provide increased headroom for passengers and
seats that could be removed or folded for the trans-
port of cargo. Because of its short drive shaft, the
minivan could be designed low to the ground for
maximum convenience in loading and unloading
passengers (especially small children) and cargo.
Although often criticized for its lack of sportiness
and maneuverability, the minivan proved appealing
to consumers seeking practical transportation while
avoiding the relatively high cost of vans and sport-
utility vehicles and the social stigma of station wag-
ons. By the end of the 1980’s, the minivan had
become the vehicle of choice for many suburban
families, and along with the sport-utility vehicle be-
came symbolic of the busy suburban “soccer mom.”
Impact The minivan completely eclipsed the sta-
tion wagon as the stereotypical mode of transporta-
tion for middle-class American families during the
1980’s. Minivans remained in production through-
out the 1990’s, but their sales slowly decreased in the
United States as demand for sport-utility vehicles in-
creased. The introduction of “crossover” vehicles
combining the most popular features of minivans
and sport-utility vehicles in the early twenty-first cen-
tury decreased sales of traditional minivans while at-
testing to their lasting influence on American cul-
ture.
Further Reading
Hinckley, Jim.The Big Book of Car Culture: The Arm-
chair Guide to Automotive Americana. St. Paul, Minn.:
Motorbooks, 2005.
Levin, Doron P.Behind the Wheel at Chr ysler: The
Iacocca Legacy. New York: Harcourt Brace Jova-
novich, 1995.
Michael H. Burchett
See also Chrysler Corporation federal rescue; Ia-
cocca, Lee.
Minorities in Canada
Definition Racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic
segments of the Canadian population
During the 1980’s, Canada strove to safeguard the rights
and cultural heritage of its minority populations. The
Charter of Rights and Freedoms guaranteed the right of
both English and French speakers to be educated in their na-
tive language, even if they were in the linguistic minority in
their province, while the Official Multiculturalism Act
sought to recognize and promote the various cultures and
heritages contributing to Canada’s national identity.In 1988, Canada adopted a policy of official multi-
culturalism. The Official Multiculturalism Act de-
fined a framework by which to provide all Canadians
equal access to economic, social, and political insti-
tutions. Canada’s evolution into a multicultural soci-
ety had been gradual: The initial population of the
nation was predominantly British, French, and ab-
original. After World War I, Ukrainians and Ger-
mans migrated to Canada, and they were followed by
Italians and Hungarians after World War II. Later,
less restrictive immigration policies opened Can-
ada’s doors to groups from all over the world, creat-
ing an even more diverse population. The Official
Multiculturalism Act, then, recognized and rein-
forced the existing diversity of the nation and de-
fined institutional norms designed to preserve and
promote that diversity.
Earlier in the decade, the French Québécois and
aboriginal, or First Nations, minorities were given
major recognition with the implementation of the
Constitution Act, 1982, including the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms. For the Québécois,
the French language was accorded equal status with
the English language, making both the official lan-
guages of Canada. Furthermore, a section according
minority language rights in education guaranteed
children in the linguistic minority of their province
the right to an education in their primary language.
Meanwhile, the 1982 act formally defined aboriginal
peoples of Canada as Indian, Inuit, and Métis. As
part of these changes, aboriginal leaders were guar-
anteed participation in political and constitutional
discussions affecting their peoples.
Canada’s diverse population often renders politi-
cal underpinnings complex, particularly in terms of
issues of equality and fairness. For instance, Canada
is multinational, meaning the nation incorporates
groups that had previously governed themselves,
such as the Québécois and First Nations peoples. It is
also polyethnic, meaning that people of various eth-
nicities have entered the population by immigrating
from other countries. Thus, the adoption of multi-
cultural policies was seen in the 1980’s as a matter of
necessity in order to ensure the full and proper in-
corporation of Canada’s diverse citizenry into the656 Minorities in Canada The Eighties in America