Laotian Canadians

Laotian Canadians
Total population
(22,090 (2011)[1])
Regions with significant populations
 Ontario 9,435
(42.7%)[1]
 Quebec 6,765
(30.6%)[1]
 British Columbia 2,010
(9.1%)[1]
 Alberta 1,855
(8.4%)[1]
 Manitoba 1,325
(6.0%)[1]
 Saskatchewan 675
(3.1%)[1]
Languages
Lao, Canadian French, Canadian English[2]
Religion
Buddhism[3] Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Lao people, Asian Canadians

Laotian Canadians are Canadian citizens of Laotian origin or descent. In the 2011 Census, 22,090 people indicated Laotian ancestry.[1]

Migration history

Mass migration from Laos to Cambodia peaked in the late 1970s and early 1980s, consisting of both government-sponsored and privately sponsored refugees from camps in Thailand, where they had fled due to the Laotian Civil War and the final victory of the Pathet Lao.[4] However, by the 1990s, most refugees in the camps were instead being repatriated to Laos. In total, Canada took in 12,793 Laotian refugees.[5]

Demography

Most migrants consisted of young families; there were very few elderly among them. A significant proportion were drawn from among the community of ethnic Chinese in Laos.[2]

There is a community of Laotian people in Kitchener, Ontario, where 1,530 Laotian Canadians live (0.7% of its population).[6]

Religion

Laotian migrants in Canada mostly follow Theravada Buddhism, though Mahayana Buddhists are also found among those of Chinese ethnicity.[3] There are also a small number of Christians, perhaps 500 people, most of whom converted while living in refugee camps.[7] In 1990, British Columbia had no Laotian Buddhist temple; the nearest one was a Laotian American temple in Seattle.[3] Within Canada, Laotian Buddhist temples have also been opened in Montreal, Toronto, and Winnipeg.[7]

See also

References

Notes

Sources

Further reading

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