Managing cultural diversity: the Canadian experience Tzvetana Guerdjikova, Ph.D. (Toronto, Canada) NOTE: The presentation is based on the following publication:

Managing cultural diversity: the Canadian experience

Tzvetana Guerdjikova, Ph.D.(Toronto, Canada)

NOTE: The presentation is based on the following publication:Tzvetana Guerdjikova -“The Canadian Mosaic: Milestones of the Canadian Multicultural Policy.” IN: ‘Canada: a view from without.’ Sofia, 2007.

SIETAR Congress April 25-29, 2007

Tzvetana Guerdjikova ([email protected])

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Conceptual Frame

1. The Diversity - main characteristic of the Canadian society

2. The Canadian approach to managing cultural differences: historical overview

3. ‘Mosaic’ vs. ‘Melting Pot’: two ways of managing cultural diversity

4. Canada’s policy of Multiculturalism: ‘pros & cons’ summary

5. Concluding Remarks



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[1] The Diversity - main characteristic of the Canadian

society Canada is a country of immigrants:

1600s: the first overseas settlers came from France, followed later by other Europeans1775-1783 (during the American Revolution): thousands of American loyalists came1900s (before the WWI) : a substantial number of Italians arrived1950-1970: the second wave of Italian immigrants today: 220 000 - 250 000 immigrants per year from all over the world



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Canada today

the second largest country in the world, covering an area of 10 million km2

about 32 623 500 people from all over the world, representing more than 200 groups of different ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic heritage;

two official languages (English and French), but more than 80 languages, spoken ‘at home’ by various groups and communities



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Conclusion:

the diversity is a fundamental and enduring characteristic of the Canadian society;

the mutual tolerance and respect are some of the core values of the Canadian identity;

these values are embedded in the Canadian social and political model.



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[2] The Canadian approach to managing cultural differences

Canada = the first country in the world to proclaim and pursue the multiculturalism as an official policy of the government



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Milestones of the Canadian Multicultural Policy (1)

(1) First steps

1960: the Canadian Bill of Rights 1962: important changes in the immigration regulations (originated the amendments to the Canadian Immigration system in 1967)1963: the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism 1969: the Official Languages Act



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(2) the official announcement of Canada's Policy of Multiculturalism

October 8, 1971: the speech of the Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, delivered to the House of Commons



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(3) Next Steps

1971: legislative ‘ catch-up’ 1982: constitutional recognition in the newly

adopted Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms 1988: the Canadian Multiculturalism Act



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Recent steps

1999 : the Government of Canada officially declared its commitment to "…develop a new approach internationally to support the diversity of cultural expression”

2005: Canada was the first country to accept the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions



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[3] ‘Mosaic’ vs. ‘Melting Pot’: two ways of managing cultural

diversity

The Canadian ‘Mosaic’ approach= each cultural group is preserving their cultural and religious heritage, while contributing to the development of the country as a whole.

The American ‘Melting pot’ approach = the newcomers should give up their specific ethnic

identities, cultural characteristics and traditions in favor of some new, universalized, set of values and symbols (a policy of assimilation)



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Comparison:

When dealing with social diversity issues, any polarized concept is incomplete and insufficient:

1. The Canadian ‘mosaic’ approach does not imply that the newcomers will keep absolutely everything from their country of origin (i.e. the early years of the Canadian nation can also be compared to a ‘melting pot’).

2. The American ‘melting pot’ approach does not mean that all the immigrants will automatically acquire a new look and identity (i.e. the contemporary American society looks more like a ‘mosaic-type’ society, rather than a ‘melting pot –type’ one).



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Conclusion The policy of multiculturalism should ensure that in the

public sphere every cultural group is treated equally, while in the private sphere they are free to keep their diverse traditions and religious beliefs (as long as those traditions/beliefs are not in violation of any law).



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[3] Canada’s policy of Multiculturalism:

‘pros & cons’ summary

Acceptance: multiculturalism = tolerance

Criticism: - the multiculturalism promotes separateness & privileges

(Gwyn, Granatstein, Granatstein, etc.)- certain ethnic groups are still marginalized (Henry)

New liberal Pluralism (Kymlicka, Opalski, etc.)

The multicultural policy should satisfy at the same time the interests of the society and the groups.



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Pros & cons (2)

But, the social and political democratization does not provide an ‘automatic’ solution to the diversity problems. The diversity issues persist and some of them even intensify in a democratic and prosperous society.

(Examples: Quebec nationalism; privileges for

some groups, etc.)



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Concluding remarks:

The ‘Canadian mosaic’ cannot be implanted ‘as is’ in any other country. But Canada’s experience can provide important lessons about a modern social policy, based on tolerance and mutual respect – lessons that may help some newly emerged democracies (incl.: those in Eastern-Europe) find their own way to respond to the local ethnic tensions and other cultural diversity challenges.

Documents

Managing cultural diversity: the Canadian experience Tzvetana Guerdjikova, Ph.D. (Toronto, Canada) NOTE: The presentation is based on the following publication: