In 1971, Canada enacted a policy that officially recognized itself as a nation with multicultural ideals. Historically, Canada has been a Christian hegemonic nation. The emergence of multiculturalism created a change in the values, traditions, and identity of the Canadian citizen. Immigration laws, affirmative action, and sociopolitical policies are a few examples of the impact Canada’s official multicultural policy has had on its citizens. Since immigrants are entitled to citizenship after only three years of lawful residence, the majority of immigrants (85 percent) become Canadian citizens, giving Canada one of the largest proportional immigrant populations in the world. However, I predict that Canadians will see a future trend towards their historic Christian roots and away from the idealism of cultural pluralism.
It is apparent that multiculturalism is an issue for some Canadians, as Bill 94 in Québec moves that, “all public sector employees will be required to have their faces uncovered, as will any citizen using government services… The ban on such face coverings as the niqab or burqa also applies to the entire education sector, from daycare centres to universities, as well as hospitals, public clinics and social services.” The burqa is a perfect metaphor for the sentiments fueling Bill 94: a lack of identity among Canadian citizens and a feeling of insecurity with the unknown (whether it be the face behind a burqa, or the understanding of the culture itself). As Professor Alex Macleod from the University of Québec states, “concepts of culture and collective identity, especially national identity, are very closely linked… one has to be very careful about linking culture and security, let alone human security, since culture very often evokes exclusion rather than inclusion.” The cultural exclusion will create a sense of insecurity within and between Canadians, and Canada will see a backlash against multiculturalism.
It can be argued that the need for a collective identity extends to Toronto, arguably the most multicultural city in Canada, which just elected right-wing hardliner Mayor Rob Ford. His policies and personal sentiments reflect support for a cohesive identity, and his (big and little ‘c’) conservative approach have the ability to make Torontonians feel safe, secure, and protected. A fractured identity (rather than cohesive) can attribute for what Carleton Professor Phil Ryan calls “multicultiphobia.” This fractured identity is apparent in Canadian society, and was especially noticeable in the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. In the closing ceremonies, we construed our Canadian national ‘identity’ by a massive inflatable beaver, girls in RCMP dresses, and large board cutouts of hockey players. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Vancouver Olympic Committee sat around the table scratching their heads in frustration over how to portray Canada and Canadian citizens during the ceremonies. Our identity consists of an amalgamation of many other identities, which makes it difficult to pinpoint just what exactly a “Canadian” is, and therefore the idea of Canada being a cultural mosaic is inescapably true. Yet, I argue that the mosaic will ‘melt’ in order to create the feeling of a safe, easily identified community. As Professor Macleod posits, “Identity is clearly a fundamental part of us as individuals, at least in liberal democratic societies, but the most important form of identity… is that of collective identity, and in particular national identity.” As Canadians, we pride ourselves on being a cultural mosaic, and rightly so. However, I believe there will be a growing need for a stable and cohesive identity, and Canadians will respond to that need by melting the mosaic in order to achieve a sense of security between citizens, and as a nation.
No comments:
Post a Comment