The Northern Route: An Ethnography of Refugee Experiences.

Abstract

By both title and theme The Northern Route identifies itself within a broad and well-established tradition of canadian exploration. The subject itself evokes images of hardy souls who would trade relatively comfortable lives for the romance and possibilities of a new and uncharted land. The explorers of this book, however, are not eighteenth century military men but modern refugees. These latest explorers no longer face the perils of icebergs and scurvy, but must learn to navigate even more treacherous channels of international bureaucracy, often without maps and charts. Leaving political turmoil in various parts of the world, they are seeking, in ways not unlike their earlier counterparts, the riches afforded by a new world: peace and security. Based on ethnographic research conducted in 1987, Lisa Gilad has documented the journey of various types of refugees and of refugee claimants to and through Newfoundland. Why Newfoundland? It is because the airport at Gander, a refuelling stop for older Soviet bloc aircraft, has provided a small window to the west for an increasing number of refugee claimants (499 people in 1989). Early in her book, Gilad graphically describes tension-filled scenes during which sojourners contemplate their surrender to immigration authorities. She is then able to compare this experience with that of refugees who arrive through established government channels. The book provides valuable insights into the world of refugee resettlement. While many ESL teachers work with such people as students, few of those lucky enough to be canadian-born can truly fathom the dynamics of becoming and being identified as a refugee, of choosing a destination with little or no background information, or of attempting to settle permanently in a strange and sometimes hostile land. Each individual has his or her own story of struggle and achievement, but, in most cases, the stories remain untold. Gilad has set about to bring some of these stories to light in order to describe the