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None Is Too Many

January 01, 1970

None Is Too Many: Canada and the Jews of Europe 1933–1948 is a 1983 book co-authored by the Canadian historians Irving Abella and Harold Troper. It is about Canada's restrictive immigration policy towards Jewish refugees during the Holocaust years. It helped popularize the phrase "none is too many" in Canada.[1]

None Is Too Many: Canada and the Jews of Europe, 1933–1948
AuthorIrving Abella and Harold Troper
Published1983 by Lester & Orpen Dennys
ISBN978-0-919630-31-4

Overview edit

First published in 1983 by Lester & Orpen Dennys, and reissued in 2012 by University of Toronto Press, the book documents the history of the Canadian response to Jewish refugees from 1933, with the rise of the Nazi government in Germany, until 1948. The authors argue that while many nations were complicit in the Holocaust for their refusal to admit Jewish refugees during the Nazi era, the Canadian government did less than other Western countries to help Jewish refugees between 1933 and 1948. The most infamous example of Canada's immigration policy was the refusal to admit the MS St. Louis, a German ocean liner carrying refugees.[2] Only 5,000 Jewish refugees entered Canada from 1933 until 1945, which the book argues was the worst of any refugee receiving nation in the world.[2] This response was possible in part because of Canada's history of antisemitism.

The authors identify Frederick Blair, the head of immigration in William Lyon Mackenzie King's government, as a top official who opposed and limited Jewish immigration. They say that Blair's policy had the full support of Mackenzie King, who was prime minister 1935–48, Vincent Massey, the high commissioner to Britain,[3] and both Anglophone and Francophone elites in general.

Title edit

The title is based on an incident recounted in the book. Early in 1939 an unidentified immigration agent (Frederick Blair, the Canadian Minister of Immigration) was asked how many Jews would be allowed in Canada after the war. He replied, "None is too many". The phrase has since entered common parlance in Canada.[4] In 2011, a monument, referred to in the media as the "none is too many" memorial, was displayed in Halifax's Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 to commemorate the MS St. Louis.[5] In 2015, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau was criticized by several right-leaning Jewish groups[6] after he used the phrase to criticize the Conservative government's immigration policy for Muslims.[7] In 2018, in an unrelated address, Trudeau pledged to make a formal apology for the Canadian government's turning away of the St. Louis "due to our discriminatory 'none is too many' immigration policy of the time."[8]

Reception edit

At the time of writing, Abella and Troper had difficulty finding a publisher. Troper said that he and Abella were told that "the book was something of a downer and seemed somewhat 'un-Canadian'", a sentiment that alluded to the myth of the putative Canadian ethic of welcoming the oppressed.[9] The book was eventually published by Lester & Orpen Dennys, to acclaim. Reviewer William French wrote that Abella and Troper did "a superb job of unearthing this sorry chapter in [Canadian] history ... By exhaustively pursuing primary sources, they have documented the details ... with chilling precision."[10]

Upon the 2013 reissue of the book, Richard A. Hawkins wrote that while the authors did address the international policy context, Abella and Troper could have explored Canadian immigration policy in the context of the British Empire (of which Canada was, during WWII, a part) to a greater extent – while, he wrote, the British were overall not unsympathetic to the plight of Jewish refugees, there was a schism in opinion after Kristallnacht and subsequently more efforts in Britain to actively address the Jewish refugee crisis, including the Kindertransport system: "It would be interesting to know whether Canada was asked to participate in the Kindertransport and whether any efforts were made to raise money in Canada to fund [it]."[11]

Influence edit

The book is periodically referenced in debates on immigration policy in Canada. Co-author Irving Abella wrote that he and Troper had not anticipated that the book would have much impact beyond addressing and exposing a "disturbing piece of [Canadian] history", but that "it has become an ethical yardstick against which contemporaneous government policies are gauged", and that it was instrumental in enabling Vietnamese boat people to seek safety in the country in the late 1970s.[12] In 1979, Canada's deputy minister of immigration reportedly handed the manuscript of the book to immigration minister Ron Atkey, saying "this should not be you". Atkey then advocated for the admission of more Vietnamese refugees to Canada. "He drew the parallels to our attention, was moved by it himself and we all were", prime minister Joe Clark recalled.[13]

