My own experience (born and raised in Vancouver, lived in Edmonton for most of the 1990s) is that Canadian multiculturalism works really well. Canada's been pluralistic in language and religion from the very beginning, incorporating both French-speaking Catholics and English-speaking Protestants, so there isn't a single mold that all Canadians have to fit into.
Joseph Heath, a Canadian political philosopher, observes that Canadian multiculturalism is based on *integration* into institutions - participating and playing by the rules - without requiring *assimilation*, giving up one's culture. http://induecourse.ca/canadian-exceptionalism/
This ties in to Matthew Yglesias's argument that Democrats ought to return to the pre-2016 approach of proposing popular race-neutral policies (like increasing the minimum wage), rather than highlighting the racial impact of policies. https://www.slowboring.com/p/minimum-wage-wins-affirmative-action
I have to say that this depiction of race relations is not far off. I have an old friend whose Korean Parents ran a gas station in Toronto that specialized in hometown snacks. They would often get rural (non-visible minority) customers because their station was closest to the highway offramp. People were curious about the Korean offerings and were willing to give it a try if you would entertain a chat about the (often cold) weather. The only (ethnic) difficulties they had was when a local (it was always a local) would try to drive off without paying for Gas!!! BTW Noah, Corner Gas is a must see if you enjoy Canadian TV/Humor.
“If the real Canada is more racially harmonious than the U.S., it’s by a modest margin.”
As an American who moved to Toronto, it’s a larger margin than you might imagine. It’s palpable daily. When I periodically return to the US I’m struck again and again by how much the US is at war with itself in a way that Canada is mostly not. Certainly there is racism here, but there is not a sense that it is permanently woven into the fabric, that it is immutable. And there is not in my experience a sense of a defined “Canadian” that is inherently exclusionary. Obviously Toronto is not representative of Canada as a whole, and my experience of Toronto in its urban core is not representative even of Toronto. But even my Canadian friends here who visit the US are often astounded by the difference as well. Returning to Chicago and riding the L after riding the streetcar or subway here reveals a stark contrast. “Whiteness” and the fear and power it represents are omnipresent and toxic there.
This is interesting to me. I have the privilege of belonging to a very diverse ski club in Toronto. Our membership includes many immigrants to Canada and this diversity is one of our best features. Over the last few years I have fallen into skiing with a few guys from South Korea. We have a lot in common; older guys who are into being the best skiers we can, and have the time and resources to do so. So a lot of our talk is about technique, cross-training, and which big mountain trips to sign on for. But we also talk a lot about our careers, our kids ... and our experiences as immigrants to Canada; me from NYC, them from Korea. These guys are driven and successful with a background in engineering. LIke me, they are into real estate and investing. But one thing that really stood out for me was how they felt liberated by the Canadian lifestyle; by the idea of self-fulfillment as a goal. As one told me (paraphrased): in South Korea his hierarchy of priorities was his employer, his country, his family. His own "fulfillment" came last; the ideal was to be useful to others. The idea of just skiing for his own pleasure – in the middle of the week no less – would have been suspect!
It's very easy as a (white) Canadian to hear an American say something nice about us, get a flare-up of the Canadian inferiority/superiority complex and start talking like we're some kind of utopia. But I will say that Canadian multiculturalism has been successful enough that Rob Ford, one of our closest equivalents of Trump, got elected in Toronto by a conservative base that included recent Muslim immigrants as a substantial fraction, which is pretty unusual for a western nation.
As a Canadian who frequently border hops between there and the US, this piece really hits on why I'm generally a Canadian optimist. We have our own share of issues north of the border as well, very much so, but I feel like the Canadian Dream is still alive in a time where the shine of the American Dream seems to have faded a bit. I hope both countries can work out their problems and move forward together. I feel like it's very possible, as long as we wish it to be so. Now to fix the housing crisis in Canada's big three cities...
(Also I've never seen this show, but now I feel very obligated to check it out. Glad it's a Friday!)
The final sentence in this piece has a misplaced "a". Anyone who watches the show knows that you never place an article (a, an, the) before "sneak attack".
