Latin American Canadians Rethink Their Political Spaces: Grass-Roots or Electoral Participation?

Abstract

Framed by the debate on the decline of party politics and the rise of grass‐roots participation, this article explores the civic and political involvement of a group of Latin American immigrants in the city of Toronto. The data were drawn from 100 interviews and two focus groups, one composed of participants who, in Canada, participated at the grass‐roots level, and another focused on interviewees who were engaged in political parties. Overall results indicate that, compared to Latin America, in Canada there was a decline in the levels of engagement in formal politics, particularly in political parties, and a slight increase in the levels of participation in grass‐roots politics. Associated with grass‐roots politics is the perception that it is possible to transform the social reality. Disappointment with the traditional forms of political representation accompanied by a sense of distrust of political parties dominated both focus groups. Limited command of English, low socio‐economic status and lack of knowledge of the ‘dynamics of Canadian politics’ were identified as factors that reduced the opportunities for this community to become more politically active. Interestingly, these obstacles seem to be more prevalent in electoral than in grass‐roots politics.

Argentine Migrants to Spain and Returnees: A Case for Accumulation of Civic Assets

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“…The context of exit and reception that organize a migration flow, including government and civil society reception as well as the networked resources of the national origin or ethnic group, have a significant effect on the character of immigrant organizations (Portes, Escobar, & Arana, 2008). Premigration political socialization and organizational dispositions are also important factors because they shape the ways of organizing to which different groups of immigrants are disposed by virtue of their experiences with politics and collective action before migration (Ginieniewicz, 2009; Moya, 2005; White, Nevitte, Blais, Gidengil, & Fournier, 2008). In our research, we find that the context of departure, specifically, variation in forms of political violence, and direct or indirect forms of exposure to organized and partisan politics have a significant impact on immigrant ways of organizing , including the kinds of organizations they create in Toronto and the forms of collective action or endeavors they are comfortable undertaking (Landolt & Goldring, 2010).…”

Mexican Youth in Canada: A Political Economy Analysis of Motivations for Immigration, Labour Market Integration, and Transnational Practices

“…The few scholars who have studied Latin American political transnationalism in Canada found that although Latinxs in Ontario (i.e. Chilean, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, and Mayans) had an active political participation in homeland politics in the late 1970s and 1980s, their political participation in Canadian issues was low (Escobar 2000;Ginieniewicz 2010b;Landolt 2007b;Landolt and Goldring 2009;Nolin Hanlon 2000Veronis 2006a). This configuration was generated by Canada's somewhat welcoming context of refugee reception before the 1990s, which allow them to exert their pre-migration political socialization, activism, and agency in Canada (Landolt 2007b;Landolt and Goldring 2010;Peddie 2014;Snow 2013).…”