The introduction of multiculturalism in C anada and A ustralia, 1960s–1970s

This article compares the emergence of a policy of multiculturalism in C anada and A ustralia between the 1960s and 1970s. It charts the rise of the policy in the two countries through the adoption of a philosophy of multiculturalism as the basis of their national identities. There is a distinction between philosophy and policy: a multicultural policy emerged out of a philosophy of multiculturalism. Furthermore, a philosophy of multiculturalism replaced the ‘new nationalism’ as the foundation of the national identities of both E nglish‐speaking C anada and A ustralia. The abandonment of the W hite C anada and W hite A ustralia policies and the adoption of non‐discriminatory immigration policies in both countries were also of importance in the emergence of a policy of multiculturalism. There are many similarities in the C anadian and A ustralian experiences. However, the major differences are explained by the presence of the F rench‐ C anadians in C anada and the early non‐ B ritish migration that C anada received in the late‐nineteenth century compared with A ustralia.