Immigration and Multiculturalism vs. Quebec Separatism: An Interpretation of Canadian Constitutional Politics since 1968.

Canada is a binational country based on European colonization but with a significant indigenous population and a continuing high level of permanent immigration from diverse sources. During the past forty years, it has experienced the stresses and strains of multinational politics while struggling with the challenge of integrating a relatively large number of immigrants from the third world. It is often compared with two other British settler societies, the United States and Australia, but in some ways its major problems are more similar to those of Switzerland or even Israel. It is officially bilingual and multicultural - indeed, it exemplifies two varieties of official multiculturalism, the federal government's 'multiculturalism' and the Quebec government's 'interculturalism.' Twelve years ago Canada almost came apart along its major seam, but in fact its 'national unity' has been preserved, its looney is rising against the US dollar, and its overall prospects are now looking better than they have for many years. Not surprisingly, then, Canada is sometimes said (not just by Canadians) to exemplify 'best practice' in the management of ethno-national and ethno-racial rivalries, and visitors sometimes ask, 'What is the secret of Canada's success?' ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]