ARCHIVED – A literature review of Public Opinion Research on Canadian attitudes towards multiculturalism and immigration, 2006-2009

2. Canadian attitudes towards multiculturalism and immigration

2.1. Support for ethnic/linguistic/religious diversity

2.1.1. Value to Canadian identity

We begin by examining some public opinion data on the perceived importance of multiculturalism to Canadian identity. Evident in each of figures 1 through 3, there is majority support for multiculturalism as a central component of Canadian identity. A survey by Ipsos-Reid finds that 84% of Canadians agree (including both “somewhat agree” and “strongly agree”) with the statement that “Canada’s multicultural makeup is one of the best things about this country” (Figure 1); a Strategic Counsel survey shows that 61% of Canadians believe multiculturalism “strengthens national identity” (Figure 2). Moreover, recently released data (2010) from Environics reveals that Canadians believe multiculturalism is the one characteristic about Canada that most deserves to be celebrated on its upcoming 150^th anniversary (Figure 3) — when asked, 27% of Canadians identified multiculturalism without any kind of prompting, well ahead of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (12%) as the most deserving reason for celebration.

According to Figure 4, there has been a 13 percentage-point increase in perceived importance of multiculturalism to the Canadian identity over the past decade. While this increase is evident in both Quebec and the rest of Canada (though data by region are not shown here), the increase has been somewhat greater in Quebec, where 40% of those polled regard multiculturalism as very important. In the rest of Canada, a narrow majority (52%) regard it as very important. Where bilingualism is concerned, a clear majority of Quebecers regard bilingualism as very important; in the rest of Canada, results hover between 30% and 40%.

The Environics data shown in Figure 4 suggest that neither multiculturalism nor bilingualism are seen as the most important feature of Canadian identity; generally, universal health care and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms regularly top the list. Nevertheless, looking at several different questions indicates a majority of Canadians support the idea that multiculturalism is central to Canadian identity.

Figure 1: Canada’s multicultural makeup is one of the best things about this country

(2007, Ipsos-Reid for CanWest/Global News, sample size: 1,002)

Text version: Canada’s multicultural makeup

Figure 2: Multiculturalism

2008, Strategic Counsel for Globe & Mail/CTV, sample size: 1,000 Canadians)

Text version: Multiculturalism

Figure 3: In your view, what is it about Canada that you think most deserves to be celebrated on its 150^th birthday? (answers obtained without prompting)

(February 2010, Environics 150! Canada Poll, sample size: 1,001)

Figure 4: How important are the following to the Canadian identity? (very important to not at all important, 4-point scale)

(1997-2007, Environics Focus Canada, sample size [2007]: 2,030)

2.1.2. Attitudes towards diversity

In this section we turn from attitudes about “multiculturalism” to attitudes about “diversity.” Figure 5 is the first of several to examine Canadians’ attitudes in this domain. Again, we see majority support for a diverse, multi-ethnic Canada. Six in ten (58%) Canadians believe that “the growing variety of ethnic and racial groups in Canada” is either very good or good (Figure 5); a similar proportion (64%) believe that “having a multicultural blend of different cultures provides a richer, more tolerant society” (Figure 6). Majority support for diversity is also evident in response to a negatively-worded statement about tolerance: six in ten (59%) Canadians disagree that “Canada is changing too quickly because of all the minorities we have here now” (Figure 7). And it is evident when questions are directed at religious diversity as well: three-quarters (75%) of Canadians agree that “it is better for Canada to have a variety of people with different religions” (Figure 8). Figure 9 and Figure 10 show results from questions that mention explicitly the number or proportion of visible minorities in Canada. Both figures show very few Canadians (less than one in ten) regarding the number as either a negative development or too large.

Across these various surveys and questions, support for diversity is consistently higher among younger Canadians, although this tends to be a question of degree rather than of a completely different viewpoint. For example (using data in Figure 5 broken down by age group), majorities in all age groups say that “the growing variety of ethnic and racial groups in Canada” is either very good or good; but this view is more common among Canadians aged 18 to 34 (65%) than among older Canadians (55%).

Overall, a majority of Canadians have a positive view of various forms of diversity. That said, there are hints of a concerned minority, with 31% of Canadians believing that “too much diversity can weaken a society and it would be better if we all subscribed to the same values and culture” (Figure 6), and 39% of Canadians agreeing that “Canada is changing too quickly because of all the minorities we have here now” (Figure 7). While preceding figures have emphasized the relatively high levels of support for diversity in Canada, then, these data suggest a certain degree of caution. In short, Canadians are supportive of diversity with some reservations. This theme will be apparent in the section that follows as well, on the issue of integration and assimilation.

