CHAPTER 3
C a n a d a ’s
Cultural Diversity
Contents
1. Focusing on the Issues
2. Culture and Canadians
3. The Development of a Culturally Diverse Nation
4. Canada’s Immigration Policy
5. Immigrant Experiences: Troubles and Triumphs
6. A Difficult Issue: Levels of Immigration
7. Official Multiculturalism: Advantages and Challenges
8. Reviewing the Issues
A
76
B
C
FOCUSING ON THE ISSUES
D
When we examine what makes Canada distinct
from other nations, we soon discover that
multiculturalism is an important component
of the national identity. Our history shows we
have always been a multicultural nation, one in
which many cultures have thrived. The original
inhabitants of what is now Canada — the Haida,
Sioux, Ojibway, Inuit, Mi’kmaq, and other
Aboriginal peoples — had many different cultures and languages. When Europeans began arriving , they were of several backgrounds
including Norse, Basque, French, and English.
From the seventeenth century onward, numerous groups of people have come to Canada.
Today people from hundreds of different cultures live in Canada. Similar immigration patterns exist in other countries, but Canada is the
only nation in the world to officially proclaim
multiculturalism as a major component of its national identity.
This chapter looks at how Canada became a
multilingual and culturally diverse nation. It explores the reasons for the government’s policy
on multiculturalism, and it tries to analyze
whether this policy can continue to meet new
challenges with immigration in Canada today.
The following are among questions that will be
examined:
1. What is culture?
2. How did Canada become a nation of many
cultures?
3. What is Canada’s immigration policy, and
how does it affect our multicultural identity?
4. What are the challenges and advantages of
official multiculturalism?
77
CULTURE AND CANADIANS
Culture is the way a group of people organize their lives. It includes everything that makes one group of people distinct from another. Culture includes political and legal systems, marriage and child-rearing practices,
language, religion, attitudes, and values. It includes food, housing, dress,
tools, transportation, industry, technology, and the arts.
Culture helps people satisfy basic human needs such as food and shelter.
It provides a framework of beliefs and behaviours for daily life. All cultures
provide for these basic needs, although the ways vary greatly.
Why are cultures so different? The various cultures in the world developed in different locations. They have been influenced by their environment, their history, their neighbours, and other factors. The result is
enormous cultural diversity throughout the world.
What is Canadian culture? One way to analyze it is to look at the varied
cultural origins of Canadians. These are presented in Figures 3–1 and 3–2.
Reported Ethnic Origin
Percentage
North American (Canadian, US)
40.2
British Isles (English, Irish, Scottish)
33.6
European
29.5
French (Acadian, French)
15.9
East and Southeast Asian
6.0
Aboriginal
4.5
South Asian
3.2
Caribbean
1.7
Arab
1.2
African
1.0
Latin, Central, and South America
0.8
West Asian
0.7
Oceania
0.2
FIGURE 3–1 Reported ethnic origin, Canada, 2001
The numbers represent the total single and multiple responses, and therefore the sum of the responses is larger than
the total number of respondents.
SOURCE: Statistics Canada
78
UNIT 1 Diversity and Pluralism in Canada
Rank
Source Countries 1985
Source Countries 1995
Source Countries 2005
1
Vietnam, Socialist Republic of (11.4)*
Hong Kong
China, People’s Republic of (16.1)
(11.7)
2
United States (6.7)
China, People’s Republic of (9.9)
India (12.6)
3
China, People’s Republic of and Hong
India (8.6)
Philippines, Republic of the (6.7)
Philippines, Republic of the (7.4)
Pakistan (5.2)
Kong (6.1 for each country)
4
5
India (5.4)
Sri Lanka (4.4)
United States (3.5)
6
United Kingdom (4.7)
Taiwan (3.5)
Colombia (2.3)
7
Poland (4.3)
Serbia and Montenegro
(formerly Yugoslavia
(1)
8
Philippines, Republic of the (4.7)
Pakistan (2.2)
9
Jamaica (3.5)
United Kingdom (2.1)
)(2.6)
United Kingdom and Korea,
Republic of (2.2 for each country)
Iran and Sri Lanka (2.1 for each
country)
10
El Salvador (3.2)
United States (2.0)
FIGURE 3–2 Major source countries for immigration to Canada 1985, 1995, 2005
SOURCE: Citizenship and Immigration Canada
* Figures represent the percentage of total immigrants to Canada
(1)
In 1991Yugoslavia broke up into Serbia and Montenegro.
Organize and Understand
1. What is culture?
2. a) Which ethnic group provided the largest
number of immigrants in 2005?
b) In 1985 which country was the source
of the largest number of immigrants to
Canada? Which country was the source
of the second largest number?
Thinking It Through
3. Look at the data. Identify factors that
might account for the change in source
countries over 20 years.
4. Outline your family’s cultural background
on a piece of paper. As a class, collect this
information and make a chart similar to
Figure 3–1. Compare the cultural composition of your class with the cultural composition of Canada.
5. Dorothy’s parents are Cree (classified
under “Aboriginal” in Figure 3–1). The
language Dorothy spoke as a child was
English, though she also later learned Cree.
Where would Dorothy find herself represented in Figure 3–1?
6. How have the source countries for immigrants to Canada changed over the years?
From which do we get more or fewer immigrants now? Why might this be?
CHAPTER 3 Canada’s Cultural Diversity
79
FIGURE 3–3 What aspects
of culture are illustrated
in these photographs?
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
CULTUR ALLY DIVER SE NATION
As you read through the following history, pick out the time period that
relates to you or your ancestors.
The Aboriginal Peoples (20 000–10 000 BCE)
Aboriginal traditions hold that the First Peoples were created in North
America and have always been here. They have traditional creation stories,
passed down through many generations, that tell how they came to be.
Various other theories have been advanced to explain their origins. Many
social scientists believe the First Peoples came originally from Asia. One
theory suggests they migrated across a land bridge from Siberia into Alaska
between 20 000 and 10 000 BCE. Another theory suggests they came across
the ocean in boats.
80
UNIT 1 Diversity and Pluralism in Canada
Whatever their origins, the Aboriginal peoples developed many different ways of life over time, depending on environment and other factors. They
formed many national groups, each with its own distinctive culture. There was
great variation in their political, economic, and social organizations.
The consensus estimate among scholars today is that when the first
Europeans arrived in North America, there were approximately 500 000
Aboriginal people living in what is now Canada.
