2003-7 Foreign Policy Dialogue Series canada in
asian-canadiansasia
And Canada’s International Relations
Michael Szonyi, Huron College, University of Western Ontario ISSN 1706-919X – print ISSN 1706-9203 – online © Copyright 2003 by Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. All rights reserved. Canada in Asia may be excerpted or reproduced only with the written permission of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.
November, 2003 FOREWORD
The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is proud to sponsor the publication of the Canada in Asia Series on the Foreign Policy Dialogue. This series is a collection of papers that the Foundation commissioned in early 2003, in response to a dialogue on Canadian foreign policy initiated by Minister of Foreign Affairs Bill Graham. As Canada’s leading think-tank on Asia, the Foundation is at the forefront of policy analysis on Canada-Asia relations, and we periodically draw on the expertise of Canadian scholars to help us in our work. I am delighted Professor Michael Szonyi of the University of Western Ontario has prepared this paper on “Asian-Canadians and Canada’s International Relations” and am confident that his insights and recommendations will inspire further thinking on Canada’s role in Asia.
The task of rethinking Canada-Asia relations does not end with the Foreign Policy Dialogue. The Foundation produces a range of print and electronic products that provide insight on key developments in Asia. Our flagship publication — the Canada Asia Review — is an annual stock-taking and report card on major aspects of the trans-pacific relationship. We also publish a daily news service, weekly business intelligence bulletin, monthly investment monitor, quarterly economic and political outlook, and periodic commentaries on critical policy issues. In addition, the Foundation is the Canadian focal point for major Pacific Rim business and economic cooperation networks. I invite you to sample our products at www.asiapacific.ca and to join us in further dialogue and debate on the future of Canada-Asia relations.
John D. Wiebe President and CEO Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada introduction
The Dialogue on Canadian Foreign Policy, launched by arrangements and a resurgence in East Asian Minister of Foreign Affairs Bill Graham in January 2003, regionalism, led by China. These cross-currents, in represents a modest but important effort to review key addition to many other recent developments in the developments in the world since the government’s last region, provide ample complexity for a serious re- major policy statement in 1995—known as Canada in evaluation of Canada’s foreign policy toward Asia. the World. The intervening years have been momentous, especially the events surrounding 11 September 2001. As a contribution to the Dialogue on Canadian Foreign With the conclusion of the dialogue and release of the Policy, the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada official report in July 2003, the stage is now set for a commissioned seven papers to look at key issues in the more far-reaching and in-depth debate on the re- Canada-Asia relationship. There were three country- orientation of Canada’s foreign policy priorities. specific papers—on China, Japan and India. Two papers dealt with regional issues—nascent East Asian In Asia no less, the period 1995-2002 has been one of cooperation and the post-September 11 security dramatic change. The Asian Miracle of the 80s and environment in Southeast Asia. The remaining two early 90s gave way to the Asian Crisis of 1997-98, papers looked at different sides of the Asian demographic triggering waves of political change, economic in Canada—the supply of skilled worker immigrants restructuring and social transformation. Against the from Asia, and implications of the growing Asian backdrop of leadership transition, China not only avoided population for Canada’s international relations. We also the Asian Crisis, but has also emerged as a formidable launched a web forum on Canada-Asia relations, based economic power and a skilful practitioner of international on the seven papers, and held a workshop in Ottawa diplomacy. Japan, on the other hand, has experienced on 27 March 2003. The Foundation’s official submission economic stagnation through this period. Written off by to the foreign policy dialogue, available at so many commentators, the “sick man of Asia” still
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Canada’s history as a nation of immigrants has long How will these new immigrants affect Canada’s place shaped its place in the world. In the 19th century, in the world? To begin to answer this question, we immigrants from the United States helped re-orient the must recognize that it is different from the questions Prairie provinces toward the American economy. that are commonly asked about immigration. Debates During the Cold War, immigrants from Eastern Europe about the net impact of immigration on the Canadian led efforts in Canada to maintain pressure on their economy, about whether immigrants consume less or homelands to observe international norms of human more than their fair share of Canadian social services, rights. Today, Canada’s new immigrants come worthy topics while they might be, are not necessarily predominantly from Asia. Historically Asian-Canadians