Buddhism and Multiculturalism in Canada

Mavis L. Fenn

An examination of the term “multiculturalism” as it is used in Europe, Asia, Australia and North America indicates that this term carries a variety of meanings. These meanings affect the manner in which immigrant communities are expected to relate to the broader community in which they are embedded, which communities are considered  “minority” and what sorts of “accommodations” majority communities feel are acceptable in integrating new communities into mainstream society. Particular attention will be given to the experience of various Asian Buddhist communities in Canada, one of the few countries in the world that has enshrined multiculturalism in Public Policy.