Swedish-Canadian
Encyclopedia
The term Swedish Kanuck (Swedish
: Svensk-kanadensare) refers to a naturalized Canadian citizen hailing from Sweden
or professing Swedish descent. The 'Swedish-Canadian' community in Canada is 330,000 strong. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/ETO/Table1.cfm?Lang=E&T=501&GV=1&GID=0 The vast majority of them reside west of Lake Superior
, primarily in Winnipeg
, Calgary
, Edmonton
and Vancouver
. Toronto
is the most popular settlement spot for newcomers. Despite having an influential presence and distinctive cultural bond, only 20,000 Canadian persons of Swedish descent speak Swedish.
.
The first Swede, Jacob Fahlström
, arrived in Canada in 1809, as an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company
. He was succeeded in 1812 by yet another gentleman from Sweden, who was accompanied by two other men from Norway
and Ireland
to populate the Selkirk Settlement in lower Manitoba
. A much more substantive wave of Swedish settlers immigrated to Canada from the United States between 1868 and 1914, as land for farming became more and more scarce in America. Crop failures in their home country between 1866 and 1868 encouraged a similar exodus
from Europe.
The second and largest wave, which came during the 1920s, endured both the depression of the 1930s and the Second World War 1939–45. The third wave, although not as numerous, has been steady since the 1950s.
The immigrant pattern in Canada differs slightly from their counterpart in the United States. Whereas the majority of the earlier Swedish immigrants in America are from south-central Sweden, a significant portion of the Swedish immigrants in Canada are from the Stockholm region and Northern Sweden.
As the economic situation improved after the Second World War, the overall emigration rate of Sweden slowed down considerably. Very much like recent Swedish emigrants found in other parts of the world, many of the newcomers are connected with Swedish companies, and do not intend to remain in the country permanently.
to British Columbia
. There were only a handful of strictly Swedish communities, the earliest being Scandinavia, Manitoba, in 1885 and Stockholm, Saskatchewan
, in 1886. The Census of Canada shows that Swedish immigrants could be found scattered throughout every province and territory, with pockets in rural areas and in some towns and cities.
Winnipeg
acted as the Swedish capital of Canada until the 1940s when Vancouver
took over this title. A significant number of Swedes live in Calgary and Edmonton and their environs, but the Toronto
area is home to the largest concentration of newcomers, where it has one of the largest concentration of Swedish business in North America.
More than 175 places name in Canada are of Swedish origin, which include Uppsala (Ontario), Stockholm (Saskatchewan) and Thosby (Alberta).
Swedes are accustomed to four distinct seasons. Although Sweden is located quite far north (in the Western Hemisphere
it would lie in the middle of Hudson Bay
), the Gulf Stream
modifies its climate dramatically. The reason so many Swedes settled on the prairies was not because the landscape was similar, but because land was available. The Canadian Shield
, with its rocks, trees and lakes, is the landscape most reminiscent of Sweden.
, Judge Tom Berger who headed the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline
inquiry, architect Arthur Erickson
who designed Roy Thomson Hall
in Toronto and the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C.
, singer-songwriter
and recording artist Michael Saxell
, Harry Strom
who was the former premier of Alberta
(1968–1971), naturalist Louise de Kiriline Lawrence
who was the most prolific contributor to the Audubon, and Ralph Gustafson
who won the Governor General's Award for poetry in 1974.
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
: Svensk-kanadensare) refers to a naturalized Canadian citizen hailing from Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
or professing Swedish descent. The 'Swedish-Canadian' community in Canada is 330,000 strong. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/ETO/Table1.cfm?Lang=E&T=501&GV=1&GID=0 The vast majority of them reside west of Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
, primarily in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
and Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
is the most popular settlement spot for newcomers. Despite having an influential presence and distinctive cultural bond, only 20,000 Canadian persons of Swedish descent speak Swedish.
Immigration history
A few Swedes trickled into Canada even before it became a country in 1867, but the first real wave of immigration began in the late 1890s and ended with the onset of the First World War in 1914. Included in this group were a significant number of farmers who had settled first in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The first Swede, Jacob Fahlström
Jacob Fahlstrom
Jacob Fahlström , aka Father Jacob, was the first Swede ever to settle in Canada. He was working as an employee for the Hudson's Bay Company.-References:...
