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Immigration to Canada by Southeast Asians is relatively recent; most arrived in Canada after 1974. Southeast Asia is located south of China and east of India. It consists of multiethnic nations with common histories, structures and social practices, as well as a cultural system that recognizes ethnic pluralism. Southeast Asia is comprised of 11 countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor and Vietnam.

In the 2011 National Household Survey (NHS), more than one million Canadians indicated that they were of Southeast Asian origin. Filipino Canadians were the most numerous (662,600), followed by Vietnamese Canadians (220,425), Cambodians or Khmer (34,340), Laotians (22,090), Indonesians (18,125), Thais (15,080), Malaysians (14,165), Burmese (7,845) and Singaporeans (2,050). Southeast Asians of the Hmong people (an ethnic minority living in the mountains in the south of China, and the north of Vietnam and Laos) have also settled in Canada, as well as several hundred Chinese originally from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos who came to Canada following the “boat people” crisis.

 In recent years settlement, social and logistic factors have eliminated the nomadic lifestyle in favour of aggregation into permanent settlements which have concentrated around Repulse Bay, Mittimatalik [Pond Inlet], Hall Beach, Arctic Bay and Iglulik, which were formerly centres of trade.

James Bernard Harkin, environmentalist (b at Vankleek Hill, Ont 30 Jan 1875; d at Ottawa 27 Jan 1955).

Robert Harlow, novelist, teacher (b at Prince Rupert, BC 19 Nov 1923). During WWII Harlow flew as a bomber pilot and was awarded the DFC, retiring at 21.

Richard Harrington, photographer-writer (b at Hamburg, Ger 24 Feb 1911; d at Toronto, 11 Dec 2005). Harrington began photography in 1940 when he was working as an X-ray technician in Toronto and was asked to make slides for

Robert Harris, artist and teacher (born 18 September 1849 in Vale of Conway, Wales; died 27 February 1919 in Montréal, QC).

Cairine Reay Wilson (née Mackay), senator, diplomat, philanthropist (born 4 February 1885 in Montreal, QC; died 3 March 1962 in Ottawa, ON). In 1930, the year after the success of the Persons Case, Wilson was the first woman appointed to the Senate of Canada. She helped found and run political organizations that encouraged women and youth to get involved in politics. From the 1930s onwards, Wilson advocated for the admission of European refugees to Canada.

Ethel Davis Wilson, née Bryant, novelist, storywriter, essayist (b at Port Elizabeth, S Africa 20 Jan 1888; d at Vancouver 22 Dec 1980). Wilson's small but impressive literary output has earned her an important place in Canadian literature.

Erastus Wiman, journalist, businessman (b at Churchville, UC 21 Apr 1834; d on Staten I, NY 9 Feb 1904).

Lois Miriam Wilson, née Freeman, United Church minister (b at Winnipeg 8 Apr 1927). Ordained after 15 years as a homemaker, Wilson shared team ministries with her husband, Roy, successively in Thunder Bay, Hamilton and Kingston, Ontario.

Sir James Spearman Winter, politician, prime minister of Newfoundland 1897-1900 (b at Lamaline, Nfld 1 Jan 1845; d at Toronto 6 Oct 1911). Winter began his political career in 1873 and entered Sir William WHITEWAY's Cabinet as solicitor general in 1882.

Sir Charles Hastings Doyle, soldier, administrator, lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia (b at London, Eng 10 Apr 1804; d there 19 Mar 1883). Doyle played an important role in the politics and military affairs of Canada at the time of CONFEDERATION in 1867.

Esdras Minville, professor and economist (born 7 November 1896 in Grande-Vallée, Quebec; died 9 December 1975 in Montreal, Quebec).An influential contributor to social and economic thought in Quebec in the 20^th century, Minville served as the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Université de Montréal and was the first French-Canadian to hold the position of Director at HEC Montréal. He was also the longest-serving Director at HEC, holding the position for 25 years from 1938 to 1962.

John Edward Niel Weibe (Jack), farmer, politician, lieutenant-governor of Saskatchewan (b at Herbert, Sask 31 May 1936). Weibe farmed at Herbert and became an active Liberal under the tutelage of Ross Thatcher, his local MLA and future premier of Saskatchewan.

Alfred (Henrik) Garson. Violinist, teacher, composer, author, b Berthier-en-Haut, (Berthierville), north-east of Montreal, 22 Oct 1924; B MUS (Cape Town) 1950, FTCL 1953, M MUS (Cape Town) 1954, PH D (Montreal) 1970. During his childhood he toured as a violinist in Europe and in South America.

Rita MacNeil, CM, ONS, singer, songwriter (born 28 May 1944 in Big Pond, NS; died 16 April 2013 in Big Pond, NS). Rita MacNeil was a soft-spoken, independent singer-songwriter in the folk, pop and country genres.

Maryjane Bunnett, "Jane," jazz musician (b at Toronto 22 Oct 1955). Jane Bunnett studied for a career as a classical pianist before turning at 20 to jazz and to flute and soprano saxophone.

Glenna F. Hansen, Inuvialuit leader, businesswoman, health and education advocate, Commissioner of the Northwest Territories (b at Aklavik, 1956). Hansen was hired as an executive assistant by David Storr and Sons Contracting Ltd of Inuvik in 1990, and became general manager of the firm in 1996.

Alexander Phimister Proctor, sculptor, painter (b in Bosanquet Twp, Lambton Co, Ont 27 Sept 1860; d at Palo Alto, Calif 5 Sept 1950). Proctor's family left Canada in 1866, settling in Denver, Colorado, in 1871.

Colin Archibald Low, film director, producer (born 24 July 1926 in Cardston, AB; died 24 February 2016 in Montréal, QC).