Figure 5: In your view, is the growing variety of ethnic and racial groups in Canada very good, good, bad or very bad for the country?

(2008, Angus-Reid Strategies, sample size: 1,010, online)

Text version: Growing variety of ethnic and racial groups in Canada

Figure 6: Which of the following two statements comes closest to your own point of view?

(2009, EKOS for the CBC, sample size: 1,587, online)

Text version: Your own point of view

Figure 7: Canada is changing too quickly because of all the minorities we have here now

(2007, Ipsos-Reid for CanWest/Global News, sample size: 1,002)

Text version: Canada is changing too quickly

Figure 8: It is better for Canada to have a variety of people with different religions?

(2006, Ipsos-Reid for CanWest/Global News, sample size: 7,787, online)

Text version: Variety of people with different religions

Figure 9: As you may have heard, Canada now has 5 million citizens who are members of visible minorities according to the latest census. In your view, is this a positive or negative development, or are you not sure?

(2008, Strategic Counsel for Globe & Mail/CTV, sample size: 1,000)

Text version: 5 million citizens who are members of visible minorities

Figure 10: Visible minorities now comprise 16 percent of Canada’s population. How would you characterize that proportion? Is it…?

(2008, Strategic Counsel for Globe & Mail/CTV, sample size: 1,000)

Text version: Visible minorities now comprise 16 percent of Canada

2.1.3. Integration/assimilation

The preceding section suggested that some Canadians have reservations about diversity. Data suggest that these reservations are related mainly to concerns about integration or assimilation. The Canadian public is broadly supportive of diversity, but not without some degree of assimilation. Put differently, given the opportunity to consider integration or assimilation, the Canadian public falls somewhere in the middle — encouraging integration, to be sure, though not to the point of full assimilation.

First, there is a body of polling results suggesting support for diversity. Data in Figure 11 suggest that a majority of Canadians is tolerant of difference, with more than six in ten (64%) who disagree that “it is better for Canada if almost everyone shares the same customs and traditions.” An Environics survey finds, similarly, a general tendency among Canadians to believe that immigrants and minority ethnic groups should be able to maintain their religious and cultural practices (49%) (Figure 12).

Second, there is a gap between the views of the general population and, for instance, those of Canadian Muslims (see Figure 12) with respect to the extent to which immigrants and minority ethnic groups should blend into Canadian society. In all likelihood, the average Canadian favours a greater degree of integration than do ethnic minorities. Indeed, when faced with the option of either integration, or maintaining identities and cultures, the average Canadian selects the former. A 2006 survey by the Strategic Counsel found that 70% of Canadians believe “we should be encouraging immigrants to integrate and become part of Canadian culture”, strongly outweighing the 19% who believe the goal should be “encouraging immigrants to maintain their identity and culture”; these opinions had not changed since 2005 (Figure 13). Similarly, in 2007 a modest majority of individuals polled by Ipsos-Reid considered it a higher priority to encourage minority groups to be more like Canadians (57%) rather than to encourage Canadians to accept minority groups and their customs (38%) (see Figure 14).

Younger Canadians (under 35 years of age) are generally more in favour of minority groups maintaining their customs and traditions, though there is a substantial minority who favours integration. For example, 50% of Canadians under 35 were found in a 2007 Ipsos-Reid poll to favour the acceptance of minority groups and their customs, compared to 24% of those aged 55 or older (using data in Figure 14 broken down by age group, not shown). Nonetheless, more than four in ten (44%) younger Canadians prioritize integration, compared to 71% of older Canadians.

What do Canadians think immigrants themselves want or do when they come to Canada? Many Canadians express concern that immigrants are not interested in integrating into Canadian society. For example, a 2008 Environics survey found that 60% of Canadians agree that “there are too many immigrants coming into this country who are not adopting Canadian values” (Figure 15). The same year, the Canadian Election Study survey found that a slim majority (54%) agrees that “too many recent immigrants just don’t want to fit into Canadian society” (Figure 16). Both surveys revealed consistent levels of concern since 2000―though there is a spike in concern in 2006, evident in Figure 15, that may have been in response to media reports of the debate in Western European countries about the integration of their newcomer populations and the arrests of 18 young men in the Greater Toronto Area suspected of plotting terrorist attacks on Canadian targets.

