Canadians in the United Kingdom
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| Canadians in the United Kingdom
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|---|
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Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, Ricky Gervais, Andrew Bonar Law, Greg Rusedski  |
| Total population |
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70,145 Canadian born in 2001 |
| Regions with significant populations |
| London, South East England, Scotland, North West England |
| Languages |
| English (British English, Canadian English) , French (Canadian French, Québécois French) |
| Religions |
| Christian (mainly Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, Methodism) , Jewish |
Contents |
[edit] History and settlement
Canadians live in the United Kingdom for a variety of reasons. Some veterans of World War I or World War II stayed in Great Britain after the war ended, and settled down and raised a family. The children are Canadians with British citizenship. Other Canadians may be living in Britain temporarily for employment or university study. During the tech boom of the late 90's, large numbers of Canadians moved to the UK to work in the sector. Since the late 90's a large number of younger Canadians have moved to the UK as lawyers, accountants and investment bankers.
There are many clubs, organizations and networks which can be contacted by Canadians in Britain for information, friendship and support.
A gentleman's club, The Canada Club, has been established in the United Kingdom since 1810. (external link here). The Canada Club, which no longer confines its membership to gentlemen, is the oldest speaking club in the UK.
Another such club is the Cambridge Canadian Club - "Since 1948, Canadians at Cambridge have met for fun and learning, made friendships and contacts, and celebrated their Canadian-ness together at CCC events." (external link here).
Younger Canadian expatriates in London have set up Network Canada (external link here).
The Canada/UK Chamber of Commerce provides an important link between the Canadian and UK business communities. (external link here).
The Canada UK Colloquia is held alternately in each of the two countries and aims to "increase knowledge and educate the public about the advantages to be drawn from a close and dynamic relationship between the two countries." (external link here)
The Canada House Cine-Club is Britain's only Canadian film club. With a 52 seat screening room at Canada House, Trafalgar Square, London, the club is a vital outlet for Canadian film in the UK. (external link here)
The Canadian Women's Club was founded in 1932 by two Canadian women. The first meeting attracted 142 women and the membership rapidly expanded. After World War II the club decided to support Canadian veterans living in Britain. By 1953, the organization of the club had become very expensive. Therefore, in June of that year, a ball was held, the first Maple Leaf Ball. It was a great success, but has since been replaced by the Thanksgiving Ball, organized by Network Canada. (external link here)
[edit] Population and distribution
In 2001, some 70,000 people born in Canada were living in the United Kingdom according to the 2001 Census, a slight rise from the 1991 figures. Many young Canadians find it easy to come to Britain because visa rules favour people from Old Commonwealth nations who have a parent or grandparent who was born in the UK.
Most Canadians in Britain live in London, but a significant number live in Scotland, which was a major source of emigration to English-speaking Canada.
The most popular place for Canadians in the UK is the Hyde Park area in London, where almost 1% of the population originates from Canada. Over 15,000 Canadians reside in Greater London and just over 10,000 in South East England, making them the two most popular regions for Canadian emigrants.
Compared to the British population in Canada, the Canadian population in Great Britain is minute. In Canada, English people make up the largest ethnic group at over 20%, and 40% of the population has roots in the British Isles[1] see also: Demography of Canada.
[edit] Notable people in Britain with links to Canada
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook |
newspaper tycoon, politician, and writer; born in Ontario, moved to UK as a child |
| Conrad Black, Baron Black of Crossharbour |
newspaper magnate, Canadian who renounced his citizenship |
| Lionel Blair | Actor, Tap Dancer and Television presenter, born in Montreal |
| Ricky Gervais | director, actor, comedian; Canadian father |
| Owen Hargreaves | professional footballer, born in Calgary |
| Autumn Phillips | Canadian, wife of Peter Phillips, son of The Princess Royal |
| Andrew Bonar Law | Prime Minister (1922-23); born in New Brunswick, moved to UK as a child |
| Lennox Lewis | World heavyweight boxing champion; born in UK, grew up in Canada before returning |
| Greg Rusedski | professional tennis player, born and raised in Canada, became UK citizen |
