Geoff Russ and Michael Bonner: Multiculturalism has divided us

Geoff Russ and Michael Bonner: Multiculturalism has divided us

Multiculturalism has been a policy and a political ideal for over 50 years in Canada. It’s shaped our immigration system, institutions, and the way Canadians see themselves.

Yet its meaning has shifted dramatically since then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau introduced it. It began as a national unity strategy. But for many, it’s become a slogan about diversity for its own sake. That’s left us divided about what it means to be Canadian.

The stakes are high. Immigration, national identity, and multiculturalism affect social cohesion, political stability, and our capacity to share a common civic culture. These aren’t just matters for an academic debate. They’re at the heart of Canada’s future.

To dig into this, Geoff Russ and Michael Bonner join Inside Policy Talks. Russ is a journalist whose recent writing for the Macdonald-Laurier Institute examines how Canadian history, symbols, and traditions shape who we are today. Bonner is a historian, former Ontario government policy director, and the author of In Defense of Civilization. He’s recently written for MLI on multiculturalism's origins, evolution, and current challenges.

On the podcast, Bonner tells Peter Copeland, director of domestic policy at MLI, that Canada needs to focus on unity, and that spending more energy focusing on the differences among the people who live in the country is “not what the present moment calls for.” Russ adds that while he believes in welcoming people from around the world, he cautions against importing social and cultural values, as these risk disrupting Canadian values and democratic institutions.

“If you look at the way that democracy has gone since the end of the cold war, democracy is proving to be very much a cultural feature,” says Russ.

Jaksot(116)

This Supreme Court ruling needs a renovation: Gerard Kennedy & Geoffrey Sigalet

This Supreme Court ruling needs a renovation: Gerard Kennedy & Geoffrey Sigalet

There’s a growing debate in Canada about balancing the relationship between courts and legislatures.For nearly four decades, one Supreme Court ruling has loomed large in shaping an aspect of this deba...

19 Helmi 45min

Tony Abbott: The challenge to Western values has never been more severe

Tony Abbott: The challenge to Western values has never been more severe

A series of global shocks is testing the character and resilience of the West.In recent weeks, debate has intensified over whether the rules-based international order is fraying. Tariff threats, talk ...

13 Helmi 58min

André Côté: Rapidly advancing tech in the face of geopolitics and economic stress

André Côté: Rapidly advancing tech in the face of geopolitics and economic stress

Canada is at a turning point in how it governs the digital economy and artificial intelligence. It must do so in the face of rapidly changing technology – a challenge that’s compounded by geopolitical...

6 Helmi 55min

Dennis Molinaro: Canada under assault from  Chinese state interference

Dennis Molinaro: Canada under assault from Chinese state interference

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent high-profile international trip included a visit to China where he announced a new “strategic partnership” with Beijing.In the aftermath, attention has focused on t...

29 Tammi 45min

Using lived experience to fight human trafficking and abuse: Michelle Abel, Armando de Miranda, and Peter Copeland for Inside Policy Talks

Using lived experience to fight human trafficking and abuse: Michelle Abel, Armando de Miranda, and Peter Copeland for Inside Policy Talks

Every year, thousands of women and children in Canada and the United States are drawn into human trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation, and online abuses. These victims are often hidden in plain...

22 Tammi 1h 25min

Daniel Hess: We need a pro-natal culture

Daniel Hess: We need a pro-natal culture

Reversing declining birthrates will require “a pro-natal culture stronger than you've ever had,” says researcher Daniel Hess.Across the world, births are falling – with many countries are now below re...

15 Tammi 57min

Garett Jones: Yes, immigration DOES change host countries

Garett Jones: Yes, immigration DOES change host countries

Immigration has long been described as simply a net positive, and debated solely in economic terms – like jobs, wages, and GDP. But after decades of immigration from different parts of the world – wit...

8 Tammi 47min

Daly & Mancini: Fixing Canada’s internal trade woes is a national economic imperative

Daly & Mancini: Fixing Canada’s internal trade woes is a national economic imperative

Canada’s economic future increasingly hinges on a deceptively simple question: how free is trade within Canada itself?For decades, economists and policymakers have warned that Canada’s internal market...

11 Joulu 202545min

Suosittua kategoriassa Politiikka ja uutiset

aikalisa
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2
rss-ootsa-kuullut-tasta
tervo-halme
politiikan-puskaradio
viisupodi
rss-vaalirankkurit-podcast
rss-podme-livebox
rss-asiastudio
et-sa-noin-voi-sanoo-esittaa
otetaan-yhdet
the-ulkopolitist
radio-antro
rss-hyvaa-huomenta-bryssel
rss-tasta-on-kyse-ivan-puopolo-verkkouutiset
rss-kalevi-sorsa-saation-podcast
rss-kaikki-uusiksi
rss-merja-mahkan-rahat
rss-kuka-mina-olen
rss-tekkipodi