On 12 July 1987, 174 people traveled from Rotterdam to Charlesville, Nova Scotia, on the Amelie in search of asylum. In Canadian national newspapers, their arrival was immediately turned into a crisis of securitization, which is common practice for such events. Conversely, local reports portrayed this event as a critical moment when regional Canadian identity was performed through commonly understood and commonly practiced all-inclusive hospitality. This article will look at how collective memories were produced and circulated on various levels in press reports, with a focus on the way local memories and local press reports supported international views of ideal Canadian humanitarianism and hospitality. © The Author(s) 2013.

Collective memory Boat people nationalism hospitality Journalism Refugees

[No Keywords available]