, arrived in Canada in 1809, as an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
. He was succeeded in 1812 by yet another gentleman from Sweden, who was accompanied by two other men from Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to populate the Selkirk Settlement in lower Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
. A much more substantive wave of Swedish settlers immigrated to Canada from the United States between 1868 and 1914, as land for farming became more and more scarce in America. Crop failures in their home country between 1866 and 1868 encouraged a similar exodus
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
from Europe.
The second and largest wave, which came during the 1920s, endured both the depression of the 1930s and the Second World War 1939–45. The third wave, although not as numerous, has been steady since the 1950s.
The immigrant pattern in Canada differs slightly from their counterpart in the United States. Whereas the majority of the earlier Swedish immigrants in America are from south-central Sweden, a significant portion of the Swedish immigrants in Canada are from the Stockholm region and Northern Sweden.
As the economic situation improved after the Second World War, the overall emigration rate of Sweden slowed down considerably. Very much like recent Swedish emigrants found in other parts of the world, many of the newcomers are connected with Swedish companies, and do not intend to remain in the country permanently.
Spatial distribution
Most Swedes settled in western Canada, from northern OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. There were only a handful of strictly Swedish communities, the earliest being Scandinavia, Manitoba, in 1885 and Stockholm, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, in 1886. The Census of Canada shows that Swedish immigrants could be found scattered throughout every province and territory, with pockets in rural areas and in some towns and cities.
Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
acted as the Swedish capital of Canada until the 1940s when Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
took over this title. A significant number of Swedes live in Calgary and Edmonton and their environs, but the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
area is home to the largest concentration of newcomers, where it has one of the largest concentration of Swedish business in North America.
More than 175 places name in Canada are of Swedish origin, which include Uppsala (Ontario), Stockholm (Saskatchewan) and Thosby (Alberta).
Assimilation
Adapting to the ways of a new country is never easy, but most Swedes considered it a primary goal in order to achieve success. Early immigrants made every effort to master the English language, at the same time supporting a fairly large number of Swedish-language newspapers, including two weeklies. The only Swedish magazines in North America today, the Swedish Press, publishes out of Vancouver, B.C.. Recent immigrants who have learned English in Swedish schools do not have this problem.Swedes are accustomed to four distinct seasons. Although Sweden is located quite far north (in the Western Hemisphere
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
it would lie in the middle of Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
), the Gulf Stream
Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension towards Europe, the North Atlantic Drift, is a powerful, warm, and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates at the tip of Florida, and follows the eastern coastlines of the United States and Newfoundland before crossing the Atlantic Ocean...
modifies its climate dramatically. The reason so many Swedes settled on the prairies was not because the landscape was similar, but because land was available. The Canadian Shield
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
, with its rocks, trees and lakes, is the landscape most reminiscent of Sweden.
Notable Swedish Canadians
Noteworthy Canadian celebrities and personalities of Swedish origin include Pamela WallinPamela Wallin
Pamela Wallin, OC, SOM is a former Canadian television journalist and diplomat. On January 2, 2009, she was seated in the Canadian Senate, where she sits as a Conservative.-Early life and career:...
, Judge Tom Berger who headed the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline
Mackenzie Valley Pipeline
The Mackenzie Valley Pipeline is a proposed project to transport natural gas from the Beaufort Sea through Canada's Northwest Territories to tie into gas pipelines in northern Alberta. The project was first proposed in the early 1970s, but was scrapped following an inquiry conducted by Justice...
inquiry, architect Arthur Erickson
Arthur Erickson
Arthur Charles Erickson, was a Canadian architect and urban planner. He studied Asian languages at the University of British Columbia, and later earned a degree in architecture from McGill University.-Biography:...
who designed Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall is a concert hall located at 60 Simcoe Street in Toronto, Ontario. It is the home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Opened in 1982, its circular architectural design exhibits a sloping and curvilinear glass exterior. It was designed by Canadian...
in Toronto and the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and recording artist Michael Saxell
Michael Saxell
Michael Saxell is a singer-songwriter, composer, lyricist, multi-instrumentalist and producer. He was born in Helsingborg, Sweden but has spent many years on the Canadian west coast...
