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The Meaning of Being Canadian

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The Meaning of Being Canadian THEȱMEANINGȱOFȱBEINGȱCANADIAN:ȱAȱ COMPARISONȱBETWEENȱYOUTHȱOFȱ IMMIGRANTȱANDȱNONȬIMMIGRANTȱORIGINSȱ ȱ JenniferȱWenshyaȱLeeȱ&ȱYvonneȱM.ȱHébertȱ ȱ ȱ Theȱ meaningsȱ attachedȱ toȱ nationalȱ identityȱ areȱ theȱ mostȱ salientȱ citizenshipȱ issueȱ today.ȱ Weȱ analyzedȱ overȱ 300ȱ writtenȱ responsesȱ ofȱ Canadianȱ highȱ schoolȱ youth,ȱ ofȱ immigrantȱandȱnonȬimmigrantȱorigins,ȱtoȱtheȱquestionȱofȱ“Whatȱdoesȱitȱmeanȱforȱmeȱ toȱ be/becomeȱ aȱ Canadian?”ȱ Theȱ participantsȱ relatedȱ aȱ greaterȱ senseȱ ofȱ nationalȱ identityȱ thanȱ ofȱ ethnicȱ and/orȱ supranationalȱ belonging.ȱ Youthȱ ofȱ immigrantȱ originsȱ usedȱ aȱ discourseȱ ofȱ becomingȱ andȱ understandȱ multiculturalismȱ toȱ recognizeȱ ethnicȱ identitiesȱ associatedȱ withȱ Charterȱ rights.ȱ Theȱ findingsȱ areȱ contextualizedȱ inȱ socialȱ unrestȱ inȱ otherȱ countries,ȱ aȱ globalȱ migrationȱ pattern,ȱ andȱ newȱ formsȱ ofȱ economic,ȱ social,ȱandȱpoliticalȱdomination.ȱ ȱ Keywords:ȱCanadianȱidentity,ȱimmigrantȱyouth,ȱethnicȱidentity,ȱchangingȱeconomicȱ conditionsȱ ȱ Lesȱ diversȱ sensȱ donnésȱ àȱ laȱ notionȱ d’identitéȱ nationale,ȱ telleȱ estȱ laȱ questionȱ laȱ plusȱ importanteȱdeȱl’heureȱenȱmatièreȱdeȱcitoyenneté.ȱȱLesȱauteuresȱontȱanalyséȱplusȱdeȱ300ȱ réponsesȱécritesȱdeȱjeunesȱCanadiensȱauȱsecondaire,ȱimmigrantsȱetȱnonȬimmigrants,ȱàȱ laȱquestionȱ:ȱ«ȱQueȱveutȱdireȱêtreȱouȱdevenirȱCanadienȱpourȱmoiȱ?ȱ».ȱȱLesȱparticipantsȱ fontȱ étatȱ d’unȱ plusȱ grandȱ sentimentȱ d’appartenanceȱ auȱ paysȱ qu’àȱ desȱ groupesȱ ethniquesȱouȱȱȱsupranationaux.ȱȱLesȱjeunesȱimmigrésȱadoptentȱunȱdiscoursȱaxéȱsurȱleȱ devenirȱ etȱ considèrentȱ leȱ multiculturalismeȱ commeȱ laȱ reconnaissanceȱ desȱ identitésȱ ethniquesȱdansȱleȱcadreȱdeȱlaȱCharteȱcanadienneȱdesȱdroitsȱetȱlibertés.ȱȱLesȱrésultatsȱdeȱ l’étudeȱ sontȱ misȱ enȱ contexteȱ:ȱ agitationȱ socialeȱ dansȱ d’autresȱ pays,ȱ mouvementsȱ migratoiresȱàȱl’échelleȱȱmondialeȱetȱnouvellesȱformesȱdeȱdominationȱpolitique,ȱsocialeȱ etȱéconomique.ȱ ȱ Motsȱ clésȱ :ȱ identitéȱ canadienne,ȱ jeunesȱ immigrants,ȱ identitéȱ ethnique,ȱ évolutionȱ desȱ conditionsȱéconomiques.ȱ _________________ȱ ȱ CANADIANȱJOURNALȱOFȱEDUCATIONȱ29,ȱ2ȱ(2006):ȱ497Ȭ520ȱ 498ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱJENNIFERȱWENSHYAȱLEEȱ&ȱYVONNEȱM.