A male informant describes what the requirements were for one to enter Canada
as a tourist.
ΑΝ.: If I wasn’t ashamed, because the ticket, I came as
a tourist. I didn’t come with an invitation. If I wasn’t ashamed towards my
friends, I would return back, because I had a round-trip ticket.
RES.: You came as a tourist?
ΑΝ.: As a tourist, yeah.
RES.: What does this mean?
ΑΝ.: I didn’t come with an invitation, like a relative
sends out to… to his relative. Myself, since I had no relatives, I came only
as a vi… visa, whatever you call it, like a visitor to Canada.
RES.: Meaning that when- you had to get a round-trip
ticket?
ΑΝ.: I had to get a round-trip ticket and to have two
hundred and fifty dollars… in cash.
RES.: Ah, yes? Aah…
ΑΝ.: In those years. Otherwise they wouldn’t allow you
to go out.
RES.: Ah, yes eh?
ΑΝ.: But they weren’t hunting you down back then. If
they saw you were hardworking… I think they used to say there was some
probation by the immigration. When you were hardworking, a young guy, you led
a normal life, they wouldn’t send you back.
