Canada as a Community of Communities
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Canada has faced changes since the 1960s regarding how it views women, benefaction of noticeable minorities acknowledges the aboriginals and their contributions, and celebrates cultural diversity in molding the culture. The social revolution was significantly molded by public and organization practices and their role in the diverse aspects of Canadian life. Canada is a multinational country with numerous communities. Any nation with multiple cultures and languages cannot be termed as a single community; thus, Canada is a community of communities. People who live in Canada are part of civic and political society, making a unique society of citizens with a single organization created of many neighborhoods in it. Canada can, therefore, be referred to as a single community hence a community of communities. Most countries are established based on religion, race, ethnicity, class, among others (Barry, 2001). Canada, on the other hand, has numerous communities in it. It is home for humans of various religions, color, ethnicity, language, among others. Therefore, multiculturalism in Canada can be viewed in multiple ways; politically, prescriptively, and descriptively. Descriptive means the availability of individuals from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds. Prescriptive relates to the ideas on the celebration of cultural diversity. At the same time, politics refers to the policies and the management of the different groups via initiatives found in the federal, municipal, provincial, and territorial spheres.
Canada is, therefore, not a solitary community but a society made of many communities. In the 1070s and 1980s, the Canadian government adopted multiculturalism. This new socio-political awareness about multiculturalism started before the 1960s Royal Commission of Bilingualism and Biculturalism. Even after the adoption of multiculturism by Canada as part of their living at the end of the 1970s, the multiculturalism was law via the Canadian Multiculturalism Act of 1988. The Broadcasting Act of 1991 gave assurance to the Canadian Broadcasting System to encourage diversity of culture in the state. Till to date, Canada has continued to promote various communities and cultures. Our society, more so the workplace, resembles the world, as stated by William Whyte distortion of the “Organization Man.” Social and economic benefits are a result of diversity, which is evident in the urban areas that have transformed into places of creativity and attract talented individuals across the globe (Abu-Laban, 2014). Technology, human experiences, and globalization have resulted in the advancement of people’s knowledge in the 21st century as Canada successfully managing issues on diversity to its social and economic advantage. The quality of progress of our societies is based on our corporations. Canada’s history based on settlement and colonization led to a multicultural society comprised of three major groups; the Indigenous, Britain, and France, among other numerous ethnic and racial groups.
Canada has effectively developed to become the globe’s most diverse, liberal, progressive, and extended societies. The readiness to embrace change and do new things from the previous lessons has enabled it. Today, this spirit is contained in the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. The evolution of societies that embrace and safeguard human rights dates to more than two hundred years back. For instance, Canada abolished slavery back in 1803, resulting in the growth of the underground railway that attracted numerous African-Americans to work in Canada even before the United States president Abraham Lincoln signed into law the commemorated Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. Although Canada was not at the forefront of women’s rights, it granted them their right to vote in 1918 two years before the United States and before other states like Japan, France, Switzerland, and Italy. Canada has witnessed significant progress in equal pay for equal work to both genders and reinforced legislations ruling formal maternity leave initiatives in 1974 ahead of the United States, including other nations. Canada has developed into a multicultural society and has managed to flourish in leading others across the globe. The combination of the improved economy and the diverse society has contributed to Canada becoming a center of renown product innovation.
Despite considerate proof that policies authorizing legal and political compromise of ethnic diversity are operating, several political leaders oppose multiculturalism. Multiculturalism had played a significant role in Canada when it came into being forty years ago. A big part of the Canadian society shows the diverse culture around the globe, making multiculturalism relevant even though several Canadians hold contrasting opinions. Several critics state that multiculturalism enhances hyphenated Canadianism, which intensifies division among the Canadian society founded on aspects such as ethnicity, race, minority, females, and immigration status. Multiculturalism, however, serves as an advantage to the entire Canadian society. Recently, the leaders representing minority groups in the Assembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Native Women’s Association of Canada Metis National Council, and Congress signed bound accords with the Canadian government, which ensured the Aboriginals involvement which was a massive historical step. It restored the Aboriginal’s relationship with the Federal government. The country has adopted critical social programs for a harmonized and fair community. The public healthcare system ensures all Canadians access full medical requirements. Families and children get the Child Benefit Provisions. The aged get assistance from income support programs like the Guaranteed Income Supplement, including the first pension via the Canadian Pension Plan (Banting & Kymlicka, 2013).
