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.

Episoder(116)

Paul Warchuk: Property rights are 'precarious' in Canada

Paul Warchuk: Property rights are 'precarious' in Canada

Across Canada, some of the most heated disputes – from housing restrictions to Indigenous land claims – turn on this question: how secure are Canadians’ property rights?The answer may surprise you. Ca...

4 Des 202551min

John Gilmour: Commercial encryption is a challenge for signals intelligence

John Gilmour: Commercial encryption is a challenge for signals intelligence

Canada faces a growing array of national security threats—from foreign interference networks to money laundering operations and organized crime groups exploiting modern digital tools. Yet many of our ...

20 Nov 202521min

Hillel Neuer: The UN matters whether we like it or not

Hillel Neuer: The UN matters whether we like it or not

The UN Human Rights Council contains members like China, Cuba, and Qatar. Yet it remains a highly trusted institution across Western democracies. What should the public understand about the reality of...

13 Nov 202528min

Nathan Pinkoski: What’s behind faltering liberalism?

Nathan Pinkoski: What’s behind faltering liberalism?

Across the Western world, migration, identity, and belonging have moved from policy questions to existential ones. The political and moral assumptions that held our societies together for decades are ...

7 Nov 20251h 8min

Yves Giroux: Soaring spending demands effective parliamentary oversight

Yves Giroux: Soaring spending demands effective parliamentary oversight

It’s been more than 10 months since Canadians got a close look at the federal finances in last fall’s economic statement. At that time, they learned the deficit for the 2023–24 fiscal year had balloon...

30 Okt 202552min

John Adams: Rare diseases reveal hard truths about Canada’s healthcare gaps

John Adams: Rare diseases reveal hard truths about Canada’s healthcare gaps

Rare diseases affect only a small number of Canadians, but a lack of adequate testing and treatment reveals some of the key weaknesses in our health care system.These illnesses – which affect about on...

23 Okt 202548min

Andrew Fox: 'Palestinianism' remains a threat to Middle East peace

Andrew Fox: 'Palestinianism' remains a threat to Middle East peace

There's rapid change happening in Middle East In a ceremonial show of unity, world leaders headed to Egypt for an Oct. 13 peace summit in support of United States President Donald Trump’s plan to end ...

16 Okt 202533min

Stephen Nagy: Canadians should be wary of Chinese influence operations in the West

Stephen Nagy: Canadians should be wary of Chinese influence operations in the West

With the Canada-United States relationship at an all-time low, China has moved quickly to position itself as a beneficiary of the fallout. Canadians should be wary. Beijing is seeking to court Canadia...

9 Okt 202534min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
i-retten
forklart
popradet
stopp-verden
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
det-store-bildet
fotballpodden-2
rss-gukild-johaug
dine-penger-pengeradet
nokon-ma-ga
hanna-de-heldige
rss-ness
e24-podden
aftenbla-bla
frokostshowet-pa-p5
rss-dannet-uten-piano
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk