On October 8, 1971, Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau announced multiculturalism as an official government policy in front of the House of Commons. This policy was implemented on the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism in their final report, stating that minority groups should be given support and acknowledgement in preserving their culture. In short, the policy encourages a vision of Canada that is based on the values of equality and mutual respect in regard to race, religion, and colour of skin. However, defining multiculturalism is extremely difficult. Thus, the multiculturalism policy defines multiculturalism as managing diversity through formal initiatives through federal and municipal domains.
