A Need for New Relations Between the Third Sector and the State: an Examination of the Case of Immigration Settlement Services in Canada

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore the need to restructure the relations between the Third Sector and the State. The case of Third Sector settlement services in Canada is examined this proposition. This paper takes the approach of a critical literature review to analyze the changing relationship between the Third Sector and the State in Canada from the early 1600’s to the contemporary era. This paper will demonstrate that the State has become restructured to follow neoliberal priorities thereby restricting settlement services and negatively impacting the integration of newcomers. The adoption of collaborative governance is proposed as a way to facilitate access to settlement programming that will support the development of partnerships, capacity-building and the sharing of best practices among settlement service providers. This paper is a call for action to Third Sector organizations and the State to begin to reconcile and strengthen their relationship to better serve newcomers to Canada.