Multiculturalism in Canada: From Crisis Management to Shared Identity

 

 Multiculturalism is a defining characteristic of Canadian society, but it was not always so. In the 1960s and early 1970s, the so-called “Quiet Revolution” in Quebec sparked a crisis of nationalism and violence that threatened to tear apart the country. To defuse the issue, the government of Lester B. Pearson created the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and biculturalism to recommend solutions. However, it was a new senator from Saskatchewan, Paul Yuzyk, who spoke up and suggested that Canada was not bicultural, but multicultural. This idea was incorporated into the commission’s recommendations, and in 1971, then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau introduced capital-Multiculturalism to the House of Commons.

At that time, the agenda of multiculturalism was integration and appeasing opposition to bilingualism. Scepticism, was felt by many who thought Canada already unofficially respected diversity and that official multiculturalism felt awkward. However, over the following decades, multiculturalism evolved into ingrained collective value and a shared identity. Canadians began to define themselves as citizens of a multi-ethnic, multireligious society, and official multiculturalism lost its hokey qualities and capital letter.

  

One of the reasons for Canada’s success with multiculturalism is that it has given up demands for total assimilation to a defined identity in favour of integration. This means that the major identity of individuals or groups is not altered, but they are encouraged to become active and high yielding members of Canadian society. Integration is the foundation of the support that newcomers get, and citizenship is promoted as the means of becoming part of Canadian society. Canadian citizens are expected to obey the law, pay their taxes, and be always tolerant to differences.

Carol Geddes in “Growing up Native” describes a close-knit community that supported and cared for one another. She talks about spending time with her grandparents, who taught her traditional skills such as tanning hides and making moccasins. She also describes playing with her cousins and participating in community events such as councils. This sense of community and belonging is a crucial aspect of a fulfilling childhood.

Geddes had a strong relationship to the land and nature. She explains spending time fishing, hunting, and picking berries in the bush. She also discusses the tranquilly and grandeur of the surrounding natural environment. Many people today long for a sense of connection to the soil and the natural world, but they rarely find it.

Geddes’ childhood was filled with moments of joy, laughter and creativity. She discusses about the excitement of catching her first fish and the joy of playing with her siblings and cousins. These moments of joy and creativity of her mother, who made beautiful beadwork and crafts. These experiences are essential to a happy childhood.

In a 2015 environment survey, 95% of those polled believed that immigrants are just as likely to be devoted citizens as Canadians who were born here, and that people in Canada are growing more accepting of diversity. Today, almost half of the newcomers to Canada have a college degree, and the second generation is more likely to attend a university than those whose  parents are native-born. Immigrants express almost the same level of contentment with the life in Canada as other Canadian, and intermarriage rates are growing , a strong index of  racial and cultural integration.

In a world where populism and intolerance are on rise, Canada’s deliberate looseness when it comes to identity and unique approach to pluralism may help protect it, as long as Canadians remain vigilant. In retrospect, Pierre Tudeau’s single most important statement as he introduced his new policy in 1971 may have been that no singular culture could or would define Canada. This new idea became the root of Canada’s contemporary success in the world.

 

Reference:

Geddes, C. (1982). Growing up Native. In L. Monkman (Ed.), Stories of our ancestors (pp. 89-94). Penticton, BC: Theytus Books. Retrieved from https://mslock.weebly.com/uploads/5/9/3/9/59397655/growingupnative.pdf s