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Civic Engagement Among Aboriginal and New Canadians (July 2005)

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Civic Engagement Among Aboriginal and New Canadians (July 2005) 17 THE CRIC PAPERS Finding Their Voice: Civic Engagement Among Aboriginal and New Canadians JULY 2005 Table of Contents 1 Introduction 2 The Civic Engagement of Young New and Aboriginal Canadians By Gina Bishop and Sally Preiner 9 Degree and Kind: Civic Engagement and Aboriginal Canadians By Martin Whittles 13 Aboriginal Peoples Must Work Together By Kuni Albert 16 Minority Young Adults in Quebec By Deirdre Meintel 19 Turning the Skeptic into a Dreamer By Monia Mazigh Introduction The Canadian Unity Council (CUC) and its The Aboriginal population is also experiencing research and communications program, the Centre very strong growth. In Canada, 3.8% of the for Research and Information on Canada (CRIC), are population now identify themselves as Aboriginal. committed to engaging Canadians in the building Furthermore, in 2001, almost half of the Aboriginal and strengthening of their country. Through CUC’s population lived in urban areas (mostly Prairie citizen participation activities and CRIC’s research cities). Finally, one of every three Aboriginal on the views, values and concerns of Canadians, Canadians is under the age of 14. This emerging we reach out to people of all backgrounds and ages, generation is particularly prominent in Manitoba helping them to understand how the country works and Saskatchewan where one of every four and allowing them to suggest ways to making it children is Aboriginal. work better. Encouraging the next generation of Canadians Our interest in civic engagement has led to to take on leadership roles in this country is a specific research on youth. In December 2004, challenge for decision-makers who eventually must CRIC published CRIC Paper #15, Canadian “pass the torch”. However, the special experiences Democracy: Bringing Youth Back Into the Political and values of Aboriginal and new Canadians mean Process (available at www.cric.ca). It brought that different methods of engagement must be together much of the current work on youth civic found. As the faces of our leaders change, they will engagement, including a report on studies that reflect the growing presence of new and Aboriginal CRIC had conducted with young leaders in Ontario Canadians. Canada’s ability to encourage Canadians and in New Brunswick. These studies provided of increasingly varied backgrounds to take an insight into the views and attitudes of young active role in shaping civil society will be a Canadians towards politics, public service, determining factor in the country’s future success. leadership, and community. They also produced interesting preliminary findings about the civic engagement of young new Canadians and young Aboriginal Canadians. Why is it important to have a greater under­ standing of how Aboriginal Canadians and New Canadians engage in civic life and what their values are? Given current demographic trends, these groups are and will continue to be increasingly important players in the way Canada is growing and changing. During the 1990s, more immigrants came to Canada than in any previous decade. According to Statistics Canada, 18% of Canada’s population is foreign-born. On a per capita basis, Canada’s yearly intake of immigrants is higher than that of either Australia or the United States. In 2001, 1.8 million people, or 6.2% of our country’s population, were immigrants who arrived during the previous decade. 1 The Civic Engagement of Young New and Aboriginal Canadians CRIC’S RESEARCH ON YOUTH CIVIC By Gina Bishop and ENGAGEMENT IN CANADA Sally Preiner During the past few years, CRIC has examined the attitudes and values of young leaders towards Studies of democratic reform in Canada have the political process to gain insight into factors provided a major opportunity to examine the affecting their political participation. To date, citizen’s role in the modern Canadian state, and CRIC’s research on these issues has focused on to explore citizen engagement. But if a country is young leaders, adults in their 20s and 30s who running relatively smoothly, without portents of are active in their milieus. The first phase was major social or economic upheaval, why should the conducted in Ontario in 2003, the second in level of civic engagement among citizens be of New Brunswick in 2004.2 The outcomes of these two such concern? phases suggest that we are not seeing a retreat from community leadership by younger Canadians, It matters because a population’s level of civic but instead that there is a shift in terms of engagement is often associated with the quality priorities and leadership style. of its democratic system. Some research suggests that participation in civic activities is declining CRIC’s 2003 study of young leaders in Ontario in Canada and in the United States, yet there is found that first-or second-generation Canadians also evidence that youth are withdrawing from were much more likely to be aware of, and community participation less quickly than from interested in, politics and government than those formal political participation. A study of