Looking at individual immigrants’ experiences and comparing and contrasting groups at different times in Canadian history, gives us a certain understanding of ourself as a country and a better understanding of the experience of current immigrants. My own ancestry has influenced my choice to explore two European immigrant groups, the Scottish in the 19th century and the Dutch in the 20th century. I believe that in order to gain true appreciation for how Canada depends on the immigration process I had to examine why and how they came, where and how they settled, and how they affected Canada’s economy and the communities they joined. To really dig deeper I interviewed people who had either experienced it first or second hand. As a country, we can improve this experience by relying on what the history of Canadian immigration has taught us.