Experiencing Discrimination and Linguicism in Québec and Canada

Richard Y. BourhisProfesseur, Département de psychologie

Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Canada

bourhis.richard@uqam.cawww. psycho.uqam.ca/NUN/d_pages_profs/d_Bourhis/accueil.htm

Language Matters: Policy-Research Seminar on Language Language Matters: Policy-Research Seminar on Language Acquisition and Newcomer Integration Acquisition and Newcomer Integration

Metropolis Project Secretariat, Library and Archives Canada, Metropolis Project Secretariat, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, October 22, 2009 Ottawa, Ontario, October 22, 2009

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Prejudice and DiscriminationPrejudice and Discrimination

• PREJUDICE is a negative attitude towards outgroup members which occurs despite the reality of individual differences within and across groups

• DISCRIMINATION is an unjustified negative behaviour towards members of a devalued outgroup

• In Canada as elsewhere in the world, discrimination remains a pervasive phenomenon that is corrosive for its victims and ultimately dehumanising for its perpetrators

• Immigrants who are victim of discrimination feel rejected by members of the host majority, an experience which undermines their cultural and linguistic integration within the receiving society

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Discrimination

Discriminationary behavior can range in severity :silent avoidance, depreciating humour, hate stares, hate speech, mental & physical harassment, differential allocation of valued ressources (jobs, housing), attacks on property and persons (hate crimes), deportation and genocide.

Discrimination can occur in public settings such as: the work world, in school & university, on the street, in hospitals, banks, commerce, restaurants, rental housing. It also occurs in contact with the police and judiciary, government services, health & community services, leisure, sport and religious activities

Discrimination can occur in private settings such as interpersonal relations with acquaintances, friends, colleagues and in dating

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From Racism to Linguicism

– When discrimination is targeted against ethnic outgroups, we talk about racism

– When discrimination is targeted against men or women we talk about sexism

– When discrimination is targeted at young or old people we talk about agism

– When discrimination is targeted against speakers of a language or accent outgroup we talk about linguicism

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Institutional Linguicism– Institutional linguicism occurs when a linguistic majority adopts

language rules or laws which impose restrictive and unequal treatments on targeted language minorities

– Institutional linguicism in education: the teaching of a minority language is banned from the school system because it is considered inferior, anachronistic or threatening by members of the dominant language majority

– Residential schools which forced Amerindian pupils to learn French in Quebec and English in Canada while banning First Nation languages and cultures: resulting in assimilation and deculturation

– The Ontario government adopts Article17 in 1927, banning the teaching of French in public schools thus fostering the linguistic assimilation of Franco- Ontarians in the Province

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The Ethnic Diversity Survey (EDS, 2002)The Ethnic Diversity Survey (EDS, 2002)was designed by Statistics Canada & Canadian Heritagewas designed by Statistics Canada & Canadian Heritage

• The EDS focussed on how ethnic and linguistic communities perceive their circumstances in Canada

• Goals of the EDS survey:

– To provide information on ethnic diversity in Canada: French and English Canadians, Immigrants 1st, 2nd, 3rd generation

– To obtain a better understanding of how Canadians of different ethnic and linguistic backgrounds interpret and report their category belonging including their experience of discrimination

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Representative Sampling of the Ethnic Diversity Survey: 2002)Representative Sampling of the Ethnic Diversity Survey: 2002)• Computer assisted telephone interviewing (CATI): 35 min.

– in English, French, Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Punjabi, etc.

• Respondents: 15 years or older – living in private dwellings in provinces and territories of Canada

• Respondents were selected from 2001 Census, interviewed in 2002, post 9/11

• Stratified on ethnic origin, place of birth, place of birth of parents– post-stratification: sexe, age, generation, language, region, – Over-representation of 2nd generation immigrants (37% of sample)

• Achieved sample size: N= 42,476/57,200 76% response rate, Cost: $7 million

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The Ethnic Diversity Survey (EDS, 2002)The Ethnic Diversity Survey (EDS, 2002)Statistics Canada and Canadian HeritageStatistics Canada and Canadian Heritage

• Many themes covered in the EDS telephone interviews.• Focus today is on being personally victim of

discrimination

• EDS Modules:– Self-definition, respondent background, language competence and

language use in family,parents’ background, spouse and child – Family interaction– Social networks– Civic participation– Interaction with society and discrimination– Attitudes and sense of belonging– Trust and satisfaction– Socio-economic activities– Who completed the census questionnaire

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EDS Discrimination question No. 100EDS Discrimination question No. 100

 Discrimination may happen when people are treated unfairly because they are seen as being different from others.

In the past 5 years or since arriving in Canada, do you feel that you have experienced discrimination or been treated unfairly by others in Canada because of your ethnicity, culture, race, skin colour, language, accent or religion? 

