Over the past century, the ‘mosaic’ and the ‘melting pot’ have emerged in North America as concepts to explain Canada and the United States’ relationship with immigration and cultural pluralism. Canada is often referred to as a mosaic due to its rich multiculturalism, while the US is considered a "Melting Pot". Like a mosaic, Canada celebrates and honors various cultural groups while the US wants citizens to "melt" and assimilate into one culture -- the American culture. In Canada, multiculturalism contributes and establishes Canadian identity. Multiculturalism makes the Canadian identity unique as it contributes to the diversity of society, guarantees equal rights among citizens, and leads to higher rates of naturalization. To begin with,
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Acceptance gives Canadians a sense of security and self-confidence, making them more open to diverse cultures. According to a survey done by Center for Research and Information on Canada, “fifty-four percent say that multiculturalism makes them feel very proud to be Canadian, and only 8% say it does not make them proud at all” (Andrew Parkin and Matthew Mendelsohn, 5). This demonstrates that multiculturalism encourages racial and ethnic harmony, in addition to cross-cultural understanding. It allows citizens to maintain their own cultural identity and possess strong feelings of patriotism. Furthermore, the 1971 Multiculturalism Policy promotes the idea that all citizens maintain their cultural identities, thus allowing many to take pride in their ancestry and have a sense of belonging. The Multiculturalism Policy was introduced as a way to affirm the “value and dignity of all Canadian citizens regardless of their racial or ethnic origins, their language, or their religious affiliation.”(Tolerance) The establishment of this policy shows there is no pressure to surrenders one’s own culture, which makes many feel more at ease in choosing Canadian citizenship. Likewise in Canada, “12% think that relations between different ethnic and racial groups are a very big problem, compared with 30% to 50% who feel this …show more content…
Multiculturalism makes Canada a diverse and unique society as people with various ethnic, racial and cultural backgrounds are granted entry into Canada. Also, many laws and policies advocates for equal rights and respect among every citizen, despite different racial backgrounds. Lastly, due to the rich multicultural environment, people can maintain their own identities while feeling proud of being Canadians. Therefore, Canada’s diverse society represents its extraordinary nature and recognizes its differences compared to other countries, which is the basis of Canadian
Acceptance gives Canadians a sense of security and self-confidence, making them more open to diverse cultures. According to a survey done by Center for Research and Information on Canada, “fifty-four percent say that multiculturalism makes them feel very proud to be Canadian, and only 8% say it does not make them proud at all” (Andrew Parkin and Matthew Mendelsohn, 5). This demonstrates that multiculturalism encourages racial and ethnic harmony, in addition to cross-cultural understanding. It allows citizens to maintain their own cultural identity and possess strong feelings of patriotism. Furthermore, the 1971 Multiculturalism Policy promotes the idea that all citizens maintain their cultural identities, thus allowing many to take pride in their ancestry and have a sense of belonging. The Multiculturalism Policy was introduced as a way to affirm the “value and dignity of all Canadian citizens regardless of their racial or ethnic origins, their language, or their religious affiliation.”(Tolerance) The establishment of this policy shows there is no pressure to surrenders one’s own culture, which makes many feel more at ease in choosing Canadian citizenship. Likewise in Canada, “12% think that relations between different ethnic and racial groups are a very big problem, compared with 30% to 50% who feel this …show more content…
Multiculturalism makes Canada a diverse and unique society as people with various ethnic, racial and cultural backgrounds are granted entry into Canada. Also, many laws and policies advocates for equal rights and respect among every citizen, despite different racial backgrounds. Lastly, due to the rich multicultural environment, people can maintain their own identities while feeling proud of being Canadians. Therefore, Canada’s diverse society represents its extraordinary nature and recognizes its differences compared to other countries, which is the basis of Canadian