Canadian Exceptionalism: Are We Good Or Are We Lucky?
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Canadian Exceptionalism: Are we good or are we lucky? 2017 Annual Conference of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC) February 9 - 10, 2017 Sofitel Hotel Montreal, Quebec Report prepared by: Celine Cooper Columnist, Montreal Gazette PhD Candidate, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE)/University of Toronto Contents About the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada ................................................................... 3 Canadian exceptionalism: Are we good, or are we lucky? Conference summary .......... 4 Why are we talking about Canadian exceptionalism, and why now? ........................... 4 Key questions discussed ................................................................................................................. 4 What are the drivers of the populist backlash? ........................................................................... 5 When we talk about Canadian exceptionalism, what do we mean? .................................... 6 Geography ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Permanent managed admission, accessible citizenship and procedure ...................... 6 Diversity and multiculturalism as part of national identity ............................................. 7 Diversity in immigration and pro-immigration attitudes.................................................. 7 Reasonable accommodation ......................................................................................................... 8 Partnerships between government and civil society .......................................................... 9 What are the chances of it happening in Canada? ...................................................................... 9 So what should Canadians be watching out for? ..................................................................... 10 Is Canada really exceptional? .......................................................................................................... 11 Key take-away messages from the conference: ....................................................................... 12 Conference panels and presentations .......................................................................................... 13 Published in 2017 by the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada. McGill Institute for the Study of Canada 3463 Peel Street Montreal, Quebec H3A 1W7 2 About the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada Established in 1994 thanks to an innovative agreement between the Bronfman family and McGill University, the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC) runs an academic program at McGill University, supports an active research environment, and organizes a variety of large-scale, public events on matters of interest to Canadians, including MISC's Annual Conferences, which attract a great deal of attention from policy-makers, media, and the general public. While the Institute itself is non-partisan, MISC is no stranger to debate and controversy. 3 Canadian exceptionalism: Are we good, or are we lucky? Conference summary From February 9 to 10, 2017, the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC) held its annual conference on the theme of immigration and multiculturalism. Marking Canada’s 150th anniversary, the purpose of the conference was to gather scholars, government officials and journalists to take a critical look at Canada’s orientation in the world in this historical moment of global realignment. What follows is a selection of highlights drawn from discussion during the plenaries and keynote speeches. For additional resources and coverage, please consult the MISC website. Why are we talking about Canadian exceptionalism, and why now? Around the world, widespread economic insecurity has sparked a retreat from globalism and led to a destabilization of the post-World War II order. In many Western liberal democratic countries, growing public anger and distrust of institutions have fueled the ascent of far right, anti-establishment, and neo- nationalist parties, stoked a hardening of attitudes toward immigrants and refugees, and a thickening of borders. In 2016, two major events seemed to capture the zeitgeist of our times: the British vote to exit from the European Union (‘Brexit’) and the election of Donald J. Trump as President of the United States. Against this backdrop, Canada has continued to promote immigration, diversity, and multiculturalism while managing to avoid the kind of populist backlash seen in other Western liberal democratic countries. It hasn’t gone unnoticed. A growing body of scholarly work, international commentary, and analysis – notably in The Economist, The Guardian, Open Canada, and the New York Times - has given purchase to the idea of Canadian exceptionalism. But the idea of Canadian exceptionalism raises more questions than it answers. Key questions discussed What are the drivers of the populist backlash we’re seeing in the US and Europe? What are the scope and limits of Canadian exceptionalism? What are Canadian attitudes towards immigrants, authoritarianism, and nativism? How do they impact how we vote? 4 When it comes to immigrant integration, what works and what doesn’t? How worried should we be about rising populism, and could it happen here? What are the drivers of the populist backlash? Discussion crystalized around economic insecurity and resentment as the two main drivers of the populist backlash in the US and Europe. Growing inequality and precarious employment have led to feelings of vulnerability and a lack of control for many people. This is particularly true for those working in the older economies, a point captured by Bob Rae in his keynote speech: “The pace of globalization and automation,” he said, “has created an insecurity that is undeniable.” At the same time, people struggling with the realities of economic insecurity have felt increasingly ignored, dismissed and ridiculed by their governments, media and intellectual elite. In some cases, economic insecurity has been compounded by perceived cultural or security threats. Terrorist attacks carried out by radical fundamentalists across Europe and the US – some in the name of Islam (Charlie Hebdo and the Bataclan in Paris; Brussels airport; Pulse nightclub in Florida), some in the name of white nationalist ideologies (the murder of MP Jo Cox in England; the Charleston massacre by Dylann Roof in the US; mass murder by Anders Breivik in Norway) - have contributed to a climate of suspicion, xenophobia, and fear in many communities. Politicians in a number of countries with different electoral systems have been successful in mobilizing anti-immigrant sentiment for political gain. The Trump phenomenon is a good example of all these points. Sarah Kendzior argued that Trump tapped into legitimate grievances, and turned them against immigrants, Mexicans, and Muslims in particular. 5 When we talk about Canadian exceptionalism, what do we mean? A number of factors were discussed as characterizing the idea of Canadian exceptionalism: o Geography o Permanent managed admission, accessible citizenship, and institutional procedure o Diversity in immigration o Pro-immigration and pro-refugee attitudes o Diversity and multiculturalism as part of national identity o Political institutions and leadership o Reasonable accommodation o Partnerships between government and civil society What follows is a selection of discussion highlights centered on these themes. Geography Canada has never had to contend with massive unplanned migration like many other countries. Our geography and northern climate have made it easier to control our borders, to decide who comes here, how, and when. Canadians may deplore all this talk about building walls, but it’s easier to be relaxed about immigration when our only land border is the United States. “When we celebrate multiculturalism it’s a good thing,” said Jeffrey Reitz, “but we should remember that for people in countries where immigration is controversial, it’s only because their immigration is different. They want what we take for granted: control over our immigration. And the fact that we have it is really, I think, a matter of good luck.” Others saw this differently. Geography, argued Joseph Heath, isn’t as much of an issue in Canada’s luck, but a matter of policy. Most Mexican migrants to the US, for example, entered legally as temporary workers and have overstayed their visas; they’re not sneaking across the border. Luck, in other words, can be managed in better and worse ways. Permanent managed admission, accessible citizenship, and procedure Canadian immigration has largely been built on permanent settlement and managed migration. Compared to other countries, citizenship is relatively accessible and encouraged in Canada. This helps give immigrants a sense of inclusion. Andy Lamey noted that in Europe, for example, there is a “race to the bottom” to make asylum laws stronger. When it comes to refugee policy, Canada upholds the right to asylum and procedural justice. “It is not a certainty that you will be allowed to stay,” he noted, “but your right to procedure is a different matter.” 6 Diversity and multiculturalism as part of national identity It’s easy to forget how new Canada and its symbolism around diversity and multiculturalism are. As many panelists reminded the audience, immigrants have played a key role in this nation-building project, embracing and promoting the pro- multiculturalism