Multiculturalism in Canada
Multiculturalism in Canada is a framework designed to celebrate and integrate the diverse cultural identities of its population while promoting unity among different groups. Emerging in the 1960s, this concept encourages immigrants to retain their cultural roots while also assimilating into Canadian society linguistically, politically, and economically. The Canadian approach, distinct from the "melting pot" model seen in the United States, seeks to construct a social mosaic where various traditions contribute to a collective Canadian identity.
The formal recognition of multiculturalism began with government policies in the early 1970s, culminating in the Multiculturalism Act of 1988, which enshrined the principles of diversity and equality in Canadian law. Although the policy has received broad support, particularly from younger and more educated Canadians, it has faced criticism for not adequately addressing systemic racism and for perceived threats to a cohesive national identity. Perspectives on multiculturalism vary widely, with some viewing it as a means to foster inclusivity, while others argue it encourages separation among cultural groups. Despite its challenges, multiculturalism remains a significant aspect of Canada's identity, contributing to its reputation as a welcoming and diverse nation.
Multiculturalism in Canada
SIGNIFICANCE: Canada turned to multiculturalism in its efforts to find a means of harmonizing the diverse cultural backgrounds of its population, which includes immigrants from Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa, without imposing one dominant societal norm on all of them. This policy is designed to enable immigrants to blend into Canadian society while retaining certain distinctive traditions from their countries of origin.
The idea behind multiculturalism, a term that developed in the 1960s, is to find unity in diversity, to enable immigrants to assimilate linguistically, politically, and into the labor force while retaining some affinity with their countries of origin via public endorsement and funding of their cultural and linguistic heritage. Multiculturalism has frequently been contrasted with the melting pot concept more prevalent in the United States, whereby some groups have assimilated into the dominant culture in about two or three generations following immigration. The aim of Canadian multiculturalism is to build a rich social tapestry of different traditions that combine to create a unique Canadian identity. Ideally, being “Canadian” would imply identification with many cultural systems, loyalty to an individual’s own roots, tolerance for different peoples, and mutual respect. In reality, multiculturalism is a work in progress with as many setbacks as advances.
Multiculturalism was perhaps inevitable given that when Canada became a confederacy in 1867, the country already contained three distinctive societies, dominated by British immigrants (60 percent), French immigrants (30 percent), and Indigenous peoples. By the early 1990s, nearly 42 percent of the population of Canada had an ethnic origin that was neither British nor French.
Government Policy
In October 1971, the government of Canada announced its ethnocultural policy with objectives in:
- assisting groups to retain an identity based on origin,
- enabling ethnic minorities to participate as equals within Canadian society,
- encouraging cultural exchanges within the country, and
- helping immigrants learn one of the two official languages.
The policy was funded with an initial grant of CAD$200 million (Canadian) for a decade. The establishment of a Multicultural Directorate (1972) expanded the mandate to assist minorities with human rights problems and to promote freedom from racial discrimination. In 1973, multiculturalism acquired its own ministry within the federal bureaucracy, and linkages were encouraged with a variety of ethnic associations.
The “institutionalization” of multiculturalism continued when the concept was enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982). Section 27 of the charter directs that its interpretation shall be consistent with the preservation and enhancement of Canada’s multicultural heritage. The charter also guarantees equality before the law regardless of national or ethnic origin.
Parliament's passing of the Multiculturalism Act in 1988 was significant because Canada became the first country to convert this concept into a national law. The act provided for full participation in all aspects of Canadian society but recognized the right of every Canadian to choose and identify with the individual’s cultural heritage. The legislation concentrated on the need to end racism (especially systemic racism), eradicate discrimination in Canadian society, and promote minority involvement in Canada’s institutions.
The short-lived Department of Multiculturalism and Citizenship (1989) implemented the act with community involvement in various programs to enhance appreciation and acceptance of Canada’s growing diversity. Although the department disbanded in 1993, the objectives of seeking fairness and participation for all minorities were incorporated into new programs headed by a secretary of state for multiculturalism. In the twenty-first century, the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth serve these roles, and the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship handles all citizenship matters.
Canada's Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program (MARP) addresses social problems like racism and stereotypes of particular ethnic groups to encourage a diverse and inclusive society. MARP's programs include community-based events that promote intercultural and interfaith dialogue. Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024 to 2028 and Canada's Action Plan on Combatting Hate plans were incorporated into MARPs.
Perceptions of Multiculturalism
There are probably as many opinions on multiculturalism as there are ethnic groups in Canada. This is because Canadians are not certain about the precise meaning or application of multiculturalism or the cost of being part of a multicultural society. A 1991 Angus Reid poll showed that 78 percent of Canadians supported the concept. The majority anglophone population (people whose first language is English), while espousing multiculturalism in principle, found practical difficulty in reconciling diverse cultures into the Canadian mainstream. Researchers have found the strongest support for multiculturalism among well-educated, young Canadians.
The francophone population of Quebec (those whose first language is French) is so focused on its own distinct identity that it often fears an erosion of its French influence if so many cultures are given recognition within Canadian society. There has been consistent criticism of multiculturalism for diluting Canadian identity from its original British/French cultural orientation, for encouraging minorities to reject assimilation into the prevailing cultural mainstream, for fostering division rather than unity, and for diverting Canadian attention from more pressing considerations such as the economy and the national debt. Rather than following the multiculturalism policies of the rest of the country, Quebec focuses on interculturalism, where immigrants are expected to learn the culture, language, and traditions of their new city and acclimate. Quebec Premier François Legault called multiculturalism "a threat to the French language" in 2022 and encouraged citizens to fight against it.
The reaction of allophones (those whose first language is other than English or French) in Canada is varied. While applauding the verbal and written guarantees of racial equality, they point to the all-too-frequent problems encountered by visible minorities in crucial areas such as employment, housing, and education as a sign that multiculturalism has progressed institutionally and bureaucratically as a notion but has a long way to go concerning effective implementation in Canadian society. The policy’s inability to address racism provoked criticism from visible minorities. According to the Employment Equity Act, visible minorities are "persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour." In 1981, individuals who identified as members of a visible minority totaled only 4.7 percent of the Canadian population. However, by 2000, about 13 percent of the population identified as a visible minority, followed by increases to 19 percent in 2011 and 26.5 percent in 2021.
Other allophones are skeptical of the process, which provides funding for ethnic festivals complete with food and dancing in colorful costumes. Meanwhile, visible minorities continue to be grossly underrepresented in federal and provincial civil service positions and still encounter racism in numerous cities and towns in Canada. Critics also suggest that fostering diversity encourages a psychology of separateness and isolation among immigrants and that this imperils Canada’s already threatened political unity. Interestingly, multiculturalism has made Canada a far more popular tourist destination, generating considerable revenue.
Amid the refugee crisis in Europe in the 2010s, countries such as France and Germany became fearful of admitting refugees. Canada, however, was less fearful because of its well-established immigration policies and Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The concept of multiculturalism has been a positive ideal for a nation composed largely of immigrants from a variety of backgrounds. Canada’s contribution has been in enshrining this concept within its constitution, in giving it the force of law, and in promoting, to a limited extent, its implementation. The many setbacks to the creation of Canada as a tolerant society free of racial discrimination cannot obscure the fact that the constitutional and legal guarantees provide a direction and a guide for all Canadians to follow. Although it has been extensively criticized by politicians, journalists, academics, and writers, multiculturalism continues to be one path to forging a more harmonious Canadian identity.
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