A popular impression that the first slaves in Canada were introduced into the Maritime Provinces by the Loyalists in 1783 is false. Historical records indicated that slavery was established in Quebec, by the French, through a royal mandate issued by Louis XIV in 1689.
This mandate not only gave permission to "Canadians to avail themselves of the services of African slaves", but declared as well that all negroes who had been so bought or held should belong to the person so owning them, in full proprietorship
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