Multiculturalism In Canada Case Study

Multicultural Government Policies

Canada has a long standing tradition of having a culturally diverse population, stating with the formation of New France in 1534 and continuing on with British North America in 1763. With the large area of the country and the small population these cultures where able to maintain their heritages while becoming one united country in 1867. While the United States prides itself on being a cultural melting pot, Canada prides itself on being a cultural mosaic. Instead of assimilating into the already formed communities that where in Canada, each new Culture that immigrated into the country migrated into a new spot and adapted with their own practices. This makes Canada one of the world leaders in Multicultural policies,

This was the first time that Multiculturalism was recognized in the Canadian Constitution. This is the next most important government policy because it makes it more ingrained in the laws and history of Canada and it makes laws against the discrimination of the separated cultures that make up the Canadian population. In the constitutional act of 1982 it states, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.” The quote proves that this chapter of the constitution was very important as a social aspect of multiculturalism moving forward. It changed not only how culture got along with one another but how they were seen as a whole as well. The act made discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability constitutionally illegal. In the same video of the Ukrainian immigrant owning a small store in Winnipeg, it shows the discrimination that the Ukrainians go through as passers through come into his shop. In the video he says that people don’t see him as a ‘Canadian’ but he has lived in Canada for most of his life and is just as much of a Canadian as the people saying that to him. The Chapter of Rights and Freedoms is one of the most important social multicultural legislation because it puts it into law that men, women and children like the store owner are known as Canadians and have the same rights as anyone