The Political Foundations of Canadian Exceptionalism in Immigration Policy

Abstract

Immigration is a contentious topic in most liberal democracies. Anti-immigrant politicians and parties have used nativism to generate electoral support and roll back immigration policies. In marked contrast, Canadian governments have continued to pursue an expansionary immigration program, with the support of the public. Explanations of Canadian exceptionalism point to Canada’s isolated geography and distinctive immigration and multiculturalism policies. We highlight the importance of three additional factors: the distribution of immigrants in Canada, Canada’s citizenship policy, and its Single Member Plurality electoral system. The interaction of these forces enhances the electoral weight of new Canadian voters. This, in turn, moderates Canadian political parties’ positions, helping shore up a robust cross-party political consensus. The portability of the “Canadian model” is therefore limited. While other countries may adopt Canadian policy approaches, given the contingent factors shaping the politics of immigration in Canada, generating similar degrees of political consensus will be difficult.