Canada National Identity

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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 …show more content…

The Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, the War of Independence and the Napoleonic Wars are all something America and France have as a symbol of their nation or a piece that shaped them as they are today, however when glancing over at Canada there is no discerning equivalent. The author of this quote is accurate when saying Canada as a nation does not exist, meaning we are not unified, as the diversity of land and of the people directly coerce Canadian unity, as they contend. Quebec can be seen as a direct challenge that interferes with Canadian unity due to their own contending loyalties, with events such as the FLQ crisis displaying why Canada struggles with being defined as a nation state. There is no exact object, symbol or piece of history that all Canadians share, various factors determine Canadian feelings such as pride, there is no singular root that all Canadians share that brings us together; Indigenous people have always felt this kind of separation between themselves and other Canadians for various factors such as land, seen in the Oka Crisis, highlighting that all Canadians don’t share the same sentiment or

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