Multiculturalism and Immigration in Canada chronicles the development of Canada's multiculturalism policy throughout the 1970s and its enactment in 1988 when the official Multiculturalism Act was passed. The passing of this Act marked a significant shift in the way in which Canada dealt with racialized immigrant populations. Historically, Canada's approach to immigration was characterized by blatantly racist and discriminatory policies that excluded immigrants and aimed to preserve Canada as a white Anglo-Saxon nation-state. In the present day, multiculturalism has become synonymous with Canada and is often championed as an integral aspect of Canadian identity. The policy has come under much criticism for promoting tokenism and silencing the voices of people who do not belong to either of Canada's charter groups (English and French). These as well as other criticisms are explored in great detail throughout the book.