relevant to this discussion. We must also recognize have not played a significant role in shaping Canada’s that thinking critically about the effects of immigration external relations. Does this provide a guide to the is not necessarily equivalent to being anti-immigration. future? Probably not. For a variety of reasons, Asian- Canadians are likely to play an increasing role in Previous waves of Asian immigration to Canada have determining Canada’s international interests and policies. had negligible impact on Canada’s external relations. Understanding that role is an important challenge for The reasons for this include their small numbers, low policy-makers and analysts alike. social standing, lack of geographic concentration and, for part of our history, disenfranchisement from the Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour has political process. The current situation is different for coined the term “Asianification” to describe recent many reasons, having to do both with the characteristics changes in Canada’s population. This term needs to be of the immigrants themselves and with the context in unpacked carefully. The percentage of new immigrants which they operate. Immigrants are more residentially today relative to total population is still well below historic concentrated. More than 75% of new immigrants in the highs, even though in absolute terms Canada has more 1990s settled in the three major metropolitan areas, immigrants than ever before. The more dramatic and indeed most in specific areas within Toronto, change has to do with the source countries from which Vancouver and Montreal. They face less overt new immigrants have come from. For much of the 20th discrimination and fewer obstacles to full political century, immigrants to Canada came overwhelmingly participation, and include some highly educated and from Europe, with immigrants from Asia constituting wealthy professionals. Furthermore, the world in which less than 5% of the total. But since 1980, immigrants the migrants move, and the Canada to which they from Asia have made up more than 50% of all come, have changed rather dramatically. The forces of immigrants to Canada. In every year since 1999, the top globalization facilitate continued immigrant ties to their five source countries for new immigrants have been in homeland. Cell phones and cheaper international air Asia: China, India, Pakistan, Philippines, and the travel make it easier to maintain regular contact and Republic of Korea, accounting for an average of over visits with their home country. Financial deregulation 90,000 new immigrants per year. According to the has made remittances and homeland investment easier 2001 census, there are now over one million Canadians and more reliable. The Internet has been widely adopted of Chinese descent and just under one million of South as a tool to promote cohesion among migrants from a Asian descent, each making up about 3% of our total common homeland who are physically dispersed in population. If current trends hold, these figures will rise one or more host countries. Multiculturalism and by more than a third by the end of the decade. globalization have created a disjuncture between the public discourse on the immigration process and the
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realities of immigration. While the popular perception (the figure is for legal remittances; there are surely also of immigration as a process of integration into significant flows through the underground economy). Canadian society and the progressive renunciation Remittances currently account for almost 20% of of ties to the homeland is little changed, official India’s gross domestic product and over 11% of that of multiculturalism in Canada means that many immigrants the Philippines. Remittances can help stabilize local perceive no contradiction between ties to their currencies, raise foreign currency reserves, shore up homeland and loyalty to Canada. There is also growing domestic consumption and ease underemployment. evidence that many new immigrants see themselves as But academic and government research concur that the not just multicultural or bi-national, but globalized or proportion of income remitted is highest in initial years transnational. They may also take a more instrumental after migration and drops sharply thereafter, and is and flexible approach to issues of citizenship, as higher for single immigrants than for immigrants living exemplified by Hong Kong origin “astronaut families,” with their families. Even if the total number of Asian in which once landed status has been obtained, the immigrants in Canada continues to rise, annual wife and children reside in Canada while the husband remittances may not, and remittances will probably returns to Asia for professional reasons. While the remain at current levels only so long as high levels of astronaut may be a loyal citizen of Canada, he will be a immigration are sustained. different kind of citizen. Investment is another story entirely. As the economies Will the shift in immigration and this changing context of Asia modernize and liberalize, émigrés play an lead to a new pattern of Asian Canadian influence on increasingly important role as investors. This Canada’s external relations in the years ahead? phenomenon is particularly striking in China, where Canada’s most