The core of the difference between the US and Canada in this regard, from the perspective of this Irish-American who admittedly has never been to Canada, is that every group in Canada other than the indigenous seems to be made ("encouraged", idk) to think of itself as historically and socially contingent on the other groups. Anglo-Canadians contingent on the Quebecois and vice versa, both of them contingent on the immigrants and the indigenous, the immigrants contingent on every other group.
This seems to be about both current social dynamics and the history that produced them, and the narratives that people in these groups are encouraged to have.
By stark contrast, consider a lower-class white guy born and living in Kentucky. It is not unlikely that he and his parents mark themselves as "ethnically American" on the US Census as they are fully allowed to do. They think of themselves as native Americans, by which they mean Real Americans in contrast to black people and immigrants.
The key cultural fact here is that this guy and his family were never enculturated with the idea that they are contingent, the descendants of migrants from the area around Hadrian's wall who came to North America 250-350 years ago. Everything from their pastor to the Jeep company tells them they have always been here, contingent on no one but themselves. The only place they *might* hear a version of this other point of view is in a Fox segment where shill whiny liberals are mocked as they give the watered-down version: "Everyone but Native Americans and black people is an immigrant! :) :)".
*Of course* that guy in Kentucky will reject that and continue with his belief that he is American in deeper ways than a Korean immigrant family with a store in NYC is. He has very little else in his life that gives him a sense of social status and pride.
In Canada they *seem* to have done the work to nip that in the bud.
^^Instead, the world of Kim’s Convenience was Canada’s dream of its better self. Which is a different dream than America’s.^^
A) Haven't heard of this sticom but it's been added to my "to watch" list (sounds great; thanks).
B) I can't help but think this highlights the pernicious, ever-present red/blue divide in the US. THIS is thing that Canada doesn't have to deal with (nearly so much). What I mean is, based on what you've written here, Noah, I doubt this "Canada dream" would seem very out of place in Seattle or NYC. But no, it wouldn't be a widely-held dream in the district that sent Madison Cawthorn to DC.
As a Canadian living in the US, and a fan of Kim’s Convenience, I have to say this is a beautiful tribute to the country, the show and the ideas of multiculturalism.
I wonder what you think about Trudeau’s idea of Canada being a post-nationalism state, whether it’s actually there or even possible.
I am a dual citizen born in the United States, having lived in Canada for a quarter century or so. This gives me some perspective on your posting. Spoiler alert: I have not watched the sitcom you refer to as I don't like sitcoms, nor does my wife who is Canadian.
A little bit of history is useful in explaining why the US and Canada are so different in terms of integrating ethnic minorities into the social fabric: (1) the absence of a history of slavery in Canada (slavery was abolished in the British Empire in the 1830s; (2) the tension between french speaking Canada and English speaking Canada which plays out in the constant threat of Quebec to succeed from Canada.
As a result of its history of absorbing immigrants of diverse cultures while treating African-Americans as an ethnic group poorly under Jim Crow discriminatory policies the US ended up with an assimilation model for tolerating immigrant diversity that was de facto contaminated by racism rooted in ethnic identity. The message to immigrants: become an American in a cultural sense but be aware your ethnicity could be a problem. Provided you are not Black you can hope to become "White". I thin many Latinos in the US were comfortable voting for Trump on that basis.
Pierre Trudeau's vision for Canadian multiculturalism was a response to Quebec separatists: bilingualism and tolerance for cultural diversity. Cultural identity not ethnicity is primary. Race per se is not on the table.
The problem with the Canadian model is it creates enclave populations who refuse to integrate. It deters migration as many groups refuse to move to diverse cities like Toronto because they identify their culture with their local region. And Quebec plays the cynical game of threatening to opt out of the union if it is not treated with extreme deference by the rest of the country. Why have so many Prime Ministers in Canada been from Quebec in the aftermath of the Pierre Trudeau administration?
The notion that Canadians are extremely tolerant is bunk. Canadian nationalism is rooted in being different from its southern neighbor. Speaking personally I have been subjected to constant ongoing anti-Americanism since I moved to Canada over thirty years ago. Carl Mosk
My own experience (born and raised in Vancouver, lived in Edmonton for most of the 1990s) is that Canadian multiculturalism works really well. Canada's been pluralistic in language and religion from the very beginning, incorporating both French-speaking Catholics and English-speaking Protestants, so there isn't a single mold that all Canadians have to fit into.