Regardless of the numerous critics on the Canadian policy of multiculturalism, it has significant implications for ethnic minorities on a social, political, economic, and legal basis. The minority groups have been beneficial to the economy as they have been incorporated in the labor market. They work in multiple business sectors like banking, transport, and even communication, among others. Their increased participation is due to the government’s efforts, which incorporated some programs to ensure there is equality in the working places. Multicultural and immigrants have contributed significantly to the political benefits of Canada. The country has witnessed high appraisals of civic engagement by foreign citizens due to the country’s multicultural nature. Canada is lucky to have many immigrants, which boosts it economically through encouraging investments overseas. The immigrants come with essential skills, finances, and education, which they add to the Canadian economy. They also provide crucial information to Canadian industries to become more creative and innovative. The Canadian government has encouraged immigrants with skills in engineering and medicine or traders in areas where Canada has faced a shortage of employees (Abu-Laban & Garber, 2005). Thus, the nation’s track record in effectively integrating immigrants is stumbling. Immigrants come into the country educated, in good health, and at the peak of their careers compared to those belonging to the country. Even though most of the political in Canada have pro-immigration policies, the Conservative Party is seen as reluctant to support immigrants and not support multiculturism. Then conservatives had the large immigrants’ number and came up with legislation to embrace multiculturalism and workers’ equity. The defeat of the Conservative party in 1993 led it to merge with the Reform Party, which has been reluctant to support the minority ethnic groups as it is a representation of social conservatism. In recent years of 2006, there have been significant changes to the ethnic group’s policy and questions regarding the value of multiculturalism.
From an economic perspective, immigrants have contributed to the world’s competition. Without these skilled workforces, it is more likely that the Canadian enterprises would be unable to attain corporate strategies for development and innovation. On the other hand, women have progressed in the workplace based on equal pay for equal work with men, including growth opportunities. Canada has contributed to family-friendly workplaces to ensure that women accommodate family responsibilities and jobs, enhancing opportunities for the recent comers in Canada to be recognized in terms of their education, experience, and skills. Multiculturalism has resulted in a firm ethnic identity, including involvement in the ethnic community, which impacts the ethnic groups in both positive and negative social ways. The ethnic minorities have a sense of belonging and feel satisfied. The minority have exceeded participation in Canada’s political process as the Immigrants have chances of acquiring citizenship in Canada compared to any other Western nation. They are part of the electoral processes such as voting, becoming members of parties, or run for political offices, which makes them have high access to the political process in Canada. They are allowed to vote, a form of social integration (Bouchard & Taylor, 2008). However, minorities are negatively impacted in terms of citizen acquisition for the immigrants or a sense of identity in the country. Therefore, we can argue that social impacts on the minority are mixed, and it all depends on the level of integration that portrays the various aspects of reality.
Federal multiculturalism has developed over the years from the 1970s to the present. In 1971, a gradual movement to incorporate ethnic diversity was witnessed and integrated into Canadian society. A cultural sense was included, which was similar to British society in Canada. This was an artistic reflection of political, social, and economic institutions in Canada. Canadians were termed as British subjects when the Canadian Citizenship Act of 1947 was enacted with numerous cultural symbols incorporated, such as English-speaking Canada. However, central authorities ignored the worth of cultural heterogeneity, putting in mind racial and ethnic variations as dangerous to national interests and harmful to Canada’s integrity. After world war II, the immigrants from Europe encouraged authorities to consider the task and role of these ethnic minorities in the developing Canadian society (Kreiner, 2009).
