So you know me by now - this response is on the long side.
Yes, Canada is diverse. "Multiculturalism" is part of our national identity. In my province, B.C., there is a large representation of South Asians and Chinese people, among others. I've mentioned before that according to the last census figures I've seen, the Black population here hovers around 1%. The Indigenous population is 5%. (Both obviously on the very low side).
We celebrate many national holidays from various countries. The recent Vaisakhi (South Asian) celebrations reportedly attracted half-a-million people. (Not my cup of tea - I don't like crowds).
https://vancouversbestplaces.com/events-calendar/festivals-and-events/surrey-vaisakhi-celebrations/"The Surrey Vaisakhi Parade celebrates the Punjabi New Year in April. The Sikh festival attracts over 300,000 people from across the Metro Vancouver region."
"In 2023 the parade took place on Saturday, April 22nd, which coincidentally was the same day as Earth Day this year. As many as half a million people are believed to have attended, which is amazing!. The Vancouver Vaisakhi Festival also happened in 2023. The event in South Vancouver took place on Saturday, April 15th."
"Also known as the Surrey Khalsa Day Parade, the Surrey Vaisakhi Parade is the largest event of its kind in the world outside the Punjab. It’s a must-see experience for Vancouverites!"
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Multiculturalism:
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/culture/canadian-identity-society/multiculturalism.html“…the significance of multiculturalism in Canada — ensuring that all citizens keep their identities, take pride in their ancestry and have a sense of belonging.”
“On June 27, Canadian Multiculturalism Day honours the many cultural communities that help build a strong and vibrant Canadian society. Take this opportunity to celebrate the cultural diversity that enriches us collectively and reaffirm your commitment to equity, inclusion, and mutual respect.”
These are some of the ways that multiculturalism is recognized and celebrated:
National Indigenous Peoples Day:
“National Indigenous Peoples Day takes place on the summer solstice, June 21. It’s a special occasion to learn more about the rich and diverse cultures, voices, experiences and histories of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
“Learning about Indigenous Peoples, places and experiences is a step forward each Canadian can take on the path to reconciliation.”
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day:
“In Canada, nearly 10 million people speak French. On June 24, on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day and the National Day of Quebec, Francophones across the country show their pride by celebrating their language and their traditions.”
Canada Day:
“Canada Day, formerly known as Dominion Day, is the national day of Canada. A federal statutory holiday, it celebrates the anniversary of Canadian Confederation which occurred on July 1, 1867.”
“Canada's national holiday is celebrated on July 1.”
“Canadians across the country and around the world show their pride in their history, culture and achievements. It's been a day of celebration since 1868, where many festivities are held across the nation.”
National Acadian Day:
“The Acadian people, pioneers and builders of the country, have celebrated Acadian Day on August 15 since 1881, the year in which the first national Acadian convention was held in Memramcook, New Brunswick. The National Acadian Day Act was passed by the Government of Canada in 2003.
“National Acadian Day highlights the contribution of Acadians to the Canadian cultural fabric, recognizes their historical presence on the land, and celebrates their cultural specificity in all its diversity.”
Here’s an article in The Canadian Encyclopedia that outlines the history and development of the multiculturalism ideal in Canada:
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/multiculturalismExcerpts:
The initial idea behind multiculturalism was brought to popular attention by John Murray Gibbon’s 1938 book Canadian Mosaic: The Making of a Northern Nation, which challenged the US-born idea of cultural assimilation, known as the “melting pot.” However, it was not until the 1960s that multiculturalism emerged as an object of national conversation about Canadian identity.
The origins of Canada’s multiculturalism policy can be found in the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism (1963–69).
The Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism was appointed to investigate the state of bilingualism and biculturalism in Canada. The commission was a response to the growing unrest among French Canadians in Quebec, who called for the protection of their language and culture, and opportunities to participate fully in political and economic decision making (see Quiet Revolution). The commission's findings led to changes in French education across the country, the creation of the federal ministry of multiculturalism and the Official Languages Act (1969).