The French (1600–1760)
The French hoped to find great riches in Canada. While they did not find
the gold and precious stones they were looking for, they did find fish and furs.
They established permanent settlements, at Port Royal in 1605 and Québec
in 1608, in order to exploit the fur trade more fully. The French were greatly
assisted by the Montagnais, Mi’kmaq, Maliseet, and Huron First Nations,
among others. With this help, they established a colony called New France.
Gradually, more and more French settlers began to arrive in New France,
and through inter-marriage with Aboriginal populations, the Métis culture
was born. By 1666, the time of the first census, 3215 people were living in the
colony. By 1759 the population had grown to about 65 000.
Britain and France had been rivals in North America for many years.
War broke out between the two countries in 1756. In 1760 New France
surrendered to the British and, in 1763, it became a British colony. At that
time, some of the French, especially those in the government, went back to
France, but most of the settlers decided to stay. Today descendants of these
French settlers live all over Canada.
FIGURE 3–4
The Ursuline Convent,
Québec. The Ursulines
are a women’s Christian
religious order, founded
in 1535 with the purpose
of educating young people.
They established their
first convent in Québec in
1639. The Ursulines were
one of the first organized
women’s religious groups
in Canada. This early
group of immigrants provided professional teachers for Canada, and
added the French culture
to Canada’s early identity.
CHAPTER 3 Canada’s Cultural Diversity
81
The Great Migration (1815–1850)
The Industrial
Revolution
(approximately
1750–1850) was a
period of social and
economic change
involving the
development of
machines and their use
for mass production in
industry.
From 1815 to 1850, a great many people left their homes in Britain and
other countries of Europe. Economic conditions in Britain and Europe
in general were poor in the years after 1815. There was a great deal of unemployment, made worse by the growing use of machines during the
Industrial Revolution. The failure of the potato crop, a major source of
food in Ireland, and political unrest in Europe, were additional reasons
for migration.
Many of the migrants leaving Britain and Europe from 1815 to 1850
came to Canada. Canada’s population increased from about 500 000 in 1815
to about 2.5 million in 1851. Sixty percent of the immigrants to Canada
were British. This made the British the largest cultural group in Canada.
Year
Québec
Ontario
Nova Scotia New Brunswick
1676
9 000
—
—
—
1763
65 000
—
—
—
1785
113 000
10 000
32 000
6 000
1825
450 000
158 027
120 000
74 176
1851
890 261
952 004
276 117
193 800
FIGURE 3–5 The growth of Canada’s population, 1676–1851. As Canada’s popula-
tion grew, new settlements formed.
Confederation was the
union of present-day
Ontario, Québec, Nova
Scotia, and New
Brunswick in 1867.
Other provinces joined
later, between 1870 and
1949.
82
Figure 3–5 indicates populations for the four British North American
colonies that were soon to unite in Confederation. The rest of what is
now Canada, however, was far from empty of people. According to the
book Historical Statistics of Canada by M.C. Urquhart, the two colonies
of British Columbia and Vancouver Island had a combined population of
51 524 by 1861. The land between British Columbia and what is now
Ontario belonged, according to the government, mainly to the Hudson’s Bay
Company. The population of this area was estimated to be 6691 in 1861.
In the same year, the population of Newfoundland was estimated to be
125 000 and that of Prince Edward Island, 80 857.
Several immigrant groups had established themselves in Atlantic Canada
by 1861. The main groups were British, French, and German, as well as
American Loyalists, including a significant Black population in Nova Scotia.
UNIT 1 Diversity and Pluralism in Canada
Post-Confederation Immigration
(1867–1914)
Shortly after Canada became a nation in 1867, settlers from Ontario began
moving west. Beginning in 1871, the government made a series of treaties with
the First Nation people living between Ontario and British Columbia. These
people left their lands, which were then made available to the new arrivals.
The government wanted to develop the Prairies in order to carry out its
economic goals for Canada. Hoping to attract many people to the West, it
offered free homesteads of 160 acres (65 ha) to new settlers. It carried out recruitment campaigns all over Europe. It also established the North West
Mounted Police and built the Canadian Pacific Railway, which further
encouraged settlement. The province of Manitoba was established in 1870.
However, immigrants did not come to the Canadian West in great numbers until after 1896. By then, various circumstances had made the West
more attractive to settlers. First, all the good agricultural land in the United
States had been taken. Second, new types of wheat, more suitable to Canada’s
short growing season, had been developed. Third, Clifford Sifton, Minister
of the Interior, had organized an aggressive campaign to attract immigrants.
Fourth, steamships had become much faster and cheaper to operate. The
trip to Canada was easier, and more people could afford it.
As a result, immigrants poured into Canada, and the Prairies were rapidly
settled. The provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan were created in 1905.
Many new immigrants were still coming from Britain. For the first time,
however, significant numbers of people of non-British, non-French background were arriving.
The Canadian Pacific
Railway, or CPR, was
one of Canada’s first
great national
development projects.
The railway linked the
country from sea to sea.
FIGURE 3–6
Chinese immigrants
helped to build the
Canadian Pacific
Railway, completed in
1885. These immigrants
were charged a “head
tax” to come to Canada.
It was repealed in 1967,
and in 2005, the federal
government agreed to
compensate the families
of these original settlers.
CHAPTER 3 Canada’s Cultural Diversity
83
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta suddenly became Canada’s most
ethnically diverse areas. The newcomers dramatically changed the face of
the Prairies with expressions of their varied cultures. These included oniondomed Ukrainian churches, Mennonite colonies, Jewish newspapers, and
Icelandic fishing boats on Lake Winnipeg.
1871
1911
British
2 110 502
3 999 081
French
1 082 940
2 061 719
202 991
403 417
Dutch
9 662
55 961
Scandinavian
1 623
112 682
Italian
1 035
45 963
Jewish
125
76 199
*
33 652
—
75 432
4 437
129 829
—
27 831
4
15 382
Aboriginal
23 037
105 611
Other
29 405
63 884
3 465 761
7 206 643
German
Polish
Ukrainian
Other European
Chinese
Other Asian
Total population
FIGURE 3–7 Population of Canada by origin, 1871 and 1911. How did the cultural
composition of Canada change during this time?
*Included under “Other European”
SOURCE: Statistics Canada
Post-War and Mid-Twentieth-Century
Immigration (1919–1969)
There was little immigration to Canada between 1914 and 1918 because
World War I restricted the movement of people. However, after 1918,
Canada became an attractive place to those struggling with the hardships
caused by the war. About 1.5 million immigrants came to Canada during
the 1920s. Many came to live in the cities and work in industries. The number of non-British immigrants of European and other backgrounds increased.