Canadians regard the multicultural society with positivity with attitudes regarding immigration and multiculturalism getting good reviews over the years. Thus, multiculturalism is seen as a symbol of Canadian identity. How people think about multiculturism, depend from one region to the other. Some communities like Quebecois have expressed uneasiness regarding multiculturalism. This is through federal authorities in provincial internal events. Most see multiculturism as a tactic of downgrading the special social status of Quebecois groups in the minority ethnic group. They see multiculturalism as a way of weakening French-based Canada, the Francophone state, including endangering the partnership of the English and French-speaking Canadians. According to them, the fact of lowering the rights of the French Speakers to be equal to the ethno-racial minorities as a way of multicultural equality is incompatible with the unique compact among the three-original people of Canada. Several people argue that multicultural policy promotes excess diversity damaging unity. The system is diverse as it emphasizes the differences but not the worth of Canadians, as supported by critics.
On the other hand, some Canadians argue that multiculturalism allows integration as immigrants are allowed to preserve their culture and even participate in Canadian society or even both. However, most Canadians support immigration based on two reasons; boldness in its economic benefits and multiculturalism, which is a progressive social policy. It is an essential national-building aspect in Canada as immigrants are viewed as main establishing blocks for the future, ensuring the country prospers and expands (Bauböck, 2005).
Conclusion
Canada is described as a community of communities as it is made up of numerous cultures and languages with its people part of a civic and political society. Canada is thus termed as progressive and multicultural with a diverse culture. The federal government is seen as an initiator of multicultural ideologies due to its public emphasis on immigration’s social benefits. The Canadian culture comprises a variety of constitutional nationalities, including policies that enhance a fair society constitutionally safeguarded, such as healthcare, the aged, and the minority groups. The Canadian government has been able to influence culture through programs, regulations, and institutions. Canada is made up of many communities which make it culturally diverse. There have been numerous debates on cultural diversity than any other subject that impacts the modern societies in western nations. Even though difference comes with its disadvantages, most are not as most governments, and Canadian intellectuals publicize Canada’s ethnic diversity to the reason behind the nation’s success and prosperity in the modern era. A number disagree with the opinion and believe that time is the only factor necessary to evaluate its results.
Canada is among the leading multicultural nations worldwide, followed by success and development attributed to the immigrants who are skilled and settle effectively in the country. It comes with both wrong and rights attributes, but it has numerous advantages that play a significant role in the country’s success. It also has several disadvantages and can result in outcomes with few desirable consequences. The main advantage of multiculturism in Canada is that it is a diverse country rich in cultural diversity with numerous ideas, expressions, and lifestyles to enjoy all in a single national identity. The many races have different cultures, which result in opposing variations and have resulted in racism, violence, and discrimination. The multiculturalism policy gives citizens a chance to enjoy their religion and have a sense of identity and be bold without fear of persecution. This enables Canadians to experience various cultures hence borrow new ideas for the success of political, social, legal, and economic aspects in Canada. The ethnic minorities can acquire citizenship and have a sense of belonging in Canada.
References
Abu-Laban, Y. (2014). Reform by stealth: the Harper conservatives and Canadian multiculturalism. The multiculturalism question: Debating identity in 21st century Canada, 149-172.
Abu-Laban, Y., & Garber, J. A. (2005). The construction of the geography of immigration as a policy problem: The United States and Canada compared. Urban Affairs Review, 40(4), 520-561.
Banting, K., & Kymlicka, W. (2013). Is there a retreat from multiculturalism policies? New evidence from the multiculturalism policy index. Comparative European Politics, 11(5), 577-598.
Barry, B. (2001). Equality and culture.
Bauböck, R. (2005). If you say multiculturalism is the wrong answer, then what was the question. Canadian Diversity/Diversité Canadienne, 4(1), 90-93.
Bouchard, G., & Taylor, C. (2008). Building the future: A time for reconciliation.
Kreiner, M. (2009). Delivering diversity: newly regulated midwifery returns to Manitoba, Canada, one community at a time. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 54(1), e1-e10.