ȱHÉBERTȱ INTEGRATION,ȱ IDENTIFICATION,ȱ ANDȱ THEȱ CITIZENSHIPȱ DEBATESȱ TheȱquestionȱofȱwhatȱitȱmeansȱtoȱbeȱCanadianȱisȱcontextualizedȱinȱourȱ époqueȱ byȱ economicȱ andȱ politicalȱ globalization,ȱ includingȱ majorȱ migrationȱ patternsȱ whoseȱ proportionsȱ areȱ unseenȱ inȱ Canadaȱ sinceȱ theȱ previousȱ turnȱ ofȱ theȱ century.ȱ Unlikeȱ Franceȱ whereȱ youthȱ riotsȱ haveȱ crystallizedȱ theȱ debateȱ onȱ integration,ȱ minorityȱ andȱ culturalȱ rightsȱ areȱ legallyȱrecognizedȱwithinȱtheȱCanadianȱCharterȱofȱRightsȱandȱFreedomsȱ (1982)ȱandȱtheȱCanadianȱMulticulturalȱActȱ(1985).ȱȱ Theȱ questionȱ ofȱ nationalȱ identificationȱ isȱ notȱ new,ȱ butȱ hasȱ becomeȱ distinctiveȱ inȱ theȱ contextȱ ofȱ postmodernity.ȱ Toȱ explainȱ theȱ sociallyȱ constructedȱnatureȱofȱnationalȱidentityȱdevelopment,ȱweȱrecognizeȱthatȱ Canadaȱ“imaginesȱitselfȱasȱaȱcommunity,ȱbecause,ȱregardlessȱofȱtheȱactualȱ inequalityȱ andȱ exploitationȱ thatȱ mayȱ prevail,ȱ theȱ nationȱ isȱ alwaysȱ conceivedȱ asȱ aȱ deep,ȱ horizontalȱ comradeship”ȱ (Anderson,ȱ 1991,ȱ p.ȱ 38;ȱ italicsȱ inȱ original).ȱ Thisȱ communityȱ isȱ complicatedȱ byȱ strugglesȱ overȱ language,ȱ race,ȱ ethnicity,ȱ sexuality,ȱ andȱ ecology;ȱ byȱ consumptionȱ asȱ aȱ constitutiveȱ partȱ ofȱ identityȱ formation;ȱ byȱ theȱ productionȱ ofȱ images,ȱ experiences,ȱ andȱ knowledgeȱ inȱ aȱ postȬindustrialȱ economy;ȱ andȱ byȱ changingȱmaterialȱandȱsymbolicȱconditionsȱ(Côtéȱ&ȱAllahar,ȱ2006;ȱIsinȱ&ȱ Wood,ȱ1999).ȱThisȱquestionȱalsoȱcallsȱupȱtheȱtensionsȱbetweenȱlevelsȱofȱ attachmentȱ andȱ belonging,ȱ beȱ theseȱ linguistic,ȱ racial,ȱ ethnoȬcultural,ȱ socioȬeconomic,ȱ political,ȱ local,ȱ national,ȱ orȱ supranationalȱ (Hébertȱ &ȱ Wilkinson,ȱ2002;ȱKlusmeyer,ȱ2001).ȱ Withȱ theȱ firstȱ waveȱ ofȱ culturalȱ orȱ identityȱ politics,ȱ discriminationȱ couldȱ notȱ beȱ basedȱ onȱ theȱ categoriesȱ ofȱ race,ȱ gender,ȱ orȱ ethnicity;ȱ whereasȱtheȱsecondȱwaveȱrejectedȱthisȱpoliticsȱofȱinclusionȱasȱitȱobscuredȱ culturalȱandȱpoliticalȱdifferencesȱbetweenȱtheseȱgroupsȱandȱsociety,ȱandȱ arguedȱ insteadȱ forȱ aȱ politicsȱ ofȱ recognitionȱ and/orȱ differenceȱ (Taylor,ȱ 1994).ȱ Moreȱ recently,ȱ aȱ thirdȱ waveȱ ofȱ culturalȱ politicsȱ seeksȱ toȱ “thinkȱ affirmativelyȱ aboutȱ identityȱ withoutȱ eitherȱ freezingȱ orȱ dissolvingȱ differenceȱamongȱgroups”ȱ(Isinȱ&ȱWood,ȱ1999,ȱp.ȱ14)ȱwhichȱgoesȱbeyondȱ identityȱ asȱ essentialȱ differenceȱ orȱ asȱ socialȱ prejudiceȱ toȱ beȱ overcome.