The Fifth Force: Multiculturalism and the English Canadian Identity

Abstract

Canada officially adopted a policy of multiculturalism in 1971. Since then, immigration patterns have changed. The number of immigrants has increased, and the major source has shifted from Europe to Asia, Africa, and their diasporas. Indeed, a fifth force has emerged. Examples from the 1993 federal election, from conflicts especially in metropolitan Toronto and Vancouver, and the observations of writers on multiculturalism suggest that the laudable ideal of multiculturalism has neither prevented racism nor helped English Canadians establish an identity. English Canadians face a challenge in melding diverse cultures into a unity that all can share.