Finnish-Canadian
Encyclopedia
Finnish Canadians are Canadians
of Finnish
ancestry. According to the 2001 census number over 114,000 Canadians claim Finnish ancestry. Finns started coming to Canada in the early 1880s, and in much larger numbers in the early 20th century and well into the mid-20th century. Finnish immigration
to Canada was often a direct result of economic depressions and wars, or in the aftermath of major conflicts like the Finnish Civil War
. Canada was often chosen as a final destination because of the similarity in climate
and natural conditions, while employment
in logging
or homesteading attracted landless farmers in the early 20th century. Migratory movements of Finns between Canada and the United States was very common as well.
In the early 20th century, newly arrived Finnish immigrants to Canada quickly became involved in political organizations, churches, athletic clubs and other forms of associational life. Halls and co-operatives were often erected in communities with sizable Finnish populations. "Finnish Canadians" pioneered efforts to establish co-operatives in several Canadian cities. Canada's largest co-operative, the Consumers' Co-operative Society, was started by Finns.
. Up until the early 1940s, the so-called "Red Finns," who held deep socialist convictions, far outnumbered "White Finns," the more religious and conservative Finns. This was partially due to the number of political refugees escaping persecution after the Finnish Civil War
, but also attributable to the response of several, formerly a-political Finns from rural Ostrobothnia
, to harsh economic conditions. Finnish Canadians with Marxist political views aligned themselves with the Social Democratic Party of Canada
and later, with the Communist Party of Canada
, centered around the newspaper Vapaus
(Freedom). Many Finns, however, were distrustful of politicians as a result of the perceived failure and reformism of the Finnish Social Democratic Party during the general strike in November 1917 and the reformist policy the party adopted after the Civil War. Finns arriving in Canada who had already faced severe class conflict and repression would line-up with the radical union, the Industrial Workers of the World
(IWW) emphasizing anti-authoritarianism and anti-statism. The IWW would hold considerable influence in the mines and logging camps of Northern Ontario.
A decline in the Finnish-Canadian population began with the mass exodus of skilled workers and loggers to Soviet Karelia
in the 1920s and 30's, and the large number of Finnish-Canadian volunteers in the Spanish Civil War
. Finnish-Canadians, along with Ukrainians, formed the largest section of volunteers in the Canadian contingent of the International Brigades
, Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion
. Finns formed the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalions "Ilkka" machine-gun company. The period after the 1930s marks a decline in Finnish co-operative activity in Canada.
Canada started seeing a drastic increase in immigration from Finland during the late 1920s and forward, as the United States Immigration Act of 1924
did not consider Finland to be among the Western European favourable countries to have immigration from, resulting in a strong restriction of 500 Finnish immigrants per year to the US. Despite conservative "White" Finnish support for Nazi Germany during World War II, Canadian immigration policy in the 1940s favoured admitting "White Finns" to Canada. This, combined with a fiercely anti-socialist view in the post-World War II era, led to a shift in the political balance of the Finnish-Canadian community.
Today, the communities of Thunder Bay
, Sudbury and New Finland
form the main centres of Finnish-Canadian activity. Thunder Bay boasts the largest Finnish population outside of Scandinavia
, and the only Finnish cultural centre in Canada, housed in the Finnish Labour Temple
along with the Hoito
Restaurant. The Finnish-Canadian weeklies Canadan Sanomat
and Vapaa Sana publish out of Thunder Bay and Toronto respectively. Another significant Finnish-Canadian newspaper, Vapaus
, was published in Sudbury from 1917 to 1974.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
of Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
ancestry. According to the 2001 census number over 114,000 Canadians claim Finnish ancestry. Finns started coming to Canada in the early 1880s, and in much larger numbers in the early 20th century and well into the mid-20th century. Finnish immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
to Canada was often a direct result of economic depressions and wars, or in the aftermath of major conflicts like the Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
. Canada was often chosen as a final destination because of the similarity in climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
and natural conditions, while employment
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
in logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
or homesteading attracted landless farmers in the early 20th century. Migratory movements of Finns between Canada and the United States was very common as well.
In the early 20th century, newly arrived Finnish immigrants to Canada quickly became involved in political organizations, churches, athletic clubs and other forms of associational life. Halls and co-operatives were often erected in communities with sizable Finnish populations. "Finnish Canadians" pioneered efforts to establish co-operatives in several Canadian cities. Canada's largest co-operative, the Consumers' Co-operative Society, was started by Finns.
