Multiculturalism is widely accepted by Canadians, and overall seen as a good thing. Many Canadians, in fact, pride themselves on living in one of the most pluralistic, diverse, and peaceful societies on earth. Trudeau, in 1971, said: “For although there are two official languages, there is no official culture.” His statement reflects the view of most Canadians today.

Since then, there has been a dramatic shift away from a “two founding nations” ideal, which emphasized Canada’s British and French roots. Many people see that Canada’s population has always been heterogenous: even before contact with Europeans, the 250,000 or 300,000 inhabitants of what is now Canada consisted of 50 distinct societies belonging to 12 linguistic groups. After the French arrived and colonized New France, those living in the Maritimes became differentiated from the rest as Acadians. Later, in the 1800s, the Métis emerged from intermarriages. Then, the English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh arrived – and soon after, German and Dutch individuals. Today, Canada takes in more immigrants per capita than any other nation, and first-generation immigrants make up over half of our annual population growth.

And just as with any idea (new or old) in politics, there are multiple criticisms that have emerged of it. These come from every angle on the political compass.
(more…)