Justin Trudeau's assertion that Canada lacks a "singular, dominant cultural identity" has ignited a profound debate about the nature of Canadian unity. Trudeau adheres to an inclusive and diverse approach. While his statement intended to promote a vision of diversity free of hierarchy, it was interpreted differently. Canada’s strong emphasis on multiculturalism stems from its heritage as a British colony, and its linguistic commitment is vital to Canadian nationalism. The coexistence of various cultural backgrounds and its ongoing efforts to foster inclusivity advocates for the recognition of all identities. Undoubtedly, Canada is evolving its national identity through immigration and its commitment to inclusion. However, there is difficulty in maintaining a dominant cultural identity …show more content…
With the expectation of integration, immigrants are expected to learn French or English. Compared to prior 1960, immigrants were instructed to erase their heritage and assimilate into Canadian society. There was a notion that immigrants would become indistinguishable, while the efforts of the assimilation policy may have been well-intended to promote social cohesion. However, the lack of recognition of culture and ethnic heritage forced the government to alter the policy in 1970 and implement the multiculturalism approach. Linguistic integration is essential to facilitate participation in employment, education, and effective communication, ultimately enabling equal access to opportunities. Canada invests in linguistic integration programs that benefit all citizens in various ways, particularly for economic growth and prosperity. Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced the investment of $100 million over the next three years to enhance the settlement of Canadian newcomers. Mendicino stated, "Settlement services play a fundamental role in Canada's immigration
Although Quebec is in Canada, a majority of Quebecers do not identify with the national identity of Canada. Both societies create a sense of identity as well as nationalism (Hiller, 295). Hiller mentions two approaches to assessing Canadian identity; the unitary approach and the segmentalist approach (Hiller, 277). The unitary approach suggests that society consists of people who regardless of their ethnic back ground, identify as belonging to the national society, while the segmentalist approach concentrates on groups and communities that share racial, linguistic, occupational, or cultural similarities (Hiller, 28). While most Anglophones are more unitary or pan-Canadian, Quebec heavily identifies with the segmentalist approach. This dissimilarity of identity perspective may be problematic for the country, at the same time however, it can also be viewed as a struggle where contradictory parties find a way to compromise and reshape Canadian society together (Hiller, 277). Canada’s former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau made it his objective to unite Quebec with the rest of Canada. In 1969 Trudeau’s government implemented Bill C-120, otherwise known as the Official Language act, which made French an...
35 Fleras, Augie, and Jean Leonard Elliott. Engaging Diversity: Multiculturalism in Canada. Toronto: Nelson, 2002: 164.
But she wonders if there is something else other than the spirit of citizenship that could hold the Canadians together. Are there values commonly shared by the Canadians? Chong has found out solution for these questions, and she states, “What sets Canadian society apart from others is that ours is an inclusive society” (Chong, 2015. P. 8). Canadian immigration laws are forward-looking than many other countries, because the Canadian immigrants and the naturalized citizens enjoy status. Canadians understand the importance of “Unity in Diversity”. The inclusiveness is the bridge that connects the Canadians, and this bridge is tempered with the values like tolerance, fairness, understanding and
One of the core values of Canada is diversity. Canada has very diverse cultures that have
Canadians have come along way in their culture and identity. Canadians have participated in multiple wars and battles that have shaped our country and the people that live in this country. But it’s not just the violence what shaped our country but the people and traditions that originated outside of Canada and was brought here. European, British and French cultures and tradition have all influenced Canada’s culture and identity. (Blattberg, C. 13, January 02). Immigrants from all over the world have in the passed contributed to the way we view Canada and because of that we live in a safe, mosaic, multicultural country. (Blattberg, C. 13, January 02).There have also been the First Nations people who started Canada’s good reputation and because of them we have accomplished everything that we have done today. (Blattberg, C. 13, January 02).
“Multiculturalism” entered public speech in the late 1960s and early 1970s in Canada that focused on unique cultural diversity, nationalities, and ethnicity across the nation. Multiculturalism and Immigration are important factors in the development of Canada to attain a strong multicultural example of economic stability, social and political growth which leads to the emergence of Canada’s identity and culture.
