Integration of Landed Refugee Claimants in Canada: Toward an Explanatory Model

This paper seeks to develop a framework for explaining the integration process of landed refugee-claimants in Canada. The main focus is on Third World origin landed claimants who arrived in Canada during the 1980s. The central argument is that the social and economic background of landed refugee-claimants, together with their past and recent experiences, tend to result in their marginalization within the Canadian socioeconomic context. Past experiences of refugee claimants include political violence, physical assault and repression which precipitated their departure abroad. Experiences in Canada, such as delays in the acquisition of legal status, restrictive access to settlement-related services, and racism create anxiety, discouragement and economic dependency. This paper contends that such past experiences can make it difficult for landed refugee-claimants to participate effectively in social and economic activities and subsequently create barriers to integration. In this paper integration is conceptualized as the ability of immigrants and refugees to settle into the existing Canadian social mosaic, benefitting fully from available opportunities, without emerging as a subclass. This definition is based on the observation that Canada's official multicultural policies promote the pluralistic coexistence of diverse social groups. It is officially assumed that relatively equal opportunities should be available to every Canadian, provided that the person is equipped with the resourcefulness, ability, and ambition to take advantage of such opportunities (Boyd 1987)

Persons Needing Protection: A Reflection on Canada's Role

This paper briefly reflects on strategies by which Canada can deal with new challenges-including fiscal constraints, phenomenal rise in the number of people needing protection, and the evolution of regional approaches to refugee protection-while at the same time promoting its own interests. The paper is organized around three interrelated questions concerning these matters.Cet article se penche brièvement sur les stratégies utilisées par le Canada pour faire face à de nouveaux défis-notamment les compressions budgétaires, une hausse substantielle du nombre de personnes ayant besoin de protection et l'évolution des approches régionales à la protection des réjugié(e)s - tout en servant ses propres intérêts. L'article examine en particulier de trois questions en corrélation à ce dossier

Family Class Immigration: Implications for Post-Multiculturalism

This paper examines the implications of post-multiculturalism for family class immigration to Canada. The authors argue that the goal off acilitating family reunification is not facilitated by Canadian immigration policy. A new, more inclusive definition of ''family,'' one that reflects the cultural and social diversity of newcomer groups must be adopted in order for the reunification program to fulfill its mandate.Cet article examine les implications de l'Après-Multiculturalisme sur l'immigration des groupe familiaux au Canada. Les auteurs développent une argumentation selon laquelle l'objectif de réunification des familles n'est guère facilité par la politique canadienne d'immigration. Une définition nouvelle, plus intégrante, de la notion de "famille" reflétant la diversité culturelle et sociale des groupes de nouveaux arrivants doit être adoptée de manière à permettre au programme de réunification de remplir adéquatement son mandat