ȱ Fromȱ thisȱ perspective,ȱ identityȱ isȱ aȱ strategicȱ competenceȱ thatȱ acknowledgesȱ aȱ desireȱ toȱ affirmȱ identitiesȱ andȱ toȱ transcendȱ them,ȱ andȱ imaginingȱtheȱculturalȱotherȱisȱtheȱfirstȱstepȱinȱbuildingȱaȱcivicȱidentityȱ THEȱMEANINGȱOFȱBEINGȱCANADIANȱȱ 499ȱȱȱ (Abowitz,ȱ 2002;ȱ Hébert,ȱ 2002;ȱ Hoerder,ȱ Hébertȱ &ȱ Schmitt,ȱ 2005).ȱ Theȱ strategicȱidentificationȱevokesȱandȱinvolvesȱrightsȱandȱresponsibilitiesȱforȱ deliberationȱandȱparticipation,ȱoftenȱreferredȱtoȱasȱaȱCharterȱidentityȱinȱ theȱCanadianȱcontext.ȱȱȱ Theȱnatureȱofȱbelongingȱliesȱatȱtheȱheartȱofȱtheȱrelationshipȱbetweenȱ cultureȱandȱstate,ȱestablishesȱminorityȱrightsȱandȱidentificationsȱasȱpartȱ ofȱ democraticȱ citizenshipȱ withȱ respectȱ toȱ “aȱ wideȱ rangeȱ ofȱ publicȱ policies,ȱ legalȱ rights,ȱ andȱ constitutionalȱ provisionsȱ soughtȱ byȱ ethnicȱ groupsȱforȱtheȱaccommodationȱofȱtheirȱculturalȱdifferences”ȱ(Kymlickaȱ&ȱ Norman,ȱ2000,ȱp.ȱ2).ȱTheȱnotionsȱofȱminorityȱrightsȱandȱidentifications,ȱ however,ȱgiveȱriseȱtoȱcontrastingȱviews.ȱOnȱoneȱhand,ȱthereȱareȱfearsȱthatȱ supposeȱthatȱ“minorityȱrightsȱwillȱhaveȱaȱnegativeȱimpactȱonȱcitizenshipȱ practices,ȱ orȱ willȱ inhibitȱ theȱ state’sȱ abilityȱ toȱ promoteȱ citizenshipȱ effectively”ȱ (p.ȱ 2)ȱ andȱ thatȱ minorityȱ rightsȱ willȱ “erodeȱ theȱ abilityȱ ofȱ citizensȱ toȱ fulfillȱ theirȱ responsibilitiesȱ asȱ democraticȱ citizens—e.g.,ȱ byȱ weakeningȱ citizens’ȱ abilityȱ toȱ communicate,ȱ trust,ȱ andȱ feelȱ solidarityȱ acrossȱ groupȱ differences”ȱ (p.ȱ 10).ȱ Onȱ theȱ otherȱ hand,ȱ defendersȱ ofȱ minorityȱrightsȱexpressȱscepticismȱaboutȱappealsȱtoȱcitizenshipȱbecauseȱ theyȱ considerȱ thatȱ citizenshipȱ hasȱ servedȱ asȱ aȱ coverȱ byȱ whichȱ theȱ majorityȱ groupȱ extendsȱ itsȱ language,ȱ institutions,ȱ mobilityȱ rights,ȱ andȱ politicalȱpowerȱatȱtheȱexpenseȱofȱtheȱminoritiesȱ(AbuȬLabanȱ&ȱStasiulis,ȱ 2000;ȱBattisteȱ&ȱSemaganis,ȱ2002).ȱȱ Theȱcentralȱproblemȱthenȱbecomesȱhowȱtoȱtranscendȱessentialistȱandȱ constructivistȱ viewsȱ ofȱ identityȱ (Isinȱ &ȱ Wood,ȱ 1999).ȱ Althoughȱ theȱ productionȱofȱcitizensȱthroughȱeducationalȱmeansȱhasȱsparkedȱrenewedȱ interestȱ inȱ academicȱ fieldsȱ andȱ governmentȱ policymakingȱ forȱ twoȱ decades,ȱonlyȱnowȱisȱaȱbodyȱofȱpublishedȱCanadianȱresearchȱemergingȱ thatȱ considersȱ theȱ voicesȱ ofȱ youngȱ peopleȱ onȱ citizenshipȱ issuesȱ (Charland,ȱ2003;ȱHoerderȱetȱal.,ȱ2005).ȱȱ Inȱ considerationȱ ofȱ theȱ disagreementsȱ onȱ theȱ theorizationȱ ofȱ rightsȱ andȱ freedoms,ȱ theȱ tensionsȱ betweenȱ nationalȱ identityȱ andȱ diversityȱ requireȱ thoroughȱ examinationȱ withȱ specificȱ caseȱ studies,ȱ includingȱ immigrantȱ andȱ nonȬimmigrantȱ youngȱ people,ȱ toȱ gainȱ deeperȱ understandingsȱ ofȱ theȱ variousȱ patternsȱ ofȱ citizenshipȱ inȱ pluralisticȱ democraticȱsocieties.