84
UNIT 1 Diversity and Pluralism in Canada
Immigration was greatly reduced during the Great Depression of the
1930s and during World War II. During the Depression, Canada was not a
land of opportunity. Canadians suffered from severe unemployment and
poor economic conditions. The Dust Bowl throughout the Prairies contributed to the terrible conditions. World War II again made it difficult for
people to migrate freely from one country to another.
After World War II, however, immigrants once more found Canada an
attractive country. Again, large numbers came to Canada from all over the
world, further changing the composition of our population.
1931
1951
1971
British
5 381 071
6 709 685
9 624 115
French
2 927 990
4 319 167
6 180 120
German
473 544
619 995
1 317 200
Scandinavian
228 049
283 024
384 795
Ukrainian
225 113
395 043
580 660
Jewish
156 726
181 670
296 945
Dutch
148 962
264 267
425 945
Polish
145 503
219 845
316 430
Italian
98 173
152 245
730 820
308 600
377 173
775 005
Chinese
46 519
32 528
118 815
Other Asian
38 029
40 299
166 720
128 890
165 607
312 760
69 617
248 881
337 980
10 376 786
14 009 429
21 568 310
Other European
Aboriginal
Other
Total population
During the Great
Depression of
1929–1939, economic
conditions were very
poor. Many companies
went out of business,
there was widespread
unemployment, and
wages and prices were
low.
FIGURE 3–8 Population of Canada by origin, 1931–1971. Compare these three time
periods to see which cultural groups were growing the fastest.
SOURCE: Statistics Canada
Recent Immigration Patterns (1970–Present)
By the late 1960s, Europe’s economy had recovered from the devastation of
World War II. As a result, fewer Europeans wished to immigrate to Canada.
Canada, however, was still in need of skilled workers with technical and
professional training. Consequently, Canada began to accept large numbers
of people from areas from which it had not traditionally accepted immigrants: the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and new areas of Asia. Most
CHAPTER 3 Canada’s Cultural Diversity
85
Refugees are people
forced to leave their
homeland because of
war or persecution.
of these immigrants came in under a strict point system. The system favoured
those who knew French or English, were highly educated, and had superior
skills or resources.
The new group of immigrants who came in the 1970s and early 1980s
were mostly professionals, technicians, managers, and entrepreneurs. Indeed,
Canada was draining these badly needed skilled people from developing nations. However, we continued to increase the pace of immigration throughout the 1970s and 1980s with the objective of increasing our economic
growth. By 1981 refugees made up 25 percent of all immigrants to Canada.
During the same year, the Foreign Domestic Workers Program was introduced. Domestic workers admitted to this program came to Canada on a
temporary contract, but could apply for permanent residence after two years.
Canada’s Department of Employment and Immigration also looked into
the practices and procedures for refugees. As a result of Refugee Status
Determination Process reports in 1981, 1984, and 1985, the Supreme Court
of Canada ruled that, in order to receive Canadian status, all refugees must
receive an oral hearing. Extra positions were created on the Immigration
Appeal Board to judge refugee claims. By May 1986, 85 percent of 28 000
refugee claims were accepted. However, in 1988–1993, the regulations were
changed. Many refugees were left in limbo and separated from their families
for years, as the oral hearings became backlogged. Other measures were proposed such as fingerprinting, hearings open to the general public, and identity documents. The Canadian Council for Refugees was active in drawing
attention to the need for gender sensitivity.
The major shift in immigration patterns to Canada began in earnest
after 1978, when the Liberal government led by Pierre Trudeau proposed new
immigration legislation designed to open Canada’s doors to a wider range of
immigrants. There was some opposition to this Act from Canadians who
felt that more non-European immigration would threaten Canada’s traditional
values, attitudes, and cultures. Nevertheless, the Act was passed, and a new
phase in Canada’s immigration history began.
1992
1975
2005
6%
17%
39%
11%
16%
18%
48%
28%
5%
15%
3%
FIGURE 3–9 Immigration to Canada by source area, 1975, 1992, and 2005
86
UNIT 1 Diversity and Pluralism in Canada
9%
15%
21%
50%
Organize and Understand
7. Make a timeline to show the increasing
complexity of Canada’s ethnic composition.
Thinking It Through
8. Why do some Canadians feel threatened by
shifting patterns of immigration? Do you
believe this fear is misguided?
9. How have political factors influenced immigration to Canada? Give examples.
10. In what way are the prairie provinces of
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta
unique in Canadian immigration history?
11. In the periods 1919–1969 and 1970–present, many new immigrants have settled in
Canada’s cities. Suggest reasons why most
have not established farms and small rural
communities, as many did in the period
1867–1914.
Inquiring Citizen
12. Industries such as fishing, forestry, mining,
and manufacturing have employed many
newcomers to Canada over the years.
Choose one Canadian industry. Research
the effects it has had on Canadian immigration patterns, as well as effects immigrants have had on the industry.
13. How have the search for religious freedom
and other factors relating to religion influenced immigration to Canada? Work with
a group to find out what you can about this
topic. Report to the class.
CANADA’S IMMIGR ATION POLICY
The Immigration and Refugee Act of 2002 sets out, in a comprehensive way,
Canada’s rules and objectives regarding immigration (see Figure 3–10). A new
feature of the Act is the Permanent Resident Card.
The Act specifies three basic classes of immigrants. The first is the family class. To be included in this class, a potential immigrant must be a close
relative of a Canadian citizen. The second is the refugee class. Refugees are
people who have been forced to leave their homeland because of war or persecution. The third group is the independent class, which includes persons
admitted on the basis of skills, capital, and jobs available in Canada.
The Act prohibits entry to certain categories of people: those who pose
a threat to public health, safety, order, or national security. This includes
people who have serious diseases, people who disregard the law, and people who might try to destroy our government or way of life.
For the independent class of immigrants, the government developed selection criteria. Points are awarded to show how well the potential immigrant fits the criteria. The criteria and the exact number of points for each
one vary from time to time, as does the total number of points required for
the immigrant to be selected.
CHAPTER 3 Canada’s Cultural Diversity
87
Fact Sheet : Criteria for Immigration
In 2006 varying numbers of points were awarded
for the following criteria:
• Education: Generally one point for each year
of primary and secondary education successfully completed; extra points for second degree.