Joseph Heath, a Canadian political philosopher, observes that Canadian multiculturalism is based on *integration* into institutions - participating and playing by the rules - without requiring *assimilation*, giving up one's culture. http://induecourse.ca/canadian-exceptionalism/
He suggests that one approach to reducing racism is to make race less salient in everyday interactions. https://nationalpost.com/opinion/joseph-heath-how-to-beat-racism
This ties in to Matthew Yglesias's argument that Democrats ought to return to the pre-2016 approach of proposing popular race-neutral policies (like increasing the minimum wage), rather than highlighting the racial impact of policies. https://www.slowboring.com/p/minimum-wage-wins-affirmative-action
I have to say that this depiction of race relations is not far off. I have an old friend whose Korean Parents ran a gas station in Toronto that specialized in hometown snacks. They would often get rural (non-visible minority) customers because their station was closest to the highway offramp. People were curious about the Korean offerings and were willing to give it a try if you would entertain a chat about the (often cold) weather. The only (ethnic) difficulties they had was when a local (it was always a local) would try to drive off without paying for Gas!!! BTW Noah, Corner Gas is a must see if you enjoy Canadian TV/Humor.
“If the real Canada is more racially harmonious than the U.S., it’s by a modest margin.”
As an American who moved to Toronto, it’s a larger margin than you might imagine. It’s palpable daily. When I periodically return to the US I’m struck again and again by how much the US is at war with itself in a way that Canada is mostly not. Certainly there is racism here, but there is not a sense that it is permanently woven into the fabric, that it is immutable. And there is not in my experience a sense of a defined “Canadian” that is inherently exclusionary. Obviously Toronto is not representative of Canada as a whole, and my experience of Toronto in its urban core is not representative even of Toronto. But even my Canadian friends here who visit the US are often astounded by the difference as well. Returning to Chicago and riding the L after riding the streetcar or subway here reveals a stark contrast. “Whiteness” and the fear and power it represents are omnipresent and toxic there.
This is interesting to me. I have the privilege of belonging to a very diverse ski club in Toronto. Our membership includes many immigrants to Canada and this diversity is one of our best features. Over the last few years I have fallen into skiing with a few guys from South Korea. We have a lot in common; older guys who are into being the best skiers we can, and have the time and resources to do so. So a lot of our talk is about technique, cross-training, and which big mountain trips to sign on for. But we also talk a lot about our careers, our kids ... and our experiences as immigrants to Canada; me from NYC, them from Korea. These guys are driven and successful with a background in engineering. LIke me, they are into real estate and investing. But one thing that really stood out for me was how they felt liberated by the Canadian lifestyle; by the idea of self-fulfillment as a goal. As one told me (paraphrased): in South Korea his hierarchy of priorities was his employer, his country, his family. His own "fulfillment" came last; the ideal was to be useful to others. The idea of just skiing for his own pleasure – in the middle of the week no less – would have been suspect!
One Thing:
- Honestly, I think this one of your best pieces.
It's very easy as a (white) Canadian to hear an American say something nice about us, get a flare-up of the Canadian inferiority/superiority complex and start talking like we're some kind of utopia. But I will say that Canadian multiculturalism has been successful enough that Rob Ford, one of our closest equivalents of Trump, got elected in Toronto by a conservative base that included recent Muslim immigrants as a substantial fraction, which is pretty unusual for a western nation.
As a Canadian who frequently border hops between there and the US, this piece really hits on why I'm generally a Canadian optimist. We have our own share of issues north of the border as well, very much so, but I feel like the Canadian Dream is still alive in a time where the shine of the American Dream seems to have faded a bit. I hope both countries can work out their problems and move forward together. I feel like it's very possible, as long as we wish it to be so. Now to fix the housing crisis in Canada's big three cities...
(Also I've never seen this show, but now I feel very obligated to check it out. Glad it's a Friday!)
The final sentence in this piece has a misplaced "a". Anyone who watches the show knows that you never place an article (a, an, the) before "sneak attack".