ȱInȱthisȱlight,ȱourȱarticleȱcontributesȱunderstandingsȱ ofȱ contemporaryȱ youthȱ ofȱ theirȱ citizenshipȱ processȱ andȱ identityȱ 500ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱJENNIFERȱWENSHYAȱLEEȱ&ȱYVONNEȱM.ȱHÉBERTȱ affiliationsȱ asȱ partȱ ofȱ theȱ developmentȱ andȱ expressionȱ ofȱ aȱ nationalȱ identityȱinȱaȱpluralisticȱnationȱsuchȱasȱCanada.ȱ HowȱdoȱCanadianȱyouthȱtalk,ȱthink,ȱandȱfeelȱaboutȱbeingȱCanadian?ȱ Howȱ doesȱ immigrationȱ shapeȱ conceptionsȱ ofȱ Canadianȱ identityȱ amongȱ youngȱ people?ȱ Toȱ takeȱ upȱ theseȱ questions,ȱ weȱ analyzedȱ aȱ largeȱ setȱ ofȱ writtenȱ narrativeȱ textsȱ ofȱ youngȱ peopleȱ onȱ theȱ meaningȱ ofȱ Canadianȱ citizenship,ȱ withinȱ aȱ majorȱ researchȱ projectȱ onȱ identityȱ formationȱ ofȱ immigrantȱyouthȱasȱstrategicȱcompetence.ȱWeȱsoughtȱtoȱunderstandȱtheȱ multipleȱdimensionsȱofȱcitizenship,ȱtoȱcompareȱdifferentȱperceptionsȱofȱ beingȱ Canadianȱ betweenȱ immigrantȱ andȱ nonȬimmigrantȱ youthȱ inȱ Calgary,ȱandȱtoȱexploreȱtheirȱunderstandingsȱofȱbeingȱCanadian.ȱȱ CONCEPTUALȱFRAMEWORKȱȱ Toȱ captureȱ theȱ realitiesȱ ofȱ citizenship,ȱ Gagnonȱ &ȱ Pagéȱ (1999)ȱ haveȱ developedȱ aȱ conceptualȱ frameworkȱ thatȱ encompassesȱ multifariousȱ dimensionsȱ andȱ componentsȱ ofȱ differentȱ contemporaryȱ approachesȱ toȱ citizenshipȱinȱliberalȱdemocraticȱsocietiesȱcontainingȱdiverseȱpopulations.ȱ Theȱframework,ȱconceptualizedȱonȱtheȱbasisȱofȱfourȱmajorȱcomponentsȱ —ȱ nationalȱ identity;ȱ cultural,ȱ social,ȱ andȱ transnationalȱ belonging;ȱ anȱ effectiveȱ systemȱ ofȱ rights;ȱ andȱ politicalȱ andȱ civicȱ participationȱ —ȱ isȱ subdividedȱintoȱotherȱcomponentsȱthatȱareȱalsoȱlogicallyȱinterȬrelated.ȱȱ Inȱ thisȱ conceptualȱ framework,ȱ nationalȱ identityȱ refersȱ toȱ theȱ collectiveȱ identityȱ ofȱ aȱ politicalȱ community.ȱ Social,ȱ cultural,ȱ andȱ supranationalȱaffiliationsȱreferȱtoȱhowȱcitizensȱmayȱdefineȱthemselvesȱinȱ termsȱofȱoneȱorȱseveralȱfeelingsȱofȱsocialȱandȱculturalȱbelongingȱwithinȱaȱ society,ȱ asȱ wellȱ asȱ supranationalȱ belonging,ȱ accordingȱ toȱ demographic,ȱ geographic,ȱsocial,ȱorȱculturalȱattachmentsȱandȱdemandsȱforȱrecognitionȱ flowingȱfromȱthisȱdiversity.ȱTheseȱfeelingsȱofȱbelongingȱincludeȱaȱsetȱofȱ characteristicsȱ thatȱ allȱ citizensȱ areȱ invitedȱ
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