Analysis Of Constructing The Great Menace By David Goutor

Labour leaders in Canada in the late 1800s and early 1900s were strongly opposed to the idea of Asians immigrating to Canada. In “Constructing the Great Menace” by David Goutor, it outlines the oppression of Asians by labour leaders which does not conclude that labour leaders hated all immigration and had a prejudice against all racialized groups. The unionists’ main argument for this opposition is based on the stereotype that Asians were claimed to have “accepted low wages and degraded working conditions” thus proving that they will diminish the standard of living for Canadian workers. These Labour Leaders were prejudice to Asians in an effort to supposedly protect Canadian workers and their jobs. However, it is not fair to say that labour

But that is not the case in this situation, labour leaders perspective on blacks clearly reveals their sole lack of oppression on Asians. For example, in the article David Goutor discusses how the labour leaders approach to African-Americans was entirely opposite to that of Asians, he says “Labour leaders’ often declared that they wanted no part in the widespread racism against blacks in Canada. Unlike those faced by Asians, the hardships and discrimination blacks faced were not seen as a product of their ‘uncivilized’ character.” (Gotour, 52). This reveals that labour leaders didn’t want to be involved in the racism of blacks although these leaders were significantly prejudice to Asians. This prejudice and spread of false stereotypes towards Asians is seen in many ways by portraying them as inhumane individuals who were going to worsen the standard of living of Canadian workers. Labour leaders viewed Asian immigration as a threat because they could potentially take away the jobs of Canadian workers in a capitalist

Furthermore, the evidence supporting the Canadian labour leaders’ view on other racialized groups significantly had to do with the treatment other countries had on these similar groups. For example, the article states that in the United States “The Knights of Labor in America were particularly committed to this cause, bringing in more than 90,000 black members by 1887.” (Goutor, 53). The actions of other nations such as the U.S played a role in the actions of Canadian labour leaders, therefore it is unfair to say that labour leaders hated all immigration and were prejudice to all racialized groups. Additionally, labour leaders went on to portray the Chinese as “sexual predators who sought to take advantage of white women.” (Gotour, 49). These diminishing portrayals of Asians (typically the Chinese) clearly reveals the labour leader’s prejudice views on only the people of Asian descent. The false accusations on Asians made it clear that labour leaders were prejudice to specifically