Oh no! I wish there was at least one more season. Loved that show.
The core of the difference between the US and Canada in this regard, from the perspective of this Irish-American who admittedly has never been to Canada, is that every group in Canada other than the indigenous seems to be made ("encouraged", idk) to think of itself as historically and socially contingent on the other groups. Anglo-Canadians contingent on the Quebecois and vice versa, both of them contingent on the immigrants and the indigenous, the immigrants contingent on every other group.
This seems to be about both current social dynamics and the history that produced them, and the narratives that people in these groups are encouraged to have.
By stark contrast, consider a lower-class white guy born and living in Kentucky. It is not unlikely that he and his parents mark themselves as "ethnically American" on the US Census as they are fully allowed to do. They think of themselves as native Americans, by which they mean Real Americans in contrast to black people and immigrants.
The key cultural fact here is that this guy and his family were never enculturated with the idea that they are contingent, the descendants of migrants from the area around Hadrian's wall who came to North America 250-350 years ago. Everything from their pastor to the Jeep company tells them they have always been here, contingent on no one but themselves. The only place they *might* hear a version of this other point of view is in a Fox segment where shill whiny liberals are mocked as they give the watered-down version: "Everyone but Native Americans and black people is an immigrant! :) :)".
*Of course* that guy in Kentucky will reject that and continue with his belief that he is American in deeper ways than a Korean immigrant family with a store in NYC is. He has very little else in his life that gives him a sense of social status and pride.
In Canada they *seem* to have done the work to nip that in the bud.
^^Instead, the world of Kim’s Convenience was Canada’s dream of its better self. Which is a different dream than America’s.^^
A) Haven't heard of this sticom but it's been added to my "to watch" list (sounds great; thanks).
B) I can't help but think this highlights the pernicious, ever-present red/blue divide in the US. THIS is thing that Canada doesn't have to deal with (nearly so much). What I mean is, based on what you've written here, Noah, I doubt this "Canada dream" would seem very out of place in Seattle or NYC. But no, it wouldn't be a widely-held dream in the district that sent Madison Cawthorn to DC.
As a Canadian living in the US, and a fan of Kim’s Convenience, I have to say this is a beautiful tribute to the country, the show and the ideas of multiculturalism.
I wonder what you think about Trudeau’s idea of Canada being a post-nationalism state, whether it’s actually there or even possible.
I am a dual citizen born in the United States, having lived in Canada for a quarter century or so. This gives me some perspective on your posting. Spoiler alert: I have not watched the sitcom you refer to as I don't like sitcoms, nor does my wife who is Canadian.
A little bit of history is useful in explaining why the US and Canada are so different in terms of integrating ethnic minorities into the social fabric: (1) the absence of a history of slavery in Canada (slavery was abolished in the British Empire in the 1830s; (2) the tension between french speaking Canada and English speaking Canada which plays out in the constant threat of Quebec to succeed from Canada.
As a result of its history of absorbing immigrants of diverse cultures while treating African-Americans as an ethnic group poorly under Jim Crow discriminatory policies the US ended up with an assimilation model for tolerating immigrant diversity that was de facto contaminated by racism rooted in ethnic identity. The message to immigrants: become an American in a cultural sense but be aware your ethnicity could be a problem. Provided you are not Black you can hope to become "White". I thin many Latinos in the US were comfortable voting for Trump on that basis.
Pierre Trudeau's vision for Canadian multiculturalism was a response to Quebec separatists: bilingualism and tolerance for cultural diversity. Cultural identity not ethnicity is primary. Race per se is not on the table.
The problem with the Canadian model is it creates enclave populations who refuse to integrate. It deters migration as many groups refuse to move to diverse cities like Toronto because they identify their culture with their local region. And Quebec plays the cynical game of threatening to opt out of the union if it is not treated with extreme deference by the rest of the country. Why have so many Prime Ministers in Canada been from Quebec in the aftermath of the Pierre Trudeau administration?
The notion that Canadians are extremely tolerant is bunk. Canadian nationalism is rooted in being different from its southern neighbor. Speaking personally I have been subjected to constant ongoing anti-Americanism since I moved to Canada over thirty years ago. Carl Mosk