Multicultural Canada in the 21st Century: Harnessing Opportunities and Managing Pressures
Issue
It is believed that Canada's diversity, if properly nurtured, becomes its strength. Canada's approach to ethno-cultural diversity, especially its multiculturalism policy, has won accolades internationally. In practice, however, managing ethno-cultural diversity remains a work in progress subject to the constant evolution of social realities. Based on empirical evidence in Canada and abroad, this project identifies the opportunities and pressures in fostering inclusive citizenship in a multicultural Canada which is increasingly diverse with successive waves of immigration.
Background
Broadly defined, Canada's multicultural diversity is a product of three cultural drivers: Aboriginal Peoples, the English and French-speaking Charter groups, and immigrants. In particular, successive waves of immigration since the 1970s have made Canada ever more diverse in ethnicity, culture, and language. This third driver, the focus of this project, is instrumental in bringing forth Canada's multiculturalism policies. By 2017, one in five Canadians will come from a visible minority group. The number of allophones is also rising. While fewer people have professed religious affiliations, Islam remains the fastest growing religion. Moreover, as the world is more connected economically and, to some extent, politically, world events and foreign policies often have domestic impacts.
Multiculturalism resonates with Canadian values such as equality, tolerance, and mutual respect. Since its inception in 1971, multiculturalism policy has evolved from that of celebrating differences to institutional accommodation, and more recently to inclusion and full participation. In theory and intent, Canada's policies and legislation regarding ethno-cultural diversity are tools for building inclusive citizenship, reducing barriers to social and economic participation of marginalized groups, and sharpening Canada's economic edge in face of globalization. Yet, empirical evidence suggests a gap between theory and reality.
In spite of measures to ensure equity and reduce discrimination, research continues to demonstrate the earning gap between visible minorities and those who are not. The perception of discrimination and exclusion persists even among visible minorities born in Canada, that is, the second and third generation Canadians. Such evidence suggests that, if issues of exclusion and inequality are not addressed, multicultural policies may not work as well for racial minorities compared to those of European origin. Additionally, rhetoric regarding the economic benefits of diversity and immigration has yet to be borne out with concrete evidence.
While multiculturalism might be a dream of the twentieth century, could it become ‘a twenty-first-century conundrum?' Although support for ethno-cultural diversity and immigration is higher in Canada compared to other countries, many are of the opinion that Canada should abandon the ‘mosaic' approach to multiculturalism for one that encourages assimilation. In a Dominion Institute/CDFAI survey conducted by the Innovative Research Group in 2005, 70% of Canadians indicated that adapting to the Canadian way of life should be the priority for new immigrants.
Multicultural Policies: A Work in Progress
As illustrated in the following table, multiculturalism policies have evolved since their inception in the early 1970s. The policy at first focused on celebrating differences, and then transitioned into encouraging institutional accommodation and, more recently, inclusion and full participation. In the 1970s, the emphasis was on encouraging individuals to involve themselves in Canadian society by valuing their cultural identities. The 1980s saw a significant shift from celebrating cultures to removing institutional barriers to full social and economic participation by racial minorities. With the passage of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982), the Multiculturalism Act (1988), and the Employment Equity Act (1986), state institutions were obligated to reflect Canada's multicultural reality in their organizational structure. While equity remains a key aspect of multiculturalism, the focus in the 1990s has moved to fostering shared citizenship.
|
Ethnicity Multiculturalism (1970s)* |
Equity Multicultura-lism (1980s)* |
Civic Multicultura-lism (1990s)* |
Integrative Multicultura-lism (2000s) |
Focus |
Celebrating differences |
Managing diversity |
Constructive engagement |
Inclusive citizenship |
Reference Point |
Culture |
Structure |
Society building |
Rights and responsibilities |
Mandate |
Ethnicity |
Race relations |
Citizenship |
Identity |
Problem Source |
Prejudice |
Systemic discrimination |
Exclusion |
Globalization, security |
Solution |
Cultural sensitivity |
Employment equity |
Inclusiveness |
??? |
Key Metaphor |
‘Mosaic' |
‘Level playing field' |
‘Belonging' |
‘Two-way street' |
* Source: Fleras, Augie and Jean L. Kunz. 2001. Media and Minorities: Representing Diversity in a Multicultural Canada . Thompson Education Publishing.
Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, security has become a recurring topic in discussions of cultural diversity and immigration. In addition globalization, particularly advances in information technology and ease of travel, increasingly raises new questions regarding identity and citizenship. How then can Canada move towards the goal of inclusiveness in light of the pressure points identified earlier?
Research Questions and Approach
This project centers on the following questions:
- In light of these emerging social and demographic trends, what policies might Canada wish to adopt regarding ethno-cultural diversity resulting from immigration?
- How can inclusive citizenship be developed in pluralistic societies such as Canada where individuals and communities are globally connected but diverse in culture, religion and language?
These questions will be addressed through roundtable consultations, review of research evidence, and analysis of current approaches to cultural diversity among countries similar to Canada . Ultimately all findings will be presented and deliberated in a symposium participated by all partners and stakeholders. In particular, a policy framework will be proposed and discussed among all participants towards the objective of developing a research and policy network capable of further work on this subject area.
Activities to Date
During the pilot phase of the project, efforts focused primarily on scoping and defining the issues to be addressed. Key government departments and partners within the research community were engaged to identify potential partnerships. On November 24, 2006, a presentation was given as part of the Library of Parliament speaker series detailing the PRI's pilot project research activities. Eight regional roundtables engaging representatives from the three orders of government, non-government organizations, think tanks, academics, and the business sector are underway to deepen our understanding of the issues across the country. The findings of these roundtables will be published in a summary report.
Initial scoping activities revealed specific areas where the need for more research is evident. One such area is the second generation. Subsequently, in the winter 2006 edition of Canadian Diversity a discussion paper on the need for this research and early findings was published. A workshop at the 9th National Metropolis Conference on the second generation was also held to more fully explore the experiences and challenges faced by this group.
Also identified early on as a research priority are the experiences of other countries. Such work will contribute to our understanding of the Canadian situation by providing contextual information that will inform efforts to evaluate developments elsewhere and determine lessons applicable to the Canadian situation. Towards this end a working paper on this issue will be released shortly.
Next Steps
Outreach and consultation activities with members of research and policy communities will continue as the project is fully established.
Information obtained through the regional roundtables will be presented in a final report, scheduled for release in early spring. Also scheduled for publication is a research paper on the second generation. This paper will be based on research completed to date as well as information obtained at the 9th National Metropolis Conference.
A series of working papers will also be prepared and to be released this summer.
For more information, please contact Jean Lock Kunz, Associate Project Director at 613-992-5193. |