Social Inequality In Canada

Canada was determined to create a strong nation state during the first few decades of the twentieth century. Immigrants from various countries moved to Canada in hopes of prospering in a country that promised them so much. But not every immigrant was treated fairly. This is why intersectionality is necessary to consider because of existing complexities that exist within different groups of people. It is essential to examine the intersections of class, race/ethnicity, and gender, in order to understand why particular migrant groups experienced certain social and economic inequalities in the first three decades of the twentieth century.

Looking at Class

Class can be defined as a way society separates people into groups based on their socioeconomic

On the contrary, the definitions and meanings of race and ethnicity “shift constantly, reflecting the changing dynamics of gender, race/ethnic, and class relations over time” (Ng 107). Thus, there is a relation between class and ethnicity (Ng 108). In Canada, the desired “race” and, therefore, upper socioeconomic class in Canada were the white, Anglo-Saxons. The “others” were typically Southern and Eastern Europeans, Jews, Asians, and Blacks.

British citizens were the preferred immigrants because they embodied the ideal citizen of the nation-state (white, Anglo-Saxon). It was a known fact that the Canadian government “would seek only those vigorous northern races who were culturally sound and who could quickly conform to the norms of Anglo-Canadian life” (Avery 93). This racial advantage allowed them much power to influence work, social and political life” (Avery 95).

The Jewish class struggle was largely due to their ethnicity. Although the strike was greatly supported by the Jewish community, most English Canadians, on the other hand, were unwilling to support the cause (Frager 146). This was because “English Canadians were often intensely ethno-centric and suspicious of foreigners” (Frager 146). This was an especially strong sentiment towards Jewish immigrants in