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Hearts of Freedom
Hearts of Freedom: Stories of Southeast Asian Refugees
Written by Peter Duschinsky, Colleen Lundy, Michael J. Molloy, Allan Moscovitch and Stephanie Phetsamay Stobbe
McGill-Queen's University Press
372 pages, $34.95
Between 1975 and 1985, Canada welcomed more than 100,000 people fleeing Communist regimes in Southeast Asia. Many arrived through a newly created private sponsorship program that allowed individuals and community organizations to provide direct financial and social support to refugees. For going “above and beyond the call of duty to protect refugees,” the people of Canada were awarded the prestigious Nansen medal by the United Nations.
This is the context of Hearts of Freedom. The book is the culmination of a national research project and features excerpts from oral history interviews with 145 former refugees from Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. Teachers and researchers should note that the full interviews and photos are available on the bilingual project website heartsoffreedom.org.
This book provides insight into an important refugee movement
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While the authors highlight the distinct experiences of refugees from the three countries, some general themes emerge. Interviewees describe widespread fear under the new regimes — of persecution, deprivation, starvation and even death — and recount the extraordinary risks they took to escape.
Life in Canada was not automatically easier. Many refugees describe challenges with integration and gaps in government services. They struggled with language barriers and adjusting to the climate, culture and customs. Those who landed in small or rural towns speak of loneliness and isolation.
Despite the hardships, the interviewees reveal a depth of gratitude to Canada and its people. Many felt a strong obligation to give back to their adoptive country — which they did through successful careers and businesses, contributions in arts and culture and community-based work.
Hearts of Freedom provides timely insight into one of Canada’s most important refugee movements. It centres the experiences of the refugees and provides new insight into the issues and achievements that shaped their new lives in Canada.
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