WorldViews. The World in Textbooks

Source

Bibliographic data

Lithwick, Barry; Thompson, Nora: Cultures in Canada. Toronto: Maclean-Hunter Learning Materials Company, repr. with changes [Nachdr. mit Änderungen] ed., 1979 [1976], 81.

Immigration regulations: "What do You Think?"

This textbook excerpt presents a fictitious conversation about new immigration regulations between two students. One of the students is in favour of stricter regulations, whereas the other one argues that Canada has a responsibility to help poor people in the world. At the end, the textbook readers are supposed to evaluate the discussion and take sides.

Lithwick, Barry

Thompson, Nora

Bavington, Jack

Sproule, Wayne

Fine-Meyer mentions Cultures in Canada as one example of the type of textbooks that teachers „used to enhance historical examinations“ and „were integral in opening the dialogue to women’s narratives in sociology, economics, politics, law and history courses“ in Ontario, Canada. 1

[1] See Fine-Meyer, Rose: Including Women. The Establishment and Integration of Canadian Women’s History into Toronto Ontario Classrooms 1968-1993, 2012, 142, https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/33997/1/Fine-Meyer_Rose_201211_PhD_thesis.pdf (10.11.2017).↩

Maclean-Hunter Learning Materials Company

[p. 81]

[left column]

[…]

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Immigration regulations are always changing, and whenever they do, they provide a topic for conversation throughout Canada. These conversations usually reveal attitudes about immigration. Here is what two students had to say:

J.: Did you hear that the government is thinking of making it harder for immigrants to come to Canada?

S.: Yes, they are going to make the unsponsored applicants meet more of the requirements on the points test.

J.: Also, they are going to try to get them to go to areas in the country where they are more needed.

S.: I don’t know if I approve of this new policy. We are supposed to be a place where poor people of the world can come and make good.

J.: I think this new policy is a good idea. If we don’t look after ourselves first,

[right column]

then we will have too many unskilled immigrants. You know that that will increase unemployment.

S.: on the other hand, don’t we have a responsibility to the poor people of the world? We are blessed with a rich country. People in the world expect us to open our doors to refuges and unfortunates.

J.: But, don’t you see, if too many of them come in, we will not be rich any more.

EXPANDING THE ISSUE

1. […] To what extent are one of both of the students using stereotypes in their views on immigrants?

2. Who do you agree with, J. or S.? Why?

3. To what extent should we be our “brother’s keeper”, and to what extent should we look after ourselves first?

[…]

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