• Vocational training: Points for vocational or
on-the-job training; extra points for trade
certificate.
• Experience: Points for relevant job experience.
• Occupational demand: Points based on the
need in Canada for the type of work the applicant is qualified and willing to do.
• Arranged employment: Points if the applicant
has arranged a job, as long as this employ-
ment does not take a job away from
Canadian workers.
• Location: Points if the immigrant is willing to
move to an area where his or her particular
skills are needed.
• Age: Points for being of working age.
• Knowledge of French or English: Points for
the ability to listen, read, write, and speak
either French or English. Extra points for
bilingualism.
• Personal suitability: Points based on an interview to assess the applicant’s past, and how
successful the applicant will be in establishing
him- or herself.
Immigration for Economic Reasons:
Immigration for Humanitarian Reasons:
• Recruit workers whose skills are needed.
• Allow families to reunite.
• Recruit entrepreneurs with money, knowledge,
and expertise.
• Allow people to escape persecution.
• Avoid recruiting workers in fields where there
is no shortage of Canadian workers.
• Allow self-supporting people to come to
Canada if they wish.
FIGURE 3–10 The goals of Canada’s immigration policy
Major Issues Facing Canada’s Immigration
Policy
Because the world has significantly changed in the past twenty years, Canada
needs to review current goals and objectives for immigration. The world is
now concerned with border security (post September 11, 2001) and careful
monitoring of people entering the country. In addition, there is increasing
international competition for skilled labour for both permanent and shortterm employment.
Large numbers of immigrants arriving in Canada predominantly settle in
and around the three largest cities in Canada (Montréal, Toronto, and
Vancouver), where they expect to find work fairly easily. However, the speed
88
UNIT 1 Diversity and Pluralism in Canada
at which new immigrants find work and their success in the labour market
have decreased in comparison with those who came to Canada years ago.
Poverty rates among immigrant households have increased steadily since
1980. Canadian immigration programs cover areas such as demographic,
economic, social, humanitarian, and security issues. Are adequate resources
being provided for the programs?
Some of the immigration issues Canada faces today also include the following:
• selection criteria
• appropriate number of people immigrating on an annual basis
• different classes of immigrants
• family reunification
• rules and procedures governing admission of different classes
• effective integration into the Canadian labour market for employment
• effective integration into Canadian society
• social welfare costs
• education
• discrimination
• social impact of the ethnic community
These issues extend beyond the offices of Citizenship and Immigration
Canada. More and more expectations are placed on provincial and municipal levels of government to meet the needs of immigrants. From a global perspective, populations are moving in order to enhance economic relationships,
avoid political oppression, obtain human rights, and achieve technological
access. This continues to widen the gap between industrialized and developing countries. Do you think Canada will be placed under further pressure to
take more immigrants in the decades ahead? How do you think Canada
will react? How do we try to attract immigrants to our province?
Immigrant and Refugee Integration
The Canadian government aims to ensure that the various cultures in Canada
get along with each other. Three main types of relationships can develop
when different cultures meet:
• Assimilation occurs when one cultural group adopts the language, values, attitudes, and traditions of the dominant culture, and in the process
loses much of its own cultural identity.
• Segregation occurs when cultural groups are separated from one another
so that there is little chance that cultures will mix. This usually involves
separate neighbourhoods, schools, and public facilities such as washrooms and restaurants.
CHAPTER 3 Canada’s Cultural Diversity
89
• Integration occurs when one cultural group preserves some distinctive
aspects of its own culture, while adopting many of the values, attitudes,
and traditions of the dominant culture. Integration is the process of becoming part of, or fitting into, a society. A new immigrant to Canada
would integrate by such means as getting a job, learning one of Canada’s
two official languages, obtaining Canadian citizenship, understanding
and respecting Canadian law, and gaining a clear understanding of
Canada’s history and modern identity.
1. Loans Program
Loans cover the cost of things
such as travel documents, medical examinations, transportation to Canada, and tools
required for work.
2. Adjustment Assistance
Program (AAP)
Money is provided to pay for
accommodation, clothing,
household goods, and living
expenses for up to a year or
until the newcomer is self-supporting. AAP counsellors assist
refugees at their port of entry
to get medical coverage, social assistance, and family allowances.
3. Immigrant Settlement and
Adaptation Program
Approximately 165
non-profit organizations
are funded to help
provide essential
services to immigrants. These
include translation and interpretation, referral to community resources, assistance in
obtaining employment, and
orientation to Canadian social
services programs. In
Manitoba, new immigrants
and refugees are supported
through many organizations
such as “Welcome Place,”
“The Friendship Centre,” and
ethnic cultural associations.
4. Host Program
Approximately thirty non-profit
community organizations train
Canadian volunteers who help
new immigrants adjust and settle into Canadian life.
FIGURE 3–11
Some immigrant
families use a variety of services as
they begin the
process of integration. Which would
you consider to be
the most important?
90
UNIT 1 Diversity and Pluralism in Canada
5. LINC (Language Instruction
for Newcomers to Canada)
This program funds some 300
service providers, such as
schools, to instruct adult newcomers in basic communication skills in English or French.
6. Labour Market Language
Training Program
This program funds service
providers, such as schools and
businesses, who provide advanced language training required on the job.
It is important for new immigrants and refugees to integrate into their new
communities, so that they can contribute fully to Canadian society.
Integration often requires adaptations on the part of those entering Canada,
and acceptance and help from Canadians. As we have seen, the point system
helps to ensure that most independent class immigrants have the means to
support themselves and are likely to integrate fairly easily. However, some immigrants — especially refugees who have had to flee their homelands and
leave most of their possessions behind — need help. Figure 3–11 illustrates
some ways in which Canadian society is assisting the successful integration
of these immigrants.
Organize and Understand
14. What are the three classes of immigrants?
15. What types of people does the Immigration
Act prevent from coming into Canada?
16. List and explain the three types of relationships that can develop when different cultures meet.
Using Your Knowledge
17. Create a detailed, descriptive portrait of a
potential independent class immigrant who
would receive a high number of points as
outlined in the list of immigrant selection
criteria.
Active Citizenship
Welcoming
Immigrants
Invite a person from any
immigrant integration
program to come and
speak to the class.