college whose families had resided in Canada longer. students in the USA, conducted in 2000 by the Of the few focus group participants interested in Harvard University Institute of Politics, found government or political work, most were first- or that while formal political involvement was low, second-generation Canadians. These young leaders volunteerism in the community was high, and stood out from the other participants because that “youngsters were seeking new ways to they were more likely to report that they discuss solve local and national problems.”1 politics, government or current news with family and friends.3 At the same time, young first- or Thus, it would be simplistic to say that young second-generation Canadians were no more positive people are pulling away from traditional politics or negative about government and politics than because they are apathetic or uncaring about their their counterparts. communities and the people in them. Rather, in order to develop the tools for encouraging higher In CRIC’s 2004 research project on young leaders civic engagement and participation, researchers, in New Brunswick, Aboriginal participants were politicians, community leaders and public servants clearly different from other New Brunswick young must know more about the attitudes of younger leaders. Young Aboriginal Canadians were more Canadians to formal and informal political activity. likely to be interested in politics at the community- They also must better understand the values of based level. They were also more highly aware of young people regarding community and public their local government and politicians, and better service. CRIC’s research seeks to increase the able to see the relationship between government, level of knowledge in these areas. politics and their everyday lives. Finally, they 1 Schugurensky, Daniel, “Civic Participation: On Active Citizenship, Social Capital and Public Policy” in Canadian Diversity: Citizenship– Values and Responsibilities, Volume 2:1, Spring 2003, pg. 10. 2 See www.cric.ca for more information on this previous research. 3 Unfortunately, further conclusions are difficult to reach at this point, given that during the execution of this first project in 2003, priority was not given to exploring these differences in a more systematic way. However, in the subsequent research project focusing on young leaders in New Brunswick, CRIC was better prepared to capture and explore differences between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal participants, within the scope of the larger project. 2 The Civic Engagement of Young New and Aboriginal Canadians were also more likely to feel ownership and The following tables outline the locations, dates, responsibility in terms of their community. Also, and number of participants for each group, each some Aboriginal participants were already working of which had 6-8 participants. in their communities with current political leaders. David Newhouse notes how young Aboriginal Canadians have had very different cultural and LOCATION OF GROUPS – NEW CANADIAN YOUNG ADULTS political experiences from those of their parents: LOCATION DATE “During the last decade, Aboriginal students Toronto April 7, 2005 have become more confident, more grounded in Toronto April 7, 2005 the traditions of their culture, and may even Halifax April 11, 2005 speak an Aboriginal language. More and more are Halifax April 11, 2005 from large urban Aboriginal communities. This is Montreal (French) April 11, 2005 the generation that has grown up in the shadow of the Pow Wow circuit, cultural renewal, and Montreal (French) April 11, 2005 who have begun to experience certain aspects Vancouver April 20, 2005 of self-government. Aboriginal students want Vancouver April 20, 2005 to maintain their differences and want these Edmonton April 26, 2005 4 differences to be recognized and respected.” Edmonton April 26, 2005 THE POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF YOUNG NEW CANADIANS AND YOUNG ABORIGINAL LOCATION OF GROUPS – ABORIGINAL CANADIAN YOUNG ADULTS CANADIANS LOCATION DATE CRIC recently conducted a third phase of this Fredericton April 12, 2005 research–a national qualitative research project Fredericton April 12, 2005 in the spring of 2005 to better understand the values and attitudes of young Aboriginal Canadians Orillia April 14, 2005 and young new Canadians. Previous research had Orillia April 14, 2005 identified these two groups as being more engaged Lethbridge April 19, 2005 and politically aware than other young Canadians. Lethbridge April 19, 2005 Phase three explored the particular values and Vancouver April 21, 2005 attitudes of these two groups in greater detail, Vancouver April 21, 2005 focusing on the values, priorities and motivations Regina April 27, 2005 of both young new Canadians and young Aboriginal Canadians (aged 18 to 30 years) with respect to Regina April 27, 2005 how the public sector, public institutions, and the ethic of public service fit into their aspirations and ambitions. In total, twenty focus groups were conducted with participants who are involved in their communities and who self-identified as leaders in school, work, or community activities.
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