“Canada is one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse nations in the world” (Soroka & Robertson, 2010, p. 33). It is true that Canada has over 200 ethnic origins as identified in the 2006 census and if this is the only thing you remember from this summary, then you will at least be more accurately informed about one of the most important aspects of our country.
This report was commissioned by the Canadian Citizenship and Immigration and came out in 2010; it is a review of the most up to date data regarding Canadians’ perceptions and beliefs about immigration and multiculturalism. The report identifies and focuses on several themes including Canadians’ support for multiculturalism and immigration, support for a certain degree of assimilation, tolerance of disparate religions, cultures and languages, support for a wide range of minority rights as well as individual equality, which can sometimes be in conflict of minority rights. Soroka and Robertson state that the picture of Canadians that emerges is one of a “Canadian public with strong, but conditional, support for multiculturalism and immigration” (p. iv).
The aims of this report are notable in its focus on the perceptions of Canadians, not the success or failure of multiculturalism policy; it’s intention is to assist with policy and program development in these areas. During their literature review, Soroka and Robertson found little in the way of current research. What they did find focused on three main areas: support for ethnic/linguistic and religious diversity, support for minority rights, and support for immigration. They also looked abroad to international data and made comparisons where possible. Some of the sources included Environics, the Canadian Opinion Research Archive, the Canadian Election Survey, academic polls and other commercial firms.
Two main findings in this report were broad support for multiculturalism and immigration, and secondly, Canadian attitudes towards multiculturalism are very stable. More specifically, there is strong but conditional support; Canadians feel that a “degree of difference should be combined with a degree of integration…(and that) there is value in shared values and traditions” (p. 2).
The report also found that the value for Canadian identity is strong but support for multiculturalism is also well supported, 84% of Canadians feel that multiculturalism is best for the country. In fact, one survey found that 27% of Canadians identified multiculturalism as a strong characteristic of Canada, ahead of the Charter of Rights. And though universal health care and the Charter of Rights regularly top the list of polls for most important features of Canada, multiculturalism is recognized as central to Canada’s identity. Multiculturalism and immigration are seen by Canadians as adding to the diverse fabric of our society, which is a strength most of the time but there are some reservations. Some people fear that the loss of shared values and culture may weaken society. So how does this affect how Canadians feel about integration and assimilation? Canadians support integration though not to the point of full assimilation, typically we as Canadians fall somewhere in the middle.
The majority of Canadians are tolerant of differences and 64% disagreed that Canada would be better if almost everyone shared the same customs and traditions. Conversely however, there is also support for integration of new immigrants; “a 2008 Environics survey found that 60% of Canadians agree that ‘there are too many immigrants coming into this country who are not adopting Canadian values’ ” (p. 9). Significantly over time there is a consistent belief, 70% by the Strategic Council of Canada, that we should be encouraging immigrants to integrate and become part of Canadian culture. There was however, a higher level of support for immigrants maintaining their own customs and culture in the younger population of Canadians. It is important that this report, while identifying a perceived resistance to integration by immigrants, also noted there may also be a media influence. Indeed, in 2006 there was a spike in concern about integration but this was following the arrest of 18 young men in Toronto for plotting terrorism. Future research is identified as being needed in this area especially since the lack of assimilation is recognized by surveys as a concern with 45% of Canadians feeling that new Canadians hold onto their customs and traditions too long.
This report also assesses the perceptions of discrimination, with one survey identifying 88% agreeing that Canada is welcoming to minorities, with a small difference noted in Quebec, which is “less receptive to accommodation than the rest of Canada” (p. 22). The Canada West Foundation found urban centers from Toronto to the west coast had the greatest belief in Canada as welcoming, 86% to 92%. However, an Ipsos-Reid poll in 2007 noted that a slim majority of Canadians felt that discrimination was present against visible minorities (53%); this finding had decreased over time from 70% in 1998. Specifically, the most discrimination when perceived to be present was greatest against Muslims and Aboriginal people followed by Pakistanis, East Indians and Blacks, with much less against Jews, Chinese, francophones and anglophones. Discrimination towards religious groups followed that of cultures with the greatest towards Sikhism and Islam first followed by Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and Christianity being the most accepted. This also followed for religious schools in the same fashion. Therefore, there was a decreasing tolerance depending on the group. An interesting finding in an Angus-Reid poll in 2009 was that though the majority of individuals (52%) were generally unfavourable towards Islam, 39% would find it acceptable if one of their children were to marry into that religion. The report offers no editorial comment or interpretation on this disparity.
Minority rights, in general, were rejected for the greater need for equality noted by Canadians. The Canadian Elections Study found that 84% disagreed with the idea that minorities needed special rights. In fact, this belief has been durable over time, surveys from 2000 to 2008 have consistently shown support for equality. The one difference being a slight increase in tolerance for preserving culture and customs among the younger Canadian population, though this is slight.
Immigration has broad support from Canadians. Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) research program, which has an Annual Tracking Survey of public opinion, in 2009 revealed that the majority of Canadians feel the number of immigrants coming to Canada is about right (50%) or too little (14%). This positive support for immigration has been consistently rising since the 1990’s with a levelling out in 2005. Again, the younger population is shown to be the most positive by a slight majority. Further, Canadians believe that immigrants have a positive impact on the country. In a 2007 survey from the Canada West Foundation 8 out of 10 residents from western urban centers agreed that immigration from other countries is good for their cities. Moreover, when faced with negative statements in other surveys such as “Canada would be a lot better off if immigrants went back to where they came from” 89% disagreed. Canadians also feel that immigration did not impact negatively on jobs or the economy and in a 2008 survey, found that those believing immigrants took away Canadian jobs was at an all time low (20%). In fact, despite the 2008 economic recession felt the world over, Canadians remained positive about the economy and immigration.
In a comparative context, Canada ranks among the top five most trusting countries. And though it has been identified that there is perceived discrimination towards some groups, Muslims amongst the greatest, this is still less than in other countries. Muslims themselves identify Canada in this light compared with their experiences in other countries, with France exhibiting some of the greatest perceived discrimination followed by Germany, Britain and Spain. But as the report identifies “Canadians’, while supporting diversity and immigration generally, also lean in the direction of assimilation over accommodation” (p. 36). Canadians do have a level of discrimination toward Muslims and Sikhs that future policies need to address.
In their conclusions, Soroka and Robertson identify the need for further research as existing polls do not “currently provide much leverage on what the appropriate balance is, according to the average Canadian, between diversity and integration” (p. 41). They also identify the lack of specificity on minority rights and multiculturalism, and present the idea of polls that force more choices to capture more nuances that the current broad preferences have not yet uncovered. Finally, these authors identify that “there remains much work to be done to fully understand, and then to follow Canadians’ evolving attitudes on issues of immigration and multiculturalism” (p. 41).
On an editorial note I believe Canadians struggle with the concept of immigrants being true to their own culture as well as accepting their new culture. As Canadians we always want the best of everything, we don’t want to deny people their heritage yet we get frustrated when we witness or “hear about” immigrants that do not take on Canadian customs. However, one question I have is how Canadians get their information? What media sources do they use and how reliable are they? With the influx of social media and a vast array of choices, information is not always of the best quality but still has significant influence. The need for future research is clear and the potential impact of the dearth of data that may come with the next census as it has undergone significant changes, will likely largely influence Canadian public policy development, not necessarily to the better.