Canada's Chinatown and the Critical Race Theory

The government of Canada decided that the country could be a mosaic of cultures where people from different countries could keep their nationalities and still be called canadian therefore allowing an influx of different cultures. The royal commission came up with the idea of "cultural pluralism" and encouraged the government to reflect this in their policies. Pierre Elliot Trudeau, the prime minster in 1917 accepted this policy called the multiculturalism policy. In 1988, the governement of Canada also imposed the "Multiculturalism Act" . The factors influencing these two policies/acts were quite similiar to one another. In mid-1960s, the troubled English-French realtions in Canada desperately needed a solution. They preferred the idea of a cultural mosaic. After establishing this policy racism reduced significantly as every ethnic group was to be treated the same way, allowing canada to be a cultural hub. In the context of theory so far everything seems to be working smoothly but the real question that we need to ask ourself is whether multiculturalism is working in our society or not ? Do we feel comfortable living amogst all the different kinds of people and are content with our lifestyle? Take education for an example. A university in North America called Stanford had a program in which the curriculum was designed

Even though, Canada is recognized for plurality and multiculturalism, that does not mean that societal racism can be easily

“Multiculturalism exists when people accept and encourage many cultures to thrive in a society. Multiculturalism can lead to many great outcomes, including racial and ethnic harmony, which simply means that people from different backgrounds get along well together. Living with and accepting different cultures helps us understand each other and discourage hatred and violence.” () Furthermore, various ethnic groups introduce their individual beliefs, traditions, as well as, religions to the Canadian society. Generally speaking, be part of an expanding multicultural society has impacted Canada economically, demographically and socially. Thus, the presence of the variety of different cultures, languages and heritages, results in the need for the county to adapt and change, based on the new reality of Canada.

After further examination of evidence from the courses curriculum, one thing remains prominent in periods of racism, the government. In relation to immigration, periods of conflict, and large government initiatives, it can been seen that the government has used it power to promote white supremacy and ensure the oppression of racialized Canadians.

At the heart of the problem was segregation. Segregation is the act of separating a certain person or faction from the main group. In America’s case segregation was practiced on minorities such as African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asians. The full force of segregation was brought down on African-Americans. Segregation was based on shear hatred of blacks by white Americans. The majority of them derived their hatred for African-Americans from their

In the past, humanity faced diverse hardships that were presented differently each time. These hardships include gender, ethnicity, culture, religion, the list could go on for a massive amount of time. And each time, communities have tried to fight back, and with the right kind of effort, won the rights to what they were fighting for. Just like how African Americans, Asian, Latinos, and Whites fought each other for the right of being integrated. However, in today’s society, the public has forgotten their fight for integration, and has segregated themselves through choice. Many folks agree with this notion, making various videos, articles, and maps to educate the world. The video “Racial Segregation in American Schools”, by Carly Morris, claims how segregation has come back in the deep southern parts of America. Also, a map titled “Racial Segregation in American Cities” continues to show us the ongoing theme of the separation of people. Similarly, the article “We’re Still Divided by Race”, by various authors, talks about how segregation is still around, whether by design or by choice. Through numerous appeals and strategies, they all convey the shared argument that personal preferences lead to the segregation of mankind.

“I carry a piece of identification in my wallet based on my ethnicity.” Wab Kinew (Huffington Post, 2016). The outcome of First Nation’s funding for education, and quality health care is based on their ethnicity. There are two forms racism in this country, the rude name calling that is not as bad as it was back 50 years ago, but it still exist in our day and age today. The other form is a more of a silent one that the government performs which First Nations people are born into and are blind too. And they try to keep this on the DL, which is sick. The lack of funding to first nations education. “Indigenous students receiving $4,000 less per pupil in annual funding than every other Canadian kid.” (Huffington Post, 2016). So obviously Canada has a big problem on their hands.

In the essay Chinatown: A Contested Urban Space, by Mary Ting Yi Lui, Chinatowns collectively occupy a special place in the collective imagination of American ethnic history and the nation’s contemporary multicultural identity, as evidenced by their serving as the settings for various motion pictures. From coast to coast, Chinatowns remain major tourist draws, and continued immigration from the Chinese diaspora ensures that Chinatown will retain their social and cultural significance for many years to come. Chinese Americans are the oldest and largest Asian ethnic group in the United States, consisting of fourth and fifth-generation Americans of Chinese descent and recent immigrants of languages spoken and points of origin. Chinese immigration