Background
Canadians of Finnish ancestry often formed a large percentage of left-wing organizations during the early 1900s, as Finland had, by 1906 as a part of the Russian empire, already become one of the first nations to adopt universal suffrageUniversal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
. Up until the early 1940s, the so-called "Red Finns," who held deep socialist convictions, far outnumbered "White Finns," the more religious and conservative Finns. This was partially due to the number of political refugees escaping persecution after the Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
, but also attributable to the response of several, formerly a-political Finns from rural Ostrobothnia
Ostrobothnia (region)
Ostrobothnia is a region of Finland. It is located in Western Finland. It borders the regions Central Ostrobothnia, Southern Ostrobothnia, and Satakunta and is one of the four regions making up the historical province of Ostrobothnia....
, to harsh economic conditions. Finnish Canadians with Marxist political views aligned themselves with the Social Democratic Party of Canada
Social Democratic Party of Canada
The Social Democratic Party was a social democratic political party in Canada founded in 1911 by members of the right wing of the Socialist Party of Canada. these members were dissatisfied with what they saw as that party's rigid, doctrinaire approach...
and later, with the Communist Party of Canada
Communist Party of Canada
The Communist Party of Canada is a communist political party in Canada. Although is it currently a minor or small political party without representation in the Federal Parliament or in provincial legislatures, historically the Party has elected representatives in Federal Parliament, Ontario...
, centered around the newspaper Vapaus
Vapaus
Vapaus was a Finnish-Canadian communist newspaper, published in Sudbury, Ontario from 1917 to 1974. Vapaus, whose content was published in the Finnish language, was closely associated with the Finnish Organization of Canada, an organization connected to the Communist Party of Canada.The paper was...
(Freedom). Many Finns, however, were distrustful of politicians as a result of the perceived failure and reformism of the Finnish Social Democratic Party during the general strike in November 1917 and the reformist policy the party adopted after the Civil War. Finns arriving in Canada who had already faced severe class conflict and repression would line-up with the radical union, the Industrial Workers of the World
Industrial Workers of the World
The Industrial Workers of the World is an international union. At its peak in 1923, the organization claimed some 100,000 members in good standing, and could marshal the support of perhaps 300,000 workers. Its membership declined dramatically after a 1924 split brought on by internal conflict...
(IWW) emphasizing anti-authoritarianism and anti-statism. The IWW would hold considerable influence in the mines and logging camps of Northern Ontario.
A decline in the Finnish-Canadian population began with the mass exodus of skilled workers and loggers to Soviet Karelia
Republic of Karelia
The Republic of Karelia is a federal subject of Russia .-Geography:The republic is located in the northwestern part of Russia, taking intervening position between the basins of White and Baltic seas...
in the 1920s and 30's, and the large number of Finnish-Canadian volunteers in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. Finnish-Canadians, along with Ukrainians, formed the largest section of volunteers in the Canadian contingent of the International Brigades
International Brigades
The International Brigades were military units made up of volunteers from different countries, who traveled to Spain to defend the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939....
, Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion
Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion
The Mackenzie–Papineau Battalion or Mac-Paps were a battalion of Canadians who fought as part of the XV International Brigade on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War. Except for France, no other country gave a greater proportion of its population as volunteers in Spain than Canada. The...
. Finns formed the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalions "Ilkka" machine-gun company. The period after the 1930s marks a decline in Finnish co-operative activity in Canada.
Canada started seeing a drastic increase in immigration from Finland during the late 1920s and forward, as the United States Immigration Act of 1924
Immigration Act of 1924
The Immigration Act of 1924, or Johnson–Reed Act, including the National Origins Act, and Asian Exclusion Act , was a United States federal law that limited the annual number of immigrants who could be admitted from any country to 2% of the number of people from that country who were already...
did not consider Finland to be among the Western European favourable countries to have immigration from, resulting in a strong restriction of 500 Finnish immigrants per year to the US. Despite conservative "White" Finnish support for Nazi Germany during World War II, Canadian immigration policy in the 1940s favoured admitting "White Finns" to Canada. This, combined with a fiercely anti-socialist view in the post-World War II era, led to a shift in the political balance of the Finnish-Canadian community.
Today, the communities of Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
, Sudbury and New Finland
New Finland, Saskatchewan
New Finland or Uusi Suomi is a district in the Qu'Appelle valley, the south eastern part of the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. Uusi Suomi is Finnish for New Finland, the name adopted by this Finnish block settlement. The homesteaders found an area in Saskatchewan near Qu'Appelle River which...
form the main centres of Finnish-Canadian activity. Thunder Bay boasts the largest Finnish population outside of Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, and the only Finnish cultural centre in Canada, housed in the Finnish Labour Temple
Finnish Labour Temple
The Finnish Labour Temple is a Finnish-Canadian cultural and community centre and a local landmark located at 314 Bay Street in the Finnish quarter in Thunder Bay, Ontario....
along with the Hoito
The Hoito
The Hoito Restaurant is a Finnish-Canadian restaurant in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada established in 1918 and housed in the bottom-floor of the historic Finnish Labour Temple...
