Voluntary Association Activity in Quebec and English Canada: Assessing the Effects of Region and Language

Abstract

Abstract.This paper presents the first multivariate analysis of the combined effects of region and language on voluntary association membership in Canada. National survey data from 2000 indicate that Quebecers have the lowest average number of memberships, with Western Canadians highest and Atlantic and Ontario residents in between. Preliminary results also confirm that francophones report fewer memberships than anglophones. Findings from Poisson regression models, however, indicate a significant interaction between region and language: francophones have lower membership levels only in Quebec, and in Western Canada have higher levels than anglophones or allophones. These results hold even with controls for a number of possible explanatory factors suggested in the literature, including religious and socioeconomic differences across the regions and language groups. The implications for understanding patterns of voluntary association activity in Canada are discussed.Résumé.Cet article présente la première analyse multivariable des effets combinés de la région et de la langue sur l'adhésion d'aux associations volontaires au Canada. Les données nationales de 2000 indiquent que les Québécois ont le plus bas nombre moyen d'adhésions, avec les Canadiens de l'Ouest plus hauts et des résidants de la région atlantique et de l'Ontario entre les deux. Les résultats préliminaires confirment que les francophones ont moins d'adhésions que les anglophones. Les résultats indiquent une interaction significative entre la région et la langue: les francophones ont moins d'adhésion seulement au Québec; dans le Canada de l'Ouest les francophones ont plus d'adhésion que les anglophones et les allophones. Ces résultats se tiennent même avec contrôle d'un certain nombre de facteurs explicatifs possibles suggérés dans la littérature, y compris des différences religieuses et socio-économiques à travers les régions et les groupes linguistic. Nous discutons les implications quant aux modèles d'association volontaire au Canada.

A non‐profit accountability framework

“…Contributions of this resource input are rarely accounted for with the same rigour applied to contributions of financial resources – hence efforts to improve the management of volunteers (Broadbent 1999: 5; McCurley 1994; Naismith and Reitsema‐Street 2000). Accountability for the management of volunteer resources goes beyond these issues, though, including for instance liability concerns involving government through legal oversight and the importance of creating satisfactory experiences in volunteer retention (Hwang, Anderson, and Grabb 207; Martinez 2003; Wilson and Musick 1999).…”

The Political Socialization of Adolescents in Canada: Differential Effects of Civic Education on Visible Minorities

“…Each language group received a questionnaire in the appropriate language. We introduce this distinction because some earlier studies suggest that political participation levels tend to be lower in Quebec than in the rest of Canada (Curtis et al, 2003; Gauthier and Gravel, 2003; Hwang et al, 2007). It also has to be noted that Ontario and Quebec have implemented different forms of civic education, and this, too, might have an effect on the outcomes in this study.…”

“…Because there is hardly variation among the respondents regarding age~all respondents were approximately age 16!, the first explanatory variable is gender. We introduce this distinction because some earlier studies suggest that political participation levels tend to be lower in Quebec than in the rest of Canada~Curtis et al, 2003;Gauthier and Gravel, 2003;Hwang et al, 2007!. It also has to be noted that Ontario and Quebec have implemented different forms of civic education, and this, too, might have an effect on the outcomes in this study. With regard to political participation there have been some reports of a clear gender bias in~intended!…”

Understanding Differences in Political Trust among Canada’s Major Ethno-racial Groups

“…Canadian research generally indicates that minority and non-minority groups differ in their voluntary association involvement, which could partly account for ethno-racial variations in political trust. Studies show that French Canadians, especially in Quebec, report belowaverage voluntary activity (Caldwell and Reed 2000;Curtis and Grabb 2002;Hwang et al 2007), as do some visible minority communities (Baer 2008;Breton et al 2004;Johnston and Soroka 2001). One analysis of national survey data (Grabb et al 2009a) found that Latin American and East Asian Canadians were below-average on voluntary memberships, but that South Asians, Indigenous Peoples, and Jewish Canadians, were at or above the average (also Chui et al 1991).…”