Yes ____ ; No _____

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Perceptions of having been victim of discrimination: General results from EDS (2002)

• Across Canada, men (8%) as much as women (7%) declared having been victim of discrimination in the last five years

• First generation immigrants were more likely to having been victim of discrimination (13%) than second (6%) and third generation immigrants (5%)

• The percentage of respondents declaring having been victim of discrimination was similar in Toronto (11%), Vancouver (11%), and Montreal (9%)

• Visible minority immigrants experienced more discrimination than immigrants who were not visible minorities

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Experience of having been victim of discrimination in the last 5 years (EDS, 2002)

14%

10%

36%

0

10

20

30

40

Immigrants: total Not a visible minority Visible minority

Immigrants (1st& 2nd generation) who experienced

discrimination and unfair treatmen t (%)

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Visible Minoritiesin Canada: Canadian Census (2001) and EDS (2002)

• East Indian, • Pakistani • Black • Latin American• Southeast Asian• Arab • Afghan • Iranian • Japanese • Korean• Chinese

13% (3 millions) de la population canadienne totale (32 millions)

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Experience of discrimination by various visible minority immigrants in the last 5 years (EDS, 2002)

26%29%

33%35%

43%

50%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Black Japanese SoutheastAsian

Chinese LatinAmerican

Arab

Visible minority immigrants who experienced discrimination/unfair treatment (%)

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Experience of discrimination by first and second generation immigrants (EDS, 2002)

30

19

34

20

10

36

1411

42

0

10

20

30

40

50

Immigrants:total

Not a visibleminority

Visibleminority

1st generation1991-20012nd generationpre-19913rd generation

Immigrants who experienced discrimination/ unfair treatmen t (%)

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Experience of discrimination by 1st & 2nd generation visible minority immigrants (EDS, 2002)

45

3528

48

3034

61

34

43

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Black Chinese South Asian

1st generation1991-20012nd generationpre-19913rd generation

Immigrants who experienced discrimination/unfair treatment (%)

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Discrimination (%) experienced because of ethnic characteristics by Ethnic ancestry (single only) for Quebec and the Rest of Canada (ROC) based on item 100 of the EDS survey (2002).

Bourhis, Montreuil, Helly & Jantzen (2007). Canadian Ethnic Studies.

10%7%

16%

30%

10%13%

10%

36%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

British Isles ancestry French-Canadianancestry

European ancestry Non-Europeanancestry

in Quebec

in ROC

European ancestry: Origins may include Italian, German, Portuguese, Polish, Dutch, Ukrainian, Greek. Non-European ancestry: Origins may include Asian (Chinese, Vietnamese), South Asian (Indian, Pakistani), Arab, African, Central/South American, Caribbean

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Discrimination (%) experienced because of Mother tongue for Quebec and the Rest of Canada (ROC) based on item Q100 of the EDS

(2002)

7%

25%

20%

12% 12%

23% 22%24%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

French mothertongue

English mothertongue

English and Frenchmother tongue

Other mother tongue

in Quebec

in ROC

Linguicism: Being victim of discrimination because of one ’s mother tongue language or accent. (Bourhis et al., 2007)

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Discrimination (%) experienced because of ethnic ancestry (single only) and Mother tongue for Quebec and ROC based on item 100 of EDS (2002)

19%

39%

25%

10%

44%40%

14%10%

27%

35%

25%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Europeanancestry in

Quebec

Europeanancestry in ROC

Non-Europeanancestry in

Quebec

Non-Europeanancestry in ROC

French mother tongue

English mother tongue

Other mother tongue

European ancestry: Origins may include Italian, German, Portuguese, Polish, Dutch, Ukrainian, Greek. Non-European ancestry: Origins may include Asian (Chinese, Vietnamese), South Asian (Indian, Pakistani), Arab, African, Central/South American, Caribbean

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Reasons for discrimination EDS (Q120)Reasons for discrimination EDS (Q120)

Amongst respondents having declared being victims of discrimination:

 In the past 5 years or since arriving in Canada, for which reason or reasons do you feel that you have experienced discrimination or been treated unfairly in Canada?

