Social Inclusion: A New Vision of Immigrant Settlement in Canada

This commentary is the text of a keynote address delivered at the National Settlement Conference in Kingston June 2001. The address describes the settlement “journey” that immigrants experience when they arrive in Canada. It challenges the current concept and practice of settlement typically understood as a set of disparate services designed for immigrants. The author contends that settlement is far more than a referral to a housing project or provision of a language course. Rather, settlement policies and practices should ensure equal and full participation. The paper argues that it is essential to redefine the place of immigration and settlement in Canadian society not as a process intended for a special interest group but as a means of promoting equity and inclusion. The author sets out specific proposals for how this new vision might be achieved.

ISBN – 1-894598-89-X