Restaurant. The Finnish-Canadian weeklies Canadan Sanomat
Canadan Sanomat
Canadan Sanomat is a weekly Finnish language newspaper in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. It is headquartered in the Finnish Labour Temple.The paper is published by Vapaa Sana Press Ltd....
and Vapaa Sana publish out of Thunder Bay and Toronto respectively. Another significant Finnish-Canadian newspaper, Vapaus
Vapaus
Vapaus was a Finnish-Canadian communist newspaper, published in Sudbury, Ontario from 1917 to 1974. Vapaus, whose content was published in the Finnish language, was closely associated with the Finnish Organization of Canada, an organization connected to the Communist Party of Canada.The paper was...
, was published in Sudbury from 1917 to 1974.
Famous Finnish Canadians
- Pamela AndersonPamela AndersonPamela Denise Anderson is a Canadian-American actress, model, producer, author, activist, and former showgirl, known for her roles on the television series Home Improvement, Baywatch, and V.I.P. She was chosen as a Playmate of the Month for Playboy magazine in February 1990...
, actress - Randy CarlyleRandy CarlyleRandolph Robert Carlyle is a former ice hockey defenceman and formely the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks. He was raised in Azilda, just northwest of Sudbury, Ontario.-Career:...
, National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
player and currently the head coach of the Anaheim DucksAnaheim DucksThe Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... - Judy ErolaJudy ErolaJudith Erola, née Jacobson, PC is a former Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Nickel Belt in the Canadian House of Commons from 1980 to 1984. She was a member of the Liberal Party....
, politician and businesswoman - Mauri Kaipainen, musicologist and specialist in the cognitive sciences
- Albert Karvonen, documentary film producer
- Joe KeithleyJoe KeithleyJoey "Shithead" Keithley is a punk musician with the band D.O.A.. He was raised in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, and attended Burnaby North Secondary. At age 11, he began playing drums. He would later take up the guitar and vocals. He owns and operates his own record company, Sudden Death...
, punk rock musician - Matti KurikkaMatti KurikkaMatti Kurikka was a Finnish journalist, theosophist, and utopian socialist....
, a utopian socialist who led the short-lived experimental utopian community of Sointula, British ColumbiaSointula, British ColumbiaSointula is an isolated village on Malcolm Island in British Columbia, Canada. Lying between Vancouver Island and the British Columbia mainland, northeast of Port McNeill and not far from Alert Bay, the island is part of the historic and present territory of the 'Namgis First Nation... - Larissa LoyvaLarissa LoyvaLarissa Loyva is a Canadian indie pop singer-songwriter and keyboardist. Based in Vancouver, she has released material and performed as a solo artist under the stage name Kellarissa, as well as with the bands P:ano and The Choir Practice....
, singer-songwriter - Pentti LundPentti LundPentti Alexander Lund is a retired Finnish-Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played for the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League. Lund is often credited as being the first Finnish player in the National Hockey League...
, National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
player and Calder Trophy winner - Michael MahonenMichael MahonenMichael Mahonen is a Canadian actor, director and screen writer.-Biography:As a child Michael did not have a particular interest in acting and looks back on his first acting experience as something he wasn’t the least bit interested in or inspired to do. “It was some sort of Charlie Brown show in...
, actor - Kate MakiKate Maki-Biography:Born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, Maki studied neuroscience at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and education at Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario...
, singer-songwriter - Peter NygårdPeter NygårdPeter J. Nygård , is a Finnish-Canadian fashion executive of Finland-Swedish origin. He is the chairman of Nygård International of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, a company that makes women's wear...
, businessman - Rosvall and VoutilainenRosvall and VoutilainenViljo Rosvall and Janne Voutilainen were two Finnish-Canadian unionists from Thunder Bay, Ontario and members of the Lumber Workers Industrial Union of Canada who mysteriously disappeared on November 18, 1929...
, labour activists - Sonya SalomaaSonya SalomaaSonya Salomaa is a Canadian actor of Finnish descent, known for her performances in The Collector and Durham County.She was born in Sudbury, Ontario. Salomaa grew up in Prince George, British Columbia and attended the University of Northern British Columbia to pursue a Bachelor of Science in...
, actress and model
External links
- Multicultural Canada website digitized issues of the Sudbury, Ontario newspaper Vapaus (Liberty), 1921–1930 and 1948–1974