A piece of Mennonite history has taken on new meaning in the context of some of events happening today with immigration. Andrea Dyck, Curator at Mennonite Heritage Village, says in 1919, at the end of World War 1, the federal Conservative Government of the day in Ottawa banned Mennonites from immigrating to Canada.

"The federal government put a stop specifically on Mennonites, Hutterites and another group called Doukhobors. An Order in Council was issued. Mennonites, Hutterites and Doukhobors were banned from immigrating to Canada because they were, and this is a direct quote; undesirable owing to their peculiar customs, habits, modes of living and methods of holding property and because of their probable inability to become readily assimilated to assume the duties and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship within a reasonable time after entry."

Dyck says the order was rescinded by the Liberals two years later, after they won the election. Over 21,000 Mennonites immigrated to Canada in the following decade. She says historical events like this can help us think about how we consider our world today.

"Looking back in history can sometimes give us a sense, or at least give us pause, to think of how we consider our world today and how we react to people. I'm not sure if Mennonites here in southern Manitoba would have considered that they would have been a group that was, at one point, banned. It does give us some pause to consider what our response is today to immigration and refugees."