Two years later, in 1971, Canada’s multiculturalism policy was adopted. The policy acknowledged that Canadians come from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, and that all cultures have intrinsic value. In a speech in the House of Commons in April of 1971, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau introduced it as “a policy of multiculturalism within a bilingual framework,” a policy that would complement the Official Languages Act by facilitating the integration of new Canadians into one or both of the official language communities. “Although there are two official languages, there is no official culture,” said Trudeau.
[In the early 1980s] many Canadians began to associate multiculturalism with other basic and rights and freedoms enshrined in the Charter, such as freedom of expression and freedom of religion.
…recognition for Quebec’s distinct character (“distinct society”).
…the recognition of official language minorities, including the “recognition that the existence of French-speaking Canadians…constitutes a fundamental characteristic of Canada.
…in 1988 the federal government passed the Multiculturalism Act (Bill C-93). It was aimed at promoting “the full and equitable participation of individuals and communities of all origins in the continuing evolution and shaping of all aspects of Canadian society.”
In the late 1980s, concerns resurfaced about Canadian unity. Some opponents of multiculturalism believed that ethnic minority attachments to the cultures of their countries of origin were the main threat to Canadian identity. In their view, multiculturalism encouraged divisive dual and multiple identities and, in so doing, prevented citizens from simply describing themselves as Canadians.
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Multiculturalism is the ideal (for a majority of people and successive governments). The reality is that an ideal of multiculturalism does not eradicate racism:
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/anti-black-racism-in-canadaExcerpts:
Racism against Black People:
Black people have been in Canada since the early 17th century (see Black Canadians). Throughout their 400-year history in Canada, Black people have faced racism, discrimination and hostility based on the colour of their skin. Anti-Black racism refers to attitudes, beliefs, stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice targeted at people of African descent. The roots of anti-Black racism are found in enslavement and its legacies.
Deeply entrenched in Canadian institutions, policies and practices, anti-Black racism is either normalized or rendered invisible to the larger white society. Anti-Black racism manifests itself in how Black Canadians are disadvantaged, or marginalized, in society, the economy and politics. As a result, Black Canadians often have unequal opportunities, higher unemployment and significant poverty rates. They are also overrepresented in the criminal justice system (see also Criminal Code of Canada).
Anti-Black racism has manifested itself through various historical examples, including enslavement (the transatlantic slave trade) and segregation. Ongoing issues of anti-Black racism, such as police brutality and racial microaggressions, continue to persist in Canada.
Anti-Black racism continues against Black people in Canada today through a variety of overt and subtle dynamics. Some of these factors include education, poverty, the labour market, the justice system, immigration and housing. Unequal opportunities in education seriously impact Black Canadians in negative and discriminatory ways. In comparison to other youth, Black young people are less likely to attend post-secondary institutions and earn post-secondary qualifications. (See also Universities in Canada.) Although the socio-economic conditions of Black Canadians may vary according to their gender, region of origin or ancestry and generation status, discrimination and racism still exist and negatively impact Black people in Canada.
Another way in which anti-Black racism manifests itself against Black people in Canada is through instances of police brutality. In Canada, Black and Indigenous people are overrepresented in police-involved deaths. In 2018, the Ontario Human Rights Commission found that, between 2013 and 2017, a Black person was nearly 20 times more likely to be shot and killed by the police in Toronto compared to a white person. Advocates argue that police brutality is just one of many symptoms of systemic racism found in Canada.
Racism against Indigenous People:
“Ignored to Death: Systemic Racism in the Canadian Healthcare System”
Submission to EMRIP the Study on Health
Brenda L Gunn, Associate Professor, Robson Hall Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba,
Canada
(https://www.ohchr.org > UniversityManitoba)
Excerpts:
Widespread health disparities continue for Indigenous peoples in Canada. Indigenous peoples experience lower health outcomes than non-Indigenous peoples in Canada, which is exacerbated by the lack of access to quality health care and lower socio-economic situation (as confirmed by the social determinates of health). Indigenous peoples also lack access to adequate health services, especially in remote communities. In 2015, the Auditor General in Canada concluded that “Health Canada did not have reasonable assurance that eligible First Nations individuals living in remote communities in Manitoba and Ontario had access to clinical and client care services and medical transportation benefits as defined for the purpose of this performance audit.” There is a failure to implement existing policies and strategies.
