I.  Introduction

Over the past century agriculture in the Okanagan has relied heavily on low cost ethnic labour. The historical documentation of this ethnic agricultural labour is fragmented occurring primarily in photographs, personal diaries, minutes of organizations, newspaper articles, and in some journal articles and books where there is specific mention of a particular ethnic group. This research compiles some of this documentation and synthesizes it into a single document which provides an overall account of the presence and role of ethnic agricultural labour in the Okanagan Valley.

More specifically, this research substantiates and examines the presence of the early British settlers and five ethnic groups. They are the First Nations people (1880s - early 1900s and 1940s to 1960s), Chinese (late 1800s to 1930s), Japanese (1942 - late 1940s), Doukhobor (early 1930s - late 1950s), and Portuguese (1955 - early 1960s).

The research on the early settlers describes the gentlemanly and aristocratic nature of the British in the context of a rapidly expanding Okanagan Valley undergoing a boom in land values. It also documents the transition of the early British settlers from cattle ranching to tree fruit farming and thus the need for low cost ethnic labour to maintain and harvest the crops.

The research on the First Nations people documents the annual migration of the Nez Perce from the turn of the century until 1912. They came from their traditional country, in Washington State, to the Coldstream Ranch near Vernon. A discussion of more contemporary local B.C. First Nations people contributions to agriculture includes the Salish Nation and the Okanagan Tribes. The examination of the Chinese discusses their transition from the gold rush and the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway to farm work in the Okanagan. In particular, Chinese agricultural labour created a paradox in the Okanagan in that it was deemed as necessary by farmers but it was unwanted due to anti-Oriental sentiment in the local population. This work shows the Chinese involvement in vegetable production around Vernon and other areas, and the Chinatowns of Kelowna, Penticton and Keremeos.

While the Japanese had an early presence in the Okanagan at the turn of the century, with many as farm owners, this research concentrates on their contribution to agricultural labour during World War II. This labour was involuntary and came from those who were evacuated from the West Coast of British Columbia and interned in the interior of the province. Their presence caused a split in public opinion between growers, who needed their labour, and those who perceived them a dangerous enemy aliens.

The Doukhobors are another group who were in the Okanagan orchards in the context of World War II. This study substantiates their reluctant participation in agricultural labour as a result of their pacifist orientation and the depression. Similar to the plight of other groups the Doukhobor presence caused a split in public opinion.

Finally, this research documents the Portuguese presence in the Okanagan agriculture. In the 1950s increases in immigration to Canada from Portugal led to the flow of agricultural workers. Many of these workers came from the Azores area and settled in the South Okanagan where eventually farm ownership became a reality for them.

The Okanagan Valley

The Okanagan Valley historically is known for agricultural fruit production. Today the Okanagan is more diversified with forestry, tourism, and secondary manufacturing ranked slightly ahead of agricultural fruit production in terms of industry output. However, agricultural fruit production remains a major economic force. The gross value of all fruit related products is approximately $200 million each year and the economic multiplier effect generates about one billion dollars to the national economy.

Tree fruit growing in the Okanagan is seasonal with only one harvest, for each type of fruit, per year. Since the Valley runs north-south, there are regional variations in harvest times. The harvest of a certain fruit first occurs in the extreme south and there is a time lag of two to three weeks before it occurs in the north. The demand for migrant agricultural labour generally begins in late June and ends in late October. The harvest starts with cherries in late June, followed by apricots and peaches in July, the continuation of peaches, prunes and some varieties of pears in August, pears, apples, and grapes in September, and finally more grapes in October. Of these crops, the apple harvest is the largest requiring the largest number of migrant workers. Vegetable crops such as tomatoes and onions are also harvested during summer months. Only a few hundred agricultural workers are needed from January to May to prune the fruit trees, and they are mostly domestic. In contrast, from June to October, thousands of workers are required to harvest the various crops. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (1973, p. 6) has estimated that for a season, 3,800 workers would be required for cherry picking, 1,500 for apricots and peaches, 1,000 for pears and 4,000 for apples and grapes.

ETHNIC AGRICULTURAL LABOUR
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