Neil Bissoondath ‘s 1994 book “Selling Illusions, The Cult of Multiculturalism in Canada” asks if criticism of a policy is acceptable or does it open the questioner to immediate attack with a negative label that stifles further conversation? Bissoondath analyses Pierre Trudeau’s Multicultural Policy and warns it creates serious consequences for Canada. It is interesting to see, looking back, as to whether his interpretation has any validity for today’s society.
The Canadian Multicultural Act states that this policy ” acknowledges the freedom of all members and Canadian society to preserve, enhance and share their cultural heritage.”(1) It is a policy that seems to embrace all and Bissoondath states they are “attractive sentiments, liberally dispensed, but where, in the end, do they lead?”(2)
Are Canadians mandated to preserve all elements of every culture? Do we permit female circumcision? Sex Selection? Sharia law? Are these all rights to happiness from other countries that we must as a Canadian society agree to?
If we disagree with certain cultural values are we automatically seen as denigrating others and worthy of being labeled as oppressors? If we disagree with aspects of multiculturalism are we violators of the policy?
Bissoondath asks what are Canadian values? Does Canada have values we do not want to lose? Citizenship comes with rights as well as obligations. Bissoondath pleads for the acknowledgement that the questioning of ideas is an indispensable and crucial Canadian value. As a society, having freedom to think about and debate issues means we can search out ideas, be open to challenging them and revisit them.
The author wonders who sets the agenda for the vision of Canada and whether we want to be governed by a majority or by an activist government with a vision of what they perceive to be the ideal? Do elected representatives have the ability to vote their constituents wishes irregardless of the party whip’s desire for uniformity?
Bissoondath asks us how we perceive ourselves and others when we become aware of social injustice. Do we respond with renewed efforts towards justice or do we respond with vengeance and anger? If we pass down historical resentment does this increase suspicion and possibly lead to threats or violence?
Do we see people as victors or victims? This question also is relevant for each of us personally as well as for society as a whole. Bissoondath wants people to be viewed as victors. “To be a victim is to be burdened by the sense that history–colonialism, imperialism, racism, sexism that victimized you..impels you to view the world in a certain way, hardens you, makes you combative, you claim the moral high ground and live to see your victimhood acknowledged and compensated.”(3) There is a danger that when we see injustice we can stop trying to understand, to forgive and to love and to move forward.
As a writer Bissoondath can claim multiple identities such as writer of colour, yet feels that identity labeling has the potential to harm. He warns, ” As our provinces, greedy for power, pull apart, so too, do our communities, greedy for ‘rights’ pull apart. Once the psychology of separation takes hold, no logical limits suggest themselves, so that we go on, as a country, as a people, seeking to narrow ourselves in every way possible…Once the institutional division of people by culture is accepted it becomes easy to subdivide them in other ways too-, by gender, for example, or by race.” (4)
When aware that a writing conference was limited to persons of colour Bissoondath questioned how much colour was needed to qualify. He asks if it is alright for something that is labeled as anti-racist to then discriminate on the basis of race. This is an intriguing query in today’s society. Many of us have children who have various ethnic and racial identities. What do we tell our children about how they should identify themselves? Do we encourage them to take advantage of part of their heritage when it may benefit economically? Bissoondath says he just would like to be known as a writer.
You would think that a policy of multiculturalism would benefit writers as they would now have direct access to people from cultures all over the world. Bissoondath however says he has seen writers be labeled with the term ‘cultural misappropriation’ when they wrote about lives they had not personally lived. He urges caution if this trend continues as it would eliminate writers including Shakespeare.
Canada’s original inhabitants and the immigrants from many countries share diverse cultures. Bissoondath’s book reminds us that this occurred because of the values of Canada. In order to continue to live together with all our varied beliefs we need to be able to dialogue respectfully. Canada’s ability to share and care for each other peacefully is worth valuing, preserving and celebrating.
(1) Neil Bissoondath, Selling Illusions The Cult of Multiculturalism in Canada, Penguin Books, Toronto, Canada, 1994, p.34.
(2) Bissoondath, Selling Illusions, p.
(3)Bissoondath, Selling Illusions, p. 164.
(4) Bissoondath, Selling Illusions, p. 156.