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The benefits of multiculturalism in canada
Essay on multiculturalism in canada
The benefits of multiculturalism in canada
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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 …show more content…
Multiculturalism policy ensures people from different ethnic, racial, religious, and linguistic backgrounds coexist together. Ng, Eddy and Isabel affirmed that the strategic tolerance fostered through the policy enhance the development of a national identity centered around multiculturalism with much ado about citizenship and naturalization process (254). In the long-term, the policy reduces hostilities between the natives and immigrants. Durante Chris explained that, “As both a political philosophy and public policy, multiculturalism has become one of the leading approaches for coping with problems that arise when attempting to accommodate the needs of ethnic, cultural, and religious communities in a liberal democracy,” (323). In the long-term, the policy reduces hostilities between the natives and immigrants, thereby creating a society where cultural identity and ethnic diversity enjoys mutual respect and tolerance – suitable ingredients for social cohesion. Peace and harmony within a society prevails if each group feel respected and allowed to associate with their identity without prejudice. However, issues have risen in Canada where the natives feel immigrants are overburdening their them and introducing new cultures. If such situation is the case, multiculturalism could impact negatively on social …show more content…
Banting noted that some Canadians fear multiculturalism will bring, “…challenges to historic cultures, anxieties about Islam, and fears about insecurity,” (797). As people migrate from one cultural or religious backgrounds, maintaining the identity of the host country becomes difficult. Young children born interact with the immigrants and they could easily emulate foreign cultures thereby putting the historic cultural identity of Canadians at risk of erosion. Winter Elke warned that multiculturalism is changing to give too much preference to the immigrants thereby risking it to become a minority affair (638). Therefore, the relationship between national the majority of Canadians and immigrants need rethinking. Erosion of other cultures as immigrants introduce new ways or adapt to the cultures of the host county (Canada). Furthermore, education of the immigrants could face challenges if they experience difficulty settling in Canada. Given that immigrants later work in Canada, the human resource sector faces a new challenge of managing a diversified workforce, which can create headache for Canadian employers. Banting indicated that there is, “a strong sense that multiculturalism policies have “failed” a reaction that is strongest perhaps in the Netherlands, but is felt in many other countries as well,” (797). Such assertions only fuel resentment towards
There was a notable divide between Canada’s French and English-speaking population in the 1960s, as they each presented contrasting views of the country’s national identity. As the federal government faced what seemed like two separate nations embodied within a single country, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson assembled the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism in July 1963. It was to evaluate the existing state of bilingualism and biculturalism and recommend the actions needed to alleviate the largely linguistic and cultural divides in Canada. Pearson’s directive was given at a time when Quebec was experiencing a period of great social and economic development through the Quiet Revolution, while English-Canada was grappling with the re-establishment of the country’s identity as the British definition of Canada was becoming increasingly rejected. This paper will assess bilingualism and biculturalism as it challenged national identity, seen through the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism (RCBB) and the influence of the Quiet Revolution; which resulted in policy – the Official Languages Act in 1969 and the Official Multicultural Policy in 1971 – that ultimately shaped bilingualism and biculturalism within what became a multicultural framework in Canada.
The mention of the abolition of multiculturalism for a “new” post-multiculturalist approach becomes difficult to understand. It claims, “to avoid the ‘excesses’ of multiculturalism” (47), however where does this notable governmental and social switch take place? How is the term coined, and how is it understood in theory versus in practice? How is it different from its predecessor? Even the classification of history struggles to define what is considered to be modern, let alone post-modern, and yet the term suggests a positive approach to alleviating difficult assimilation projects similar to those faced elsewhere (47). This notion may developed on the grounds of “someone else’s problems” ¬– in regards to its Canadian context – as a means to label, or justify, miscellaneous aspects of multiculturalism. However, with the government-wide commitment to policies and programs, in conjunction with social understanding, it naturally becomes subject to a wide array of differing opinions. As both immigration and citizenship policies change, its public reception often shifts as well. Especially since the channels referred to within the ‘multiculturalism...
Canada is internationally renowned for its commitment to multiculturalism. In fact, Canada was the first nation to officially adopt a multicultural policy. However, while the Canadian government has developed a broad-based multicultural mandate that includes a national human rights code and increased penalties for hate-motivated crimes, and most Canadians oppose overt forms of discrimination and hate, racism continues to exist in Canadian society, albeit in a subtle fashion.
Do you know that despite Canada being called multicultural and accepting, Canada’s history reveals many secrets that contradicts this statement? Such an example are Canadian aboriginals, who have faced many struggles by Canadian society; losing their rights, freedoms and almost, their culture. However, Native people still made many contributions to Canadian society. Despite the efforts being made to recognize aboriginals in the present day; the attitudes of European Canadians, acts of discrimination from the government, and the effects caused by the past still seen today have proven that Canadians should not be proud of Canada’s history with respect to human rights since 1914.
Multiculturalism in Canada is actually a beautiful element. Through different texts such as “I am not racist” and “I’m a Banana and proud of it” multiculturalism may not be a beautiful thing after all. The stereotyping, that is describing people shape, colour and language they speak. In Canada, stereotyping and racism occurs even if we think it’s not as we are multicultural country.
In conclusion, Canada has come a long way in promoting the integration of immigrants socially. The country is making progress integrating immigrants economically, and much needs to be done before the same can be said politically. What is certain, is that the immigrant’s path of integration may be a slow process, and the Canadian government has been slow to propel it… but the future looks bright, and Canada is on the right track.
