Cultural Mosaic In Canada

When thinking about a unifying system of beliefs for Canada I immediately thought of the idea of a cultural mosaic. To me this phrase represents the Canadian belief that everyone within the country can keep his or her original culture without having to assimilate and be welcomed as an equal within Canadian society, thus creating a ‘mosaic’ of various cultures. At a glance one might think that the idea of a cultural mosaic is an accurate depiction for contemporary Canada. Throughout my time in school this was the defining phrase used when speaking about Canada, especially in relation to other nations. Canada’s legislation seems to reflect a cultural mosaic as well. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms section fifteen clearly states “every individual is equal before and under the law … without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability” (CITE) While Canada can be viewed as representing a cultural mosaic, it

This bias is towards the Western culture as Canada being a former colony of England inherently holds white, Western, values as superior to the values of other cultures. An example of this can be seen in the recent federal election and the involvement of the Nikhab in debate. Involving a cultural groups practice in an election does not promote equality, or unity. Additionally, the potential for banning a cultural practice from elements of society reflects a society that does not fully embrace that culture. This is an oversimplification of the issue, however the fact that it was an electoral issue highlights how Canada is failing to live up to the true meaning of a cultural mosaic. While everyone is legally able to speak their desired language and represent their culture in some ways, people are expected to learn and adopt Western values to truly succeed in