Canada and Xenophobia
The world is your oyster. This is a statement that for many is not as true as it
sounds. We live in a world that is, to some extent, available for all to enjoy. It is
when we start giving restrictions and implications for people to experience our
planet, that we find an unpleasantness in the world. Multicultural states and
democracy have a direct correlation. Both of them are on the increase. From
decades of fighting for democracy and, in hindsight, multiculturalism; we have
unleashed an evil. Xenophobia is a word that is not heard very often, but it has
implications of a serious nature.
The Oxford dictionary defines Xenophobia as "an irritational dislike or fear of
people from other countries". The Canadian population is diverse. With a
population of "4 million immigrants accounting for thirteen percent of the
population in 2001" (Statistics Canada (2005). Retrieved February 14, 2006, from
http://142.206.72.67/02/02a/02a_006_e.htm ) , one can see why the process of
integration can, and has been, an uneasy one. Xenophobic patterns of behavior are
almost exclusively found in locals "from less educated strata" (Roland Eckert in
Theodor Hanf, 1999, p. 50). With an employment rate of only 6.6% ( Statistics
Canada (2005). Retrieved February 14, 2006, from
http://www.statcan.ca/start.htm) however, one can see that there is more to
Xenophobia than mere competition.
Canada is renowned for its multicultural approach. It is a land filled with the
diversities of our planet. The wonder of this country is not so much its diversity as
it is its 'acceptance' of different cultures. The Multiculturalism Act states "It is
hereby declared ... and acknowledges the freedom of all members of Canadian
society to preserve, enhance and share their cultural heritage," ( Bissoondath,
1998). It is this law that, inadvertently, has led to a country which is losing its
identity in a sea of
sounds. We live in a world that is, to some extent, available for all to enjoy. It is
when we start giving restrictions and implications for people to experience our
planet, that we find an unpleasantness in the world. Multicultural states and
democracy have a direct correlation. Both of them are on the increase. From
decades of fighting for democracy and, in hindsight, multiculturalism; we have
unleashed an evil. Xenophobia is a word that is not heard very often, but it has
implications of a serious nature.
The Oxford dictionary defines Xenophobia as "an irritational dislike or fear of
people from other countries". The Canadian population is diverse. With a
population of "4 million immigrants accounting for thirteen percent of the
population in 2001" (Statistics Canada (2005). Retrieved February 14, 2006, from
http://142.206.72.67/02/02a/02a_006_e.htm ) , one can see why the process of
integration can, and has been, an uneasy one. Xenophobic patterns of behavior are
almost exclusively found in locals "from less educated strata" (Roland Eckert in
Theodor Hanf, 1999, p. 50). With an employment rate of only 6.6% ( Statistics
Canada (2005). Retrieved February 14, 2006, from
http://www.statcan.ca/start.htm) however, one can see that there is more to
Xenophobia than mere competition.
Canada is renowned for its multicultural approach. It is a land filled with the
diversities of our planet. The wonder of this country is not so much its diversity as
it is its 'acceptance' of different cultures. The Multiculturalism Act states "It is
hereby declared ... and acknowledges the freedom of all members of Canadian
society to preserve, enhance and share their cultural heritage," ( Bissoondath,
1998). It is this law that, inadvertently, has led to a country which is losing its
identity in a sea of