Multiculturalism%20in%20Canada

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• Multiculturalism in Canada
• Chapter 10

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What is Official Multiculturalism?

• The transformation of multicultural principles
  into official policy began with an all political
  party agreement in 1971 followed by the
  entrenchment of multiculturalism in the Canadian
  Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982, and its
  subsequent enshrinement with the passage of the
  Multiculturalism Act in 1988.

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The Paradox

• Balancing the act of unity and diversity.
• How to make Canada safe for diversity, yet safe
  from diversity, while, at the same time, making
  diversity safe from Canada yet safe for Canada.
• Drawing the multicultural
• line

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Theorizing Multiculturalism

• Conservative Multiculturalism
• Liberal Multiculturalism
• Critical Multiculturalism
• Radical Multiculturalism

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• The Social Contract under an official
  multiculturalism is based on 3 assumptions
• Our similarities and individuals outweigh our
  differences because of race and ethnicity.
• Nobody should be denied or excluded because of
  racial and ethnic differences.
• Within reasonable limits and rule of law,
  differences are helpful in crafting an inclusive
  society.

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Multiculturalism as

• Fact
• Ideology
• Policy
• Process
• Critical discourse

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As Fact

• What empirically is
• Most countries are ethnically diverse, composed
  of people from a variety of different backgrounds
  who think, speak, worship and act differently.

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As Ideology

• What ought to be

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As Policy

• What is about to be
• 1970s Ethnicity Multiculturalism
• 1980s Equity Multiculturalism
• 1985 Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• 1988 Multiculturalism Act
• 1990s-2000 Civic Multiculturalism

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Canadas Integrative Multiculturalism Policy
Shifts Table 10.1 (pg.285)
  Ethnicity Multiculturalism (1970s) Equity Multiculturalism (1980s) Civic Multiculturalism (1990s-2000s)
Focus Celebrating differences Fostering equality Living together
Reference Point Culture Structure Society Building
Mandate Ethnicity Race Relations Citizenship
Magnitude Individual adjustment Institutional inclusion Community participation
Problem Source Prejudice Systemic discrimination Exclusion
Problem Solution Cultural sensitivity Employment equity Inclusiveness
Key Metaphor "Mosaic" "Level playing field" "Belonging"
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As Practice

• What really happens
• Multiculturalism as practice refers to its
  applications for advancing goals, agendas, and
  ambitions.
• Multiculturalism hoped to
• formulate a new myth of
• Canada as the land of
• opportunity and equality.

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As Critical Discourse

• What must be

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Public Perception

• Support and rejection varies among Canadians when
  it comes to multiculturalism

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Critiquing Multiculturalism

• Rejection Aboriginals and Quebecois prefer the
  language of nationalism over multiculturalism to
  justify their claims of political voice and
  self-determining autonomy.
• Left Colossal Hoax (minority co-optation)
• Creates a ghetto nation (second class citizens)
• Right Costly drain of resources/erodes national
  unity/ terrorism
• Moderates unsure of where to stand

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Canada vs. Europe
Continued Acceptance Founded on immigration Assets not burdens (economically) Crucial to Canada building Potential citizens Tool for integration to improve chances for prosperity Geography Retreat Assumes no responsibility for integration Thought immigration was temporary Segregated communities resulted No vision for living together Resistance
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Debate
Does multiculturalism encourage voluntary
apartheid? Should immigrants try harder to
integrate into Canadian society?
Aishah Azmi
Gurbaj Singh Multani
Is Canada too tolerant? Where should Canada draw
the line?
What are the implications of resisting a
multicultural society? Are there any
alternatives?
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Fin

• Diane Tomassi
• Jessica Bonnici
• Maria Bava