recent articulation of its foreign policy, according to economist Qu Hongbin, through the Canada in the World, released in 1995, identifies the 1990s, Overseas Chinese were responsible for US$130 three pillars of Canadian foreign policy as economics billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), accounting (“the promotion of prosperity and employment”), for some 60% of China’s total FDI, and roughly 20% of politics and security (“protection of our security within the total FDI in the entire developing world. Inspired by a stable global framework”) and culture (“projection of the Chinese example, the Philippines government Canadian values and culture”). This offers a fruitful recently implemented the bagong bayani (“new heroes”) framework to explore the question. policy to encourage investment by Filipinos living abroad. Since September 11, 2001, there are new concerns that immigrant remittances and investment PROMOTION OF PROSPERITY AND EMPLOYMENT must be monitored to ensure they are not linked to The main international economic implications of support for terrorism. But Canada should also recognize migration can be discussed in terms of four types of that financial flows from immigrants to their home flows: flows of remittances, flows of investment, flows countries, which dwarf official development assistance, of trade and flows of human movement. Remittances can play important roles in developing economies, and are an obvious economic link between immigrants and consider ways both to encourage flows that support their countries of birth. They are big business, both in broader development objectives, and to coordinate absolute terms and in terms of the home country government spending on overseas direct assistance economy. The Economist recently estimated global with other flows to best effect. remittances by migrants at over US$100 billion per year
— 4 — Immigration may lead to intensification of trade and be better understood, and should be a part of the larger economic ties between source and sending country. debate on the economic effects of immigration. Return Research in the US has shown that a 10% increase in or onward migration is often perceived as a failure of immigrants will increase US imports from and exports Canadian immigration policy, especially if it creates to the country of origin by 8.3% and 4.7% respectively. contingent liabilities for Canada such as the provision When this research was repeated for Canada by Keith of social services to family members left behind. We Head and John Ries, they found much lower elasticities, should instead think of return migrants exactly as with imports rising by 3.3% and exports by only 1.3%. China, India and other sending countries do, as part of This may have to do with the nature of Canadian exports; our own diaspora, our “net overseas assets.” The new immigrants probably find it more difficult to challenge is to make sure that the activities of promote exports of natural resources than consumer Canadians abroad serves Canadian interests, either goods. But it also suggests that the Canadian narrowly through the return of capital, or more broadly. government could do more to better understand and This is precisely what countries such as China and ultimately to leverage the presence of large numbers India are doing, by looking at their diasporas as strategic of new immigrants from some of the most dynamic assets to be carefully managed. developing economies. Particularly in the case of South Asia, there is a striking disjuncture between huge While evidence suggests that Canadian companies migration flows and very limited economic links. are increasingly aware of the “hidden advantage” of immigrant employees in entering homeland markets, While remittances and investment can have positive recent research by the Asia Pacific Foundation also impacts on immigrants’ home countries, the “brain shows that expectations of what Asian-Canadian drain” transfer of highly skilled workers from less employees can contribute are often over-simplistic, developed to more developed countries is usually seen leading to disappointment at their failure to generate as having negative impact on development, with the Asian business. Second and later generation immigrants developing country effectively providing a subsidy to are not typically directly tied into Asian business the destination country. The issue is especially complex networks; rather, is their knowledge of both Asian and for Canada, which has large flows not only of skilled Canadian cultures, a product of having grown up in an immigrants but also of skilled emigrants, mostly to Asian family environment in Canada, that is their the US. Highly-educated immigrants from Asia also marketable asset. Furthermore, Canada should be have an important role to play in the transfer of doing more to ensure that whatever competitive entrepreneurial and technical skills back to their advantage arises from its immigrant communities is homelands. The hi-tech industries of Taiwan and not eroded by complacency. Chinese language education, South Korea were founded by the capital, skills and for example, widely seen as useful to doing business in entrepreneurship of returned emigrants. A recent study China, is on the rise around the globe, not only in the by the Public Policy Institute of California found that US and in Australia, but also in Malaysia and Vietnam. the majority of foreign-born skilled immigrants in More targeted attention will be essential if Canada’s Silicon Valley, particularly Indian and Chinese, have immigrant past and present are to pay dividends in already set up or plan to set up businesses in their the future. countries of birth. Thus the situation is better characterized as “brain circulation” rather than “brain drain.” The full implications of this for Canada need to
