Troubling constructions of Canada as a ‘land of opportunity’ for immigrants: a critical disability lens

Abstract

This article presents the findings of a critical discourse analysis study of the constructions of people with disabilities within the Canadian immigration system and how this shapes the immigration experiences of people with disabilities, especially those from countries in the Global South. Findings suggest that dominant discourses of opportunities not only construct Canada as a ‘land of dreams’ for immigrants and newcomers but are also used to hide, justify, normalize and facilitate the operation of ableist, racist and colonial discourses that immigrants and newcomers with disabilities experience during their immigration. Recommendations for settlement workers involved in facilitating the settlement and integration process for immigrants and newcomers with disabilities are also presented. The article concludes by emphasizing the actual and potential contributions of postcolonial and critical disability lenses for a social justice-oriented practice at the intersection of disability and immigration.

Keywords:

• Ableism
• racism
• colonialism
• discourses of opportunity
• Canadian immigration
• Global South

Notes

1. The paper refers to CIC which has undergone a name change since the writing of this article to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC); however, this has no bearing on the links provided in this article as they remain active under the name CIC.

2. A complete official definition and procedures for applying the excessive demands clause is available online: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/medic/admiss/excessive.asp. Accessed August 2015.