Multiculturalism in Canada: Living together with Differences

1
Multiculturalism in Canada Living
Together with Differences
Nazanin Eisazadeh Sonya Vitale
2
DRAWING THE MULTICULTURAL LINE

• Multiculturalism is famed for its promise to
  accommodate diversity by acknowledging
  disagreements as long as people play by the
  rules.
• In a multicultural societies it becomes complex
  when fundamentally different and mutually opposed
  values come into context.
• There are SIX meanings when defining the term
  multiculturalism.
• 1.) FACT- (What is)
• 2.) IDEOLOGY (What should be)a corresponding
  array of ideas and ideals
• 3.) POLICY (What is proposed)government policy
  or program
• 4.) PROCESS (What really happens)set of
  practices for promoting political and minority
  interest
• 5.) CRITICAL DISCOURSE (What is being
  contested)invites challenge and change
• 6.) SOCAIL MOVEMENT (Collective resistance)
• The framework for this presentation will be to
  provide a definition of multiculturalism, examine
  its different meanings, analyze the diverse
  perceptions and critical reactions, and evaluate
  its role in Canada-building.

3

• Most agree that multiculturalism can mean
  whatever people want it to mean and that it has
  become a floating signifier.
• There are FIVE definitions given within this text
  that define multiculturalism
• 1.) Tends to dwell on the celebrating of
  differences as valuable in their own right or in
  challenging for cultural space.
• 2.) As the coexistence of diverse cultures
  involving communities in interaction.
• 3.) Provides a framework and official policy for
  advancing the regulated goals of cultural
  differences, social equality, social integration,
  and national unity.
• 4.) As a package of policies and programs for
  integrating minority women and men into the
  institutional framework of society.
• 5.) As a principle and a practice for
  engaging diversity as different yet equal
• Not only does this definition describe what
  multiculturalism is, but it focuses on the fact
  that multiculturalism is a network of
  relationships involving cultural differences and
  social equality.
• Multiculturalism can also be used as a metaphor.
  The most popular metaphor that people associate
  multiculturalism with is mosaic. Although
  mosaic is the most popular, a preferred metaphor
  is that of a kaleidoscope, with its emphasis on
  the recombining of elementary pieces into

THEORIZING MULTICULTURALISM
4
MULTICULTURALISM IN CANADA

• 1.) FACT
• most countries are ethnically diverse, composed
  of people from a variety of different backgrounds
  who speak, think, worship, and act differently.
• Many wish to keep their cultural ties, but at the
  same time want to become a part of society.
• There are some who dispute the notion that Canada
  is multicultural which are aboriginals, charter,
  and multicultural minorities.
• Within Canada people have come from 170 different
  countries and speak 100 different languages.

5

• 2.) IDEOLOGY
• It prescribes a preferred course of thought or
  action with respect to how a society should be
  organized or how people ought to behave.
• Comprised of freedom, tolerance and respect.
• Community which is creating, guaranteeing,
  encouraging spaces within which different
  communities are able to grow at their own pace.
• ASSUMPTIONS THAT UNDERLIE A MULTICULTURAL
  IDEOLOGY
• A belief that people are more than individuals,
  but social beings whose well-being depends on a
  shared identity within the cultural framework of
  an ethnic community.
• Multiculturalism does not dismiss diversity as
  contrary to the goals of national unity or
  socio-economic progress.
• A multicultural ideal build upon the principles
  of cultural relativism--cultural practice are to
  a particular time and place
• A commitment to multiculturalism is predicated on
  the premise that those confident in their
  cultural backgrounds will concede a similar
  tolerance to others.

6

• 3.) POLICY
• Multiculturalism consists of specific government
  initiatives for transforming multicultural ideals
  into official programs and practice at
  institutional level.
• It can be interpreted within a broader policy
  framework that justifies the design and
  implementations of diversity-driven programs
  without fear of inciting public concern over yet
  more government intrusion.
• Multiculturalism was founded in the aftermath of
  publication of the Report of the Royal Commission
  on Bilingualism an Biculturalism in 1969. Ethnic
  minorities were lobbying that there language and
  culture was just as important as Quebecs to
  Canadian society building.

7

• Pre-World War II Canada was not accepting of
  immigrants, more importantly of ethnic diversity.
  Cultural differences were inferior, irrelevant,
  or contrary to national interest.
• The Anglo-American ideals began to occur because
  of the influx of immigrants from Europe and then
  other developing countries.
• The first Citizenship Act was passed in 1947,
  which severed Canadas colonialist identification
  with United Kingdom. This meant that Canada
  would not define itself as belonging to a British
  culture, rather foreign born and native born
  would live together.
• Race was not to determine entry, open hatred of
  other was uncivilized, and discrimination was
  unacceptable.
• Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau founded the
  multicultural act on October 8th 1971 because he
  wanted to acknowledge other ethnic contributions
  within a Canadian society.
• In 1985 the Charter of Rights and Freedom came
  into effect in relation to the multiculturalism
  act.
• In 1988 it was declared that Canada was the only
  multicultural country.
• Civic Multiculturalism is oriented towards
  Canada-building by promoting the ideal of a
  commonly shared citizenship.

