Immigration Unmentionable In Canada’s Election, As Usual

Today, Monday January 23, 2006, Canadians are voting in a federal election. According to some polls the Conservatives led by Stephen Harper are poised to win their first election since 1993.

A Conservative victory, however, probably won’t bring any reductions in immigration levels. Determined to win at least some of the immigrant vote from the Liberals, the Conservatives have embraced multiculturalism and are working overtime to present themselves as “immigrant-friendly”. They have also dropped any opposition to bilingualism.

On one level, the new Conservative attitude is understandable. The Canadian media is even more politically correct than its American counterpart. Any party that wanted to reduce immigration while rejecting multiculturalism and bilingualism would face endless accusations of racism and intolerance.

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The Conservative attitude towards multiculturalism was summed up in a letter to the Toronto Star written by Member of Parliament Deepak Obhrai:

“In my opinion, multiculturalism is about ensuring minorities are not marginalized by the majority. Assimilation is a concept where the majority want to maintain their dominant position. It’s two very different approaches.

“Canada’s early history has been less than honorable with respect to its treatment of minorities, as highlighted by recent newspaper headlines of different ethnic groups raising past grievances and demands for redress. When immigration to Canada from traditional countries declined, it became evident that the policy of assimilation could no longer be sustainable. Hence, it was not long before the concept of multiculturalism became an alternative. “

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