False start: the 1956 Palestinian refugee movement to Canada

Figures & data

Table 1. UNRWA registered refugee population in 1955.

Despatch 339 reports the refugee population registered with UNRWA in June 1955 as:
Country	Refugees	% of host country population
Lebanon	103,600	7.7%
Syria	88,179	2.3%
Jordan	499,606	56.8%
Gaza	214,601	225.9%
TOTAL	905,986	14.8%

Table 2. Anticipated 1956 Distribution of Palestinian Refugees in Canada.

Montreal	25	London	5
Quebec	10	Ottawa	5
Hull	5	Windsor	5
Three Rivers	5	Toronto	25
Hamilton	5	Port Arthur	10

(GRB Benoit, Director of Operstion23 April 1956n memo to “All District Superintendents” in LAC RG76, vol.865, file 555-54-607).

Table 3. Palestinian Refugees Selected for Resettlement.

	CASES	PEOPLE
3 (a) Total Interviewed
Beirut	104	324
Amman	42	116
Jerusalem	44	119
TOTAL	190	599
*Of these 190 cases, 134 were single workers and 56 were families (Fortin Memorandum, 1956).
Preliminary Results:
	Pending Travel Documents		Pending Background		TOTAL
	Cases	Persons	Cases	Persons	Cases	Persons
3 (b) Accepted for Relocation
Beirut	32	54	2	9	34	63
Amman	0	0	12	24	12	24
Jerusalem	0	0	5	10	5	10
TOTAL	32	54	19	43	51	97
	Medical		Civil Selection Criteria		Background		TOTAL
	Cases	Persons	Cases	Persons	Cases	Persons	Cases	Persons
3 (c) Applicants Rejected after Interview
Beirut	31	129	8	12	1	1	40	142
Amman	13	45	9	24	0	0	22	69
Jerusalem	8	22	13	19	0	0	21	41
TOTAL	52	196	30	55	1	1	83	252
	Cases	Persons
3 (d) Not Accepted after pre-Interview
Beirut	8	38
Amman	0	0
Jerusalem	13	60
TOTAL	21	98
	Cases	Persons
3 (e) Applications Withdrawn
Beirut	22	91
Amman	8	23
Jerusalem	5	7
TOTAL	35	121

Table 4. Final Applicants Accepted (Despatch 35).

	Pre-Selected by UNRWA		Tentatively Accepted by Canada
	Applications	Persons	Applications	Persons
Beirut	103	332	36	64
Amman	42	116	12	24
Jerusalem	43	127	5	10
TOTAL	188	575	53	98

Fortin Memorandum. (1956, February 10). [Fortin Memorandum]. LAC RG 76, vol.865, file 555-54-607, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Canada.

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