The Role Of Multiculturalism In Canada

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A country in which each citizen feels accepted and happy has the potential to be a successful nation. For a country to be successful, citizens must be given the opportunity to contribute to the well-being of society. In Canada, people work closely together, which creates a positive environment for all individuals. A study from 2003 to 2011 by the Centre for the Study of Living Standards states that, “Canadians are happy and getting happier”(jdv dv) . Canadians are the second happiest in the world in regards to the following: life expectancy, generosity and individual freedoms to make personal life choices. With the vast majority of Canada's population being happy, people can develop new innovative ways that have the ability to greatly impact …show more content…
It is a fundamental to the beliefs of Canadians to ensure all individuals are equal. Diversity allows citizens the ability to maintain their self identity and practice specific cultural traditions. In 1971, “Canada established an official policy of multiculturalism, which guaranteed the value of one will be the same no matter their ethnic background” (Sand, 2016). This policy is essential because immigrants are promised with the feeling of acceptance. In regards to the first category, people feel welcomed to practice their culture and religion. This leads to happier Canadians due to less judgement. Judgement is substituted with acceptance since the vast population of Canada is made up of different races, religions and cultures. “In 2011, Canada had a foreign-born population of about 6,775,800 people… [this being] the highest proportion among countries” …show more content…
With no pressure of assimilation, immigrants choose to be Canadian because it is not a policy to give up one’s culture and ancestry. In other words, rates are high since there is no penalty to practice your culture instead, it is celebrated. From diversity week celebrated in Balfour to everyday life, it is evident that Canadians believe in the importance of a multicultural society. Individual rights are protected under the policy of multiculturalism, which results in not fearing group pressures. Secondly, rates of immigration have gone up due to Canada accepting people as they are. A study done by the Immigration Watch of Canada states, “Canada took about 300,000 people in, which is equivalent to 822 people per day” (http://immigrationwatchcanada.org/). High rates of immigration have the potential to create more innovative ideas and profit. Each culture has a different mentality when performing tasks and this will benefit Canada with new inventions and perspectives on how the country should be run. With regards to profit, an advantage of having a diverse workforce would be they have the knowledge to successfully sell products to the diverse consumer population. Canada does not limit people's ability which attracts many individuals oversea and that allows the cycle of new innovative ideas to continue and be effective. Both celebrating multiculturalism and higher immigration rates, result in why Canada is a superior