50 years of multiculturalism: Has the dial moved forward?
50 years of multiculturalism: Has the dial moved forward?
To mark 50 years of official multicultural policy this Friday, Metropolis Canada’s 4th Annual Forum on Measuring Identities kicked off on Oct. 6 with a poignant and provocative question: “Is multiculturalism just an ideal?”
The question, citing critics, was posed by Independent Ontario Senator Donna Dasko during her opening remarks at the virtual conference, which this year touched on themes of diversity, inclusion and eliminating racism.
Her comments, echoed by the other two panellists – Jean Augustine, former member of Parliament and minister of multiculturalism, and Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi – come at a time of increasing racist attacks and global anti-racism movements.
The conference – titled Multiculturalism @50: Diversity, Inclusion and Eliminating Racism – placed these issues within the context of Canada’s evolving multiculturalism, the recognition of which became official government policy on Oct. 8, 1971, making Canada the first country in the world to adopt such a policy.
“Multiculturalism reflects the cultural, racial (and) … religious diversity of Canadian society and acknowledges the freedom of all members … to preserve, to enhance and to share their cultural heritage,” said Augustine, who was called upon by the government to help develop Canada’s official multicultural policy 50 years ago.
But while Canadians “pride” themselves on diversity, she added, the inclusion of that diversity remains a question mark, to say the least.
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