Former Governor General to lecture on Canadian immigration
By Natasha Marar
News Editor
October 17, 2007
 The Humanities Research Group will welcome former Governor General, Madame Adrienne Clarkson, for an Oct. 18 lecture about her non-profit organization, Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC), and Canada’s unique role as an immigrant nation.
“It’s the first time I’ve been to the University of Windsor,” said Clarkson. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
The presentation, entitled Being Citizens: Continuing What We Have Begun, is part of the HRG’s Distinguished Speakers Series.
“[The HRG] brings the University to the world, and it brings the world to the University,” exclaimed Stephen Pender, director of the Humanities Research Group.
“Clarkson is going to talk about Canada’s unique status as a nation that is committed to multiculturalism and immigration, and how that affects our identities as citizens,” said Pender.
“The timing for this region is quite perfect,” added Pender in reference to the recent immigration policy concerns over 300 Mexican and Haitian refugees who arrived in the Windsor area last month.
In a city that is the fourth most ethnically diverse community in the country, Pender explained, “I think that Clarkson’s message is one that Windsor needs to hear.”
Interest in Clarkson’s free and public lecture has been fierce. “We have no more [tickets],” exclaimed Pender, of the 321 seats that have already been reserved.
The lecture will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Assumption University Chapel.
Faculty and graduate students who are unable to secure a ticket for Thursday’s event are welcome to attend a colloquium on Friday morning, where Clarkson will discuss the first of her memoirs, Heart Matters, which was released last year, and her experiences as an immigrant to Canada.
“She has a very interesting story,” said Pender. “She came from Hong Kong…as an immigrant in 1942…and essentially, in roughly 20 years, has rose to be one of the most important cultural figures.”
Clarkson emphasized that in her presentation she will speak about her work in developing the ICC.
Through engaging with citizen and immigrant groups in almost 400 communities across Canada, Clarkson and her husband, John Ralston Saul, saw the variety of immigrant welcoming programs that are offered.
Clarkson and Saul noticed that limitations existed within both immigrant programs and policies. Programming is often segregated between communities, and newcomers are usually ill informed about the rights and duties associated with Canadian citizenship.
These observations resulted in the creation of the ICC, which was co-founded by Clarkson and Saul in 2006.
The organization aims to increase the dialogue between immigrants and established citizens.
“That is the need that I saw, and I think that a lot of people see that,” said Clarkson. “We are starting up with a great deal of enthusiasm from other organizations.”
The ICC’s flagship program, Community Citizenship Ceremonies, is one way the organization attempts to achieve its goals. The program works by organizing local citizenship committees to network new and existing Canadians through welcoming ceremonies.
“[ICC] helps new citizens into the mainstream of Canadian life,” summarized Clarkson.
Unlike other immigrant countries, such as the United States, Canada’s immigration policy and practices set it apart.
“We are very different because we are the country that takes the most immigrants a year proportionate to our people,” said Clarkson, who explained the number of immigrants Canada accepts per year equals one per cent of our population, or approximately 310,000 people.
“We are very different from the United States [in terms] of demographics,” furthered Clarkson. “They have an original make up of large black population…and we’ve had very sizable immigration throughout the 20th century.”
When asked whether multiculturalism changes our self-conception as Canadians, Clarkson responded, “Our country has always been characterized by immigration…we are a country of immigrants, period…except for the Native people.”
“Canadian life changes because of what people bring from other countries,” she added. “What is important about our approach to immigration and citizenship, is that we have to be very aware of what we’ve done in the past…in order to continue in success.”
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