Cultural Hybrids under the Canadian Multiculturalism Policy

Student:
Professor:
Course title:
Date:
Hybrids under the Canadian Multiculturalism Policy
According to Viswanathan (13), cities are lively, exciting assorted places with diverse people all drawn to the cities for various reasons. The opportunities of the international labor market have actually contributed to the migration of skilled labor force throughout the globe and consequently, to wide-ranging labor market flexibility within metropolitan areas. This flexibility, as Viswanathan (13) pointed out, is reflected amongst urban populations of the underemployed, especially amongst new immigrants. In the source text, Viswanathan (13) tries to initiate a conversation that looks into the chances of considering hybridity with respect to community building in Canadian cities. Hybridity is a dynamic entity that is at all times in the process of being and becoming at the same time. Hybrid identities are susceptible to transformation.
Assuming a single women of Indian descent but is a Canadian citizen, her hybridity can be seen to be constructed via processes that are drawn from the colonial histories of her country of origin, India, as well as the stories of her many years of experience residing in Canada as a Canadian citizen (Viswanathan 13). This illustrates how the hybridity of an individual woman is really informed over space and time by her immigrant history, spatial location, as well as experience being classified as a sole parent, single income Asian resident of bi-cultural though apparently multicultural nation of Canada. According to Viswanathan (13), transnational identities could change as geographies and histories are reconstructed when individuals move back and forth from Canada and their mother countries, and consequently create different economic, cultural, and social relationships between these locations and countries. These transnational identities are created, re-created, and changed such that hybridity could evoke, complicate, and get rid of national boundaries. Hybridity needs to go beyond transnationality (Viswanathan 14). Individuals comprise manifold and complexly constructed identities.
Viswanathan (14) pointed out that there would be aspects of ourselves which are actually placed in social margins and/or in subordination to other aspects considering the power relations within the state, and each aspect might operate on an individual in various ways. The struggle within and through hybridity offers possible basis for processes of anti-oppression, anti-racism, and anti-discrimination and the level of the self as well as the society (Viswanathan 14). The fact that everyone is a hybrid, although not in the same manner, could be transformational and not an affirmation of assimilation into a hypothetical general norm within cities. Hybridity is not just what people are in cities; it is actually part of a process of becoming in the metropolis, even through people’s struggles for community-building, commonality, and recognition of differences (Viswanathan 15).
Facts of Canadian history in relation to hybrids under immigration policies that closely relate to multiculturalism
Canada’s universal and equal policy of 1862 accentuates equality amongst the different ethnic populations in the Canadian society for instance the French, Aboriginals, Blacks, Germans, British and Spanish in the country (Green and David 105). Every citizen of Canada is guaranteed equality before the law as well as equality of opportunity despite his or her origins. The policies and laws of Canada recognize the country’s diversity by place of origin, religion, race, ethnicity, cultural heritage and ancestry, and guarantees to all Canadians total freedom of thought, of conscience, of peaceful assembly, of association, of opinion expression, and belief. These are guaranteed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Constitution, and the Canadian Citizenship (Gouvernement du Canada).
Multicultural policy of 1971: Canada was the first country worldwide in the year 1971 to espouse multiculturalism as an official policy. This happened under the administration of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. By doing so, it affirmed both the dignity and value of every citizen of Canada despite their ethnic origins or race, their religious affiliation, or their language. Canada’s 1971 Multicultural Policy also affirmed the rights of the Aboriginal populations as well as the status of the country’s 2 official languages (Gouvernement du Canada). After Prime Minister Trudeau declared that Canada as a country is multicultural and bilingual, multiculturalism was recognized as a new vision of the country’s identity that will promote understanding of every ethnic community.
Canadian Multiculturalism Act of 1988: this Act was adopted by the Government of Canada in July of 1988 under the administration of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. It was enacted to ensure the promotion as well as continuity of multiculturalism in this country. Even though its scope, which is multiculturalism, is considerably wider compared to that of a language law, the Multiculturalism Act of 1988 makes several references to Canada’s non-official languages (University of Ottawa). This legislation is mainly aimed at addressing the needs of immigrants as well as their families in Canada. It addresses their needs through the support of cultural activities and programs in addition to heritage and language education (University of Ottawa). With the immigration of many different ethnic minorities and groups into Canada came a number of concerns which had to be addressed. Therefore, this Act was expanded to take account of the fight against discrimination and prejudice, as well as promotion of the equality of ethnic minorities at all levels of society, including social, cultural, and economic levels (University of Ottawa).
The Canadian law of evidence emphasizes on pluralism which had the same principles to that of multiculturalism for instance the significance of people to identify with their respective cultural heritage. In essence, similar to the Canadian policies on multiculturalism, all the other policies that pertain to immigration in the Canadian history were designed to support cultural integration of the different ethnic groups and not assimilation. This is aimed at encouraging the various peoples of Canada to preserve their respective old beliefs while favoring other new ones (Green and David 107).
How policies have shown to be of benefit for cultural diversity
Canadian multiculturalism instills the belief that citizens are equal, promoting the feeling of acceptance, security and self-confidence that make the people more receptive to other diverse cultures thus promoting harmony and cross-cultural understanding (Wong and Annette 11). When considered along with the country’s state policy on multiculturalism, Viswanathan (13) stated that the impact of increased immigration has created a noteworthy dynamic. Canada’s state multiculturalism programs and policies have actually provided a context for creating greater harmony acr...