Prepare by having a class
discussion in which you
generate a series of
questions to ask your
guest speaker.
ers. They agree and offer to teach her
baseball in return.
b) A boy comes to a new school. He meets
the members of his class. After school
he offers to teach them the game of
checkers. They refuse to learn this
game, saying that they always play baseball. The new boy learns to play baseball and never plays checkers again.
c) A girl comes to a new school. She meets
the members of her class. After school
she offers to teach them checkers. They
refuse to learn this game, saying they always play baseball. They will not let the
new girl play baseball. She plays checkers with her brother.
Thinking It Through
Inquiring Citizen
18. How does immigration help support the
Canadian economy?
20. Using the school or community resource
centre, discover whether any of the immigrant integration programs are operating in
your community.
19. What type of cultural relationship is illustrated in each of the following examples?
a) A new girl comes to class. She offers to
teach her classmates the game of check-
CHAPTER 3 Canada’s Cultural Diversity
91
IMMIGR ANT EXPERIENCES:
TROUBLES AND TRIUMPHS
What are some ways in which immigrants have affected Canadian
society? What do immigrants themselves have to say about their experiences? The quotations answer these questions. The quotations, all by relatively recent immigrants, are from the books Between Two Worlds: The
Canadian Immigrant Experience and Worlds Apart: New Immigrant Voices,
both edited and written by Milly Charon.
Immigrants’ Views
FOCUS
On looking back over our lives since we came to
Canada, we can truly say that we have never regretted our decision. We have been back to
Scotland several times, but we are always happy
to return to the mighty Peace River (Alberta) —
God’s Country.
Tom Telfer, immigrant from Scotland, Between
Two Worlds.
the loneliness here — the lack of communication —
and were unable to get into any kind of business.
Most of the people I knew were merchants, and the
red tape of permits, leases, licenses and other papers intimidated them so much that they were
afraid to even make the attempt to sort it out.
Zaven Degirmen, Armenian immigrant from
Turkey, Worlds Apart.
This inability to communicate and the resulting isolation are the two main reasons why immigrants
suffer from depression. I still have it periodically, to
this day. Do you know that to be able to talk to a
girl, other than an Armenian, was a big triumph for
me when I first arrived in Canada? I couldn’t even
pronounce names like Ruth and Claudette. I know
of many people who left Canada, and returned
to their own countries because they couldn’t take
I want to do all the things in my power to promote
exchanges between Canada and China in trade,
culture, economics, whatever. There’s a certain
way to deal with the Chinese mentality, and I
would like to be a part of the liaison between my
country and Canada. All my experiences in volunteer work have shown me the way, and I know I
can do it.
Nelly Cheng, immigrant from China, Worlds Apart.
Organize and Understand
22. Which of the quotations suggest ways recent immigrants can and do help each
other?
21. Based on the quotations, what contributions do you think immigrants make to
Canadian society?
92
UNIT 1 Diversity and Pluralism in Canada
Using Your Knowledge
Inquiring Citizen
23. What evidence is there in the preceding section to support the view that immigrants
help improve the Canadian economy?
27. Contact your municipal or provincial government and collect statistics on recent immigration patterns in your community.
Make a display board of your findings.
24. What difficulties and issues emerge from
the quotations by the various immigrants?
List the four you consider the most serious.
Suggest possible ways to rectify the issues.
Thinking It Through
25. In what ways do you think individual
Canadians can help deal with the difficulties of immigrants with whom they come
in contact?
26. Do you believe there should be more government assistance in helping immigrants
adapt to life in Canada?
28. Refugees can be sponsored by individuals
or groups who are willing to take over the
financial costs of establishing the refugee in
Canada. Check with local churches or service clubs in your community to see if they
have sponsored any refugees. Ask a sponsor
to come to your class to talk about the
sponsorship process.
29. Identify immigrants who have made
valuable contributions to Manitoba.
Research the contributions they have
made to the province.
A DIFFICULT ISSUE: LEVELS OF
IMMIGR ATION
In the early part of the 1990s, Canada experienced the worst economic
downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Between 1989 and 1994,
unemployment rates soared, welfare rolls bulged, and unemployment insurance payments rose steeply. The result was a drain on government treasuries. The federal and provincial governments went deeper and deeper into
debt in order to continue their operations.
During this same period, the Conservative government led by Brian
Mulroney increased the number of immigrants coming into the country.
When Mulroney began his term as prime minister in 1985, 84 302 immigrants were allowed into Canada annually. By the end of Mulroney’s second term, his government was allowing 252 842 new immigrants into Canada
on an annual basis. With an almost 200 percent increase in the immigration rate, many Canadians became concerned. Was it wise to allow so many
newcomers to arrive during such hard economic times?
Active Citizenship
Immigration
As a class project, prepare
mini-biographies of and
quotations by immigrants
to Canada. Which
students in your own class
could you feature? Which
local people might be
included? How are they
contributing to Canada as
“new Canadians”?
CHAPTER 3 Canada’s Cultural Diversity
93
Year
Number of
Immigrants
Year
Refugees
Special Measures*
1979
27 740
—
1978
86 313
1980
40 640
—
1979
112 096
1981
15 060
—
1980
143 117
1982
17 002
12
1981
128 618
1983
14 062
679
1982
121 147
1984
15 553
2 518
1983
89 157
1985
17 000
2 562
1984
88 239
1986
19 485
2 625
1985
84 302
1987
21 950
2 843
1986
99 219
1988
27 112
2 040
1987
152 098
1989
37 359
2 468
1988
161 929
1990
40 190
3 323
1989
192 001
1991
53 693
2 404
1990
213 334
1992
51 878
873
1991
232 020
1993**
26 165
3 321
1992
253 345
1993
254 670
FIGURE 3–12 Immigration to
Canada, 1978–1993
SOURCE: Citizenship and Immigration Canada
FIGURE 3–13 Refugee and humanitarian arrivals in Canada,
1979–1993. Compare these numbers with the figures for overall immigration during these years. What conclusions can you draw about the proportion of refugees to family and independent class immigrants?
* Special Measures are humanitarian family reunification programs in place at various times for citizens of El Salvador, Guatemala, Iran, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, and former Yugoslavia.
** 1993 shows approximately ten months’ data.
SOURCE: Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada
A sponsor is a
Canadian citizen who
agrees to support
someone applying to
immigrate. For family
class immigrants, the
sponsor must be a close
relative.
