Essay On Canada Identity

CANADIAN IDENTITY

By Rebecca Grimwood Does Canada have a secure identity, or have we become an American wannabe? The two countries share the longest border in the world, and have a similar amount of land mass. Many wonder if Canada is simply a smaller version of America. Although Canada is aware of America’s entertainment industry, concept of multiculturalism, and history, there are fundamental differences that make Canada’s identity unique and secure. Historically, the United States influenced Canadian development as new technology became available to the citizens of both countries. Radios became available for anyone to own in the 1920’s. The signals carried for long distances, and a number of American stations could easily be received in

Both boast a very high immigration population from all over the globe. A well-known name for the concept of multiculturalism in Canada is the “cultural mosaic”. In America, multiculturalism is frequently called a “melting pot”. The metaphor of the cultural mosaic implies a mix of different religious and ethnic groups who live harmoniously in a society. In the United States, the situation is quite different. A melting pot implies that the cultural diversity of minorities “melts together” into the American culture. The melting pot is a symbol for the immigrants’ conformation to the society of the United States. It becomes obvious that Canada’s and America’s attitudes towards immigrants are the complete opposite. Canada does not expect immigrants to give up their cultural identity, and America expects them to assimilate, and become a part of their society. Multiculturalism states that people may live in a society without surrendering their culture or traditions. The idea of America’s melting pot opposes Canada’s cultural mosaic. These two metaphors helps in understanding of the differences between Canadian and American societies. They emphasize the different relationships to the various minorities living in the countries. Canada’s identity is different from America’s, because it boasts a cultural mosaic. Canada’s identity has been shaped by our unique history. One important historical event that firmly separated us from the