DETERMINANTS OF CANADIAN ATTITUDES TOWARD IMMIGRATION - MORE THAN JUST RACISM

Analyses of Canadian surveys between 1975 and 1995 evaluate different, models of opposition to immigration. Contrary to the symbolic racism hypothesis, opposition to immigration is highly correlated with the un employment rate, while a more traditional intolerance measure shows re lative immunity to economic conditions. The mast prejudiced groups are not the strongest immigration opponents - e.g., older respondents are the most intolerant but younger respondents are the most opposed to i mmigration. A 1989 survey suggests several factors determine support f or immigration and that concerns vary logically in their impact- e.g., unemployment concerns matter most to unemployed Canadians and least t o retirees, and crime concerns matter more to urban than rural residen ts. Comparing unemployed to other respondents suggests that becoming u nemployed will foster the belief that immigrants take jobs from other Canadians, as well as increase this issue's importance as a determinan t of the attitude toward the level of immigration. Overall, the result s suggest that opposition to immigration is not simply racism in disgu ise but a complex attitude resulting from an interplay between various concerns and moderating beliefs about immigration's consequences.