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Before the War
The Holocaust
Liberation
Displaced Persons Camps
Where Can We Go?
The Journey
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New Lives
Canadian Immigration Overview

The war orphans were subjected to a screening process that took two to six months. They were observed and given medical examinations. To be granted a visa, they had to express a desire to come to Canada and demonstrate "the ability to adjust". Sometimes immigration officials excluded children who wore glasses or could not read. Most of the orphans came in small groups, accompanied by a member of the Canadian Jewish Congress. Although the Canadian Privy Council Order of 1947 had given permission for 1,000 orphans, in the end 1,123 were admitted.
Canadian Jewish Congress / CJC
An organization of the Canadian Jewish community, founded in 1919, but was dormant until events in Europe revitalized it in 1933. During and after the war, it worked to secure asylum for Jewish refugees in Canada.
Visa
An endorsement on a passport or a separate document which permits the holder to enter or leave a country.
Privy Council Order / Order-in-Council
Order formulated by the Canadian Cabinet or a committee of Cabinet and formally approved by the governor general. Some orders simply make appointments. About a third are legislative, forming part of the law and are enforced by the courts.