Canada has always been refuge / safe haven for America’s downtrodden, starting with African victims of their transatlantic slave trade.

The Fugitive Slave Acts, passed by Congress in 1793 and 1850, mandated the capture and return of escaped enslaved people to their owners, even in free states. The 1850 law was particularly harsh, denying accused fugitives the right to testify or have jury trials. Federal marshals faced $1,000 fines for non-enforcement, while anyone helping escapees faced six months imprisonment and fines. The law prompted fierce Northern opposition and drove approximately 15,000 free Blacks to flee to Canada.