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ASIAN IMMIGRANTS AND CANADA’S to cultivate better ties with their emigrants. In FOREIGN POLITICS December 2002, India introduced a policy to allow Immigrant involvement in foreign politics typically Non-resident Indians (NRIs—persons of Indian origin takes one of two broadly defined forms, which for living abroad) to hold dual citizenship. The measure is convenience can be labelled homeland politics and clearly intended to increase ties of investment, tourism diaspora politics. Homeland politics means efforts and charity; NRIs will not be granted voting rights. On by emigrants to shape directly political life in their the other hand, the Philippines will allow émigrés to country of origin. Diaspora politics describes efforts by apply for voting rights for the 2004 national elections. immigrants to influence politics in their country of Already, Chinese diplomatic missions in North America residence, specifically policies toward or concerning devote considerable energies to building ties with their country of origin, policies directly affecting the Chinese communities here (this is driven only in part immigrant group, or both. by the historical tension between China and Taiwan over diasporic loyalties). Canada must think carefully Through their involvement in homeland politics, about the implications of these changes in emigrant immigrants widen the range of issues of concern to rights for Canadian citizenship. Moreover, as the 1985 Canada, which would otherwise take little interest in Air India bombing tragically showed, involvement in ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, for example, or the campaign homeland politics is not always benign. Homeland for an independent Khalistan in northern India. Recent political involvement is also behind the activities of the research at the Center for Migration and Development Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, believed to have at Princeton challenges the widespread perception that raised as much as C$2 million per year for military it is the least well educated, most marginalized and purposes through voluntary contributions and extortion most recent arrivals who are most prone to retain ties from Canada’s Tamil population. This has led to some with their home country. Political involvement in the highly publicized embarrassments for the Canadian homeland is not necessarily inversely related to the government, for example when federal Cabinet length of time abroad, with commitments declining Ministers attended a public event sponsored by a gradually among first generation immigrants then group believed to be a Tigers front. markedly in second and later generations. Rather, the increased personal stability and security, and often Disturbed by the aggressive participation of some greater wealth, associated with acquisition of citizenship immigrant groups in US Senate electoral campaigns, and longer period abroad, can serve to foster homeland Samuel Huntington has argued that pressure from political activity. Greater human capital actually tracks immigrant groups is leading to the balkanization of US closely with transnational activism. A case in point is foreign policy-making, distorting America’s real external the small but vocal group of activists who continue to interests as well as damaging domestic cohesiveness. protest the crackdown on Falungong spiritual practice Is there a similar danger that diaspora politics will in China. While many new immigrants are in favour of cause such distortions in Canada? Those who have the crackdown, well-established professionals make voiced concern recently about reports of the large up an important core of supporters of the movement increase in Sikh- and Chinese-Canadian memberships in Canada. in the Liberal Party, particularly in BC, clearly think so. But the differences in our political systems make Several important source countries for Canadian Canadian foreign policy rather less vulnerable to immigrants from Asia have recently launched initiatives Huntington’s “hijacking.” Elected officials can rarely
