Multicultural My Eye
About a month ago, I had a roaring, beer-fuelled debate at a local pub with several friends. I was in the zone on one of my pet peeve topics, and I think the Carlsberg diluted my message. In the end, I couldn’t convince anyone to see my point of view. Let me try again.
My basic point on multiculturalism has always been that it has been falsely mythologized as a Canadian value. There is scarce data to support any assertion that multiculturalism, as an official policy, or as a lip service, has made Canada a more tolerant society – let alone entrench itself as a core value shared by the nation. I presume there are some tangible benefits to having a national multicultural policy. I know it earmarks a bunch of federal spending for cultural projects in Canada. However, I am wary of arguments that suggest Canadians share multicultural values, and ergo, are more tolerant of ethnic differences.
A few points for clarification: It is worth noting that we do have an immigrant society in Canada (to the extent that Canada has a colonial past and continues to embrace immigration – around 160 000 people a year). As well, it should be said that multiculturalism is a noble principle – I do not presume to be offended by the idea of a tolerant or poly-ethnic society. Lastly, I think we are better off having the space for a dialogue on tolerance, even if it goes nowhere.
My key problem is with multicultural rhetoric. The over inflated claims about Canada being inclusive, a mosaic, or an antithesis to the American melting pot because of multiculturalism – that is all rubbish. Moreover, it is the doublespeak of a Canadian political system that hardly reflects the diversity it claims is so defining of the Canadian experience. It is the uninspiring reason that multiculturalism is not a real tool for change.
Shared multicultural values in Canada are at best a campaign slogan, and at worst a falsely ascribed national mythology. The brainchild of the Trudeau era, multiculturalism has been a lingering part of the Canadian political lexicon for a long time. I’m still not sure what it means. Rather, it has become a watered down term that politicians evoke in order to create a false sense of Canadian unity. This is due, in part, to the long legacy of Liberal Party power in Canada, and this Party’s effort to enforce their own policies as naturally shared Canadian values.
I am blown away by politicians who stand with a straight face and say how inclusive and tolerant of difference Canadians are, and how we are blankly “multicultural.” The term is flung around without any care. I find it a bit sophomoric.
Polling data released in the Globe today shows that 7 out of 10 Canadians (in a sample group of 1000) were in favour of abandoning the current “mosaic” approach to multiculturalism that has long been a defining feature of the nation’s identity. This group responded positively to the statement: “Immigrants should be encouraged to integrate and become part of the broader society rather than maintaining their ethnic identity and cultural differences.”
This following a year (2004) when the top four source countries for immigration were China, India, Philippines, and Pakistan – hardly your garden variety of assimilable newcomers.
The same data shows an overwhelming Canadian preference for European immigrants, citing a further expectation that these immigrants would contribute more to Canadian society than non-European immigrants.
It should be pointed out that this data is similar to the situation all the way back to the end of WW2, and into the era of the post-industrial value shift that characterized the 1970s. A majority of Canadians preferred European immigrants then, and they still do now. A majority of Canadians believed in assimilation then, and they still do now.
So my question is: if multiculturalism is such a defining feature of contemporary Canada – why has it failed to change Canadian attitudes towards non-European immigrants; and why, in an era when most new immigrants are non-European, do a majority of Canadians still prefer assimilation?
Multicultural indeed. Face it – it looks better as a campaign slogan!
August 16th, 2005 at 1:29 pm
I don’t really understand what you’re asking here, Levo. You seem bent on proving that multiculturalism never “worked”, and I’m not sure why. You seem to suggest that because it’s not perfect, it should be ridiculed and dropped, but you don’t suggest an alternative (other than pure assimilation, and you can’t be serious).
I have to say from the outset that I share your concern that as Canadians we’re too convinced of our own tolerance and racial harmony. Racism and intolerance are undeniably serious problems in Canada. The rhetoric is a problem, but your rant here (and the one the other day) tends to discount the value of multiculturalism.