94
When the Liberals led by Jean Chrétien came to power in 1993, they
decided to place immigration levels at 1 percent of the population annually. This would mean immigration levels would be above 250 000 annually, and would continue to grow each year. At the end of 1994, however,
the Liberals seemed to backtrack from their original open position on immigration. They recommended that the overall level of immigration should
drop and that the procedures for accepting immigrants should change over
a number of years. As part of the change to procedures, the government
proposed that sponsors be required to provide a bond that would guarantee support for ten years for family class immigrants who might not be able
to support themselves. The procedure would have the effect of favouring
independent class immigrants who scored highly on a revised points
system.
UNIT 1 Diversity and Pluralism in Canada
As part of the 1995 federal budget, the Liberal government led by Jean
Chrétien imposed the “Right of Landing Fee,” widely known as the “Head
Tax.” A fee of $975 was applied to all adults (including refugees) who wished
to become permanent Canadian residents. The Canadian Council for
Refugees and other non-governmental organizations looked on this tax as
discriminatory. In February 2000 Citizenship and Immigration Canada removed the Right of Landing Fee for refugees but maintained the tax for immigrants. The government also commissioned a Legislative Review Advisory
Group in 1998. It was to come up with proposals for a new Immigration Act,
the 1978 Act was no longer relevant to the needs of immigrants and refugees
before entering Canada. The governments of Manitoba and British Columbia
went a step further in 1998 and signed agreements with the federal government, giving the provinces responsibility for the administration of settlement services for all immigrants and refugees.
By 1999 the government White Paper, “Building on a Strong Foundation
for the 21st Century,” was released. The proposals and recommendations
would significantly change Canada’s immigration legislation if accepted.
Many conferences throughout Canada were held to debate the proposed
changes and look at the major issues now facing Canada. Several major issues
raised by the White Paper that still need to be extensively reviewed are global
in nature.
The following debate was held by students who had researched the topic
of immigration. As you read the transcript, try to decide where you stand on
Canada’s immigration levels.
A Discussion About Immigration Levels
Sergio: My family immigrated to Canada from
Portugal when I was two years old. I think it is
good to have a lot of immigrants. Immigrants are
hard-working and they help to build the country.
Around 1910, the immigration rate was close to
350 000 and the population was much smaller.
The more people Canada has, the better.
Immigrants become consumers; they pay taxes;
they make products that we can sell to other nations; and they open businesses and create jobs.
Reg: It is not quite that simple. If all the immigrants
were self-supporting, knew English or French, had
money to invest, or had some advanced skills that
the country needs, that would be all right. But what
about refugees? They get welfare, free legal aid,
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free medical care, and other benefits. This all costs
money.
Adam: I think that Reg makes some good points.
My family immigrated to Canada in the 1950s
from Germany. But at that time the Canadian economy was growing. Also, my grandfather knew
English. Now many of the immigrants do not know
English. Many of them are older and have fewer
skills because they are family reunifications.
Professor De Vortz at Simon Fraser University claims
that there is a decline in the economic performance of recent immigrants. He blames this on the
fact that 80 percent are family reunifications and
refugees, and that these groups have fewer job
skills.
CHAPTER 3 Canada’s Cultural Diversity
95
The national unemployment rate is high. How
are low-skilled immigrants ever going to find work?
And what about those who need to learn English?
I don’t see how we will be able to afford English
as a Second Language programs if the immigration
levels continue to go up.
Also, the average age of immigrants is much
higher than the Canadian average. The government already has to borrow millions of dollars a
day to run the country. What will happen to the
deficit if we increase immigration and end up with
many more people who qualify for benefits such as
the old-age pension and medical care?
Balvinder: I think that Reg and Adam are simply
greedy. You don’t realize how difficult it can be
in other parts of the world. People are in desperate need of a better life. Canada is such a vast
country, one of the largest in the world and, by
world standards, there are hardly any people here.
The people who want to come to Canada are
often forced to flee their native lands because of
very serious problems that make it almost impossible to live. The World Bank report suggests that
almost half of Africa is suffering from civil war,
uprisings, drought, and famine. Life expectancy
in these countries is only forty-seven years compared with seventy-eight years in Canada.
When we have so much in Canada, we should
be willing to give a little more in taxes and have a
little more competition for jobs to help save these
people’s lives. Also, we should remember that people from these troubled parts of the world are often
prepared to work for low wages. Some Canadian
businesses are taking advantage of these lower
labour costs, and are producing cheaper products that they can export more easily.
Sandy: Yeah, well, that is just the point. Who needs
cheap labour? If immigrants are willing to work
for low wages, then all wages will drop. I need
to get a well-paying job to make money for my
tuition for university. Anyway, it isn’t fair to take
advantage of immigrants just because they are
prepared to work for less and with no benefits or
holidays.
96
UNIT 1 Diversity and Pluralism in Canada
If there are more immigrants, there will be more
pressure to change the way we do things in
Canada. Because we call ourselves a multicultural
nation, some immigrants think that they can create little versions of their own country right in
Canada. For example, parts of Vancouver are
now full of Asian stores and religious temples and
everything. Maclean’s magazine reported that
many long-standing Vancouver residents resent recent immigrants from different parts of Asia because they have made little effort to adapt to the
Canadian way of life.
Joo Lin: You know, Sandy, Canada is a multicultural
nation. It is part of our identity to be respectful to
the cultures of all Canadians, not just the French
and the English. When you talk like this, you sound
like a racist. Immigrants in Vancouver are not taking away your British culture, but it sounds like
you want to take away theirs.
Michael: No, no, I don’t think that’s right, Joo Lin.
Every time someone disagrees with multiculturalism
or wants lower immigration levels, it doesn’t mean
they have racist tendencies. There are racists in
Canada, I know! My family is Jewish, and the
Jewish community is well aware of the neo-Nazi
threat that seems to be growing in Canada and
other industrialized Western Nations. But concern
over immigration being increased is not necessarily racist. In fact, I think immigration shouldn’t be
increased because it increases racial tensions.
My research showed that immigration patterns
began to change radically in the 1970s. People of
colour began to come in much larger numbers.
Since 1985, the number of this type of immigrant
has more than doubled. If they spread out across
the country, we would hardly notice. But more
than 60 percent go to Toronto, Vancouver, and
Montréal. In these communities, the new immigrant groups are becoming a very active political
and social force. Older, traditional communities
have seen their cities take on a strong multicultural flavour almost overnight.
I think the older Canadians fear becoming
aliens in the country they helped to build. . . .
Also, I feel that it is happening so fast that there is
no time for a less friction-filled integration between
the old and new communities. That is why I feel immigration levels should be lowered. Once the present wave of immigrants has settled in, we can
begin to increase immigration once again.