Awards edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Canada still has much to learn from None is Too Many". Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  2. ^ a b Abella, Irving; Troper, Harold Martin (2012-01-01). None is Too Many: Canada and the Jews of Europe, 1933–1948. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9781442614079.
  3. ^ "How Canada's mighty have fallen". www.winnipegfreepress.com. 23 August 2010. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
  4. ^ "'None is too many': Memorial for Jews turned away from Canada in 1939". National Post. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
  5. ^ Smith, Joanna (2014-11-17). "A monument commemorating the Jewish refugees aboard the MS St. Louis, which Canada turned away in 1939, will no longer be housed at the Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
  6. ^ "Jewish group says Trudeau made 'unfortunate' comparison in speech". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
  7. ^ "Trudeau slams Tories for terror rhetoric". The Globe and Mail. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
  8. ^ Csillag, Ron (May 9, 2018). "Canada will apologize for the St. Louis: Justin Trudeau". The Canadian Jewish News. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  9. ^ Freeman, Alan (July 4, 2022). "Historian Irving Abella dies after long illness". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  10. ^ French, William (September 9, 1982). "Anti-Semitism a shameful chapter in Canada's history NONE IS TOO MANY CANADA AND THE JEWS OF EUROPE, 1933–1948". The Globe and Mail. Bell Globemedia Publishing Inc.
  11. ^ Hawkins, Richard (September 2013). "Irving Abella and Harold Troper, None Is Too Many: Canada and the Jews of Europe, 1933–1948". British Journal of Canadian Studies. 26 (2): 284–285. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  12. ^ Abella, Irving (11 May 2018). "Canada still has much to learn from None is Too Many". The Globe and Mail.
  13. ^ Fine, Sean (4 September 2015). "Historic Canadian resettlement of Vietnamese sets precedent for action". The Globe and Mail.
  14. ^ "Past Winners". Jewish Book Council. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  15. ^ "CHA Prizes". cha-shc.ca. Retrieved 2020-07-23.

External links edit

  • Review of the book by Michael R. Angel for the Manitoba Historical Society
  • None is too many – 1982 CBC Archives clip
  • Canadian Jewish Studies - Études juives canadiennes, vol 24, 2016, p 79 squ.: Justin Comartin, Opening Closed Doors: Revisiting the Canadian Immigration Record (1933-1945). Criticism of the book.
  • ibid., 24, 2016, p 169 squ.: Canadian Jewish Studies - Études juives canadiennes, Janice Rosen, Archives Director, Alex Dworkin, Canadian Jewish Archives: Once Is Not Enough: The "Canadian Jewish Archives" and other Montreal Collections. Reconsidered after "None Is Too Many".

Further reading edit

  • David Goutor, The Canadian Media and the ‘Discovery’ of the Holocaust, 1944-1945, Canadian Jewish Studies / Études Juives Canadiennes, vol. 5 (January), 1997.
  • Franklin Bialystok, 1944: What Was Known? What Was Reported? What Was Done? What Could Have Been Done?, Canadian Jewish Studies / Études Juives Canadiennes 27 (June), 2019.

