Modern Day Canada Analysis

Modern day Canada can be described as a vibrant, cultural and racial mosaic however, by no means did Canada’s past reflect today’s predicament, as several members of the Canadian population were subjected to immense levels of discrimination. Like our American counterpart, Canada had struggled to obtain racial equality for all, but the 20th century proved to be a step in the right direction as there were remarkable factors that drove social change in the country. A reductionist view would not do justice to said change as there were a wide array of aspects that helped to improve social conditions in the country. Modernizing elites such as The Ontario Black History Society and The Coloured Women’s Club of Montreal, the steady yet captivating leadership …show more content…
Political activists such as the Negro Citizen Association had lobbied the government to extend its definition of a British subject to include Blacks from Caribbean colonies. In 1962, their efforts paid off when Canada focused immigration towards education and skills rather than country of origin. () This influx of new and excited immigrants brought along with them their ideas and social attitudes and “dared Black Canadians to be relentless in their fight against discrimination” () which permitted diffusion to take effect. With Black Canadians now having their own radio shows and newspapers, efforts of equality spread quite rapidly amongst a population that had been longing for change after decades of oppression. The exogenous changes brought along by immigrants to Canada triggered many endogenous changes as well. For example, many Black Canadians began to seek out higher education and better jobs despite the fact that there were several inequalities and deterrents placed in front of them. Marissa Scott of Owen Sound, and Bernice Redmon are great examples of this, as they were amongst the first nurses to complete the educational requirements for nursing, and both became certified nurses. This was very compelling to Black Canadians, which was seen through enrollment rates. In the case of McGill University, the number of visible minorities rose from 28 to 469 from 1964 to 1966 which is remarkable considering the discrepancies in opportunities between coloured and white individuals. () Overall, with the influence of immigrants, the social attitudes of Black Canadians drastically changed throughout the years as diffusion and acculturation helped mould Black Canadians into more progressive and assertive society members during a time in which oppression was very much the