Minesh: I think that the fear of the “long-standing”
Canadian community has some real racial overtones. If you fear a group because they are different, have different customs, and are becoming
effective, that sounds kind of racist to me. And I disagree. I think that we should increase immigration levels. . . .
In the 1950s, Germany absorbed 13 million
refugees into a country of 40 million, and their
economy prospered. I don’t think we really know
how many immigrants we can take. I believe that
we need to get more immigrants who bring needed
skills, are self-employed, and are entrepreneurs
with risk capital to invest in small to medium-size
business.
Evan Carmichael, Canadian entreprenuership
expert, states that in 2005, entreprenuer immigrants in Canada created almost 1000 new jobs.
These new immigrants are bringing in billions of
dollars of investment capital, as well as foreign
management expertise.
Also, these new business immigrants create
trade links and investment opportunities for
Canadians in their countries of origin. They can
help to develop and sell new products on the international markets. These new business immigrants
are very ambitious and hard-working. I think they
can set a good example for all Canadians, because we need to be more ambitious and hardworking if we are to prosper in the world economy.
Karen: I think we should be very careful with what
we do. If immigration is too high, there will not
be enough jobs to go around. When unemployment in Canada is high, the immigration levels
should be reduced. At times like this, some extremists will blame immigrants for the lack of jobs.
This could result in increased racism. There have
been neo-Nazis right here at the school, and they
stress that most of Canada’s new immigrants are
people of colour. They link colour, immigration,
and jobs in their racist babble. If immigration went
back to the earlier level of .05 percent of the population, it would reduce the influence of these racist
arguments.
Also, I think that the immigration department
has some serious problems that must be cleaned up
in a hurry. For example, they have allowed in
some terrorists — people responsible for terrible
crimes against humanity — as well as petty criminals. Members of organized crime rings have
slipped in as refugees or independent immigrants,
and they run extortion and drug rings. And, because of budget cuts that reduced immigration
policing staff, some people who have been ordered deported have managed to remain in the
country. I think it would be wise to reduce immigration to low levels for several years until the immigration department clears up these problems.
Caitlin: I think that traditional or long-standing
Canadians are just afraid of change. Canada was
traditionally English and French, but in the 1960s,
the government recognized that we could no longer
get as many immigrants as we needed from Britain
and Europe. If we did not accept immigrants from
other parts of the world, the Canadian economy
would suffer. We did not have enough workers
and our market was small. These new immigrants
have brought many changes. They follow different religions, their style of dress is different, they eat
different foods, and they have different languages.
Some people fear these differences, but I think
that they are great. The new cultures give Canada
a cosmopolitan, international flavour; it is as if we
have the world on our doorstep. The key to dealing with this fear — and with the racism Michael
and Karen talked about — is education. Look at us.
As young Canadians we are learning to get along
with all different types of races and cultures. This
kind of understanding and social skill will soon
be in demand in business, politics, and the arts
all around the world.
CHAPTER 3 Canada’s Cultural Diversity
97
Organize and Understand
30. Why did immigration levels become a controversial issue in the early and mid-1990s?
31. Roughly what proportion of immigration
was accounted for by refugees in the years
1990–2000?
32. Take a page in your notebook and divide it
down the centre. Across the top of the page
write the question “Should Canada have
high levels of immigration?” Label the left
column “Pro” (reasons in favour) and the
right column “Con” (reasons against).
Read through the debate again. Based on it
and any other relevant information you
have, list as many reasons as possible in
both columns.
Thinking It Through
33. After you have completed your Pro and
Con chart, decide which side of the issue
you support. Be prepared to defend your
point of view in a debate with the rest of
the class.
Inquiring Citizen
34. What is the life expectancy for people in
Somalia compared with that in Canada?
FIGURE 3–14
Government grants
help pay for the teaching of ancestral languages, as well as
French or English,
for immigrants. Here,
students attend a
Chinese language
class.
98
UNIT 1
35. Working in a group, develop a series of
10 statements about immigration. Each
should be written so it can be answered
with one of the following replies:
a) very strongly agree b) agree c) disagree
d) very strongly disagree
Conduct an immigration survey in your
school and/or community. Have each
member of your group pose the questions
to 10 people, asking them to respond as indicated above. When your survey is completed, collate your results. What do they
show about public opinion on the issue of
immigration?
36. Do you think the opinions you collected in
your survey might change over time? If
not, why not? If so, what sorts of conditions might cause the opinions to change?
Discuss these questions with two or three
of the people you surveyed. Discuss your
findings in class.
37. In your own words, briefly summarize the
main points made by each student in the
discussion about immigration levels on
pages 95–97.
OFFICIAL MULTICULTUR ALISM:
ADVANTAGES AND CHALLENGES
As we have seen, Canada has been a mosaic of cultures from its earliest days.
It was not until the 1970s, however, that Canada’s identity became officially
multicultural. On October 8, 1971, Prime Minister Trudeau outlined a policy on multiculturalism within a bilingual framework. The government’s
goals were to
• help cultural groups preserve their cultures,
• help members of cultural groups overcome barriers preventing full participation in Canadian society,
• promote cultural exchanges between groups to further national unity,
and
• assist immigrants to acquire at least one of Canada’s official languages.
The government developed various programs to implement these goals.
Succeeding governments continued with similar policies. Before long, official multiculturalism became a widely recognized and accepted
part of our national identity. Various cultural
communities began to produce newspapers,
histories of their contributions to the building
of Canada, multicultural festivals, and projects
to allow community members to address a wide
array of problems and goals.
As time passed, however, it became clear
that the government’s official multiculturalism
policy was not fulfilling all its high hopes and
promises. Some communities pointed to their
experiences of inequality, discrimination, and
systemic racism. Their voices grew louder as
Canada wrestled with the dream of creating a
stronger unity by focusing on the diversity of
multiculturalism. From around the world came
a variety of examples that suggested that a focus
on ethnic diversity could tear a country apart.
For information
about Manitoba’s
approach to
multiculturalism, see the
link on our Web site
www.pearsoned.ca/ccw
FIGURE 3–15 The government began giving grants
to organizers of cultural conferences, festivals, and
exchanges, such as the annual Toronto Caribbean
Carnival (Caribana) parade in Toronto.
CHAPTER 3 Canada’s Cultural Diversity
99
FIGURE 3–16 The government supported the contributions of various cultural
groups to promote multiculturalism.
This was the case in the former Yugoslavia, in Rwanda, and in a dozen other
countries.
