The International Conference on Refugees in Évian 1938 | The Brian Mulroney Institute of Government

In the summer of 1938 (July 6-15, 1938) delegates from thirty-two countries met in Évian-les-Bains (Evian), France to discuss the emerging refugee crisis occuring because of the influx of Jewish people escaping Nazism.
This conference occurred at a time when many countries, including Canada, had strict immigration quotes, which ultimately went unchanged despite the urgent need for safe refuge for Jews from the Nazis rule in Germany and Austria.
This conferences was convened by President Roosevelt urging leaders to find a long-term solution, however, no country, except the Dominican Republic, was willing to accept more refugees.
This resource includes Canada's policy on immigration and refugees at the time of the conference and also includes a copy of Canadian delegate Humphrey Hume Wrong's speech, which gave excuses as to why Canada could not increase its immigration quotes.
One year later, based on immigration policies that went unchanged after the Evian conference and a clear indifference towards the plight of German and Austrian Jews, Canada would refuse the Jewish refugee passengers on board MS St.Louis, and many of whom would later perish in the Holocaust.

Citation

"Canada." Closed Borders: The International Conference on Refugees in Évian 1938. Accessed July 26, 2022. https://evian1938.de/en/canada/