— 6 — afford to adopt distinctive foreign policy positions Nielsen, of the London School of Economics, into merely to secure support from specific immigrant diaspora groups in the US suggests why. It is precisely groups, and even if they do, cannot necessarily influence when these groups bring their interests into line with government to support those positions. In practice, the broadly perceived national interest that they gain a while Asian immigrants can and do play important voice in foreign policy-making. roles in political processes at every level of government, immigrant groups in Canada do not decide the outcomes Where there is no broad domestic consensus on the of elections. Moreover, such influence as they do have national interest, immigrant groups may play a more is equally likely to be brought to bear on domestic as decisive role. Many immigrant groups clearly consider on foreign policies. The electoral defeat of Raymond the area of immigration policies a priority. Lobbying by Chan in 2000, in a riding with a large number of Asian Indo-Canadians was credited recently with a speeding- Canadians, was widely interpreted as a result of his up of processing times for new immigrant applications. positions on certain key domestic issues. His ability to Current immigration imposes certain constraints on influence foreign policy from his position as Secretary future policy; one issue on which all new immigrants of State for Asia-Pacific did not seem to enter into voter seem to agree is the importance of maintaining family calculations. reunification programs. Most immigrant groups would probably also support policies strengthening the capacity Though the new wave of immigrants from Asia-Pacific of Canadians to more actively engage in Asia, through is unlikely to “hijack” Canadian foreign policy, it is sure promotion of exchanges and trade missions, Asian to play some kind of role in foreign policy-making. language and Asian studies education for example. Representatives of Asian immigrant communities are increasingly active in lobbying government, both elected But on this issue, too, it bears remembering that there officials and bureaucrats, on issues of particular concern. is no single Asian-Canadian community, or even a The decision to open a Canadian consulate in single Indo-Canadian or Korean-Canadian community. Chandigarh was acknowledged to be a result of the Different groups of Asian-Canadians, and members of a growing importance of immigration from the surrounding common community who came during different waves regions of India. The Indian government had previously of immigration, hold very different views about indicated its opposition to the consulate, which suggests Canadian foreign policy, for example on desired levels that Indo-Canadian lobbying may have played a role in and criteria for immigration. Many Chinese-Canadians the Canadian decision. Typically, such lobbying involves were deeply opposed to the granting of refugee status only a small segment of the ethnic group involved, and to would-be Chinese immigrants discovered in boats indeed, one of the most difficult issues in responding off the British Columbia coast in 1999. to that lobbying is determining the degree to which spokespeople represent the views of the larger Diversity within the communities means that there is community. But the involvement of new immigrant probably no particular threshold of demographic groups from Asia in Canadian foreign policy lobbying concentration above which the Asian-Canadian impact does not necessarily imply that the fundamental aims on Canada’s foreign relations will suddenly become of Canadian foreign policy will be distorted. Despite more evident. Rather, the issue will continue to be one Huntington’s claims, diaspora groups seldom make of where do specific issues mobilize enough of the governments adopt a policy unless that policy is in the population to generate a political response, that is, country’s national interest. Research by Eva Østergaard- ordinary domestic politics with an Asian-Canadian twist. Immigrant group lobbying activities may also
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serve to shift the emphasis of Canadian foreign policy American security perimeter will affect all immigration in areas important to them. For example, while human decisions. In the longer term, while Canada’s population rights violations in Indonesia was an issue that is increasingly defined by Asian influences, the US received wide attention in the last years of the Suharto increasingly shows Hispanic and Latin American regime, the Chinese Canadian National Council actively characteristics. The changing demographic picture is lobbied to draw attention to the specific issue of ethnic reflected in economics and diplomacy. There are both violence directed against Chinese, presenting petitions, risks and opportunities if the US looks increasingly holding marches and vigils and raising funds. south while Canada looks increasingly east. Canada, and particularly British Columbia, may be able to position One way to ensure that the growing Asian demographic itself as the chief platform for North American relations in the Canadian population is reflected more with Asia, but this will require careful planning. On the constructively in our foreign relations is to more actively other hand, Canada also faces the difficult choice engage its different communities, not only in Ottawa between going its own way and following the US at the but in major cities across the country. If for no other expense of a growing disconnect between the areas of reason than that there is tremendous expertise on interest of large immigrant groups and the main focus Asian politics, business and society among Canada’s of government attention. immigrant population, new forms of consultation with community organizations and groups should be developed. DFAIT might consider further developing PROJECTION OF CANADIAN VALUES AND CULTURE: recruitment policies targeted at members of immigrant CANADA’S BRAND communities whose countries of origin are of particular Ultimately the most significant impact of immigration