Multiculturalism is raised in section 27 in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Jonson). An instance where multiculturalism negatively impacts Canada, revolves around new immigrants. A problem raised with the introduction of multiculturalism is that “for some people, ‘multiculturalism’ is a descriptive term for demographic pluralism. Pluralism can stem from the coexisting of longstanding minority groups” (Bloemradd, Wright, 2014). This created issues of conflict between minority groups which related to “ethnic, racial, and religious diversity generated by immigrants and their decedents” (Bloemradd, Wright, 2014). The Charters regulations were often taken for granted by minority groups, where many “subnational minorities (…) often reject inclusion within a framework of multiculturalism since they argue got self-determination and sovereignty rights” (Bloemradd, Wright, 2014). Furthermore, these examples of minorities rejecting inclusion exemplifies how multiculturalism is threatened by the Charter. The purpose of the charter was “to enhance multicultural heritage of Canadians” (Uberoi,

In Canada, multiculturalism includes consists of groups, such as First Nations and Metis, or Quebecois, who face a threat for their communities (Ethnic and Ethnic Regime lecture). I believe Canadian multiculturalism is defined by the needs of any given bureaucracy is comprised of those who truly embracing each other’s different aspects. , such as cultures and traditions all encompassing a place and working together for political reasons to reach acceptance in society. Consequently, multiculturalism is an important part of Canadian society; it binds Canadians together because we are essentially a newborn nation.

There are many meanings associated with multiculturalism. However the actuality of the world means many cultures. Canada’s multiculturalism has been greatly successful since 1971, when Canada was the first country in the world to adopt multiculturalism as an official policy. Canada has used multiculturalism to acknowledge equality of all Canadian citizens despite their ethnicity, race or religion. Multiculturalism helps ensure that all citizens throughout the country can preserve their own culture and heritage while still feeling at home in Canada. No matter where you come from and what ethic background you are, you will be accepted into Canada without prejudice or discrimination.

Multiculturalism as argued by Himani Bannerji in "The Dark Side, of the Nation: Essays on Multiculturalism, Nationalism and Gender," (1996) acts like a thin veil that hides European settler-colonist, even racist, ideologies which permeate the socio-political landscape of Canada. Bannerjii applies a Marxist perspective as she questions the notion of multiculturalism in Canada that is separated from existing power relations and social structures (p.110). The author critiques the discourse of multiculturalism that allows the Canadian state to limit its understanding of multiculturalism to “difference” thus neglecting class, gender, sexuality and other social factors while preserving its post-colonial capitalist and oppressive structures. Bannerjii

Canada is known globally for its multiculturalism and loves to boast about it, we even have a day dedicated to it. On Canada’s Multiculturalism Day in 2017 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that “multiculturalism is at the heart of Canada’s heritage and identity - and as Canadians, we recognize that our differences make us strong” (Trudeau). In grade school Canadians are taught about the supposed marvels of multiculturalism and, in Alberta, an entire year of social studies is dedicated to it in middle school. Of course, as the creator of their policies, the Canadian government would have mostly good things to say and teach about its take on multiculturalism but, is it really all it’s cracked up to be? In thinking about Canadian multiculturalism, has it been the success that our government has led us to believe it is? The purpose of this paper is to argue that Canada’s multicultural policies and practices have not been a success and, in fact, solidify, entrench, and reproduce social inequalities. To build a case in favour of this argument, this paper will look at what multiculturalism means to Canada and how we should evaluate it in order to show that it has not been an unequivocal success.

Canada is a country that is well-known for its official adoption of a multiculturalism policy. In fact, Canada was the first country in the world to implement multiculturalism in order to help immigrants integrate into the larger society. The official Canadian Multiculturalism Act stipulates that the “Constitution of Canada recognizes the importance of preserving and enhancing the multicultural heritage of Canadians” (Justice Laws 1985). The Multiculturalism Policy of Canada furthermore promotes “the understanding that multiculturalism reflects the cultural and racial diversity of Canadian society” (Justice Laws 1985). Indeed, “every ethnic group has the right to preserve and develop its own culture and values within the Canadian context” (On Multiculturalism 2013). Moreover, this policy encourages assisting “ethno-cultural minority communities to conduct activities

A country built on immigration, Canada has long had a reputation of being culturally and ethnically diverse. While multiculturalism is meant to be built on equality and appreciation of different cultures, its concept has gained both support and opposition. On one hand, it allows for more assortment and the voices of minorities have a higher chance to be heard. On the other hand, loss of unity and conflicts may occur due to contrasting worldviews of the citizens. All in all, multiculturalism is a controversial policy that has both advantages and disadvantages, but has proven to be a successful strategy in Canada.