ABSTRACT
Multiculturalism in Canada, as elsewhere, advocates conformity to a unitary culture in the public place and tolerance of diverse cultures in the private place. This tolerance of cultural heterogeneity in the sphere of the intimate, as a reaction to assimilationism, which demands public and private compliance, is often upheld as a defining characteristic of Canadian society. Yet multiculturalism is muddled as an idea, and flawed as a public policy. This becomes obvious when looking at the idea through the eyes of the people it is supposed to serve: immigrants. In this chapter, I will discuss what happens under multiculturalism, especially as it affects Chinese immigrants to Canada.
