multiculturalism in the canadian state

[* <yu217096@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi folks,

If anyone is interested here is a paper i wrote on multiculturalism a
few years back, because i cut and paste it the footnote references have
been lost. If anyone is interested in the sources for any quotes please
e-mail me and i will send them to you.


The Policy of Multiculturalism in The Canadian State

Shiraz Rawat


The introduction to the Seventh Annual Report on the Operation of the
Canadian Multiculturalism  Act states that the Act, ?provides us with an
opportunity to rededicate ourselves to our vision of  a society of equal
citizens regardless of race, colour, language, or ethnicity.?   The
report goes on to state that, ?Canadians are justifiably proud of our
respect for fairness, tolerance, and civility. Our recent history
demonstrates our determination to reject violence as a reaction to
social tensions, to condemn racism as a response to the changing faces
of Canada.?   The focus  of this paper is not the hypocritical nature of
these statements  given the government?s economic violence towards
impoverished people in Canada , not to mention the fact that the State
makes a great deal of use of violence in order to deal with ?social
tensions? caused by government policy. The focus is on the policy of
multiculturalism specifically the Canadian Multiculturalism Act and how
it does not address all the issues it purports to. The Act does not
distinguish  racism, ethnic chauvinism and national chauvinism as being
different. By doing so the Act not only fails to  address racism and
national chauvinism, it maintains them by shielding their true nature.
The Canadian Multiculturalism Act lumps three distinct forms of
intolerances together  treating them all as similar phenomena which
results in only one of them being dealt with. These three intolerances
are racism, national chauvinism, and ethnic chauvinism. Racism is based
on the concept of race. This concept is problematic as science has
proven that races do not exist. However, the fact that races do not
exist does not mean that people do not engage in racism. ?If  men define
situations as real, they are real in their consequences.?  Racism is the
practice and beliefs based on the premise that different populations are
distinctly superior or inferior due to their phenotypic characteristics.
National chauvinism is based on the concept of  nationhood. A nation has
the following five features, a common territory, a viable economy, a
common language, a common history, and a common culture. National
chauvinism is hostility against a nation.  Ethnic chauvinism is based on
ethnicity. An ethnic group has a common language, a common history, and
a common culture but does not have a common territory or viable economy.
Ethnic groups exist within nations. Ethnic chauvinism exists when the
target of hostility is an ethnic group. The Canadian Multiculturalism
Act helps create ethnic tolerance however does nothing to stop racism or
chauvinism.
     ?In 1971 Canada adopted a multicultural policy with the stated
purpose of preserving the language and heritage of all ethnic groups and
removing social obstacles towards equality. The multicultural policy was
put into law through the Canadian Multiculturalism Act in 1988.?
 The Preamble of the act declares that ?the government of Canada
recognizes the diversity of Canadians as regards to race, national or
ethnic origin, colour and religion as a fundamental characteristic of
Canadian Society and is committed to a policy of multiculturalism
designed to preserve and enhance the multicultural heritage of Canadians
while working to achieve the equality of all Canadians in the economic,
social, cultural and political life of Canada.?  This Act defines
multicultural policy by directing the Government of Canada to ?recognize
and promote the understanding that multiculturalism reflects the
cultural and racial diversity of Canadian society  and recognize and
promote it as a fundamental characteristic of Canadian heritage.?   This
demonstrates that this policy lumps racism, ethnic chauvinism, and
national chauvinism together. The specific mandate of the act directs
the government to ?encourage and assist individuals, organizations and
institutions to project the multicultural reality of Canada, undertake
and assist research relating to Canadian multiculturalism, promote
exchanges and cooperation among the diverse communities, assist in the
full participation in Canadian society  of individuals of all origins,
preserve, enhance and share the evolving multicultural heritage of
Canada, assist ethno-cultural minority communities to conduct activities
with a view to overcoming any discriminatory barrier, and to assist in
