The fall of Saigon in April 1975 resulted in the largest and most ambitious refugee resettlement effort in Canadaœs history. Running on Empty presents the challenges and successes of this bold refugee resettlement program. It traces the actions of a few dozen men and women who travelled to seventy remote refugee camps, worked long days in humid conditions, subsisted on dried noodles and green tea, and sometimes slept on their worktables while rats scurried around them all in order to resettle thousands of people displaced by war and oppression. After initially accepting 7,000 refugees from camps in Guam, Hong Kong, and military bases in the US in 1975, Canada passed the 1976 Immigration Act to establish new refugee procedures and introduce private refugee sponsorship. In July of 1979, the federal government under Prime Minister Joe Clark announced that Canada would accept an unprecedented 50,000 refugees later increased to 60,000 more than half of whom would be sponsored by ordinary Canadians. Running on Empty presents gripping first-hand accounts of the government officials tasked with selecting refugees from eight different countries, receiving and matching them with sponsors, and helping churches, civic organizations, and groups of neighbours to receive and integrate the newcomers in cities, towns, and rural communities across Canada. Timely and inspiring, Running on Empty offers essential lessons for governments, organizations, and individuals trying to come to grips with refugee crises in the twenty-first century.

Part I. A history of Canada's involvement with the Indochinese refugees, 1975-1980 -- The historical evolution of Canada's refugee policy between World War II and the immigration act, 1976 -- The fall of Saigon and Canada's response -- The first wave, 1975-1977 -- The immigration act, 1976: new provisions for refugees -- Ramping up for crisis, 1978 -- Canada engages: critical decision, 1978-1979 -- Innovation on the run -- Mr Atkey's fifty thousand -- To match or not to match: it's all about the numbers -- Mr Axworthy sees it through -- Part II. Resettlement operations in Southeast Asia -- Singapore: the early years -- The Canadian refugee program in Singapore, 1975-1980 -- Singapore: visas, mounties, and medicals -- Singapore: one man's refugee movement -- Bangkok, 1978-1979: operational beginnings -- Bangkok, 1979-1980: crises and growth -- Bangkok: working in the camps -- Hong Kong, Macau, Manila -- Quebec operations in Southeast Asia -- Rescue at sea -- Part III. Welcoming the refugees -- Receiving the refugees: the staging areas -- Community coordination -- The refugee liaison officers -- Adapting to Canada: the long struggle.