Multiculturalism is not a panacea to racism and intolerance. But this does not logically prevent multiculturalism from being a defining feature of contemporary Canada. Such defining characteristics can be both ‘aspirational’ and reality-based – that’s the nature of these things. I don’t think multiculturalism has changed Canadian attitudes to non-European immigrants, nor could it have been expected to do so. As the son of white European immigrants, I can tell you that attitudes toward European immigrants are not always positive either. Canadians prefer assimilation because they are racist/ afraid/ intolerant – you name it. They don’t like or understand people who look, sound or dress differently to them. That’s probably human nature, and enormously difficult to change. Not trying is stupid. And you can’t change someone’s skin colour by assimilation. The point is that racism in Canada is not as bad as it is in, say, Korea, which is a largely homogeneous and xenophobic society. Furthermore, divisions in Canada don’t run as deep as they might in other countries, like the USA. Multiculturalism is probably a part of the reason for this.
I also think the question in the poll you quote is skewed. It suggests that there are only two options – assimilation or ethnic and cultural isolation. The reality is that it’s not so clear-cut and most immigrants tread an area somewhere in between, and I’d say that that’s a good thing. It’s common sense to say that a newcomer should integrate and become part of the greater society, but that does not suggest giving up his or her own traditions and cultural identity. A non-white immigrant can work at a firm with white folk, eat Wonderbread, drink Molson Canadian and attend a friend’s Christmas party, but that does not mean that he should not speak his mother tongue at home, listen to ethnic music, eat traditional foods or celebrate whatever holidays he did in the old country. These are matters of individual liberty. Taken at a societal level, this suggests, well, multiculturalism.
I’d bet that a poll 20 years from now would reveal the same thing – that won’t change with or without multiculturalism. Racism and intolerance go much deeper than what a policy of multiculturalism can cope with, but why drop it? It does not suggest that multiculturalism is 100% ineffectual. Do you suggest that assimilation would be better? If yes, how exactly would that work? If not, what do you propose? I defy you to come up with a policy to end racism and change Canadian attitudes to non-white immigrants (and people with limps, lisps, accents and bad hair).
August 17th, 2005 at 11:27 am
I disagree that individual liberty to follow native traditions, when extended to a societal level, is multiculturalism. If that were the case the US would also be a multicultural society, arguably even more so than Canada. Multiculturalism in Canada goes beyond individual liberties as a national policy, one that leads to such ideas as Ontario’s proposed acceptance of sharia law in domestic cases involving Muslims as well as the federal spending projects Alevo mentioned, community centers, etc.
The fact that multiculturalism goes beyond individual liberties into the realm of provincial and federal policy makes me wonder if the preference Canadians have for European immigrants in the study Alevo mentioned is necessarily racist. Before I explain, let me agree with Tommy that “[r]acism and intolerance are undeniably serious problems in Canada”. But hear me out.
I think it’s possible that Canadians prefer European immigrants because of shared democratic – even multicultural – concepts/ideals, not (or not entirely) race (it’s worth nothing that European does not necessarily mean white, either, many European countries have significant non-white populations). For example: the separation of church and state, equal rights for women, freedom of religion, tolerance of foreign customs and traditions, among others. These concepts are associated with Western democracies but not necessarily the countries that the bulk of our immigrants come from (e.g. China and Pakistan).
The obvious should be pointed out though, which is that immigrants are leaving their home countries, many of them because they want those freedoms and rights. Others are no doubt leaving because of economic opportunity and may not believe in those concepts whatsoever. The UK and The Netherlands are two countries that are struggling to deal with sectors of society who clearly do not share what could be called traditional British and Dutch concepts and ideals.
Canadians, I think, welcome immigrants as long as they agree women should have equal rights, as long as they think church and state should remain firmly separated, as long as they agree all religions should be treated equally and fairly in the country. It’s this list of as long as‘s that limits multiculturalism in this country and forms the basis of the integration we expect our immigrants to go through. Which makes me wonder, like Alevo, just how committed to multiculturalism we really are.
February 5th, 2006 at 12:50 pm
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March 12th, 2006 at 7:47 pm
you stated that we may not be as committed to multiculturalsmas we are but look at other countries that experience various amounts of problems like you said. i mean then how multiculturalist are we then?
October 14th, 2006 at 3:45 pm
i hate this topic because it serves no purpose. let only european immgrant into canada and quick ruining the scarce amount of cultural fabric that we have. be a proud european