and actively promote multiculturalism in Canada.?   The specific mandate
of the Act demonstrates how it is only be effective in dealing with
ethnic chauvinism yet does little to combat racism and national
chauvinism.
 Why does the state make no distinction between racism, national
chauvinism, and ethnic chauvinism in the Canadian Multiculturalism Act.
Why does the state only deal with ethnic chauvinism yet neglects racism
and national chauvinism. Perhaps the answer to this question is best
summed up by the title of a ?speech in 1986 at a conference given by
Brian Mulroney,
  Multiculturalism Means Business.?  The policy of multiculturalism aids
in the accumulation of wealth for the bourgeoisie. ?Capitalist systems
are driven to fulfil two basic sometimes contradictory functions. First
they must create conditions necessary for capital formation, namely
transport infrastructure and so on. Second, a social climate conducive
to accumulation must be fostered - in part by ameliorating the social
costs of private production.  These functions serve to facilitate ruling
class interest with respect to wealth accumulation and social
reproduction. State policies pertaining to multiculturalism are closely
linked with the need for social control in a profit oriented society.?
An ethnic tolerant society helps the bourgeoisie manage the economy. The
bourgeoisie, however benefit from racism and national chauvinism.
Therefore they have a stake in maintaining it. By having policy that
fights against national chauvinism they  essentially would be fighting
against their precious borders and would also allow for the First
Nations and Francophones  to form their own nations. By working towards
eradicating racism  they would be working towards creating  working
class unity. If workers were more united  they  would be stronger in
their struggle against their exploitation by the bourgeoisie. ?The
continual subjugation of the masses depends on competition and internal
disunity. As long as discrimination exists, the entire working class is
oppressed, the entire working class is weakened. This is so because the
Capitalist class is able to use racism to drive down the wages of
individual segments of the working class by inciting racial antagonism
and forcing a fight for jobs and services. This division is a
development that ultimately undercuts the living standards of all
workers. Moreover, by pitting Whites against Blacks and other oppressed
nationalities, the capitalist class is able to prevent workers from
uniting against their common class enemy. As long as workers are
fighting each other, the capitalist class rule is secure. If an
effective resistance is to be mounted against the current racist
offensive of the capitalist class, the utmost solidarity between workers
of all races is essential. ?  As pointed out in his article on Race in
Ethnicity Peter Li states ?if the multicultural policy fails to combat
racism and discrimination, it succeeds in managing race and ethnic
relations within a state apparatus.?
      The Canadian Multiculturalism Act is not in itself a bad thing. It
helps to eliminate ethnic chauvinism which, although benefits the
bourgeoisie, also benefits the working class.?It reflects the notion
that reality cannot be carved into fixed and mutually exclusive units of
good or bad.?  However the Act and policy of multiculturalism must not
be held up as a tool to combat racism or national chauvinism. By not
making distinctions between racism,  national chauvinism, and ethnic
chauvinism the state has been able to affectively  ignore the first two
intolerances to the benefit of the bourgeoisie and the detriment of the
working class. It is therefore imperative for the working class to work
towards eradicating all forms of intolerance, with or without the
assistance of the state, in order to move forwards in the struggle
against expolitation by the bourgeoisie.













 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ervin, Kom?Boa, Lorenzo. Anarchism and the Black Revolution. Monkey
wrench Press. Philadelphia, 1994.

Feldhammer, Louis. Naiman, Joanne. Readings in Sociology.  Ryerson
Polytechnical University.

Fleras, A. Elliot, J. Multiculturalism in Canada. Unequal Relations.
Prentice Hall. Scarborough, 1992.

Li, P. Race and Ethnicity. Race and Ethnic Relations in Canada. Oxford
Press.Toronto, 1990.

Satzewich, V. The Political Economy of Race and Ethnicity Race and
Ethnic Relations in Canada. Oxford Press.Toronto, 1990

1994-1995 Annual report on the Operation of the Canadian
Multiculturalism Act. Department of Canadian Heritage. Ottawa, 1996.

Statutes of Canada. Chapter 31. The Canadian Multiculturalism Act. Acts
of Parliament of
Canada 1988. Ottawa, 1989.












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