importance to Canada. (At the same time, it should not from Asia will likely be not in the traditional domains of neglect Canadians who are not of Asian background “high” foreign policy, diplomacy and trade relations, but who have devoted considerable efforts to learning but in the “softer” areas of values and culture, in the languages, spending time in Asia, and developing way new immigrants affect Canadian values and their expertise in the region.) More broadly, national policy- projection abroad. This is also the most difficult aspect makers might ask themselves how to articulate a set of of foreign policy about which to make predictions. At national interests that would be more likely to engage the risk of trivializing the issue, to use the language of immigrant communities. advertising, new immigrants may redefine Canada’s brand, or they may heighten brand awareness The new wave of Asian immigration may have profound internationally. Asian-Canadians are likely to do both. implications for Canada’s most important foreign relationship, that with the United States. Our immigration Despite the often heard protests that immigration initiatives affect the US, and will remain a concern for erodes Canadian values, Asian immigrants of the late the Americans for the duration of the war on terrorism 20th century, like Scottish immigrants of the 19th century and beyond. Canada will likely be under increasing or Eastern Europeans in the early 20th, have not had a pressure to harmonize its refugee policy with that of major transformative impact on Canadian values. A the US. This is already evident from the introduction recent survey conducted by the Centre for Research and the safe third country doctrine, which represents a Information in Canada and The Globe and Mail found major, if little noticed, shift in Canadian policy. Explicit that immigrants and their descendants generally come and implicit American efforts to construct a North quite swiftly to hold values identical to those of other
— 8 — Canadians. This is not to say that immigration, as government would like them to be. Few respondents opposed to immigrants themselves, will not have any associate Canada with economic dynamism, high effect on those values. As Queen’s University’s technology or a favourable business environment. Matthew Mendelsohn commented on the results of the Familiar stereotypes of Canada as primarily an attractive study, immigrants are helping to create “a new multi- tourist destination persist. Not only does Canada’s racial, multicultural boundary-free ethnic group called brand impact on business decision-making in Asia, it Canadian.” The distinctiveness of this group becomes also affects the decision-making of future potential apparent when Canadians under 30, who have grown immigrants. More could be done to promote flows up under official multiculturalism and greater ethnic of information through immigrants to business diversity, are compared to older Canadians. The communities in their countries of origin. Here, too, younger group more strongly supports immigration, return migrants and transnational migrants have much believing overwhelmingly that it has a positive effect on to contribute to the promotion of Canada abroad, the country. They favour greater engagement with the perhaps even more than immigrants who settle rest of the world, and consider the adoption of permanently in Canada. In their business endeavours in Canadian values as a valid foreign policy goal. They their countries of origin, such migrants may spread also cite multiculturalism as one of the highest points expectations of transparent government, civic of pride for them as Canadians. In other words, they participation and tolerance, contributing to the see multiculturalism as a key part of Canada’s brand. projection of Canadian values more broadly. This is one more reason to think of them as overseas assets rather New immigration may bring some negative aspects to than failed immigrants. Canada’s brand. Problems of racism are also part of Canada’s reputation in Asia. Our refugee determination Canada is also increasingly perceived as an Asia-Pacific system is widely seen not as an instrument by which nation. Some years ago, former Australian Prime Canada protects the persecuted and expresses its Minister Paul Keating asserted that Australia was “part humanitarian ideals, but as a tool by which those of Asia.” His Malaysian counterpart, Dr. Mahathir sufficiently adept at the system can serve their own Mohamad, retorted that he had only to look in the interests. In the aftermath of recent events, perceptions mirror to see how wrong he was. In contrast, high of heightened vulnerability to international terrorism, profile appointments such as David Lam as Lieutenant- transnational crime, and new health dangers are also Governor of BC, Vivienne Poy as Senator, and of course associated with Canada in the minds of many around Adrienne Clarkson as Governor-General were widely the world. celebrated in Asian media. Vancouver’s status as not just North America’s gateway to Asia-Pacific but as The second part of our question is whether new Asian itself an Asian-Pacific city is well known in Asia. By the immigration is creating opportunities to better project same token, heightened awareness of Canada as an Canadian values and culture. In some ways the news Asia-Pacific nation also points to our growing divergence on this front is discouraging. Over a decade of large- from the United States. scale immigration has not yet transformed how Canada is perceived in Asia. A recent Asia Pacific Foundation study shows that many Asians surveyed still consider Canada unfamiliar territory. Moreover, their limited perceptions of the country are not what the Canadian
