RUNNING HEAD: THE ADVANCEMENTS OF CANADIAN POLICIES IN ACHIEVING

EQUALITY

The Advancements of Canadian Policies in Achieving Equality

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RUNNING HEAD: THE ADVANCEMENTS OF CANADIAN POLICIES IN ACHIEVING

EQUALITY

The Advancements of Canadian Policies in Achieving Equality

Different policies that ranged from assimilation, integration and differentiation have been
used in the past by various countries to solve cultural identities and ethnicity. Canada
adopted multiculturalism policies as a way of maintaining the countrys unity as well as a
means to promote cultural and ethnic minority groups involvement in, and access to the
societies resources. Multiculturalism is a democracy policy that was invented so as to
curb social and cultural diversity in the society. In the nineteenth century, Canadas
history of colonization and settlement resulted in a multicultural society consisting of
various ethnic and racial groups including the French, British and the Aboriginal people.
The rediscovery of cultural and ethnic identities created an awareness of the importance
of managing cultural and ethnic diversities through various policies. Canadian
multiculturalism has since been implemented as federal policy as well as a sociological
fact in the pursuit of equality. This essay, thus, assesses the advancements and
criticism of the policies Canada has been using to ensure equality among its citizens.
Educational and language policies have been a great asset in the promotion of
multiculturalism in Canada. The policies sought to ensure that children learn (both their
mother tongue and the national language) to a reasonable competence level. The
government considered the minority language initiative as a means of incorporating
people equitably into the society rather than just a means for cultural maintenance
(Inglis 2003).

RUNNING HEAD: THE ADVANCEMENTS OF CANADIAN POLICIES IN ACHIEVING

EQUALITY

Equality in employment has been viewed as an integral element in ensuring that the
ethnic minority are not structurally disadvantaged. In the past, the ethnic and immigrant
minority population have been a victim of the highest unemployment rates in Canada.
Though the access to language training was initiated to recognize training and
experience gained from other countries, employment discrimination emerged as another
vital element that needed to be solved to achieve equality in the country (Inglis 200).
The Canadian government has ensured that the minorities have access to affordable
and suitable housing. Both institutional and individual racism have been a subject of
attention in the policy initiatives for equality. There exists tremendous effort from the
government to ensure social equity by including the visible minority in the police force
and the media (Li 2000).
Since its invention, the federal multicultural policy has evolved through three phases:
the incipient, formative, and the institutionalization stages. The incipient stage (pre1971), marked the period when ethnic diversity began gaining recognition as legitimate
and vital to the Canadian society. For the most of the era the Canadian central
authorities considered ethnic and racial differences as hostile and detrimental to
Canadas integrity and character. The massive influx of the World War 2 and the
resentment of some minority groups forced the central authorities to rethink the role and
status of the minority groups. This pressure led to the demise of assimilation and the
invention of multiculturalism (Dewing 2009).
The formative period (1971-1981) formed the basis of multiculturalism policy in Canada.
The Canadian royal commission recommended the integration of the minority groups

RUNNING HEAD: THE ADVANCEMENTS OF CANADIAN POLICIES IN ACHIEVING

EQUALITY

into the Canadian society. The minority were to be given full citizenship rights as well as
equal participation in the Canadian constitutional structure. The objectives of the policy
were to aid cultural groups in retaining and fostering their identities, aid cultural groups
in overcoming their barriers in their full participation in the Canadian society, and
assisting immigrants in the acquisition of at least one of the Canadian official languages.
In 1972, a multicultural Directorate was formed to help ensure that the multicultural
programs and policies were appropriately implemented. The multicultural policy in this
period helped remove barriers to economic success and social adaptation in cultural
terms. By the end of this period, there was a shift in policy thinking whereby the
government focused on achieving equality through the removal of racially discriminatory
barriers (Dewing 2009).
During The institutionalization period (1982-present), the policy sought a balance
between equality and cultural distinctiveness. This was under the 1988 multiculturalism
act, which was passed as a national multiculturalism law by the Canadian parliament.
The act gave individuals the right to identify with the cultural heritage of their preference
while they still maintained a full and equitable participation in the Canadian society.
During the same year, the Canadian government formally apologized as well as offered
compensation to the Japanese Canadians for the seizure of property,
disenfranchisement and wrongful convictions during World War II. In 1997, the secretary
of the state for multiculturalism renewed the program to focus on social justice, civic
participation, and identity recognition. The social justice handled the building of an
equitable society. The civic participation ensured that all Canadians participated in
shaping the society and the country. Identity recognition was an element of the program

