This accession consists of two groups of subject files on the Canadian Immigration and Population Study (CIPS) of 1973-74 and related departmental activities.
On 17 September 1973 the Minister of Manpower and Immigration (Robert Andras) announced the formation of a special task force to study immigration policy options generally -- said to be the first attempt ever at a comprehensive analysis of federal immigration policy. The Canadian Immigration and Population Study Task Force was to be made up of experts both from within and outside the federal government. Its report, the "Green Paper on Immigration Policy" (4 volumes, Ottawa: Department of Manpower and Immigration/Queen's Printer, 1974) -- termed a discussion document rather than a policy statement -- was tabled in the House of Commons on 3 February 1975. Numerous specialized demographic, sociological and other academic research studies done by or for the Task Force were published in the same period. The Department replaced the Task Force with a new unit whose duties were to encourage, receive, and analyze the representations arising from national debate on the report's recommendations. The public were invited to express their opinions; presentations on the topic were heard in the cross-Canada hearings of the Special Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Commons on Immigration Policy (1975-76), which also produced a report and recommendations ("Report to Parliament", Ottawa: Queen's Printer, 1975). A new legislative drafting unit was then set up to prepare new Immigration legislation; this was introduced into the House of Commons on 22 November 1976 as Bill C-24 and eventually passed as the Immigration Act (1976) (S.C. 1976-77, c.52, proclaimed in force 10 April 1978).
The files are in two groups:
1. THE CIPS SERIES -- Four CIPS internal subject files, classified in a unique duplex-numeric system, on various immigration policy topics, 1969-74 (box 1). Most of the contents are copies of reports and reference material.
2. THIRD CENTRAL REGISTRY (5000 BLOCK) SERIES -- Files extracted from the main Immigration program central registry (block 5001) documenting research, consultation and drafting of the Green Paper and related CIPS reports and activities (including followup), 1972-76 (boxes 1-4). The remainder of this block is in RG 76 series I C (Third CR File Series) and in RG 118, accession 1984-85/120.
Records on the CIPS in other departmental records series are widely scattered throughout RG 76 and RG 118. See, among others, RG 118, volume 60 file 6215-3-C12 (CMIAC file); and RG 118 acc. 1984-85/120 (CIPS 5000 block subject files, public briefs and reports, 1970-76). In RG 76 see volumes 735-737 (briefing notes and some published reports); vols. 997-998 and acc. 1983-84/349 boxes 193-200a, file blocks 5881-5882 (Immigration program subject files on CIPS and bill C-24); and RG 76, acc. 1983-84/350 box 3 item 12 (index to public comments on Bill C-24).