Multiculturalism policy was first adopted in Canada in 1971, which reaffirms the dignity and value of all its citizens regardless of ethnic origins, race, religious affiliations, or language. Part of this policy, Canada confirms the rights of all the aboriginals along with the recognition of two official languages. Indeed, multiculturalism has great importance since its main purpose is to give equal treatment to all the citizens (Daniel, 2010). It ensures that all individual citizens could still maintain their identities, and have pride with their ancestry. Through this initiative, the Canadian government was able to give their citizens a feeling of self-confidence, making them more open to their diverse cultures. The multiculturalism policy
Canada’s own identity starts with our remarkable sense of culture and customs. For the native peoples, the Canadian identity stretches thousands of years into the search of struggles to retain elements of their ancient culture. From a colonial perspective, the traditions which surface in Canadian culture seem to be born of an earlier time, of different origins and places, of old-fashioned rituals, and customs. Unlike the United States, its senior neighbor, Canada’s aged-like identity is more reserved and skillful, unwilling to commit it self to anything specific. Within each region of Canada-
Canada is an example of a nation with the question of a country wide unification among all its citizens on the table since the time of confederation in 1867 and even a few years prior. What some these factors that make Canada different from areas around it? How can a country that dominates such large land mass and that bares such vast cultural differences, be united? Can Canadians ever come to agreement upon the values they hold to be important? The debates of these questions continue to plague Canadian parliaments, especially when examining the differences between Canada and the province Quebec. Even though many argue and hope for Canada’s unity in the future, the differences in political socialization and culture present throughout the country creates a blurry vision of Canadian harmony and makes it extremely difficult to realistically vision Canadian unification. Is that, however, a bad thing?
Over the years Canada has become recognized as the most preferred country of both resettlement and travel. Thousands of individuals embark on a journey to Canada each year, because the country holds a remarkable reputation as a nation built upon peace, diversity, and acceptance. The multicultural environment in Canada is welcoming of people from multiple, ethnicities and cultures. The country’s history is very unique because it’s based heavily on immigration; Canada was established by the combined efforts from the indigenous First Nations and the European settlers from various parts of Europe. No single group can claim Canada to be theirs because it was a country built by immigrants and refugees from around the globe. Immigration has greatly influenced Canadian identity; it has become the vehicle which forged the character of Canada, as immigration policy changed so did the Canadian identity. The immigration sponsorship in addition to refugee programs made it possible for many Canadian refugees to reunite with their families, these programs influenced many refugees when deciding to immigrate to Canada. The multiculturalism and bilingualism is what makes this country standout as the number one immigrant destination. The various backgrounds, and nationalities which make up Canadian society, provides Canada with sense of diversity which can’t be found anywhere in the world. Canada must remain at the forefront of refugee immigration, changing or eliminating refugee programs will cause a loss of national identity.
“ Canada 's national obsession seems to be its own identity.” For many years Canada has feared the increasing influence of its North American neighbors on its culture - the United States . It has become a matter of growing concern for the people of power and influence in Canada to maintain their separate cultural identity and to promote their own cultural norms. Gaetan Tremblay presents his views on this topic and does this from the perspective of a person living and working in Quebec.
Multiculturalism is a significant fabric of Canadian society that defines its unique identity among the rest of the world. Enactment of the Canadian multicultural policy (1971) affirmed government position and recognition of multiculturalism as a vital element of Canada. It is imperative to understand that multiculturalism is a static concept that keeps changing overtime and has a multidimensional entity. Canadians have always and will continue to revise the concept of multiculturalism to suit the ever expanding needs of Canadian society. In this paper, I will evaluate the reasons behind Canada’s adoption of multicultural policy and assess whether the policy should be maintained or not. I will defend the thesis that Canada’s multiculturalism
Growing up with a diverse community makes you realize that Canada is growing and slowly becoming a Multicultural society. Multiculturalism as stated in the textbook, is defined as allowing and accepting different cultures and providing them encouragement and support to keep their culture and diverse traditions (Mintz et al. 2015, 34). In 1971, Canada became the first country in the world to adapt the official policy of multiculturalism. (Government of Canada. “Canadian Multiculturalism: An Inclusive Citizenship” 2012). Canada grants all residents of Canadian citizens regardless of their “racial or ethnic origins, their language, or their religious affiliation”. (Government of Canada. “Canadian Multiculturalism: An Inclusive Citizenship”
The concept of national identity in the case of Canada remains elusive in essence, as how would you define something that is multifarious by nature; the notion that Canada doesn’t have a definitive nation-state is further perpetuated by the absence of shared national objects, symbols and history. Charles Hanley, the author, believes that though Canada is perceived as a nation, it lacks the fundamentals that truly make a nation. Unlike America or France, Canada embraces diversity in multiculturalism as one of its core beliefs, the vast diversity of Canada has its term, being “the cultural melting pot” insinuating the mix of many cultures, languages and beliefs creates a whole new thing. The author indicates that Canada is too diverse to be accurately
Canada is known as the land of new beginnings, where people go to start a better life for themselves and their families. With much to offer to newcomers, including the promises of safety, security and healthcare, the vast selection of jobs and education, and an overall high quality of living, many immigrants have chosen and will continue to choose Canada as their new home country. As a Nation we take pride in accepting and embracing multiculturalism - often being referred to as a country of cultural mosaic in contrast to the idea of the American ‘melting pot’. This twenty-first century view of Canada overlooks our shallow and ill-advised past, much the same way as it disregards the subtle discrimination that still exists for some today. Although