Figure 17 and Figure 18 provide further evidence, from a different survey, of concerns about a lack of assimilation amongst a considerable number of Canadians. More than four in ten (46%) respondents of a 2006 Leger Poll feel that immigrants integrate into Canadian society either “not very easily” or “not at all easily”; a similar proportion (45%) believe that new Canadians hold on too long to their customs and traditions.

Figure 11: It is better for Canada if almost everyone shares the same customs and traditions?

(2006, Ipsos-Reid for CanWest/Global News, sample size: 7,787, online)

Text version: Sharing customs and traditions

Figure 12: Some people say that immigrants and minority ethnic groups should blend into Canadian society and not form a separate community. Other people say that immigrants and minority ethnic groups should be free to maintain their religious and cultural practice and traditions. Which one of these two points of view is closest to your own?

(2006, Environics Focus Canada 2006-4, Muslim sample size: 500; Can sample size: 2,045)

Text version: Blending into Canadian society

Figure 13: Once immigrants arrive here, what do you think should be Canada’s main aim? Do you think we should be encouraging immigrants to maintain their identity and culture or do you think we should be encouraging immigrants to integrate and become part of the Canadian culture?

(2005 & 2006, Strategic Counsel for Globe & Mail/CTV, sample size: 1,000 per wave)

Text version: Canada’s main aim

Figure 14: Overall, what do you, yourself think should be a higher priority for Canada?

(2007, Ipsos-Reid for CanWest/Global News, sample size: 1,002)

Text version: A higher priority for Canada

Figure 15: There are too many immigrants coming into this country who are not adopting Canadian values (strongly agree to strongly disagree, 4-point scale).

Note: time points shown on the horizontal axis indicate when polls were conducted: durations of intervals between time points vary.

(1993-2008, Environics Focus Canada 2008-1, sample size 2008: 2,028)

Text version: Immigrants adopting Canadian values

Figure 16: Too many recent immigrants just don’t want to fit into Canadian society (strongly agree to strong disagree, 4-point scale).

(Canadian Election Studies, sample size (Mailback survey): ~1,500 per election)

Text version: Immigrants’ fit into Canadian society

Figure 17: Would you say that most immigrants integrate easily into Canadian society?

(2007, Leger Marketing for Sun Media, sample size: 3,092, online)

Text version: Ease of imigrants integrating into Canadian society

Figure 18: Some people say that new Canadians hold on to their customs and traditions for too long when they come to Canada. Others say that new Canadians integrate into Canadian life at a natural and acceptable pace. Which view is closer to your own?

(2008, Strategic Counsel for Globe & Mail/CTV, sample size: 1,000)

Text version: New Canadians: holding on to their customs and traditions?

2.1.4. Discrimination

Public policymaking on multiculturalism and immigration should focus not only on public support for immigration and diversity, but also on how public perceptions of discrimination evolve. We accordingly review here results for questions dealing with discrimination, broadly construed. For instance, a 2008 Strategic Counsel survey found that an overwhelming majority of Canadians (88%) agree that “Canada is welcoming to members of visible minorities” (Figure 19). Belief in the tolerance of their province (89%) is equally high, and only slightly lower for their community (81%). There are some differences between Quebec and the rest of Canada, shown in the bottom panel of Figure 19. In short, Quebecers are less likely to believe their province is welcoming to a diversity of people—34% agree strongly versus 48% of individuals living in the rest of Canada. Note, however, that if we combine the “strongly” and “somewhat” agree categories, the difference in the combined percentage is very small. A 2007 survey by the Canada West Foundation found that between 86% and 92% of residents of urban centres in the western provinces and Toronto strongly agree or somewhat agree that their city is welcoming to different cultures and backgrounds (Figure 20).

While Canadians’ believe that their province, city or community is generally welcoming, many clearly believe that discrimination is also an issue. This is first evidenced by the findings in Figure 19, showing a sizeable minority of Canadians “somewhat” rather than “strongly” agree. Second, subsequent figures confirm that the Canadian public recognizes discrimination exists in Canada: in a 2007 Ipsos-Reid poll, a slim majority (53%) of Canadians agreed that “discrimination against visible minorities is a problem in Canada”, compared to 45% of Canadians who disagreed with this statement (Figure 21).

Comparing results over time (not shown), suggests that perceptions of discrimination are becoming less common. Ipsos-Reid reported that the extent of agreement that discrimination against minorities in Canada is a problem stood at seven in ten (70%) in 1993, six in ten (60%) in 1998, and falling to just over half (53%) in 2007 (Figure 21). More recent trends point towards a potential increase in perceived discrimination, though at least over the past several years (see discussion of Figure 22).

