The Role Of Multiculturalism In Canada

339 Words2 Pages
While the official policy of multiculturalism was adopted in Canada in 1971, Canada has been culturally and ethnically diverse even prior to the arrival of the European settlers and colonists due to the vast number of Aboriginal groups and native languages (Berry 2013). In order to understand why the policy of multiculturalism has been successful in addressing Canada’s ethno-cultural diversity, one must first understand the varying definitions of multiculturalism. The Government of Canada defines multiculturalism as “fundamental to the belief that all citizens are equal…That all citizens can keep their identities, take pride in their ancestry and have a sense of belonging… It gives Canadians a feeing of security and self-confidence, making