Thoughts From a "Lost Canadian" About Diversity in Canada

For the past two days I've been learning about where the first peoples who arrived in Canada came from. Many came from Siberia through the land bridge which long ago connected Siberia and North America known as, Beringia. These peoples became the First Nations Peoples and they spread throughout what we know today as Canada, as well as the US, Mexico, Central, and South America. People also came, many thousands of years later, from Europe to the East Coast of Canada and eventually spread throughout all of Canada.

So, Siberia and Europe are where people first came from who made Canada their home. What does it look like in Canada today? Is it a diverse country? I looked online and learned the following . . .

• Canada is often referred to as a land of immigrants because, over the past 200 years, millions of newcomers have helped to build and defend our way of life.

• Many ethnic and religious groups live and work in peace as proud Canadians. The largest groups are the English, French, Scottish, Irish, German, Italian, Chinese, Aboriginal, Ukrainian, Dutch, South Asian, and Scandinavian. Since the 1970s, most immigrants have come from Asian countries.

• Canada is one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse countries in the world, defined by an official policy of multiculturalism and a large immigrant population. 

• Canada was the first country in the world to adopt multiculturalism as an official policy in 1971. The Canadian Multiculturalism Act of 1988 protects the right of all citizens to keep, show, and share their cultural heritage.

• Unlike the "melting pot" model in the United States, Canada is often described as a cultural "mosaic" where groups keep their unique traditions. 

• Over 22% of Canada's population consists of immigrants.  Newcomers arrive largely from regions such as South Asia, East Asia, and the Middle East.

• Most immigrants live in large urban centers like Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal.

• The 2021 Census recorded more than 450 distinct ethnic or cultural origins across the country. 

• Canada is home to more than 1.6 million Indigenous people.  This group includes First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, spanning over 600 distinct nations. National efforts toward reconciliation aim to recognize Indigenous rights, languages, and lands. 

• English and French serve as the two official languages of Canada. Residents speak over 200 languages at home in daily life.

• Religious diversity is growing rapidly, featuring large Christian and non-religious populations alongside expanding Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, and Jewish communities. 

• Public debates continue regarding optimal immigration levels and housing pressures.

• Systemic racism and social integration hurdles remain ongoing concerns for newcomers.

I found it interesting about how the US sees itself as a "melting pot" and Canada sees itself as a "mosaic" - in a melting pot, everything, everyone becomes the same (in theory), but in a mosaic you are able to see the beauty of each part coming together to make something more beautiful! Canada values diversity - they know the truth - diversity makes us stronger and better - a lesson the US needs to learn for sure. You will find out more about Canadian diversity at this link.