The Limits of Canadian Tolerance?

Join MISC at 4:00 pm on Wednesday, October 30th at the Faculty Club (3450 McTavish Street) for this years Mallory Lecture, The Limits of Canadian Tolerance? Out-of-status migrants, public opinion, and the future of immigration policy, by Professor Irene Bloemraad.

In North America, Canadians regularly view undocumented migration as a US-Mexico challenge, not a policy issue of relevance to Canada. It is certainly the case that the United States has a significant population of out-of-status immigrants and that undocumented migration is central to US politics. But Canadians need to consider their own views and policy stances toward out-of-status residents living in the country. Do Canadians’ much vaunted tolerance for immigration extend to those without papers? This talk considers the implications of current policy and politics on the issue of undocumented migration in Canada and provides survey findings on Canadians willingness to help precarious migrants facing hardship. Public opinion data suggests that excluding out-of-status migrants from rights protections or assistance is seen as legitimate by the public. Irene will conclude by considering what this means for those who support migrants, for Canadian policy, and for Canada-US relations.

Irene Bloemraad holds the President's Excellence Chair in Global Migration at the University of British Columbia and is a professor of Political Science and Sociology. She studies how migrants become incorporated into the political communities where they live, and the consequences of migration for politics and national membership. Her research has been published in over 100 articles spanning sociology, political science, history, and ethnic/ migration studies; she has authored or co-edited five books on citizenship, immigrant protest, and civic organizations. An award-winning researcher and teacher, Bloemraad regularly shares her work with policymakers, immigration stakeholders, and the general public. Prior to her appointment at UBC in July 2024, Bloemraad spent two decades at the University of California, Berkeley, where she ultimately held the Class of 1951 Chair in Sociology, the Thomas Barnes Chair in Canadian Studies, and founded the Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative.

The lecture will be followed by a Q&A and reception.

Host or Publisher McGill Institute for the Study of Canada