Fostering Civic Participation of Canadian Immigrants in Public Processes

The Maple Bamboo Initiative is a pilot project initiated by the Multicultural Helping House in Vancouver, BC. In the spring, summer and fall of 2007, the two-part initiative focused on training new immigrants about Canadian public processes and increasing local host agencies’ capacities to create volunteer opportunities for trainees in host organizations. Building Canadian immigrant capacity is central to increasing immigrants’ representation on local boards, advisory councils, at public forums and in mainstream public processes. At the same time, mainstream organizations must increase their capacity to include active immigrant involvement in order to achieve a more diverse and representative organizational composition. This research report draws on Canadian federal, provincial and local multicultural policy to situate the Maple Bamboo Initiative as a study of active multiculturalism in which a locally based pilot project strengthens immigrant participation on civic issues important to them. The research investigates two case studies, abcGTA in Toronto and Community Visions in Vancouver, and applies lessons in good practice to the Maple Bamboo Initiative. Qualitative interview findings of participants’ experiences of the pilot project form the basis of program and policy recommendations that conclude the report. Tools such as questionnaires to measure outcomes for sustainable program development are included in the report’s appendices for use by MHHS and other interested agencies.Applied Science, Faculty ofCommunity and Regional Planning (SCARP), School ofUnreviewedGraduat