Inclusiveness of Canadian identity in a contested landscape: Ingroup projection, multiculturalism, and Aboriginal reconciliation

Canada is undergoing a complex and politically difficult reconciliation process between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians in response to past harms and contemporary problems. The present research investigates how inclusion or exclusion of Aboriginal peoples from Canadian identity interacts with reconciliation processes, feelings of threat, and public support for reforms. It was predicted that Aboriginal goals may elicit feelings of threat and result in intensified ingroup projection. In turn, higher levels of ingroup projection by non-Aboriginals were expected to be associated with reduced support for reforms, and to be moderated by beliefs in multiculturalism. An online survey was administered to 275 non-Aboriginal students. Moderated mediation analyses found no evidence that ingroup projection was associated with lower support for reforms. However, ingroup projection was associated with perceiving Aboriginal peoples as a threat. Although endorsement of multiculturalism was itself associated with higher support for reforms, it did not play a moderating role.