, Harry Strom
Harry Strom
Harry Edwin Strom was the ninth Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 1968 to 1971. His two and a half years as Premier were the last of the thirty-six year Social Credit dynasty, as his defeat by Peter Lougheed saw its replacement by a new era Progressive Conservative government...
who was the former premier of Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
(1968–1971), naturalist Louise de Kiriline Lawrence
Louise de Kiriline Lawrence
Louise de Kiriline Lawrence was an internationally renowned naturalist, author and nurse. She was the most prolific contributor to the National Audubon Society magazine Audubon.- Publications :...
who was the most prolific contributor to the Audubon, and Ralph Gustafson
Ralph Gustafson
Ralph Barker Gustafson, CM was a Canadian poet and professor at Bishop's University.- Biography :He was born in Lime Ridge, near Dudswell, Quebec on August 16, 1909. His mother was British, his father Swedish. He was educated at Bishop's University, earning a B.A...
who won the Governor General's Award for poetry in 1974.
- Malin ÅkermanMalin AkermanMalin Maria Åkerman is a Swedish–Canadian actress and model. She was born in Stockholm, Sweden and moved to Canada at the age of two. As a child, she appeared in several television commercials before going on to win a modelling contract at age sixteen...
- David L. AndersonDavid L. AndersonDavid L. Anderson is a Conservative member of the Canadian House of Commons representing Cypress Hills—Grasslands, a position he has held since 2000. He was a member of the Canadian Alliance from 2000 to 2003. He is a businessman, and a farmer...
- Glenn AndersonGlenn AndersonGlenn Christopher Anderson is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger in the National Hockey League who played for the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues...
- Dean HaglundDean HaglundDean Haglund is a Canadian actor known for the role of Richard "Ringo" Langly, one of the Lone Gunmen on The X-Files. Haglund is also a stand-up comedian, specializing in improvisational comedy In addition to The X-Files, he played the voice of Sid in Tom Sawyer, Haglund also portrayed Langly in...
- Michael SaxellMichael SaxellMichael Saxell is a singer-songwriter, composer, lyricist, multi-instrumentalist and producer. He was born in Helsingborg, Sweden but has spent many years on the Canadian west coast...
- Eric LindrosEric LindrosEric Bryan Lindros is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. Lindros played junior hockey in the OHL for the Oshawa Generals prior to being selected first overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques...
- Margaret AvisonMargaret AvisonMargaret Avison, OC was a Canadian poet who twice won Canada's Governor General's Award and has also won its Griffin Poetry Prize. "Her work has often been praised for the beauty of its language and images."-Life:...
- Thomas Berger
- John CordtsJohn CordtsJohn Cordts was a racing driver from North Bay, Ontario.Cordts participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, debuting on September 20, 1969. He qualified 19th, but retired his Brabham after 10 laps with an oil leak, while lying 16th...
- Hayden ChristensenHayden ChristensenHayden Christensen is a Canadian actor. He appeared in Canadian television programs when he was young, then diversified into American television in the late 1990s. He moved on to minor acting roles before being praised for his role of Sam in Life as a House, for which he was nominated for a Golden...
- Arthur EricksonArthur EricksonArthur Charles Erickson, was a Canadian architect and urban planner. He studied Asian languages at the University of British Columbia, and later earned a degree in architecture from McGill University.-Biography:...
- Tricia HelferTricia HelferTricia Janine Helfer is a Canadian actress and former model, best known for her roles as Number Six in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica miniseries and television series, "Carla" on Burn Notice, and FBI Special Agent Alex Rice on Dark Blue, as well as for hosting the first season of Canada's...
- Oskar JohanssonOskar JohanssonOskar Johansson is a Canadian world class sailor from Toronto. He competed in Sailing at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece and finished in 15th place...
- Robert NilssonRobert NilssonRobert Åke Nilsson is a Canadian-born Swedish professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League.-Playing career:...
- Lorne NystromLorne NystromLorne Edmund Nystrom, PC a Canadian politician, was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1993 when he lost his reelection bid. He returned to parliament in 1997 and served until 2004...
- Peter OuterbridgePeter OuterbridgePeter Outerbridge is a Canadian actor, best known for his role as Dr. David Sandstrom in the TMN series ReGenesis, as William in Saw VI and his role as Dan Farmer in Happy Town.-Life and career:...
- Alexander SundströmAlexander SundstromPatrik Alexander Sundström is a Swedish-Canadian hockey player. He currently plays for Brynäs IF in the Swedish Elitserien....
- Pamela WallinPamela WallinPamela Wallin, OC, SOM is a former Canadian television journalist and diplomat. On January 2, 2009, she was seated in the Canadian Senate, where she sits as a Conservative.-Early life and career:...
Further reading
- Hale, Christopher S. "Swedes" in Paul Robert Magocsi, ed. Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples (1999), 1218–33