experiences of various
persons both in refugee camps abroad and in the major centres in
Newfoundland as they wait to be granted refugee status and a visa.

The second section deals in greater detail with the processing of
refugees by Canadian officials, both abroad and within Canada. Chapter 5
(“The Politics and Economics of Processing for Canada”) examines the
Canadian refugee determination and selection process both before and
after the 1989 changes.

The third section deals with the settlement networks and services that
exist in Newfoundland for refugees. Chapter 6 (“Newfoundland Agencies
Introduced”) examines the development of governmental and
nongovernmental networks established to deal with the settlement needs
of refugees. Chapter 7 (“Arrival”) examines more closely the
reception services available to refugees on arrival. Chapter 8
(“Making Connections”) examines the availability and use of
settlement services provided by government and nongovernmental agencies
in Newfoundland.

The fourth section focuses on the migration of refugees from
Newfoundland to other parts of Canada. In Chapter 9 (“Moving On”),
Gilad cites statistics showing that the majority of refugees do not
remain in Newfoundland. Like other immigrants, they tend to move to
other areas in Canada where there are larger ethnic communities and
better job opportunities.

Anyone remotely interested in refugee and immigration issues should
read this book. It analyzes a highly complex process in an interesting
and uncomplicated fashion.