Earl of DALKEITHasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if his attention has been called to cases in which would-be Scottish emigrants to Canada have sold up all they possess, been passed as fit by medical men in this country, have been rejected at the port of arrival, and returned to Scotland in a state of destitution; and whether he will consider, in conjunction with the Canadian authorities, some better system of supervision and control, in which there should be a medical authority on this side who has the definite responsibility of saying whether a person is or is not fit to emigrate?
Mr. THOMASIn order to prevent as far as possible the occurrence of cases of the description referred to by the noble Lord, all migrants from the United Kingdom to Canada are medically examined in this country, prior to their departure, by a medical officer, appointed by the Canadian Government. Under the Canadian Immigration Law a final medical inspection necessarily takes place on the 913W arrival of a migrant in Canada, and in the very great majority of cases the preliminary medical examination is confirmed. In a few exceptional cases, however, generally through changes which have taken place since the preliminary medical examination, migrants are refused admission into Canada as a result of this final medical examination; but I am satisfied that the Canadian authorities take all possible steps to prevent the occurrence of cases of this description.