8
FOUR MAJOR PRINCIPLES TO RESCULPT CANADA ALONG
THE PRINCIPLES OF INDIVIDUAL EQUALITY

• Equality of Status Canada does not have an
  official culture all cultures are equal to each
  other.
• Canadian Identity Diversity lies at the heart of
  Canadian identity.
• Personal Choice The ability to choose lifestyles
  and cultural traits is a positive factor in
  society.
• Protection of Individual Rights Individuals have
  the right to be free of discrimination that
  precludes equality and participation.

9

• 4.) PRACTICE
• Multiculturalism as practice refers to its use by
  both political and ethnic sectors to advance
  goals and ambitions.
• Official multiculturalism hoped to formulate a
  new founding myth of Canada as a land of
  opportunity and equality for all Canadians, thus
  uniting all Canadians at a time of political
  turmoil, yet doing so without any fundamental
  redistribution of power.
• The growing heterogeneity of Canadas population
  has prompted all political parties to pursue the
  multicultural vote through promises of increased
  representation, funding, and affirmative action
  at federal levels.
• Minority men and women are empowered with a tool
  for staking out their claims-it empowers an
  otherwise powerless sector with the leverage to
  prod or provoke central policy structures

10

• 5.) CRITICAL DISCOURSE
• Its goal includes fostering tolerance toward
  diversity, reducing prejudice, removing
  discriminatory barriers, eliminating cultural
  ethnocentrism, enhancing equitable access to
  service, expanding institutional engagement, and
  improving intergroup encounters.
• Draw people into an existing Canada rather than
  bringing about social change.
• Critical Multiculturalism is based on the
  premises that cultural institutions are racist in
  privileging Westocentric values at the expense of
  minority struggles. It could be connected to
  postmodernism because it is a mind dependent
  world where there is no center of authority, only
  different view points where everything is
  relative and true because nothing is absolutely
  knowable.

11
IS CANADA MULTICULTURAL?

• Canada is multicultural by virtue of its ethnic
  heterogeneity, where is empirically real,
  persistent, and shows no signs of easing in light
  of prevailing immigration flows.
• Yes, because of the high level of support for
  multicultural principles and tolerance of
  diversity
• Yes, because Canada is a society with both
  political and minority sectors capitalizing on
  multiculturalism to achieve a variety of national
  or personal goals.

12
PERCEPTIONS CRITICAL REACTIONS

• Some Canadians are vigorously supportive, others
  are in total rejection or denial others are
  indifferent, and yet other are uninformed.
• Variables such as age, income, levels of
  education, and place of residence are critical in
  gauging support, with higher levels of approval
  among those who are younger, more affluent,
  better educated and urban.
• Based on a survey in 1996 60-70 are for believe
  Canada is multicultural.
• It is acceptable it everyone has a right to his
  or her culture in Canada, and if it means
  learning about other cultures.
• Many support multiculturalism, but the support
  declines when multiculturalism is linked with
  unpopular government programs such as immigration
  policy or employment equity.

13
CRITIQUING MULTICULTURALISM

• Residence of Ontario and Western Canada are
  supportive, but Quebecois and First Nations are
  not as much.
• For both minorities they feel they have been
  nationally undermined their special status in
  exchange that Canada is a immigrant status.
• Critics on the left believe multiculturalism as
  ineffective except as a mantra for politicians in
  regards to getting support from the public.
• Those on the right believe that multiculturalism
  is a costly drain of resources that runs the risk
  of eroding national unity.
• Those in the middle believe that it is great in
  principle, but in practice it is little more than
  a tacitly accepted contract of mutual
  indifference in which Canadians share geographic
  and political space.
• Radicals believe multiculturalism is a capitalist
  plot to divide and distract the working class
  because minorities are ghettoized into certain
  occupational structures and residential areas,
  thus they are in no position for power and
  wealth.
• Conservatives believes it has taken away Canadian
  values.
• New Canadians feel that multiculturalism has a
  marginalizing effect in othering their status
  in Canada.

14
MULTICULTURALISM IT'S THE CANADIAN WAY

• In a 1996 survey, 71 think multiculturalism is
  an important symbol of Canadian unity and
  identity.
• Multiculturalism has contributed to Canadas
  image as an open, secular and largely tolerant
  society because of its socially progressive
  society and enviable standards of living.
• For the most part young Canadians are proud of
  Canadas multicultural heritage.
• It is a blueprint for inclusiveness of all
  Canadians
• In short, multiculturalism remains the policy of
  necessity if not of choice for a changing and
  diverse Canada.
• PRIME MINISTER We have established a distinct
  Canadian way, a distant Canadian model
  Accommodation of cultures. Recognition of
  diversity. A partnership between citizenship and
  state. A balance that promotes individual
  freedom and economic prosperity while at the same
  time sharing risks and benefits.

15
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• What does multiculturalism mean?
• Can we live together with our differences in
  relation to maintaining our individual culture
  while assimilating to the mainstream culture?
• Is Canada a multicultural society? What are your
  reasons for your answer?