ABSTRACT
Canada has long been portrayed as a country of welcome to refugees. Canadian policies towards refugees are influenced by a composite set of humanitarian, political, economic and demographic, as well as strategic concerns. This paper begins with a discussion of the foundations of an inclusive society in Canada through its legislations which act as a moral force and guide to its people and social institutions. It then provides a brief description of refugee law in Canada. The provincial governments have the responsibility for education in each of the 10 provinces and three territories. While there are common elements among the policies and practices of the provinces, there are also differences in the extent to which inclusiveness is practiced in the schools which are run by school boards administered by elected officials. The provinces which have been receiving the largest numbers of immigrants and refugees tend to have well-developed policies in the educational system for inclusion. While refugees and asylum-seekers have been welcomed in Canada for a while, the much publicized arrival of Syrian refugees in the last two years, who have been distributed all across the country, have caused all the provinces to develop policies and practices to welcome them. We provide examples of best practices in the inclusion of refugee students in Canada. Three examples are given: a middle school in the province of Manitoba, the Ministry of Education policies of one province, and some initiatives by organizations for students in higher education.