Our history of 20th century of Canada on the treatment on immigrants was indeed bias and still occurs to some extent today. Numerous amounts of immigrants were into lose if not all, but very many of their belongings, valuables and family behindhand, to posses a Canadian citizenship. People travelled extensive distances to seek better lives; Canadians faced many with racism because of their differences, in fact it influenced ruined many lives. Immigrants in the past were shamefully discriminated against and exploited by the Canadian changing role of government, producing a dark side to Canada’s history. The three events that accurately validate that immigrants had tough lives were, “The Boat of People,” Chinese due to Chinese Exclusion Act, and the most improved, Merit Point System. These have effected Canada’s society significantly in a negative manner and have helped us learn, improve and equalize our society for everyone.
The findings of the Royal Commission of Bilingualism and Biculturalism built the foundations of what would be Canada’s first policy on multiculturalism. It was on October 8, 1971 that Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau addressed the House of Commons and announced that Canada was to be “multicultural within a bilingual framework” (Haque 18). The use of multiculturalism as a term has become increasingly elastic according to Eve Haque and it has been used time and time again across the Canadian political spectrum. It has been used to signify both the success and the demise of the country (Haque 18). Its has been used to identify:
Canada has long been called "The Mosaic", due to the fact that it is made up of a varied mix of races, cultures and ethnicities. As more and more immigrants come to Canada searching for a better life, the population naturally becomes more diverse. This has, in turn, spun a great debate over multiculturalism. Some of the issues under fire are the political state's policies concerning multiculturalism, the attitudes of Canadians around these policies, immigration, the global market, and a central point is the education and how to present the material in a way so as to offend the least amount of people. There are many variations on these themes as will be discussed in this paper.
...d the ideal of a perfect Canadian – who belongs to the nation and where do the boundaries lie? There are individuals who still subscribe to the Eurocentric understanding of the country, where the British nation with a French and English presence clearly divided that state. Those who share that view often see multiculturalism as a change that challenges their conception of Canada, themselves and the nations identity. From this perspective, the changes Canadians have experienced make the country seem like it has fallen apart. Racialized minorities have been contingent to this idea of what a model setter once was and what is now considered best for the nation. In reality Canada’s national identity is a lot more complex than both views explain, with a contemporary Canadian perspective included. It has been interestingly portrayed to the Canadian public in various ways.
...of Canadian Integration and Immigration Policies at the Millennium. Mar 2000: 1-14. On-line. EBSCOhost. 03 Mar 2000 Avery, Donald. Peopling Canada. Mar 2000: 1-14. On-line. EBSCOhost. 03 Mar 2000. Available: wysiwyg://bodyframe.47/http://ehos....migration Bourrie, Mark. Population-Canada: No Longer Nice to Refugees, Critics Say. Mar. 2000: 1. On-line. Internet Explorer. World Wide Web. 05 Mar 2000. Available: http://www.oneworld.org/ips2/oct98/21_40_082.html Braham, Carol G. Random House Webster’s School & Office Dictionary. New York: Random House, 1998 "Immigration Policies Hurt Torontonians." The Toronto Star Nov 1999 On-line. Internet Explorer. World Wide Web. 05 Mar 2000. Available: http://www.thestar.com/back_issues/ED19991114/opinion/ 991114NEW02c_OP-HAROON14.html Ungerleider, Charles S. Immigration, Multiculturalism, and Citizenship: The Development of The Canadian Social Justice Infrastructure. Mar. 2000: 1-15. On-line. EBSCOhost. 03 Mar. 2000. Available: wysiwyg://bodyframe. 7/http://ehos...%20%26%20immigration%22&fuzzy You Asked About...Immigration and Citizenship. Ontario: Minister of Public Works and Government Services, 1999.
Based upon the study of Canadian attitudes towards immigration and multiculturalism by Stuart Soroka and Sarah Roberton, an absence of specificity also
The idea of multiculturalism is that there are many different cultures in Canada that somehow manage to live in harmony. This movie depicts a variety of different cultures all coming together in one of the most nationalist cities in Quebec, and eventually getting along. It is important to see that though there are different cultures there is still love between individuals of these cultures, stereotypes that are in common, and humour to be made out of the differences, which are all larger than any territorial and linguistic boundaries. This movie also shows the issue with bilingualism which is another important part of Canada’s heritage but encourages the idea that bilingualism policies could create a more unified Canada. In a course on multiculturalism it is important to understand the ideology of these policies and how they work in practice which this movie depicts really
In addition, multiculturalism has a powerful repercussion on national identity. The term “melting pot” which the United States is often referred to as was coined by St. John Crevecoeur’s. This as due to the mix of Scotch, Irish, Dutch, Germans and Swedes that were in the United States in 1782. However, not everyone agreed with Crevecoeur’s ideas such as Horace Kallen who advocated against Creveceour’s idea. Many individuals such as Allan Bloom and Arthur Schlesinger followed in Kalle’s footsteps. Until the 1960’s, Canada restricted minorities that were deemed as “unassimilable.” These individuals included Chinese, Japanese, South Asians and Blacks. Canadian authors such as Bissoondath and Gwyn stated multiculturalism prevents society from advancing saying things such as “multiculturalism does not encourage immigrants to think of themselves as Canadians” (443). However, the article does discuss authors who believe multiculturalism is a positive thing such as Canadian author, Will Kymlicka who finds multiculturalism as a “defensible, and successful approach
It would be nice to allow people to adhere to their own styles, but doing that excludes them from the already existing nation’s practices. On the other hand, requiring immigrants to completely conform to society, will result in taking away all of their beliefs. According to Malik, “‘multicultural’ has come to define both a society that is particularly diverse, usually as a result of immigration, and the policies necessary to manage such a society” (22). With the immigration that European nations have faced, there is undoubtedly diverse culture present, but the policy aspect of that multicultural definition still needs to be redefined in order to create a balance between diversity and inclusion within