In 1992 the highly respected American historian Arthur M. Schlesinger
Jr. wrote a national bestseller called The Disuniting of America. In it, he questioned the wisdom of promoting multiculturalism. Schlesinger argued that
if people of different origins, languages, religions, and cultures live in the
same country, they must have a common sense of purpose and a very strong
understanding of their common national identity; otherwise, the society
will be torn apart by ethnic and racial antagonisms. Schlesinger used Canada
as an example of a nation being unravelled and undermined by official multiculturalism.
In the following section, you will examine a number of views concerning
the advantages provided and challenges presented by the policy of multiculturalism.
100
UNIT 1 Diversity and Pluralism in Canada
Views on Multiculturalism
Diversity has been a fundamental characteristic
of Canada since its beginnings. At the time of
European settlement there were more than 56
Aboriginal nations speaking more than 30 languages. As the French and then the English colonized Canada, treaties were signed that
acknowledged Aboriginal nationhood. Linguistic
duality was enshrined in law at the earliest stages
of the development of the Canadian federation.
At a time when it was accepted practice to establish sovereignty through war and cultural domination, there were enough Canadians who believed
in the virtues of accommodation and mutual respect to ensure that, with some exceptions, Canada
would develop peaceably and the foundations of
its diversity would be preserved.
This does not mean that there aren’t tensions in
Canada that flow from the differences between
people. But as these tensions are addressed,
Canadians learn to adapt and relate to one another despite their differences. Through practice,
we have come to understand that the differences
between us do not have to divide us. This encourages citizens who face common challenges to step
forward and claim their right to full participation
in Canadian society. As a consequence, Canada’s
concept of what constitutes diversity is expanding. Diversity is moving beyond language, ethnicity, race and religion, to include cross-cutting
characteristics such as gender, sexual orientation,
and range of ability and age. The same approaches that have helped Canadians develop
into a bilingual, multicultural society are now also
helping to bring down other barriers that prevent
individuals from reaching their full potential.
Canadian Diversity: Accepting Our Differences.
The Department of Canadian Heritage
The average Canadian’s attitude toward the immigrant is — “They can’t help the way they look, so
we’ll accept that, but that’s as far as we’ll go. They
FOCUS
will have to accept our ways and mannerisms in
everything else. If not, they can do what they like
in the privacy of their home, but outside they should
conform.”
Therefore, this is the approach I have chosen for
myself. At home I am almost entirely Indian (from
India), but outside I ape every Canadian mannerism possible. I must confess that, since there is no
definite Canadian identity, this is quite difficult.
Of one thing I am convinced and that is the “ethnic mosaic” is a myth.
Meera Shastri, quoted in Between Two Worlds:
The Canadian Immigrant Experience
(Dunvegan, Ont.: Quadrant Editions, 1983).
Multiculturalism is an emotional subject. It reaches
into our past and our present, into the core of ourselves. It engages all that has shaped us. It touches
us where we are the most vulnerable and the most
self-protective. . . . Anyone critical of multicultural
policy, then, is immediately branded a racist. And
if one happens to be, as I am, a “person of
colour,” one is then graced with words such as
“sell-out,” “traitor” and “Uncle Tom” from “ethnic”
defenders with a stake in the system. . . . Many are
they in this country who fear a serious examination
of multiculturalism, its policies and its consequences. Many are they who will resort to a chorus of vilification to protect their sacred turf. . . .
Neil Bissoondath, Selling Illusions:
The Cult of Multiculturalism in Canada
(Markham, Ont.: Penguin, 1994).
It is precisely the policy of multiculturalism that has
brought ethnic minorities out of the so-called ghettoes into the mainstream of our public culture. . . .
Bissoondath takes great satisfaction from his
successful acculturation into Canada, having arrived some 20 years ago from Trinidad. He spurns
identification with the “ethnic bastions” of exTrinidadians in Canada. Fair enough. But he
CHAPTER 3 Canada’s Cultural Diversity
101
should acknowledge the experience of those
Canadians for whom multiculturalism emerged
after decades of a less salubrious history in a far
less culturally accommodating society than the one
Bissoondath joined. For a real experience of ghet-
toization, he should have come to Canada before
the Multiculturalism Act of 1971.
Myrna Kostash, reviewing Bissoondath’s
book Selling Illusions in the Toronto Star,
October 22, 1994, p. F17.
What Issues Does Multiculturalism Face Today?
ISSUES THAT MULTICULTURALISM policies must
deal with are
• the right to cultural and religious laws
• changes to the Canadian Constitution
• the creation of a commission on immigration
to look at immigration policies
Thinking It Through
38. What do you think is the most important
advantage of official multiculturalism?
Give reasons for your answer.
39. Do you think Canada should keep, get rid
of, or perhaps modify its official policy of
multiculturalism? List reasons for your
point of view. Be prepared to defend your
viewpoint with the members of your class.
40. Some Canadians suggest we should not
siphon off qualified people from developing nations because it hurts the economies
of those nations. They suggest that we
should take large numbers of immigrants
who have no modern industrial skills and
then train them and their families here in
102
UNIT 1 Diversity and Pluralism in Canada
FOCUS
• the alienation of different cultural groups
• problems with assimilation
• intolerance and misunderstandings of
separate ethnic and racial communities
Canada. As one of the richest countries, we
would be helping to lessen the burden of
nations that are struggling to survive. Do
you agree with this point of view? Be sure
to give reasons to back up your position.
Inquiring Citizen
41. Consult with your teacher, local libraries,
or local cultural associations to find out
whether any foreign-language newspapers
published in Canada are available in your
community. If so, find a copy of the paper.
Then ask a person from that community to
help you translate some of the headlines.
Write a short report on the contents and
attitudes expressed in one issue.
REVIEWING THE ISSUES
Canada has always been a multicultural nation. From the cultural diversity
of the Aboriginal peoples through the waves of immigrants who came to
Canada, we are a people of many cultures. In recent years our cultural diversity has become a major part of our official national identity. Many
Canadians welcomed this change. They hoped that official multiculturalism
in Canada would bring domestic harmony and unity. In recent years, however, some Canadians have become concerned that the hopes of official multiculturalism will not be realized. As the twenty-first century progresses,
Canadians will continue to consider the value of official multiculturalism,
changes to the immigration policy, and the possibility that there may be
better ways to promote equality, harmony, and a positive, tolerant image
for Canada.
CHAPTER 3 Canada’s Cultural Diversity
103