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CONCLUSIONS immigrant community means a higher degree of ongoing Much of the public discourse holds that the current contact with source countries, which translates into wave of immigration from Asia represents a very different diverse impacts on Canada’s relations with source and challenge to Canadian identity than earlier, mostly other countries. European waves. But many of the characteristics which are believed to distinguish the new Asian immigrants What in turn does this really mean for Canada’s are actually shared in common with their European international relations? On the economic front, it predecessors. The overwhelming majority of new means rethinking our development aid policies to Canadians emigrate for economic rather than political reflect the reality of remittances and “brain circulation,” reasons, but, with some exceptions, this is not very and developing policies to capitalize on the opportunities different from past experience. Earlier generations of for closer trade and financial links. On the political migrants did not simply integrate into Canadian society front, it means ties to new places and new issues of and cut off ties to their home countries, but like concern, many of them complicated. It means coming immigrants today, maintained complex relationships to terms with a more mobile citizenry, one whose loyalties with them. As many as half of all Italian immigrants to may be more divided. It may also mean risks to our North America in the 19th and early 20th century most important foreign relationship, with the United eventually returned to Italy. Despite Canada’s targeted States. Socially and culturally, the Asianification of immigration policies, many immigrants are non-selected, Canada offers new opportunities to redefine how because they come as family members of selected Canada is perceived internationally. These are difficult immigrants. This means they, like earlier migrants challenges, the more so because all of them affect before them, are more likely to participate in the lower multiple briefs within government. “Asianification” in levels of the work force. Thus much of the debate about and of itself will not necessarily lead to stronger the distinctive features of the new wave of immigration Canada-Asia relations. On the other hand, the conditions turns out on closer analysis to be a mystification of an for successful implementation of policies aimed at underlying racial discourse. strengthening Canada-Asian relations are certainly enhanced by the existence of a large Asian Canadian What does the “Asianification” described by David Kilgour community. Canada should develop a foreign policy really mean? It means that there are substantial new stance that reflects its unique ability to link Asia and communities of Asian origin in Canada’s major cities, North America, and invest in intellectual, institutional, many of whose members play a vibrant role in the and cultural assets that will enhance our capacity to country’s economic, political, social and cultural life, perform this role effectively. The Asia-Pacific region while others remain more involved in and interested in should be a higher priority for Canadian foreign policy- the affairs of their own community. It means that makers, not only because of the changing global order, different members of the new immigrant population but also because of the changes to Canada itself, as it are tied in complex and ever-changing ways to their is reshaped by new waves of immigration from Asia. countries of origin, which include some of the most dynamic economies of the world, as well as some important political hot-spots. A more transnationalized
— 10 — acknowledgements
Paper Author: Michael Szonyi, Huron College, University of Western Ontario Foreign Policy Dialogue Series Editor: Yuen Pau Woo, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada Associate Editor: Ron Richardson, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
We would like to thank participants in the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada’s Roundtable on the Foreign Policy Dialogue in Ottawa, 27 March 2003, for their useful comments and suggestions. the author
Dr. Michael Szonyi is Associate Professor of Chinese History at Huron University College, University of Western Ontario, and has previously taught at McGill University and the University of Toronto. His most recent book is Practicing Kinship: Lineage and Descent in Late Imperial China (Stanford University Press, 2002), and his research has also appeared in journals such as the Journal of Asian Studies, Journal of Chinese Religions and the International Journal. His writings for popular audiences include a recent cover story in National Post Business. As a consultant on Chinese politics and business, his clients have included several Canadian government agencies and multinational corporations.
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