However, racism including systemic racism within the healthcare system is a significant contributor to Indigenous peoples’ lower health outcomes. Racism is not limited to interpersonal issues during the provision of health services. Structural racism is evident throughout the Canadian health care system. Structural racism exists in the policies and practices in the Canadian public health system and other sectors, which has profound negative effects on access to health care and health disparities. Racial discrimination in the health care system as well as broader Canadian society has direct physiological effects on health.”
Discrimination in Canada:
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2022001/article/00002-eng.htmExcerpts:
Both socially and legally, Canada is a multicultural country (Canadian Multiculturalism Act; Berry 2013; Hyman et al. 2011).
As a policy, multiculturalism has many goals, including recognizing and promoting the cultural and racial diversity of Canadian society, while emphasizing that this is a fundamental characteristic of Canadian identity and heritage; promoting the full and equal participation of individuals and communities in the development of Canadian society and assisting in the elimination of barriers to participation; and ensuring that individuals receive equal treatment and equal protection under the law, while respecting and valuing their diversity, among several others (Canadian Multiculturalism Act).
Despite the emphasis on multiculturalism, differential treatment and differential opportunity can still pose problems in a diverse society, and experiences of discrimination can have negative consequences for individuals (Berry 2013; Dion 2002). In Canada, discrimination on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability, or conviction for an offence which has been pardoned are formally prohibited by law (Canadian Human Rights Act).
The Canadian Human Rights Act is based on the underlying principle that all Canadians have the right to equal opportunity, regardless of these characteristics. In addition to federal legislation, each province and territory has their own human rights legislation as well. Furthermore, beyond the grounds specifically mentioned in law, Canadians may perceive discrimination on the basis of other factors, such as their language or physical appearance.
According to the 2019 General Social Survey (GSS) on Canadians’ Safety, nearly half (46%) of Black people aged 15 years and older reported experiencing at least one form of discrimination in the past 5 years, compared to 16% of the non-Indigenous, non-visible minority population.
Of all Black people, four in ten (41%) experienced discrimination based on their race or skin colour, about 15 times higher than the proportion among the non-Indigenous, non-visible minority population (3%).
Experiences of discrimination were much more common among Canadian-born Black people (65%) than among Black immigrants (36%).
Data from the GSS show that a considerably higher proportion of Black people experienced discrimination in 2019 than in 2014 (46% versus 28%).
Discrimination was more common among the Indigenous population than among populations who are both non-Indigenous and non-visible minority (33% versus 16%). More specifically, 44% of First Nations people had experienced discrimination in the 5 years preceding the survey, as had 24% of Métis and 29% of Inuit.
Among those who were discriminated against, 21% of Indigenous people and 16%E of Black people said it was when dealing with police, compared with 4% of non-Indigenous, non-visible minority people who experienced discrimination.
Experiences of discrimination were more common among Indigenous people in 2019 (33%) than they were in 2014 (23%)."
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The country is also open to accepting refugees from various conflicts. I have been involved in programs assisting refugees from Africa, Serbia and Syria. It's interesting to meet the people and gratifying to be able to help if only in small ways.
So, the ideal is implemented, although imperfectly, due to institutional and societal imperfections. It always upsets me to see inequity that harms people. It especially hurts my heart to learn of discrimination, prejudice and inequality in the health care system, in large part due to the medical ideal First, Do No Harm, that is obviously disregarded when rendering inadequate care or none at all, resulting in negative impacts for patients, up to and including avoidable death.
I greatly favour multiculturalism as a societal ideal. Obviously though, it can be tough to implement and maintain, a situation that brings great pain to so many. Sadly.
People eh?
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2023 12:20PM by Nightingale.