Theatre and Immigration: From the Multiculturalism Act to the Sites of Imagined communities/Theatre et Immigration: De la Loi Sur le Multiculturalisme Jusqu'aux Lieux De L'imaginaire National

In English Canada 1988 Canadian Multiculturalism Act instigated study of ethnic, multicultural, and intercultural theatre practices. (2) In Quebec 1977 Bill 101 or Charter of French Language, which established fundamental language rights of people of Quebec and so presented the most prominent cite of struggle over Quebecois culture and nationhood, framed similar scholarly and artistic questions (Knowles and Mundel XVI). Today, however, with growing number of immigrants landing in English Canada and Quebec, urban theatre audiences have become increasingly diverse and artists' performances no longer need to appeal either to traditional white middle-class audience of Canada's so-called 'main stages' [...] nor to communities narrowly defined by culture or interest (XVII). This special issue takes this statement further and focuses on cultural, personal, and artistic output of theatre artists who have been working in Canadian theatre for several decades. It argues that representation of an immigrant/immigration on stage constitutes a self-referential move in Canadian theatre. increased presence of theatre artists actively contributing to English Canadian and Quebec theatre today invites audiences to rethink such fundamental concepts as nationalism and multiculturalism. Moreover, as this issue demonstrates, artists' theatrical aesthetics and concerns situate questions of immigration within wider discourse and practices of theatre as it relates to globalization and mobile identities worldwide. Hence, articles chosen for this issue aim to measure artistic output of Canadian theatre using theoretical lenses of postcolonial and intercultural performance theories, studies in linguistics and cultural semiotics, psychoanalysis, and cultural geography. They continue discussion of intercultural theatre practices in Canada and Quebec, initiated by Theatre Research in Canada and Jeu; (3) and reflect ongoing debates on theatre and immigration in Canada that took place at 2013 and 2014 annual meetings of Canadian Association for Theatre Research; and as proposed in my own work on theatre and exile (2012). Terminology wise, this issue moves away from metaphorical and somewhat poeticized term exilic artist, someone found in and/or seeking position of existential estrangement or being an outsider, augmented by social, political, economic, and physical conditions of flight (Meerzon 4-8). (4) It employs a more pragmatic concept: we use term artist, adapted after Citizenship and Immigration Canada's (CIC) definition of political refugees, skilled workers, investors, entrepreneurs, and self-employed people as immigrants, eligible to seek employment in Canada. Such an immigrant must have Canadian or foreign educational credentials, demonstrate a sufficient knowledge of English or French, and have at least one year of continuous full-time paid work experience in one's primary occupation (Skilled Immigrants). term theatre artist refers to a newcomer to Canada who holds a post-secondary diploma in theatre, has work experience in trade, and aims to earn a living in Canada or Quebec by working in theatre in English and/or in French. When Canadian Liberal government revised its immigration policies and made obtaining refugee status more accessible in mid-1990s, Canada became one of most desirable countries for migration. This move created what Bricker and Ibbitson call The Big Shift (2), most significant change in Canada's population in late twentieth century: Our population is up 5.9 percent from what it was five years ago {roughly 2010}. About a third of this increase is due to natural population growth (more people being born than dying). other two-thirds--67 percent, to be precise--is due to immigration {. …

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