January 01, 1970
none, many, canada, jews, europe, 1933, 1948, 1983, book, authored, canadian, historians, irving, abella, harold, troper, about, canada, restrictive, immigration, policy, towards, jewish, refugees, during, holocaust, years, helped, popularize, phrase, none, ma. None Is Too Many Canada and the Jews of Europe 1933 1948 is a 1983 book co authored by the Canadian historians Irving Abella and Harold Troper It is about Canada s restrictive immigration policy towards Jewish refugees during the Holocaust years It helped popularize the phrase none is too many in Canada 1 None Is Too Many Canada and the Jews of Europe 1933 1948AuthorIrving Abella and Harold TroperPublished1983 by Lester amp Orpen DennysISBN978 0 919630 31 4 Contents 1 Overview 2 Title 3 Reception 4 Influence 5 Awards 6 See also 7 References 8 External links 9 Further readingOverview editFirst published in 1983 by Lester amp Orpen Dennys and reissued in 2012 by University of Toronto Press the book documents the history of the Canadian response to Jewish refugees from 1933 with the rise of the Nazi government in Germany until 1948 The authors argue that while many nations were complicit in the Holocaust for their refusal to admit Jewish refugees during the Nazi era the Canadian government did less than other Western countries to help Jewish refugees between 1933 and 1948 The most infamous example of Canada s immigration policy was the refusal to admit the MS St Louis a German ocean liner carrying refugees 2 Only 5 000 Jewish refugees entered Canada from 1933 until 1945 which the book argues was the worst of any refugee receiving nation in the world 2 This response was possible in part because of Canada s history of antisemitism The authors identify Frederick Blair the head of immigration in William Lyon Mackenzie King s government as a top official who opposed and limited Jewish immigration They say that Blair s policy had the full support of Mackenzie King who was prime minister 1935 48 Vincent Massey the high commissioner to Britain 3 and both Anglophone and Francophone elites in general Title editThe title is based on an incident recounted in the book Early in 1939 an unidentified immigration agent Frederick Blair the Canadian Minister of Immigration was asked how many Jews would be allowed in Canada after the war He replied None is too many The phrase has since entered common parlance in Canada 4 In 2011 a monument referred to in the media as the none is too many memorial was displayed in Halifax s Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 to commemorate the MS St Louis 5 In 2015 Liberal leader Justin Trudeau was criticized by several right leaning Jewish groups 6 after he used the phrase to criticize the Conservative government s immigration policy for Muslims 7 In 2018 in an unrelated address Trudeau pledged to make a formal apology for the Canadian government s turning away of the St Louis due to our discriminatory none is too many immigration policy of the time 8 Reception editAt the time of writing Abella and Troper had difficulty finding a publisher Troper said that he and Abella were told that the book was something of a downer and seemed somewhat un Canadian a sentiment that alluded to the myth of the putative Canadian ethic of welcoming the oppressed 9 The book was eventually published by Lester amp Orpen Dennys to acclaim Reviewer William French wrote that Abella and Troper did a superb job of unearthing this sorry chapter in Canadian history By exhaustively pursuing primary sources they have documented the details with chilling precision 10 Upon the 2013 reissue of the book Richard A Hawkins wrote that while the authors did address the international policy context Abella and Troper could have explored Canadian immigration policy in the context of the British Empire of which Canada was during WWII a part to a greater extent while he wrote the British were overall not unsympathetic to the plight of Jewish refugees there was a schism in opinion after Kristallnacht and subsequently more efforts in Britain to actively address the Jewish refugee crisis including the Kindertransport system It would be interesting to know whether Canada was asked to participate in the Kindertransport and whether any efforts were made to raise money in Canada to fund it 11 Influence editThe book is periodically referenced in debates on immigration policy in Canada Co author Irving Abella wrote that he and Troper had not anticipated that the book would have much impact beyond addressing and exposing a disturbing piece of Canadian history but that it has become an ethical yardstick against which contemporaneous government policies are gauged and that it was instrumental in enabling Vietnamese boat people to seek safety in the country in the late 1970s 12 In 1979 Canada s deputy minister of immigration reportedly handed the manuscript of the book to immigration minister Ron Atkey saying this should not be you Atkey then advocated for the admission of more Vietnamese refugees to Canada He drew the parallels to our attention was moved by it himself and we all were prime minister Joe Clark recalled 13 Awards edit1983 National Jewish Book Award in the Holocaust category 14 1983 Sir John A Macdonald Award now the CHA Best Scholarly Book in Canadian History Prize 15 See also editDouble Threat Evian Conference FAST Fighting Antisemitism Together The Traitor and the Jew Cairine WilsonReferences edit Canada still has much to learn from None is Too Many Retrieved 2020 07 23 a b Abella Irving Troper Harold Martin 2012 01 01 None is Too Many Canada and the Jews of Europe 1933 1948 University of Toronto Press ISBN 9781442614079 How Canada s mighty have fallen www winnipegfreepress com 23 August 2010 Retrieved 2015 10 20 None is too many Memorial for Jews turned away from Canada in 1939 National Post Retrieved 2015 10 20 Smith Joanna 2014 11 17 A monument commemorating the Jewish refugees aboard the MS St Louis which Canada turned away in 1939 will no longer be housed at the Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax The Toronto Star ISSN 0319 0781 Retrieved 2015 10 20 Jewish group says Trudeau made unfortunate comparison in speech Ottawa Citizen Retrieved 2015 10 20 Trudeau slams Tories for terror rhetoric The Globe and Mail 9 March 2015 Retrieved 2015 10 20 Csillag Ron May 9 2018 Canada will apologize for the St Louis Justin Trudeau The Canadian Jewish News Retrieved 8 July 2022 Freeman Alan July 4 2022 Historian Irving Abella dies after long illness The Globe and Mail Retrieved 8 July 2022 French William September 9 1982 Anti Semitism a shameful chapter in Canada s history NONE IS TOO MANY CANADA AND THE JEWS OF EUROPE 1933 1948 The Globe and Mail Bell Globemedia Publishing Inc Hawkins Richard September 2013 Irving Abella and Harold Troper None Is Too Many Canada and the Jews of Europe 1933 1948 British Journal of Canadian Studies 26 2 284 285 Retrieved 8 July 2022 Abella Irving 11 May 2018 Canada still has much to learn from None is Too Many The Globe and Mail Fine Sean 4 September 2015 Historic Canadian resettlement of Vietnamese sets precedent for action The Globe and Mail Past Winners Jewish Book Council Retrieved 2020 01 21 CHA Prizes cha shc ca Retrieved 2020 07 23 External links editReview of the book by Michael R Angel for the Manitoba Historical Society None is too many 1982 CBC Archives clip Canadian Jewish Studies Etudes juives canadiennes vol 24 2016 p 79 squ Justin Comartin Opening Closed Doors Revisiting the Canadian Immigration Record 1933 1945 Criticism of the book ibid 24 2016 p 169 squ Canadian Jewish Studies Etudes juives canadiennes Janice Rosen Archives Director Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives Once Is Not Enough The Canadian Jewish Archives and other Montreal Collections Reconsidered after None Is Too Many Further reading editDavid Goutor The Canadian Media and the Discovery of the Holocaust 1944 1945 Canadian Jewish Studies Etudes Juives Canadiennes vol 5 January 1997 Franklin Bialystok 1944 What Was Known What Was Reported What Was Done What Could Have Been Done Canadian Jewish Studies Etudes Juives Canadiennes 27 June 2019 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title None Is Too Many amp oldid 1219915101, 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