Was it or is it because of …

– your ethnicity or culture?– your race or skin colour?– your language or accent?– your religion?   »

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Perceived reasons of discrimination (%) of the respondents who experienced discrimination by Mother tongue for Rest of Canada

(ROC). Based on item 120 of the EDS survey (2002)

30%

12%

68%

8%

27%

56%

25%

16%

36%

53%

39%

13%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Ethnicity or culture Race or skin colour Language or accent''linguicism''

Religion

French mother tongue

English mother tongue

Other mother tongueIn ROC

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Perceived reasons of discrimination (%) of the respondents who experienced discrimination by Mother tongue for Quebec, Based on

item 120 of the EDS (2002)

27%

20%

61%

10%

19%25%

67%

9%

40%

33%

52%

6%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Ethnicity or culture Race or skin colour Language or accent''linguicism''

Religion

French mother tongue

English mother tongue

Other mother tongueIn Quebec

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Places or situations of discrimination EDS (Q130)Places or situations of discrimination EDS (Q130)

Amongst respondents having declared being victims of discrimination:

In the past 5 years or since arriving in Canada, in

which places or situations do you feel that you have experienced discrimination or been treated unfairly in Canada? Was it…– On the street?– In a store, bank or restaurant?– At work or when applying for a job or promotion?– When dealing with the police or courts?– Or somewhere else? Specify   »

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Situations and places where discrimination occurred for respondents who experienced discrimination by Mother tongue for Rest of Canada

(ROC). Based on item Q130 of the EDS survey (2002)

9%

29%

52%

7%

26%31%

8%11%

32%

12% 11%

45%

28%

52%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

On the street In a store, bank orrestaurant

At work (includingapplying andpromotion)

When dealing withpolice or court

At school

French mother tongue

English mother tongue

Other mother tongueROC

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Situations and places where discrimination occurred : respondents who experienced discrimination by Mother tongue for Quebec, Based

on item 130 of the EDS survey (2002)

22%

33%

42%

3% 5%

25%

50%

23%

5%

28%

8%13%

47%

21%

57%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

On the street In a store, bank orrestaurant

At work (includingapplying andpromotion)

When dealing withpolice or court

At school

French mother tongue

English mother tongue

Other mother tongue

Quebec

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Income differential of unilingual and bilingual Anglophones and Allophones relative to unilingual Francophones in Quebec: 1971 vs

2001 (Vaillancourt, Lemay, & Vaillancourt, 2007)

17%

0% 0%

-30%

0%

-34%

6%

12,2%12,6%

-11,8%

-18,1%

10,1%

-40%

-30%

-20%

-10%

0%

10%

20%

1971 2001 1971 2001 1971 2001 1971 2001 1971 2001 1971 2001

Unilingual AnglophoneBilingual Anglophone

Allophone + English

Allophone + French

Bilingual Francophone

Controlling for age, level of education, years of experience in Quebec

LEGEND:

Allophones: French/English bilinguals

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Conclusion:

Ethnicity & Linguicism in Quebec & ROC

• Visible minority immigrants experience the most discrimination in Canada. 3rd generation visible minorities (42%) experience even MORE discrimination than 2nd (36%) and 1st generation (34%) visible minority immigrants.

• It is visible minorities who are Black and 3rd generation (61%) who experience the most discrimination relative to all other visible minorities across Canada

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Conclusion: Ethnicity & Linguicism in Québec & ROC

• In Quebec discrimination is experienced mainly because of linguicism : language & accent.

• In ROC discrimination is experienced mostly because of race but for French Canadians in ROC it is because of linguicism :language/accent.

• In Quebec, it is visible minorities who have a mother tongue other than French who experience the most discrimination : racism + linguicism

• visible minorities with English /other as L1: 41%; • visible minorities with French as L1: 28%

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Merci !

Thank You !

Ciao !

¡ Gracias !

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Bibliography

• Benton-Short, L., Price, M. & Friedman, S. (2005). Globalization from below: The ranking of global cities. International Journal of Urban & Regional Research, 29, 945-959.

• Bourhis, R.Y. & Gagnon, A. (2006). Les préjugés, la discrimination et les relations intergroupes. Dans R.J. Vallerand (Dir.) Les fondements de la psychologie sociale, 2e édition, Montréal, Gaëtan Morin/Chenelière éducation, pp. 531-598.

• Bourhis,R.Y. & Leyens, J.P. (1999) Stéréotypes, discrimination et relations intergroupes. Mardaga, Sprimont, Belgique.

• Bourhis,R.Y. & Montreuil, A. (2004). Les assises socio-psychologiques du racisme et de la discrimination. Dans: J. Renaud, A. Germain & X. Leloup (Eds.) Racisme et Discrimination: Permanence et résurgence d’un phénomène inavouable. Québec: Les Presses de l’Université Laval.

• Bourhis, R.Y., Montreuil,A., Helly, D. & Jantzen, L. (2007). Discrimination et Linguicisme au Québec: Enquête sur la diversité ethnique au Canada. Canadian Ethnic Studies/Études ethniques au Canada,, 31-49.

• Potvin,M. (2004) Racisme et discrimination au Québec: réflexion critique et prospective sur la recherche. Dans: J. Renaud, A. Germain & X. Leloup (Eds.) Racisme et Discrimination: Permanence et résurgence d’un phénomène inavouable. Québec: Les Presses de l’Université Laval.