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EQUALITY

that recognized, respected, and reflected a diversity of cultures that allowed people of
different backgrounds to have a sense of belonging to the country. In the current
century, Multiculturalism evolved to such an extent that it was allocated a day in the
Canadian calendar; (27th June Canadian multiculturalism day). In March 2005, the
government released an article Canadas Action Plan Against Racism whose goals
were to strengthen social cohesion by demonstrating federal leadership in the fight
against racism. In the year 2010, the government implemented three new objectives in
the program. First was the need to build a socially cohesive and integrated society.
Second was to improve the responsiveness of institutions to attain the wants of a
diverse population. Last was to engage in discussions on diversity and multiculturalism
at an international level (Dewing 2009).
Some critics have argued against the support of multiculturalism with a basis that it
holds a great potential to cause highly divisive social conflicts. Huntingtons thesis
suggests that religion plays an integral role in the threat for the clash of civilians. He
uses a strand of modern theories to support his statement that cultural and ethnic
diversity poses a threat to cohesion. The critic believes that the state is under-using its
resources when it comes to reducing the potential capabilities for the occurrence of
conflicts within the country (Inglis 2003).
Other multicultural critics, especially commentators critique, multiculturalism according
to their perceptions of the outcomes of the implementation of cultural diversity. They
express their fears by stating that the policy promotes too much diversity at the expense
of the countrys unity. The critics feel that the effort to accommodate other cultures is
pushing away the Canadian cultures and symbols. The critics continue to elaborate their

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EQUALITY

argument by stating that the policy is divisive due to its emphasis on what is different
rather the original cultures of the Canadian society.
Neil Bissoondath, another prominent, critic writes against multiculturalism in his book
the Cult of Multiculturalism in Canada. His work points out the existing potential
divisiveness after the governments promotion of cultural diversity. The writer argues
that cohesion and unity are being sacrificed for a philosophy that intensifies hostility and
misunderstanding, separates, as well as turns various ethnic groups against the others
in the competition for resources and power. He blames the government for allowing the
cultural diversity to form a psychology of separation among different ethnic groups,
thus creating a wedge between Canadians of different ethnic backgrounds.
Richard Gwyn, Another prominent writer, criticizes the negative impacts of
multiculturalism. He argues that the government was mistaken in thinking that the
shortcomings of cultural diversity were caused by temporary employment rather than
the widespread fear that the Canadians were becoming strangers at their country. Jack
Granatstei, another prominent critique blames political correctness and multiculturalism
for the death of Canadian history among the youths. He continues to argue that cultural
diversity has wiped out memories of the Canadian culture making the country seem to
lack its culture and identity (Inglis 2003).
On the other hand, philosopher Will Kymlicka, the publisher of Finding Our Way:
Rethinking Ethnocultural Relations in Canada argues against other critics saying that
cultural diversity has helped decrease the rate of integration of immigrants. The
philosopher uses statistics on naturalization rates among immigrants and rates of

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EQUALITY

intermarriage, among other things to argue that cultural diversity has done more good
than harm. He continues to state that there exists no evidence so to prove that
multiculturalism has promoted division among people.
In conclusion, the multiculturalism policies pose a great challenge to the policy makers
who seek to manage ethnic diversity without causing violence. The Canadian policies
are shown to deal with eliminating system barriers to equality as well as the prevention
of discrimination of individuals. Though not perfect policy, I highly suggest that other
countries follow the footsteps of Canada in ensuring equality among its citizens.
According to my opinion, Canada has been in the front leading other countries in the
world in the fight against discrimination. However, the government still needs to focus
on balancing cultural diversity with the unity of the nation so as to eliminate any possible
threats that may cause conflicts within the country.

RUNNING HEAD: THE ADVANCEMENTS OF CANADIAN POLICIES IN ACHIEVING

EQUALITY

References :
Li, P. (2000). The Social Construction of Racial Differences. Retrieved October 25,
2015, from http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/csj-sjc/jsp-sjp/rp02_8-dr02_8/rp02_8.pdf
Dewing, M. (2009, September 15). Canadian Multiculturalism. Retrieved October 25,
2015, from http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/LOP/ResearchPublications/2009-20-e.htm
Inglis, C. (2003). New Policy Responses to Diversity. Retrieved October 25, 2015, from
http://www.unesco.org/most/pp4.htm