A more recent survey by Environics asked Canadians about the extent of perceived discrimination towards various minority groups. Most Canadians perceive at least occasional discrimination against these groups, although they differentiate among groups with regards to how pervasive or systemic they believe the extent of discrimination (Figure 22). For instance, the results of this survey indicate that Muslims and Aboriginal Peoples are considered the most likely to face discrimination. One in three Canadians believes each of these two groups “often” experiences discrimination. Jews, Chinese, francophones (outside Quebec) and anglophones (in Quebec) are least likely to be perceived as targets of discrimination, with about one in ten Canadians who say discrimination is a regular occurrence for these groups. Perceptions of discrimination towards Pakistanis/East Indians and Blacks are only marginally lower than for Muslims and Aboriginal Peoples.

Environics data reveal small increases between 2006 and 2010 in the level of perceived tolerance towards Blacks, Muslims, Aboriginal Peoples, Pakistanis/East Indians. While the sense that pervasive discrimination against Chinese, francophones and anglophones has remained low and stable, the sense that discrimination exists at some level (i.e. sometimes, but not often) has broadened.

While a breakdown by age groups is not shown here, younger Canadians (under 30 years of age) are found to be more likely than others to perceive discrimination towards most of these groups. As noted earlier, tolerance of diversity has also increased more evidently among this youngest group compared with older Canadians.

The issue of discrimination towards religious groups is examined in Figure 23 and Figure 24. The questions are not about perceived discrimination―rather, they are intended to capture discrimination directly. The first question asks about favourable versus unfavourable opinion towards six different religions including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Judaism (Figure 23). The proportion saying they were “very” or “moderately” favourable towards these religions varies considerably across groups, from 7 in 10 towards Christianity, 5 in 10 towards Judaism and Buddhism, and 4 in 10 towards Hinduism, to 3 in 10 towards Sikhism, and Islam. The second question, in Figure 24, asks about whether it would be acceptable if a family member married a follower of the same religions. Results suggest roughly the same differences from one religion to the other as in Figure 23. Indeed, the same general differences across religious groups is also apparent in survey data on support for faith-based schools (see Figure 30 in the next section); and it is partly reflected in preceding data on perceived discrimination towards different groups (some of which are defined by religion, see Figure 22. Taken together, these results point towards the particular difficulties of Muslims, and perhaps Sikhs as well, in Canada.

Figure 19: [Canada/my community/my province] is welcoming to members of visible minorities. (strongly agree to strongly disagree, 4-point scale)

(2008, Strategic Counsel for Globe & Mail/CTV, sample size: 1,000)

Text version: Canada/my community/my province: welcoming to members of visible minorities?

(2008, Strategic Counsel for Globe & Mail/CTV, sample size: 1,000)

Text version: My province: welcoming to members of visible minorities?

Figure 20: My city is very welcoming to people of different cultures and backgrounds. [strongly agree to strongly disagree, 4-point scale]

(2007, Canada West Foundation, sample size: 500 urban residents in each of
Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto)

Text version: My city: welcoming to people of different cultures and backgrounds?

Figure 21: Discrimination against visible minorities is a problem in Canada. (strongly agree to strongly disagree, 4-point scale).

(2007, Ipsos-Reid for CanWest/Global News, sample size: 1,002)

Text version: Discrimination against visible minorities

Figure 22: For each of the following groups, please tell me whether you think they are often, sometimes, rarely or never the subject of discrimination in Canadian society today.

(2006, Environics Focus Canada 2006-4, Can sample size: 2,045;
2010 CBC Omnibus by Environics, February-March, sample size: 2,002)

Text version: Discrimination in Canadian society today – 2006

(2006, Environics Focus Canada 2006-4, Can sample size: 2,045;
2010 CBC Omnibus by Environics, February-March, sample size: 2,002)

Text version: Discrimination in Canadian society today – 2010

Figure 23: Would you say you have a generally favourable or unfavourable opinion of each of the following religions?

Results may not add to 100 because of rounding

(2009, Angus-Reid Strategies, sample size: 1,007, online)

Text version: Favourable or unfavourable opinion of religions

Figure 24: Would it be acceptable or unacceptable to you if one of your children were to marry a person who was a follower of any of these religions?

(2009, Angus-Reid Strategies, sample size: 1,007, online)

Text version: Follower of any of these religions: acceptable or unacceptable?

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